Christian Apologetics (Hardcover)

by Norman L Geisler (Author) "There are various approaches or methods to the question of God, some positive and some negative..." (more)
Key Phrases: adequate test for truth, bipolar theism, existential causality, New Testament, Old Testament, Jesus Christ (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The standard for Christian apologetics, this systematic approach presents both the methods and reasons for defending Christianity. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author
Dr. Norman L. Geisler is cofounder and longtime dean of Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has spoken or debated in all fifty states and in more than two dozen countries. He holds a B.A. and M.A. from Wheaton College, a Th.B. from William Tyndale College, and a Ph.D. from Loyola University in Chicago. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 393 pages
• Publisher: Prince Press (2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156563800X
• ISBN-13: 978-1565638006
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,628,718 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

77 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Standard Apologetics Textbook, July 30, 2000

By	T. B. Vick "Learn 2 Discern" (The Lone Star State) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Christian Apologetics (Paperback)

This book is a standard apologetics textbook in many seminaries and schools in the U.S.. This is so for many good and obvious reasons. First, Geisler is well known and considered by many to be one of the greatest apologists of this century. Second, the contents of this book are so thorough and concise that there is actually no other book that has been published before or after this one that could be considered a viable rival. This is not to say that there are no other great apologetic texts out there. But there are very few that match this one. Geisler covers every imaginable worldview, describes the view, and proceeds to defend the Christian faith in light of the opposing view at hand. The book is philosophically rigorous, and laid out in a systematic fashion that helps the reader keep organized while tackling the many beliefs that stem from each of the views covered. Geisler covers rationalism, agnosticism, fideism, experientialism, evidentialism, pragmatism, combinationalism, deism, pantheism, panentheism, atheism, theism, etc. He has a chapter that is devoted to the formulation of adequate tests for truth, and then a section that details Christian apologetics from History to the deity and authority of Christ. This is why this book has been a standard text for classes all over the country in the area apologetics. I cannot recommend this book enough!

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very informative book, March 7, 2000

By	Jorge A. Gonzalez (Atlanta, Ga) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christian Apologetics (Paperback)

I am an avid reader of philosophy and apologetics and I have read a quite a bit of books concerned with the defense of the Christian faith. But, I must say that this one (along with Moreland's Scaling the Secular City) takes the cake. Geisler's presentation of the evidentialist's objections to Christian theism are by far the most fair minded representations of these arguments. Seldom do I find a Christian apologist who argues nearly as well for the opposing view as for his own and Geisler does just that in his CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS. He summarizes the objections to reality and theism with the force one would expect only of the proponents of these views, and he then procedes to refute these objections (or at least to point out the fallacious logic that is employed in delivering the argument) with rigor and tough-minded intellectualism. Geisler is not only capable of presenting the objections with force but he is equally capable of rebutting these objections with equal or even greater force. I give this book four stars primarily because I find his defense of the cosmological argument a little bit shaky. Personally, I am an advocate of the kalam argument that is advanced by Moreland and Bill Craig. Overall though, if you are seeking a cogent defense of Christianity I highly recommend that you purchase this book and spend some serious study time in it. Don't learn the answers to the objections but become well versed in the objections themselves for this book presents both equally well. Furthermore, if you have George Smith's ATHEISM: THE CASE AGAINST GOD you will find that most of his petty objections are answered and refuted quite thoroughly in Geisler's CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS.

49 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, April 20, 1999

By	[e-mail] (U.S.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christian Apologetics (Paperback)

The more about philosophy you know, the more persuasive this book will be. The thorough and systematic approach was very appealing. The book divides nicely into three parts. The first and longest part establishes "undeniability" and "unaffirmability" as valid truth tests (who could argue with that?). The second part uses these truth tests to demonstrate that theism is true both deductively (demonstrating that all competing worldviews are false) and inductively (using a revised cosmological argument similar to Aquinas's Third Way). The third part establishes the truth of Christianity given a theistic universe using combinationalism as a test for truth within a worldview. When I first read this book, I had relatively little knowledge concerning philosophy and religion, but since then I've read a bit from various philosophers (e.g. Quentin Smith, William Craig, etc.). I read Geisler's book again and his anticipated objections and rebuttals make much more sense, and his conclusions are even more persuasive. Some of the strongest atheological arguments I've found on atheistic websites, are addressed in his book. On a personal note, his book was a tool in my younger years that kept me from becoming a nontheist. For that I'm very grateful!