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Baker's Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, by Norman L. Geisler

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Baker's Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, by Norman L. Geisler CTSJ 6:2 (April 2000) p. 59 Baker’s Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, by Norman L. Geisler (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1999), 841 pages, hardcover. Reviewed by Clayton Javurek ([email protected]). The writer of this review gained familiarity with Norman Geisler in one of his 1974 apologetics courses at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Geisler, who has also taught apologetics at Dallas Theological Seminary and Liberty University, is now Dean and President of the Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina. Baker’s Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics presents in one volume the fruit of his thirty years of research and teaching in apologetics (defending the faith). As a context for his own approach to the subject, Geisler summarizes the five types of apologetics:25 1. Classical—which stresses arguments for the existence of God such as the ontological, cosmological, teleological, and moral arguments. 2. Evidential—which stresses the need for rational, historical, archaeological, and experiential evidence. 3. Experiential—which appeals to the sense of a divine encounter. 4. Historical—which stresses facts in history as a starting point of proof. 5. Pre-Suppositional—which assumes the truth of Christianity and then proceeds to demonstrate it.26 CTSJ 6:2 (April 2000) p. 60 As an evidentialist, he utilizes three of these methods: classical proofs (for the existence of God), historical proofs (archaeology and history), and prophetic proofs. His approach to apologetics is evident in the three separate articles dealing with “The Argument of,” “The Need for,” and “The Types of Apologetics.” He defends the need for apologetics by pointing out that God commands it, reason demands it, and the world needs it.27 He leans heavily on the Cosmological 25 Norman L. Geisler, Baker’s Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1999), 41–44. 26 The reader should know that a major battle goes on between apologists who are evidentialist versus those who are pre-suppositionalists. Geisler does not use experiential or pre-suppositional apologetics. (arguing from effect back to cause) approach for proving the existence of God. He then proceeds to explain theodicy (how a good God and an evil world can co- exist). Medieval Roman Catholic theologian, Thomas Aquinas, used the same method in the 13th century. Geisler has authored many books on this subject, so this encyclopedia (released in February 1999) contains highlights of many of his previous works. One finds important persons, historical discoveries, documents, philosophical, and scientific arguments in the book. One of the most helpful articles “Miracles in the Bible,”28 has a chart summarizing every miracle from Genesis through Revelation with its Scripture reference in canonical order. In addition to 791 pages of text, the book has 50 pages of indices; a massive bibliography, an article index, and a Scripture index. The article index enables the reader quickly to locate any topic. Baker’s Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics is the most comprehensive one-volume work on apologetics in English. It seems to cover and refute nearly every objection made against the Christian faith. Some articles assume that the reader possesses prior training in Christian apologetics. Indeed, those taking college or seminary apologetics courses will find that this book CTSJ 6:2 (April 2000) p. 61 clearly sorts out aplogetic issues and approaches. If you minister to those seeking intellectual credibility for the Christian faith, especially in a secular university (or college) setting, this book is the one to own, study, and utilize. It is useful for witnessing among those accepting a materialistic and evolutionary view of the universe. no other book on the market raises all the pressing issues and approaches to apologetics like this one. —End— 27 Ibid., 37-38. 28 Ibid., 482-86. .
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