100+ Books Exploring the Case for Christianity

How do you examine and answer life’s most important questions?

• Why believe in God?

• Why believe in the God of the Christian faith?

I’ve collated for you some Christian responses to these vital questions. The 110 books listed below provide each author’s perspective on reasons to believe in Christ; on the reasonableness of Christianity; on the case for Christ.

I don’t “agree” with every word each author pens. I respect you, my readers, and your ability to read any of the books intelligently and discerningly. For anyone interested in different ways Christians view how to develop and present the case for Christ, you may want to read Five Views on Apologetics.

Of course, literally thousands of additional books can be added to this list. In fact, in the Join the Conversation section at the end of this post, I encourage you to do just that. These are simply a few of the books you may want to consider.

I’ve embedded within the title of each book a direct link to the Amazon.com page where you can read more about the book, read reviews of the book, and purchase the book if you desire. I’ve also organized each book within one of three general categories.

• Books Written in Response to the “New” Atheism: The “new” atheists are represented by authors such as Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, and Sam Harris. These authors not only attempt to create a case for non-belief, they attempt to craft a case against belief. They write with something of a “bravado” that can be intimidating to the “average” reader at first glance. However, there are logical, rational responses to their aggressive critiques of faith. The books in this category generally are written as a Christian response to these authors.

• Books Written for the “Everyday Reader”: I’m not sure how to word this “header.” I’m contrasting these books with the third category of books that have more of an “academic” audience in view. However, these books for the “everyday reader” are still “deep,” though they are something of an “easier” read than those listed in the “academic” category.

• Books Written for an “Academic” Audience: The final category collates books written more at an “academic” level. Don’t be intimidated by these book, but realize that you will need to read them with great precision as you follow their in-depth development of their perspective.

One almost final word before providing you with my collated and alphabetized list. Some might ask, “Why not provide a listing of books by atheists?” First, I do encourage people to be well-read, and I have personally read dozens of such books. Second, the focus of this post is The Case for Christianity. I’m a Christian, and I’m writing for my Christian friends who frequently ask me for recommendations on resources for “thinking Christians” (which should be all Christians, of course). Third, if you read any of these books, they will reference a host of books by those who do not believe, and thus you will be able to decide, in context, which of those books you may want to believe. Fourth, we are all at different “levels of readiness” to read books that “attack our faith.” The “new” atheism tends to be “aggressively against” Christ, Christianity, and Christians. As a counselor and human being, I happen to be sensitive to the tender faith of my fellow Christians and I think it is wise that they have a solid, informed, and reasonable foundation if they choose to read books attacking their faith.

Now a final word—to my unbelieving friends. I would encourage you to consider reading, with an open mind, some of the books on this list. Of course, I’d also encourage you to read with an open mind the Bible. Some of you have read books “supporting” your unbelief. Some of you have not read many books that make a case for Christ. Here’s an opportunity to explore life’s most important questions.

Books Written in Response to the “New” Atheism

Berlinski, David. The Devil’s Delusion: Atheism and its Scientific Pretensions 

Copan, Paul. Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God 

Copan, Paul (Ed.) and William Lane Craig (Ed.). Contending with Christianity’s Critics: Answering New Atheists and Other Objectors 

Coppenger, Mark. Moral Apologetics for Contemporary Christians: Pushing Back Against Cultural and Religious Critics

Craig, William. God Is Great, God Is Good: Why Believing in God Is Reasonable and Responsible 

D’Souza, Dinesh. What’s So Great about Christianity 

Hitchens, Peter. The Rage Against God: How Atheism Led Me to Faith 

Lamb, David. God Behaving Badly: Is the God of the Old Testament Angry, Sexist and Racist?

Lennox, John. God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? 

Lennox, John. Gunning for God: A Critique of the New Atheism

McGrath, Alister. The Dawkins Delusion?: Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine

McGrath, Alister. The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in the Modern World 

McGrath, Alister, Why God Won’t Go Away: Is the New Atheism Running on Empty? 

Mohler, Al. Atheism Remix: A Christian Confronts the New Atheists

Pearcey, Nancy. Saving Leonardo: A Call to Resist the Secular Assault on Mind, Morals, and Meaning

Schmidt, Alvin. How Christianity Changed the World 

Spiegel, James. The Making of an Atheist: How Immorality Leads to Unbelief 

Wilson, Douglas. Letter from a Christian Citizen – A Response to “Letter to a Christian Nation” by Sam Harris

Zacharias, Ravi. The End of Reason: A Response to the New Atheists

Zacharias, Ravi. The Real Face of Atheism. 

Books Written for the “Everyday Reader”

Alcorn, Randy. Heaven 

Cabal, Ted (Ed.). The Apologetics Study Bible: Understand Why You Believe

Chesterton, G. K. Orthodoxy

Copan, Paul. When God Goes to Starbucks: A Guide to Everyday Apologetics 

Craig, William. On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision

D’Souza, Dinesh. Life After Death: The Evidence 

Flew, Antony. There Is a God: How the World’s Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind

Flew, Antony, Habermas, Gary, and David Bagget (Ed.) Did the Resurrection Happen?: A Conversation with Gary Habermas and Antony Flew 

Geisler, Norman. The Big Book of Bible Difficulties: Clear and Concise Answers from Genesis to Revelation 

Geisler, Norman. I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist 

Geisler, Norman. Who Made God?: And Answers to Over 100 Other Tough Questions of Faith 

Habermas, Gary. The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus 

Keller, Tim. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism 

Lennox, John. God and Stephen Hawking: Whose Design Is It Anyway? 

Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity 

Licona, Michael (Ed.) and William A. Dembski (Ed.) Evidence for God: 50 Arguments for Faith from the Bible, History, Philosophy, and Science 

Lutzer, Erwin. Christ Among Other gods 

Lutzer, Erwin. One Minute After You Die

Lutzer, Erwin. Seven Reasons Why You Can Trust the Bible

McDowell, Josh. Evidence for Christianity 

McDowell, Josh. The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict: Fully Updated to Answer the Questions Challenging Christians Today 

Mittelberg, Mark. The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask: (With Answers) 

Mittelberg, Mark. The Reason Why: Faith Makes Sense 

Morrison, Frank. Who Moved the Stone? 

Ortberg, John. Faith and Doubt

Sproul, R. C. Defending Your Faith: An Introduction to Apologetics 

Stackhouse, John. Humble Apologetics: Defending the Faith Today 

Strobel, Lee. The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus 

Strobel, Lee. The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity 

Strobel, Lee. The Case for the Real Jesus: A Journalist Investigates Current Attacks on the Identity of Christ

Strobel, Lee. The Case for the Resurrection: A First-Century Investigative Reporter Probes History’s Pivotal Event

Wright. N. T. Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense 

Zacharias, Ravi. Jesus Among Other Gods: The Absolute Claims of the Christian Message 

Books Written at the “Academic” Level 

Bahnsen. Greg. Always Ready: Directions for Defending the Faith

Barnett, Paul. Is the New Testament Reliable?

Bavinck, Herman. Our Reasonable Faith

Becwith, Francis, William Lane, and J. P. Moreland. To Everyone an Answer: A Case for the Christian Worldview

Beilby, James. Thinking About Christian Apologetics: What It Is and Why We Do It

Blomberg, Craig. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels 

Blomberg, Craig. Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey (Second Edition)

Bruce, F. F. The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?

Carson, D. A. How Long, O Lord?: Reflections on Suffering and Evil

Chesterton, G. K. The Everlasting Man 

Collins, Francis. Belief: Readings on the Reason for Faith

Collins, Francis, The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief 

Collins, Francis and Karl Giberson. The Language of Science and Faith: Straight Answers to Genuine Questions 

Copan, Paul (Ed.) and William Craig (Ed.). Come Let Us Reason: New Essays in Christian Apologetics

Copan, Paul (Ed.) and William Craig (Ed.). Passionate Conviction: Contemporary Discourses on Christian Apologetics 

Cowan, Steve (Ed.). Five Views on Apologetics

Craig, William. Hard Questions, Real Answers

Craig, William. Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics (3rd Edition) 

Edgar, William and Scott Oliphint. Christian Apologetics Past and Present (Volume 1, To 1500): A Primary Source Reader

Edgar, William and Scott Oliphint. Christian Apologetics Past and Present (Volume 2, From 1500): A Primary Source Reader

Frame, John. Apologetics to the Glory of God: An Introduction

Geisler, Norman. If God, Why Evil?: A New Way to Think About the Question 

Geisler, Norman. When Skeptics Ask: A Handbook on Christian Evidences 

Groothuis, Douglas. Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith 

Groothuis, Douglas. Truth Decay: Defending Christianity Against the Challenges of Postmodernism 

Grudem, Wayne, John Collins, and Thomas Schreiner. Understanding Scripture: An Overview of the Bible’s Origin, Reliability, and Meaning

Habermas, Gary and J. P. Moreland. Beyond Death: Exploring the Evidence for Immortality

Henry, Carl. God, Revelation, and Authority (6 Vols.)

House, Wayne and Dennis Jowers. Reasons for Our Hope: An Introduction to Christian Apologetics

Keener, Craig. The Historical Jesus of the Gospels

Keener, Craig. Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts

Koenig, Harold (Ed.) and Harvey Cohen (Ed.). The Link between Religion and Health: Psychoneuroimmunology and the Faith Factor

Koenig, Harold. Medicine, Religion, and Health: Where Science and Spirituality Meet

Koenig, Harold. Spiritual and Health Research: Methods, Measurements, Statistics, and Resources

Little, Bruce (Ed.) and Mark Liederbach (Ed.). Defending the Faith, Engaging the Culture: Essays Honoring L. Russ Bush

Mayers, Ronald. Balanced Apologetics: Using Evidences and Presuppositions in Defense of the Faith

McGrath, Alister. The Passionate Intellect: Christian Faith and the Discipleship of the Mind 

McGrath, Alister. A Scientific Theology: Nature. 

McGrath, Alister. A Scientific Theology: Reality. 

McGrath, Alister. A Scientific Theology: Theory. 

McGrath, Alister. Surprised by Meaning: Science, Faith, and How We Make Sense of Things 

Meister, Chad (Ed.) and Khaldoun Sweis. Christian Apologetics: An Anthropology of Primary Sources

Oswalt, John. The Bible among the Myths: Unique Revelation or Just Ancient Literature? 

Plantiga, Alvin. God and Other Minds: A Study of the Rational Justification of Belief in God 

Plantiga, Alvin. Warranted Christian Belief

Plantinga, Alvin. Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism 

Polkinghorne, John. Belief in God in an Age of Science 

Polkinghorne, John. Questions of Truth: Fifty-one Responses to Questions About God, Science, and Belief 

Polkinghorne, John. Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible

Poythress, V. S. Redeeming Science: A God-Centered Approach

Sanders, Fred. The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything

Stackhouse, John. Can God Be Trusted?: Faith and the Challenge of Evil

Stott, John. The Cross of Christ

Van Til, Cornelius. Christian Apologetics

Van Til, Cornelius. The Defense of the Faith

Wilkins, Michael (Ed.) and J. P. Moreland (Ed.). Jesus Under Fire: Modern Scholarship Reinvents the Historical Jesus

Wright, N. T. The Resurrection of the Son of God

Join the Conversation

What books would you recommend for exploring the case for Christianity?

Tags: Apologetics, Atheism, Atheists, Case for Christ, Evidence for Christianity, New Atheism

It’s Saturday . . . but Sunday’s Coming!

It’s Saturday, the day before Easter.

On the Christian calendar, we often forget this day. Yesterday was Good Friday. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday.

On Friday, Jesus is crucified; dies for our sins. His followers mourn.

On Sunday, Jesus is resurrected; He’s risen! He’s risen, indeed! His followers rejoice.

But on Saturday, Jesus lay in the tomb; earth groaned. His followers waited, confused.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . .

Holy Saturday: The Day of Waiting

On the church calendar, Saturday is known as “Holy Saturday.” While there are services on Friday and on Sunday, this day is traditionally a day of waiting.

Holy Saturday is a lot like life this side of heaven. We wait. Our final resurrection is sure. Our victory is certain. But this side of heaven, we face death daily. Saturday—the day-in-between, the day between earth and heaven, hurt and healing, waiting and receiving, faith and sight.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . .

The Message of Holy Saturday

The message of Holy Saturday is, “Wait. Something is about to happen. But it hasn’t happened yet.”

Holy Saturday lasts so long. It feels like Sunday will never come. The twenty-four hours feel like an eternity.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . .

Death still surrounds us. Sin still tempts us. Sickness still wounds us. Suffering still pervades us. Evil still invades us. Satan still taunts us.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . .

Easter Is Coming Our Direction

In Narnia, under the curse of the White Witch, it was always Winter but never Christmas.

For Christians, we live in the sure hope that Spring is always just around the corner; just around the river bend.

Easter has already arrived, and it’s coming in our direction.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . .

While we forever remember the crucifixion, thank God we’re moving toward Easter. It’s coming in our direction, closer all the time.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . . and it’s not far away.

All we have to do is hold on for a little while and Sunday will soon be here.

Saturday may seem like a long time, but that’s only as we count time.

Hold on. Keep believing. Never give up. Wait.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . . soon.

Hold on for a little while longer.

The Final Victory

Death will not have the last word.

The tomb will empty.

We will celebrate the resurrection.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming!

Join the Conversation

What is the wait like for you?

Tags: Christ, Easter, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Passion Week

Good Friday: The Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross

One of the most powerful practices you can participate in during Good Friday is reflecting on the Seven Last Words of Christ on the cross.

I’ve arranged them below for you chronologically, as Jesus spoke them.

Allow each word, each sentence, spoken by our Savior to pierce your heart with awareness of your sin and of God’s great forgiving grace.

The First Words

“Then said Jesus, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’ And they parted his raiment, and cast lots” (Luke 23:34).

The Second Words

“And Jesus said unto him, ‘I say unto thee, Today thou shalt be with me in paradise’” (Luke 23:43).

The Third Words

“When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, ‘Woman, behold thy son!’” (John 19:26).

The Fourth Words

“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which is, being interpreted, ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’” (Mark 15:34).

The Fifth Words

‘After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, ‘I thirst’” (John 19:28).

The Sixth Words

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, ‘It is finished’”: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost” (John 19:30).

The Seventh Words

“And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, ‘Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit’” (Luke 23:46).

Join the Conversation

How are the Seven Last Words of Christ, spoken nearly 2,000 years ago, impacting you today?

Tags: Christ, Cross, Crucifixion, Easter, Good Friday, Seven Last Words of Christ

The Story

At RPM Ministries our story is all about changing lives with Christ’s changeless truth.

We’re always asking people, “Want to change lives?”

But, what if your life is unchanged? What then? How do you participate in life’s greatest adventure of empowering others to live a changed life if you remain powerless to change?

Then our question for you is entirely different. The new question, really the first question, is “Want a changed life?”

How do people change? Why do people need to change? Change to what?

The story that answers those questions is the story God is telling in the Bible. His story is summarized below. To read about it in narrative form, click below on the image of The Story.

When you’re done, tell us what you think. Ask us any questions that you have. Contact us at rpm.ministries@gmail.com

Tags: Christ, Christianity, Gospel, Salvation, The Story

Thankful for Christ Alone

Two days ago I posted about the lack of depth in most modern praise choruses.

Yesterday I posted a Thanksgiving reminder from a hero of Black Church history: the Rev. Absalom Jones.

Today, on Thanksgiving, I post about Keith and Kristyn Getty who write modern praise hymns for which I am very thankful.

“What we sing becomes the grammar of what we believe” (Keith Getty).

The praise hymn I want played at my funeral is their praise hymn, In Christ Alone.

Be blessed by this video of Kristyn Getty singing, In Christ Alone.

Be blessed by the words to, In Christ Alone.

In Christ Alone

“In Christ Alone”
Words and Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2001 Kingsway Thankyou Music

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow’r of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.

Visit this lyric page.

Visit the Gettys.

Be blessed in Christ alone.

Be blessed by Christ alone.

I Miss the Depth of the Old Hymns

I confess that in the 1990s I led a church through the change process from traditional hymns and a choir to praise choruses and praise teams.

I now confess that I miss the depth of the old hymns. Yes, some of the modern praise music is improving, led by theologian/songwriters like Keith and Kristyn Getty (In Christ Alone). They’re all too rare, however.

Listen, really listen to most of the praise choruses that we sing in most of our Evangelical church services. Honestly, they could be to almost any “god.” There’s often little in the lyrics to indicate we are praising the Trinitarian, holy-loving, Creator-Redeemer who offers salvation in Christ alone by faith alone through grace alone.

And listen to what you don’t hear much anymore in our praise choruses: Christology, hamartiology, and soteriology.

You say, “What in the world is ‘Christology,’ ‘hamartiology,’ and ‘soteriology’!?”

Proves my point.

Christology: The doctrine of Christ–Who He is and what He has done.

Hamartiology: The doctrine of sin–human sinfulness and our inability to save ourselves.

Soteriology: The doctrine of salvation–cleansing from our guilt and sin by faith alone through grace alone.

I picked up an old hymnal just now and randomly thumbed through it. Consider the lyrics about salvation for guilty sinners in Christ alone.

The Solid Rock: “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name.”

My Faith Has Found a Resting Place: “My faith has found a resting place, not in device nor creed; I trust the Ever-living One, His wounds for me shall plead. I need no other argument, I need no other plea, it is enough that Jesus died, and that he died for me.”

Nothing but the Blood: “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow; no other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

Grace Greater Than Our Sin: “Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt, yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured, there where the blood of the lamb was spilt. Grace, grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within, grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all my sin.”

There Is a Fountain: “There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins; and sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.”

We don’t sing about blood, about guilt, about sin and sinners much anymore. We don’t sing about Christ and salvation by faith through grace much anymore.

We sing about an anonymous, nameless God who is wonderful and loves us. And that makes us feel good. But does it glorify the Trinitarian God of the Bible who in holy love sent His sinless Son to die for our sins and to be raised for our justification?

I miss the depth of the old hymns.