SO-CALLED LOST GOSPELS (GNOSTIC WRITINGS): Resources for Study

Ever since the discovery of the Nag Hammadi library in 1945, there have been some who have been fascinated with the idea that perhaps they give us the true picture of Jesus--rather than the New Testament--that they are "lost gospels" that were suppressed by the orthodox members of the early church. 

But the reality is that these gnostic writings were written about a century or two later than the New Testament--long after the apostles and other eyewitnesses to Jesus had died. Furthermore, they are not gospels: there is no good news. In the gnostic writings, Jesus is not Messiah and he does not save us from our sins. In fact, they tell us nothing about Jesus. They merely write down pagan gnostic ideas and pretend that Jesus said them (and at times pretend that his disciples asked questions about them).

One of the most telling things about the gnostic writings is who they are attributed to: Thomas, Judas, Mary, Peter, Phillip, John and James. Why? Because these are the prominent characters/eyewitnesses in the canonical Gospels. In fact, they are all apostles except Mary, who the canonical Gospels present as the first eyewitness to the resurrection. In other words, the gnostics used the apostles and Mary as "talking heads" to give authority to their gnostic teaching, but they tell us nothing about the apostles and Mary. We have to find out who they are from the canonical Gospels. That is because they are assumed. They are the authoritative witnesses of the Christian faith long before gnosticism comes along. 

Furthermore, there is not a gnostic "gospel" of Matthew (or Mark or Luke) because the canon already contained those. And there is not a gnostic "Gospel of John" but rather "The Secret Book of John." This is all clear evidence that the canonical Gospels preceded them and were already well established.

Below are some excellent resources that deal with the issue of the gnostic writings:

INTRODUCTORY
VIDEO
*Bock, Darrell. "Answering Questions About Missing Gospels" (28 minute video interview on the John Ankerberg Show)

ARTICLES (& BOOK CHAPTERS)
*"The Real Jesus: The New Tesament Vs. The Gnostic Writings" by Brad Cooper. I examine 9 criteria that show why the New Testament's picture of Jesus is to be trusted but the "Gnostic" picture of Jesus cannot be.
*"Neognosticism" by Brad Cooper. A response to claims that Christianity was originally gnostic until the time of Irenaeus (late 2nd Century).
*McDowell, Josh and Sean McDowell. Evidence That Demands A Verdict (2017 edition). Chapter 5: "Gnostic Gospels and Other Nonbiblical Texts" is an excellent overview of this issue.

*Pitre, Brant. The Case for Jesus. (Chapter 5) 
*"The Gnostics & Jesus" by Tim Keller. A brief pastoral article.
*"Why the 'Lost Gospels' Lost Out" by Ben Witherington III
*Dethroning Jesus by Darrell Bock and Daniel Wallace, Claims 2 & 3, pages 77-130.
*"Apocryphal New Testament" (an article at Biblical Training that includes a section on the gnostic writings).
*Last Seminary hosts 12 articles on the non-canonical gospels that can be downloaded for FREE--with brief abstracts for each.

BOOKS
*The Truth About Jesus  and the "Lost Gospels" by David Marshall. Highly recommended.
*The Missing Gospels by Darrell Bock. Highly recommended.
*Christian History Magazine has an entire issue devoted to "gnosticism" (which is FREE in PDF).


INTERMEDIATE
AUDIO
*"The Missing Gospels" by Darrell Bock, W. Hall Harris & Daniel Wallace. A 3-part series of dialogue.
*"Apocryphal and Apocalyptic Literature": the first half hour of this lecture by Ben Witherington deals with the gnostic literature.


VIDEO
*"Did We Get Jesus Right? Jesus in the Canonical and Apocryphal Gospels": Lecture by Dr. Simon Gathercole. "A brief sketch of the message of Jesus in the four canonical Gospels will show that the key focus is on Jesus dying for sins as foretold in Old Testament Scripture. This lecture will compare that message with four well-known rival Gospels: the Gospels of Thomas, Mary, Judas, and Philip, which present an alternative route to salvation. These rival gospels and other writings contending as “true records” of Jesus cannot compete with the accounts in the New Testament. The four New Testament Gospels are the only ones sufficiently close enough in time to the events to be reliable. Comparing the particular cultural features in the New Testament Gospels with the gospels outside the BIble shows that the Gospels of Thomas, Mary, Judas and Philip come from a cultural environment quite alien from that of Jesus of history." (description from the Lanier Theological Library)


BOOKS
*Noncanonical Writings and New Testament Interpretation by Craig Evans, pages 162-168.


PRIMARY SOURCES FOR READING THE GNOSTIC WRITINGS
**Early Christian Writings: This website hosts translations and introductions for a nearly comprehensive collection of the writings of the early church and competing heretical sects from the time of the New Testament until 380AD.
*The Nag Hammadi Library. The website of the Gnostic society.
*The Complete Gospels by Robert Miller
*The Gnostic Gospels of Jesus by Marvin Meyer
*The Nag Hammadi Scriptures by Marvin Meyer and James Robinson

(SCROLL DOWN BELOW VIDEO FOR MORE)

"Shock! Horror! Jesus' Wife!" (3-minute video)

by Lutheran Satire

Still Looking?....
*Extensive bibliographies on Gnosticism and the different gnostic sects (and other heresies of the early church) at EarlyChurch.org.uk.
*Lots of resources for studying Apocrypha & Pseudepigrapha.
*Check out the lists of General Resources, resources on the Gospel of Thomas, and Audio and Video at New Testament Gateway (part of a large directory of academic internet resources, though sadly lacking in some of the best evangelical scholarship).

Painting by Pieter Lastman (1616) Image Source

A GUIDE TO YOUR FIRST APOLGETICS BOOK: Concise Reviews of the 19 Best Books

An accessible and concise review of the 19 best apologetics books to get started with....in the order I recommend them for a first book of apologetics.

Never read a book on apologetics? Not sure what to read first? This little guide is meant to help you find a good fit--or help someone else. :)

NOTES FOR USING THIS GUIDE:
1. Titles take you to Amazon. 
2. Borrow ebooks and audiobooks for FREE! using Overdrive, a service used by many libraries (link provided when available below each title). A couple are also available as FREE! downloads.
3. Most are available in audio (noted below each title). But you may still want a print or ebook version ready to refer to--a combination that I have personally found helpful.
4. My judgments about difficulty: Popular Level vs. Nerd Level (followed by my guess at appropriate age-level) are given immediately below each title.

*********

JESUS-CENTERED

HOW THE CHARACTER OF JESUS REVEALS HIS 

Too Good to Be False by Tom Gilson

*Popular Level: High school & up

*Available in Paperback & Kindle formats

I recently read Gilson's book and loved it (July 2021). I think even Christians who have a hard time getting into apologetics will enjoy it and find that it leads them to a deeper understanding of who Jesus is and how worthy of worship he really is--as well as confidence that skeptical claims about Jesus and the Gospels bear no weight. For the skeptic who reads it, it may just help them to get their eyes off the twigs and see the forest. Two other things that I like about this book: Tom closes with very brief answers to common skeptical objections with some guidance on where to look for more. And Tom is a seasoned and masterful communicator. This and Brant Pitre's book directly below are tied as my #1 recommendations for your first apologetics book. Anyone at any level of knowledge of apologetics or the Bible will find this book enjoyable and well worthwhile.

GOSPEL-CENTERED

BIBLE SCHOLAR ANSWERS IMPORTANT OBJECTIONS

The Case for Jesus by Brant Pitre

*Popular Level: High school & up

*Available in Audible & Kindle formats, and also paperback and hardcover. Also at OverDrive in ebook & audiobook. 

I just finished listening to Brant Pitre's book The Case for Jesus on Audible (May 2019). It is absolutely the best thing I have read on historical Jesus studies--and I have read a ton. Very scholarly, featuring a ton of quotes from early church fathers and other ancient works (and top notch scholars) and superb exegesis of difficult passages--BUT so well written that anyone can enjoy it (intentionally written for a popular audience). And the narrator is top notch--easy to listen to. This and Gilson's book above are tied as my #1 recommendation. It is a must read and/or listen, in my opinion. (And it is only $5 on Kindle right now and $8 on Audible. I got both.)

 
Pitre effectively shows that the most common skeptical arguments against the historicity of the Gospels and the deity of Jesus absolutely fail when stacked up against the evidence. And I think that is putting it modestly.

COMPELLING
PERSPECTIVE OF A COLD-CASE DETECTIVE

Cold-Case Christianity by J. Warner Wallace (288 pages).
*Popular Level: High school & up
*Available in paperback, Kindle, Audible & Audio CD. Also at OverDrive in ebook & audiobook. 
*Also, available: Alive!, a 22-page booklet on just the case for the resurrection of Jesus.

Wallace is a famous L.A. cold-case detective. Using the skills he developed investigating homicide cases, he presents the evidence for Christianity that led him from atheism to faithin Christ. Well written, fast-moving, and intriguing. Among my very favorite apologetics books. You can find Detective Wallace's website here.

INVESTIGATIVE
EX-ATHEIST JOURNALIST INTERVIEWS EXPERTS

The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel (304 pages). 
*Popular Level: High school & up
*Available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, Audible & Audio CD. Also at OverDrive in ebook & audiobook. 

One of the most popular apologetics books ever written. Strobel was an award-winning legal journalist for the Chicago Tribune and made his way from atheism to Christianity after investigating the evidence for Jesus. This book consists of a series of interviews between Strobel and top experts on the issues he investigates. An easy and enjoyable read. Strobel's website is here.

PERSONAL
BIOGRAPHY OF A CONVERTED MUSLIM

Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi (328 pages). 
*Popular Level: High school & up
*Available in paperback, Kindle, Audible & Audio CD. Also at OverDrive in ebook & audiobook.

This is an autobiographical account. If you enjoy biographies or true stories or are interested in Islam, this may be the book for you. It is an easy and enjoyable read. This book received the 2015 Christian Book Award for "Best Non-Fiction" and "Best New Author." I highly recommend it. You can find out more about Qureshi here.

PROFOUND
HOW CHRIST HAS CHANGED THE WORLD

How Jesus Passes the Outsider Test by David Marshall (210 page). 
*Popular Level: High school & up
*Available in paperback and Kindle only. 

An enjoyable read. Marshall has an incredible breadth of knowledge and writes with wit and mastery of metaphors. If social issues or world cultures are of interest to you, you should read this....or if you just like great writing. This book presents a unique and compelling argument for the truth of Christianity. Among my very favorite books. My Amazon review of this book. Dr. Marshall's blog is here.

WITTY
LIGHT-HEARTED HUMOR BY A BEST-SELLING AUTHOR

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About God But Were Afraid to Ask: The Jesus Edition by Eric Metaxas (228 pages).
*Popular Level: High school & up (probably even middle school students would enjoy this)
*Available in Audible audio, Kindle, paperback and hardcover. Also at OverDrive in ebook and audio.

This book is a light-hearted dialogue between Q & A, as in Question and Answer. "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About God (but were afraid to ask),came out in 2005, and was praised by Ann B. Davis, Alice on The Brady Bunch (“I am absolutely smitten with this book!”), Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church (“The difficulty is not to gush.”), and Dick Cavett (“Metaxas deserves a prize.”)."

"Eric Metaxas is the New York Times #1 bestselling author of Bonhoeffer, Miracles,Seven Women, Seven Men, Amazing Grace, and If You Can Keep It: The Forgotten Promise of American Liberty.....In a decidedly eclectic career, Eric Metaxas has written for VeggieTales, Chuck Colson, and the New York Times, three things not ordinarily found in the same sentence. He is a best-selling author whose biographies, children’s books, and works of popular apologetics have been translated into more than 20 languages." Above descriptions in quotes from Eric Metaxas' website.

SCIENTIFIC
APPROACH OF A SEASONED SCIENTIST

Who Made God? by Edgar Andrews (304 pages). 
*Popular Level: High school & up
*Available in hardcover, paperback and Kindle. Also at OverDrive in ebook. 

Dr. Andrews, a seasoned and distinguished chemist who has debated Richard Dawkins, uses the scientific method as a way to approach the evidence for Christianity. Andrews' British humor and easy-to-follow logic make this book a pleasure. If you have a passion for science, this book would be an excellent place for you to start your journey in apologetics. You can find Dr. Andrew's website here.

LOGICAL
CLEAR THINKING OF A PHILOSOPHER & TOP APOLOGIST
On Guard by William Lane Craig (288 pages). 
*Popular Level: High school & up (I have yet to read this one and am gauging this on comments from others.)
*Available in paperback and Kindle. Also at OverDrive in ebook. 

Craig is among the greatest living apologists and has taken his decades of experience and written this cumulative argument for Christianity for a popular audience. I have not read this book, but it comes highly recommended from many apologists that I know. And Craig's years of experience have given him the ability to communicate issues clearly and logically. If you appreciate philosophy or analytical thinking, this may be the book for you. Dr. Craig's website is here.

DOWN-TO-EARTH
A PASTORAL APPROACH
The Reason for God by Tim Keller (332 pages). 
*Popular Level: High school & up
*Available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, Audible & Audio CD. Also at OverDrive in ebook & audiobook.

Keller is the pastor and founder of a large church in New York City. He wrote this New York Times bestseller to answer the questions that people ask. He communicates clearly and with understanding of the things that concern people. A very enjoyable, encouraging and easy read with moments of pure brilliance. Dr. Keller's website is here.

FOUR GO-TO CLASSICS
THE MOST WIDELY DISTRIBUTED APOLOGETICS BOOK
More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell (192 pages). 
*Popular Level: High school & up (probably accessible by middle school students, also)
*Available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, & Audible. Also at OverDrive in ebook & audiobook.

Probably no apologetics book has reached more people around the world than this book that was originally published in 1977. This straightforward and relatively brief book was very influential in my life as a teen. In 2011, Josh (who has several decades of experience as a popular apologist) recently updated this book with the help of his son Sean (who is also a seasoned apologist in his own right). Josh's website is here and Sean's website is here.

THE MOST INFLUENTIAL CHRISTIAN BOOK OF THE 20TH CENTURY
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis (266 pages). 
*Popular Level (verging on Nerd level): Older high school students & up
*Available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, & Audible. Also at OverDrive in ebook & audiobook. Or you can download it for FREE! in ebook or audiobook.

This book is perhaps the most important and influential Christian book written in the 20th Century. Lewis' skill as a writer and thinker is well known. The first section of this book focuses on what is known as the moral argument; so if issues of justice and morality are of great importance to you, you may find this book is a good place for you to start. Lewis also focuses on other apologetics arguments that are a matter of common experience. This book is a must read. Mere Christianity was chosen as one of the top 25 Christian books of all time by Christian History Magazine, which devoted an article to it that serves as a very nice introduction. You can find a brief biography of Lewis (and much more) here.

ANOTHER VERY INFLUENTIAL BOOK
Know Why You Believe by Paul Little (231 pages). 
*Popular Level: High school & up
*Available in paperback, Kindle, Audible & Audio CD. Also at OverDrive in ebook and audiobook.

This book has had a huge influence. It easy to read and easy to follow. My church used this book for Sunday School classes back in the 1970s; and if my memory serves me correctly, this may have been the first apologetics book that I read. It has been revised and updated since then (in 2008) and is still a favorite for many. You can find a brief biography and bibliography for Little here.

LIVELY, COLORFUL & PROVOCATIVE
Orthodoxy by G.K Chesterton (114 pages). 
**Popular Level (probably verging on Nerd Level): Older high school & up
*Available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, & Audible. Also at OverDrive in ebook & audiobook. Or you can download it for FREE! in PDF ebook or Kindle or audiobook.

Lively, colorful and provocative, Chesterton was among the greatest of writers of the early 20th Century. Chesterton was a huge influence on C.S. Lewis. This book is a true classic.  This is the shortest of the books on the list and Chesterton's wit makes this an easy read. You can find a brief biography of Chesterton here.

LONGER READS....DEEPER STUDY
SEASONED APOLOGISTS UPDATE A CLASSIC
Evidence That Demands A Verdict (2017 edition) by Josh McDowell & Sean McDowell (880 pages).
*Popular Level (verging on Nerd Level): Older high school & up
*Available in hardcover, Kindle, Audible, & Audio CD. Also at OverDrive in ebook & audiobook.

Josh McDowell has been impacting the world through apologetics for nearly 60 years. And his son Sean is a popular seasoned apologist in his own right. Josh's first edition of this classic was published nearly 50 years ago (1972). As a high school student, I devoured it in the late 70s. Aside from immersing myself in God's Word, it was probably the most instrumental thing that I did to strengthen my faith in order to weather the many storms of life that would come. As a father and son team, they have produced the most solid edition of this book yet. The book is amazing in its breadth and its depth, and yet it is written in such a way as to be accessible by a more popular audience. The narrator is also excellent, and makes this 43 hour audio book pleasing to listen to. This is now my #1 recommendation for anyone wanting to go deeper into their understanding of apologetics.

BEST WORLDVIEW & CULTURAL ANALYSIS
Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey (480 pages). 
*Popular Level (verging on Nerd Level): Older high school & up
*Available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, Audible, & Audio CD. Also at OverDrive in ebook & audiobook

Written for a popular audience, Pearcey writes clearly and skillfully and uses helpful illustrations--which makes this longer read move along relatively quickly and enjoyably. I would place this in the top ten apologetics books I've read and probably the best for worldview and cultural analysis. My Amazon review of this book. Pearcey's websites are here and here.

A POWERFUL CUMULATIVE ARGUMENT
I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be An Atheist by Norm Geisler and Frank Turek (452 pages). 
*Popular Level (verging on Nerd Level): Older high school & up
*Available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, Audible, & Audio CD. Also at OverDrive in ebook & audiobook

Written for a popular audience. While I disagree with their probabilistic approach to the evidence for Christianity (which I hope to write on in the near future) and they misunderstand the issue of natural selection (which is inadequate but not for the reasons they give), this book is generally solid with many moments of pure brilliance. Overall it is a powerful cumulative argument for Christianity and I highly recommend it. Dr. Geisler's website is here and Dr. Turek's website is here.

A COLLEGE-LEVEL COURSE FROM A SEASONED APOLOGIST
Christian Apologetics by Douglas Groothuis (752 pages). 
*Nerd Level: Advanced older high school & up
*Available in hardcover and Kindle only.

This is a lengthy textbook on apologetics. But if you are willing to make the effort, Groothuis has used his decades of experience as an apologist to write a masterpiece that will ground you soundly. Plus, you can find guidance in reading it at Apologetics315. Dr. Groothuis' website is here.

A FORMAL PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH
Reasonable Faith by William Lane Craig (418 pages). 
*Nerd Level: Advanced older high school & up. Must be willing and able to tackle technical philosophical jargon.
*Available in paperback and Kindle only. Also at OverDrive in ebook only.

If you are interested in a more philosophical and analytical approach to apologetics, this is the book for you. Craig is among the world's greatest living apologists: a top expert on the cosmological argument and also the evidence for the resurrection, he is additionally very knowledgeable about many other areas of apologetics, plus his philosophical training and years of debating have trained him to think clearly and logically. Dr. Craig's website is here.


RELATED PAGES ON MY BLOG
*GETTING STARTED IN APOLOGETICS: Resources for the Beginner
*BUILDING A BIBLE & APOLOGETICS REFERENCE LIBRARY: A Guide
*AVALANCHE OF AUDIO FOR APOLOGETICS & BIBLE STUDY
*FREE ONLINE CLASSES FOR STUDYING THE BIBLE & APOLOGETICS
*1000's of *FREE!* BOOKS, AUDIOBOOKS & JOURNALS for Apologetics & Bible Study, etc.
*MASTER LIST OF APOLOGETICS RESOURCES: A guide to finding just about everything you will ever need when doing apologetics (or at least that is the goal I am working towards)


STILL LOOKING?....
For more great suggestions, see my friend Rob Bowman's "24 Books for Christian Apologetics"

....OR If you love to read and are determined to master apologetics, you will want to check out my friend Timothy McGrew's "A Course of Readings in Apologetics".

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BUILDING A BIBLE & APOLOGETICS REFERENCE LIBRARY: A Guide

A good reference system can be very helpful for quickly finding answers to basic questions that you have. Below are my recommendations:

BIBLE REFERENCE WORKS

*Tier 1: Bookmark....
and use the excellent reference works contained at Blue Letter Bible  (note video tutorial at bottom of right side of Blue Letter Bible's home page). And if you are interested in serious scholarly research of the New Testament, you will want to also bookmark The New Testament Gateway (the most amazing collection of links and bibliographies on the New Testament that I am aware of).

*Tier 2: Purchase a good study Bible....
I highly recommend the NIV Study Bible. Perhaps, even better is the new NIV Essentials Study Bible, that is (as I am posting this) only $3.99 on Kindle (which can be used on any computer, tablet or smartphone using the free Kindle app). And you may also wish to get The Apologetics Study Bible (Kindle Version here) or The Apologetics Study Bible for Students. Other excellent study Bibles to consider: the ESV Study Bible (the Global version is currently FREE on Kindle) and the Zondervan Study Bible (possibly the new standard and currently only $3.99 on Kindle).

*Tier 3: A Bible Dictionary or Encyclopedia....
This type of reference will provide you with short articles on everything from cities and people found in the Bible to customs to chronologies, etc. There are a lot of options here depending on how much money you want to spend and how much learning you are willing to do. I will start with the least expensive and least mentally taxing option and build from there. (a) Bookmark the FREE online version of the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and/or download the FREE PDF version. Or purchase the Kindle version (currently only $1.99). (b) Purchase the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary or the Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (or both) or the Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (5 volumes; but let me caution you that the Kindle version is sold per volume not the whole set). (c) Serious scholars should invest in the IVP Dictionary of the Bible series. You may want to purchase one volume at a time (as they are somewhat expensive), but it is the best Bible reference set available.
*Tier 4: Introductions to Biblical Books....
If you have a good study Bible (as recommended above), you already have solid introductions. But if you are wanting to build a more scholarly library or one focused on apologetics, I highly recommend you purchase the following: Encountering the Old Testament by Bill T. Arnold & Bryan E. Beyer and An Introduction to the New Testament by D.A. Carson & Douglas Moo.
*Tier 5: Bible Commentaries....
There are so many options here that I cannot go into detail on this one, but let me give a couple of basic recommendations. (a) Check out the FREE commentaries. (b) If you are looking to build a serious apologetics or Biblical library, then I recommend that you obtain Keil & Delitzsch's Commentary on the Old Testament. You can download it for FREE or purchase it at Amazon or Christian Book Distributors (typically the best price for a new set). And I also recommend that you use Best Commentaries to decide how to complete your New Testament commentaries.
*Tier 6: References Concerning Bible Difficulties....
Apparent contradictions are a concern for everyone but they tend to be especially troubling for those who are new to studying the Bible. Bookmark the page found here for ready access to the many online resources and consider purchasing one or more of the recommended books.

APOLOGETICS REFERENCES
*Tier 1: One or more of the following (The "Tier 1" section is repeated from "Which Apologetics Book Should I Read First?")
(a) Evidence That Demands A Verdict (2017 edition) by Josh McDowell & Sean McDowell (880 pages). Written at a popular level but verging on nerd level (older high school and up). Available in hardcover, Kindle, Audible, & Audio CD. Also at OverDrive in ebook & audiobook. This is now my #1 recommendation for anyone wanting to go deeper into their understanding of apologetics. Josh McDowell has been impacting the world through apologetics for nearly 60 years. And his son Sean is a popular seasoned apologist in his own right. Josh's first edition of this classic was published nearly 50 years ago (1972). As a high school student, I devoured it in the late 70s. Aside from immersing myself in God's Word, it was probably the most instrumental thing that I did to strengthen my faith in order to weather the many storms of life that would come. As a father and son team, they have produced the most solid edition of this book yet. The book is amazing in its breadth and its depth, and yet it is written in such a way as to be accessible by a more popular audience. The narrator is also excellent, and makes this 43 hour audio book pleasing to listen to. 
b) I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be An Atheist by Norm Geisler and Frank Turek (452 pages). Written for a popular audience. While I disagree with their probabilistic approach to the evidence for Christianity (which I hope to write on in the near future) and they misunderstand the issue of natural selection (which is inadequate but not for the reasons they give), this book is generally solid with many moments of pure brilliance. Overall it is a powerful cumulative argument for Christianity and I highly recommend it. Dr. Geisler's website is here and Dr. Turek's website is here. 
(c) Christian Apologetics by Douglas Groothuis (752 pages). This is a lengthy textbook on apologetics. But if you are willing to make the effort, Groothuis has used his decades of experience as an apologist to write a masterpiece that will ground you soundly. Plus, you can find guidance in reading it at Apologetics315. Dr. Groothuis' website is here. 
(d) Reasonable Faith by William Lane Craig (418 pages). If you are interested in a more philosophical and analytical approach to apologetics, this is the book for you. Craig is among the world's greatest living apologists: a top expert on the cosmological argument and also the evidence for the resurrection, he is additionally very knowledgeable about many other areas of apologetics, plus his philosophical training and years of debating have trained him to think clearly and logically. Dr. Craig's website is here.
*Tier 2: Handbooks & Dictionaries....
Consider purchasing one or more of the following: 
(a) The Big Book of Christian Apologetics: An A to Z Guide by Norman Geisler. 
(b) Handbook of Christian Apologetics by Peter Kreeft & Ronald K. Tacelli. 
(c) Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics by Norm Geisler. 
(d) New Dictionary of Christian Apologetics, edited by McGrath, Campbell-Jack & Evans. (e) Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics and Philosophy of Religion by C. Stephen Evans. (f) Pocket Handbook of Christian Apologetics by Peter Kreeft.
*Tier 3: Begin Building by Topic (especially in areas of interest)....
You will find lots of help for doing that at my Master List of Apologetics Resources.


STILL LOOKING?....
Check out this extensive bibliography of Biblical reference works by William Harmless....
OR....Tools for Building a Theological Library
AND..."24 Books for Christian Apologetics" by my friend Rob Bowman

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WORKS OF DEAD APOLOGISTS: Resources for Study

We can learn a lot from studying the works of apologists who came before us. And doing so gives us a much deeper and broader perspective. And as an added bonus, most of their works can be found on the internet for FREE! Below are links to pages I started for this very purpose and a couple of other excellent resources. I hope to eventually expand this page to include all apologists of the past 2000 years.

MY PAGES SO FAR
*Works of 17th Century Apologists
*Works of 18th Century Apologists
*Works of 19th Century Apologists
*Works of 20th Century Apologists

AUDIO
*Eight lectures by John Robbins covering: The Early Church, Augustine, Anselm, Thomas Aquinas, Calvin and Luther, Butler and Paley, Schleiermacher & 
Kierkegaard, Twentieth Century Confusion.
*Historical Apologetics by C. Gregg Singer: "an overview of apologetics through the centuries." (24 lectures)
*Historical Apologetics by Phil Fernandes (28 lectures)

ARTICLES
*"Christian Thinkers 101: A Crash Course on Irenaeus" by Kenneth Samples. From an excellent series of articles introducing major apologists of the past. At Samples' article, scroll down and find more articles in the series.
*"Rhetoric as Apologetic- Can we learn from ancient apologetics?" by J.W. Wartick

BOOKS
*Faith Thinkers: 30 Christian Apologists You Should Know by Robert Bowman, Jr. Highly recommended. A concise and readable introduction to 30 of the most important apologists of the past 2000 years.
*A History of Apologetics by Avery Cardinal Dulles. You can find a 3-part review of this book here.
*Christian Apologetics Past and Present (Volume 1, To 1500 AD): A Primary Source Reader, edited by William Edgar and K. Scott Oliphint
*Christian Apologetics Past and Present (Volume 2, From 1500 AD): A Primary Source Reader, edited by William Edgar and K. Scott Oliphint
*Faith Has Its Reasons by Kenneth Boa and Robert Bowman, Jr. FREE.

*Christian Apologetics: An Anthology of Primary Sources, edited by Khaldoun A. Sweis and Chad V. Meister
*Apologetics in the Roman Empire: Pagans, Jews and Christians, edited by Mark Edwards, et al
*In Defence of Christianity: Early Christian Apologists (Early Christianity in the Context of Antiquity), edited by Jakob Engberg, et al


OTHER ONLINE RESOURCES
*The Library of Historical Apologetics: An excellent resource by Dr. Timothy McGrew.
*"A Course of Readings in Apologetics": Dr. Timothy McGrew's recommended readings include many books from this period.
*Classic Works of Apologetics Online: A massive and excellent site listing apologists alphabetically. Definitely worth checking out.
*"Juridical Apologists 1600-2000 AD: A Bio-Bibliographical Essay" by Philip Johnson
*Dead Apologists Society: An evangelical Facebook group for discussing the works of past apologists. I encourage you to join.
*Top 10 *FREE* Classic Apologetics Books in ebook and audio
*Brief profiles of apologists from the past at Apologetics315
*Christian History Magazine has an entire issue devoted to Thomas Aquinas (which is FREE in PDF).
*Digital Public Library of America has 69 ebooks in the category "Apologetics--History--Early church, ca.30 to 600 AD."
*Digital Public Library of America has 7 ebooks in the category "Apologetics--History--Middle Ages, 600 to 1500."
*The Online Books Page (University of Pennsylvania) has 44 ebooks in the category "Apologetics--Early Works to 1800."
*The Online Books Page (University of Pennsylvania) has 12 ebooks in the category "Apologetics--History--Early church, ca.30 to 600 AD."
*The Online Books Page (University of Pennsylvania) has 1 ebook in the category "Apologetics--History--Middle Ages, 600 to 1500."


**Also check out my growing 
MASTER LIST OF APOLOGETIC RESOURCES 
....and 1000s of *FREE!* ebooks & audiobooks for Apologetics & Bible Study....plus millions more for general reading!

Robert Boyle (1627-1691), 

an intellectual giant who was the father of modern chemistry and made important discoveries in physics and other areas of science, also. He was also a devout Christian and wrote on the relationship of Christianity to science and in his will endowed what became known as the Boyle Lectures, annual lectures exploring the relationship between "natural philosophy" (science) and Christianity.