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The word apologetic comes the Greek word, Apologia, which means "in defense of." Christian apologetics is the theological discipline of both defending the Christian faith against objections and providing a rational basis for belief in Christian doctrine. The practice of Christian apologetics goes back to the apostles themselves. The Apostle Paul appeared to regularly engage in a form of apologetics (see Acts 17-19). And it was also regularly practiced by the early church fathers such as: Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Jerome.
With the Christian faith under direct attack by the new atheists (Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris, etc.), challenged by modern critical scholarship (The Jesus Seminar, Bart Ehrman, etc.), or misrepresented by popular books and films (Da Vinci Code, etc.), it is important for Christians to understand the arguments that support a rational Christian faith, for both self-growth and to respond to skeptical friends and family members.
4Truth - This site is maintained by the Apologetics and Interfaith Evangelism team of the North American Mission Board, an agency of the Southern Baptist Convention. Some of their resources are reflective of their SBC affiliation (eg their section on denominations), but most of their resources come from a 'mere Christianity' perspective and are very good. Many of their articles come from leading Christian scholars of various denominations.
Apologetics 315 - Daily apologetics resources including audio, debates, podcasts, book reviews, and more. Check out their The Ultimate Apologetics MP3 Audio Page for HUGE list of quality apologetics MP3s on the web.
Biola University: Apologetics - This is Biola's apologetics page which has information on upcoming apologetic events, resources to buy, and information on their apologetics programs. Biola offers both a Masters in Christian Apologetics and a Certificate program. Both can be obtained completely online.
Centre for Public Christianity - The Centre for Public Christianity (CPX) is an independent research and media organization seeking to promote the public understanding of the Christian faith in Australia and beyond employing the best of scholarship via the best of media.
Evangelical Philosophical Society - Founded in 1974, the Evangelical Philosophical Society (EPS) is an organization of professional scholars devoted to pursuing philosophical excellence in both the church and the academy. The EPS journal, Philosophia Christi, is a scholarly publication containing discussion of a variety of topics that are of interest to the philosopher and to the philosopher of religion. Has some free scholarly articles available.
Gary Habermas - Dr. Gary Habermas is a research professor in the Department of Theology and Philosophy at Liberty University. He has written over 30 books and contributed to another 35. He specializes in the historical Jesus and presenting a case for the historical, bodily resurrection of Jesus. His site includes articles as well as audio and video resources. Check out his book section for 2 free digital books.
J.P. Moreland - Moreland is professor of Philosophy at Talbot Seminary at Biola. He's written numerous books and articles. This site has a number of his articles in an easy to print format. The main site, Afterall, has a ton of other articles and information.
LeadershipU (Apologetics) - Run by Faculty Commons, the faculty ministry of Campus Crusade For Christ Intl, Leadership University is a ResourceBASE containing more than 4,500 articles, reviews, research papers, essays, books and chapters, commentaries, video files, poems and more, all from a biblical worldview, written at the undergraduate to postgraduate levels. LeaderU provides a venue for professors to publish scholarly and popular-level resources in multiple disciplines from a decidedly biblical worldview. Excellent resources!
Lee Strobel - Lee is a best selling author of numerous books, best known for his "The Case For" series. The site appears a bit neglected, but it has several videos that make the site worth a visit.
N.T. Wright - Wright is the Anglican Bishop of Durham, a New Testament scholar, and author of over 40 books. His main points of interest are on the historical Jesus and the apostle Paul. This unofficial website contains links to online articles, lectures, and other material by the Bishop. His work on the historical evidence for the resurrection is first class.
Peter Kreeft - Kreeft is a Catholic professor of philosophy at Boston College and The King's College, and author of over 45 books. His site includes a number of apologetic articles and free audio lectures.
Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) - Ravi Zacharias is a leading Christian apologist speaker and writer. There's not many free resources on this site, but there is information on upcoming events, training classes, etc. You can also find their podcasts, some videos, and a couple articles. Check out the store section where you can buy a lot of resources, including curriculum.
Reasonable Faith - Reasonable Faith features the work of philosopher and theologian Dr. William Lane Craig in order to carry out its three-fold mission: to provide an articulate, intelligent voice for biblical Christianity in the public arena; to challenge unbelievers with the truth of biblical Christianity; and to train Christians to state and defend Christian truth claims with greater effectiveness.
Books
The God I Don't Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith - If we are honest, we have to admit that there are many things we don’t understand about God, especially in the face of terrible suffering and evil. Chris Wright offers reflections and encouragement from the Scriptures, so that those who are troubled by these tough questions can still sustain their faith.
Holman QuickSource Guide to Christian Apologetics (Holman Quicksource Guides) - In today’s pluralistic society, not every approach to sharing the gospel will work with all people. Being ready to give reasons for the hope we have in Christ means understanding the contextual framework of the people we are addressing. In the Holman QuickSource Guide to Christian Apologetics, Renaissance man Doug Powell defends the Christian faith in a new key; taking timehonored approaches in apologetics and freshly presenting them for a new generation. Jesus Under Fire: Modern Scholarship Reinvents the Historical Jesus - Edited by Michael J. Wilkins and J. P. Moreland. Jesus Under Fire challenges the methodology and findings of the Jesus Seminar, which generally clash with the biblical records. It examines the authenticity of the words, actions, miracles, and resurrection of Jesus, and presents compelling evidence for the traditional biblical teachings.
Knowing Christ Today: Why We Can Trust Spiritual Knowledge - At a time when popular atheism books are talking about the irrationality of believing in God, Willard makes a rigorous intellectual case for why it makes sense to believe in God and in Jesus, the Son. Mere Christianity - by C.S. Lewis (1898-1963). A forceful and accessible discussion of Christian belief that has become one of the most popular introductions to Christianity and one of the most popular of Lewis’s books. Uncovers common ground upon which all Christians can stand together.
Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics - by William Lane Craig. Perfect as a textbook yet excellent for lay readers, this updated edition builds a positive case for Christianity by applying the latest thought to core theological themes.
The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism - by Tim Keller. Written with atheists, agnostics, and skeptics in mind, Keller provides an intelligent platform on which true believers can stand their ground when bombarded by the backlash.
iTunes U (free course lectures)
Apologetics - Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, taught by Charles Self
Apologetics 570: Far Eastern Religions - Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary
Apologetics 678: Western & New Religions - Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary
Apologetics & Outreach - Covenant Theological Seminary, taught by Jerram Barrs
Christian Apologetics - Reformed Theological Seminary, taught by John Frame
Introduction to Apologetics - Liberty University, taught by Ergun Caner
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