Five Classics

These five books are classics of Christian literature. They speak to the heart issues of Christianity in a forceful and dynamic way. They lead readers into a deeper understanding of the Christian faith. Here is food and guidance to help you grow in spiritual maturity and discipleship. Why not read several of these books as a project this summer? Why not fast from TV, videos, movies, the Internet and feed your soul?

Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2001. Perhaps the most widely read apologetic for Christianity written in English in the twentieth century. Sold millions of copies. Logical reasoning in defense of the Christian faith by a former atheist.

Stott, John R. W. Basic Christianity, 50^th anniversary edition. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2008.

Clear and easy-to-read introduction to the Christian faith. Over 2.5 million sold.

Packer, J. I. Knowing God, 20^th anniversary edition. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1993.

Believing ignorance of God is the source of weakness in churches, Packer helps the reader gain a personal relationship with God through the knowledge of the living God from the Word of God.

Stott, John R. W. The Cross of Christ, 20^th anniversary edition. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006.

Powerful book stating the doctrinal meaning of the cross, answering misunderstandings, and making personal application of the cross to our lives. Many consider this the best book on the cross.

Foster, Richard J. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, 25^th anniversary edition. New York: Harper and Collins, Publishers, 1998.

Practical guidance for one seeking a closer devotional walk with God and growth in spiritual maturity.

Three Potential Classics

Strobel, Lee. The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998.

A relentless search for the evidence answering the question “Who is Jesus.” Worthy of serious attention from every believer and skeptic.

Keller, Timothy. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. New York: Dutton, 2008.

A refreshing and intellectually stimulating case for the reality of God. Contemporary and relevant as the author draws illustrations from his encounters with skeptics and seekers in his New York ministry.

Willard, Dallas. Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ. Colorado Springs: Nav Press, 2002.

Challenging instruction for growing in our spiritual walk, shedding sinful habits, and progressively taking on the character of Christ. Practical guidance for being transformed in heart and life into Christlikeness.

Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris have published best-selling books advocating atheism and attacking religion in general and Christianity in particular.

Evangelical scholars have responded to these atheistic critics. Even though at times these authors have more bombast than substance, Christians need to be aware of these enemies of the Christian faith and be prepared to give an answer to this “new atheism.”

Gary R. Habermas, “The Plight of the New Atheism: A Critique,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 51 (December 2008), 813-827.

William Lane Craig and Chad Meister, eds., God Is Great, God Is Good: Why Believing in God Is Reasonable and Responsible (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2009).

Paul Copan and William Lane Craig, eds., Contending with Christianity’s Critics: Answering New Atheists & Other Objectors (Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 2009)

Ravi Zacharias, The End of Reason: A Response to the New Atheists (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008)

R. Albert Mohler, Jr., Atheism Remix: A Christian Confronts the New Atheists (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2008)

David Marshall, The Truth Behind the New Atheism: Responding to the Emerging Challenges to God and Christianity (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2007)

Alister McGrath and Joanna Collicutt McGrath, The Dawkins Delusion? Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine (London: SPCK, 2007).

Terry Eagleton, Reason, Faith, and Revolution: Reflections on the God Debate (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009).

Forthcoming;

Phillip E. Johnson and John Mark Reynolds, Against All Gods: What’s Right and Wrong About the New Atheism (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2010).

Alex McFarland, Stand Strong in College (Tyndale House, 2007). Apologetics youth expert helps the student prepare for the academic, social, emotional, and spiritual challenges he or she will face. Geared to high school students.

Jonathan Morrow, Welcome to College: A Christ-Follower’s Guide for the Journey (Kregel, 2008). This guidebook provides wisdom from biblical truth and practical experience. It discusses intellectual challenges, financial problems, sexual snares, getting enough sleep and more.

Abby Nye, Fish Out of Water (Green Forest, AR: New Leaf Press, 2005). The author tells of her story of facing the anti-Christian atmosphere and pressures she experienced at Butler University and how she survived with her faith intact.

James W. Sire, Chris Chrisman Goes to Colleges: And Faces the Challenges of Relativism, Individualism and Pluralism (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1993). Fictional account of three young men at college and how they confronted the dominant ideologies of the secular university.

David Wheaton, University of Destruction: Your Game Plan for Spiritual Victory on Campus (Bethany House, 2005). Professional tennis player and speaker relates his experience at Stanford University. He identifies perils faced in sex, alcohol/drugs, and humanism and gives a game plan for surviving spiritually.

C. S. Lewis may well be the most influential twentieth century English language apologist. The following resources provide information and perspective on his apologetics.

Baggett, David, Gary R. Habermas and Jerry L. Walls, eds. C. S. Lewis as Philosopher: Truth, Goodness and Beauty. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2008.

Burson, Scott R. and Jerry L. Walls. C. S. Lewis & Francis Schaeffer: Lessons for a New Century from the Most Influential Apologists of Our Time. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1998.

Cunningham, Richard B. C. S. Lewis: Defender of the Faith. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2008 reprint of 1967 ed.

Dorsett, Lyle W. Seeking the Secret Place: The Spiritual Formation of C. S. Lewis. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2004.

Downing, David C. The Most Reluctant Convert: C. S. Lewis’s Journey to Faith. Downers Grove: Inter Varsity Press, 2002.

Duriez, Colin. “Lewis, C. S.” New Dictionary of Christian Apologetics, W. C. Campbell-Jack and Gavin McGrath, eds. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2006, 402-403.

Duriez, Colin. The C. S. Lewis Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to His Life, Thought, and Writings. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1990.

Farrer, Austin. “The Christian Apologist,” Light on C. S. Lewis, ed. Jocelyn Gibb. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1965, 23-43.

Geisler, Norman L. “Lewis, C. S.,” Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1999, 420-425.

Kilby, Clyde S. The Christian World of C. S. Lewis. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964.

Lindsley, Art. C. S. Lewis’s Case for Christ: Insights from Reason, Imagination and Faith. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2005.

Lindskoog, Kathryn Ann. C. S. Lewis: Mere Christian. Glendale: G/L Publications, 1973.

Macdonald, Michael H. and Andrew A. Tadie, eds. G. K. Chesterton and C. S. Lewis: The Riddle of Joy. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989.

Purtill, Richard L. C. S. Lewis’s Case for the Christian Faith. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1981.

Walsh, Chad. C. S. Lewis: Apostle to the Skeptics. New York: Macmillan, 1949.

Walsh, Chad. The Visionary Christian. Touchstone Books, 1996.

Early evaluation of the Emergent Movement by a theologian.

De Young, Kevin and Ted Kluck. Why We’re Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be). Chicago: Moody Publications, 2008.

Solid work evaluating the views of emergents in the light of biblical Christianity. A good first choice for one seeking to understand emergent thinking.

Erickson, Millard J., Paul Kjoss Helseth, and Justin Taylor, eds. Reclaiming the Center: Confronting Evangelical Accommodation in Postmodern Times. Wheaton: Crossway, 2004.

A careful and scholarly response to the views of Stanley Grenz, Brian McLaren,  Robert Webber and others who consider themselves post-conservatives.

Erickson, Millard J. Truth or Consequences: The Promise & Perils of Postmodernism. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2001.

Analysis of the roots and results of postmodernism acknowledging strengths and  exposing logical flaws and suggesting an evangelical response.

Groothuis, Doug. Truth Decay: Defending Christianity Against the Challenges of Postmodernism. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000.

Hard-hitting critique of postmodernism’s view of truth and defense of the correspondence theory of truth. A good first book for one wanting a philosophical and biblical evaluation of postmodernism.

MacArthur, John. The Truth War: Fighting for Certainty in an Age of Deception. Nashville: Nelson, 2007.

Exposes the pitfalls of postmodern thinking and its harmful effects on today’s church.

Moreland, J. P. “The Challenges of Postmodernism,” Passionate Conviction:  Contemporary Discourses on Christian Apologetics, eds. Paul Copan and William Lane Craig. Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 2007, 206-210.

Philosophical critique of postmodernism.

Moreland. J. P. “The Postmodern Story,” Kingdom Triangle: Recover the Christian Mind, Renovate the Soul, Restore the Spirit’s Power. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007, 64-90.

Considers postmodernism in the university, the culture, and the church. Moreland concludes that postmodernism is philosophically flawed, irresponsible to reality,  and harmful to the church.

J. P. Moreland. “Truth, Contemporary Philosophy, and the Postmodern Turn,” Whatever Happened to Truth, ed. Andreas Kostenberger. Wheaton: Crossway, 2005, 75-92. Similar essay– “Postmodernism and Truth,” Reasons for Faith: Making a Case for the Christian Faith, eds. Norman L. Geisler and Chad V. Meister. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2007, 113-126.

Defends the correspondence theory of truth and identifies five confusions thatplague postmodernism. Moreland concludes that postmodernism is immoral and irresponsible.

Smith, R. Scott. Truth and The New Kind of Christian. Wheaton: Crossway, 2005.

Response to Brian McLaren’s A New Kind of Christian by a philosopher who    specializes on analyzing postmodernist views on the relationship between           language and the world.

Smith, R. Scott. “Reflections on McLaren and the Emerging Church,” in Passionate Conviction: Contemporary Discourses on Christian Apologetics, ed. Paul Copan and William Lane Craig. Nashville: B & H. Publishing Group, 2007, 227-241.

After writing Truth and The New Kind of Christian Smith had many exchanges    with Brian McLaren and Jamie Smith. In this essay he briefly summarizes his Truth book, reports on the replies from McLaren and J. Smith, and gives his conclusion..

Wells, David F. The Courage to be Protestant: Truth-lovers, Marketers, and Emergents in the Postmodern World. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2008.

Upholds historic, classical evangelicalism with a high regard for doctrine. He critiques the marketing, consumerist mentality of much of the modern church. The characterizes the emergents as postmodern, postconservative, and postfoundationalist, embracing a less absolute understanding of the authority of Scripture than historically held.