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  • Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith
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Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith Kindle Edition

by Douglas Groothuis (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 out of 5 stars 332 ratings
4.2 on Goodreads
591 ratings

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Second Edition of a Landmark Apologetics Work

People are hungry for hope.They want to understand our human condition—its origin, nature, purpose, and destiny. The Christian faith offers hope for individuals and the entire universe, grounded in absolute truth. But how can we know that Christianity is true? And how can Christians confidently present their beliefs in the face of doubts and competing views?

In this comprehensive text, Douglas Groothuis makes a clear and rigorous case for Christian theism. The second edition of this landmark work has been updated throughout to address current issues and sources. It includes

  • New chapters on topics such as doubt and the hiddenness of God, the atonement, the church, and lament as a Christian apologetic,
  • The most common questions and objections people raise regarding Christianity addressed in a way that demonstrates how apologetics must be both rational and winsome,
  • A foundation for the biblical basis for apologetics, apologetic method, and a defense of objective truth,
  • A presentation of key arguments for the reality of God, a case for the credibility of Jesus, and evidence for the resurrection, and
  • Groothuis's evaluation of alternative views and response to challenges such as religious pluralism and the problem of evil.

To know God in Christ, Groothuis argues, means that we desire to make Christian truth available to others in the most compelling form possible. Students, ordinary Christians, and seasoned philosophers will all find a wise guide for this endeavor in Christian Apologetics.

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  1. Print length
    839 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    IVP Academic
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    Feb. 8 2022
  6. File size
    5.8 MB
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From the Publisher

Text: 'A Comprehensive Introduction to Christian Apologetics '
Christian Apologetics book cover

Conversation with Douglas Groothuis, author of Christian Apologetics

How might have this book shaped you if you had read it as a student? What is your hope for those who pick up and read the second edition of your book?

Groothuis: That's a clever and interesting question! Since I read as much apologetics as I could as a college student and beyond, I think I would have devoured my book and benefitted from it. But it's hard to indulge that autobiographical counterfactual much more than that. I wrote Christian Apologetics so that whoever reads it might find intellectual confidence in believing, commending, and defending "the faith given once for all to the saints" (Jude 3).

How do you think pastors can benefit from your book and incorporate it into their ministry for the benefit of the church?

Groothuis: Pastors should incorporate apologetics into their sermons, the teaching in the church (Christian education at all levels), and in evangelistic outreach. Apologetics is often a missing piece in evangelical churches, and I hope that reading my book can contribute to this end. The book is also large enough to be used as a doorstop or in weightlifting!

Contents include:

  • Preface to the Second Edition
  • Introduction: Hope, Despair, and Knowing Reality
  • Part One: Apologetic Preliminaries
  • Part Two: The Case for Christian Theism
  • Part Three: Objections to Christian Theism
  • Conclusion: Take It to the Streets
  • Appendix 1: Hell on Trial
  • Appendix 2: Apologetic Issues in the Old Testament—by Richard S. Hess

Praise for 'Christian Apologetics'

Praise from J. P. Moreland about the book &amp;#39;Christian Apologetics&amp;#39;

Praise from a William A. Dembski about the book &#39;Christian Apologetics&#39;

Praise from a reader about the book &amp;#39;Christian Apologetics&amp;#39;

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Review

"Christian Apologetics is a full-scale defense of the Christian faith that is accessible, relevant and wise. This book not only reflects the work of a seasoned apologist; it is written with passion and conviction. I heartily recommend it!"--Paul Copan, Palm Beach Atlantic University

"Groothuis is a leading evangelical thinker and Christian Apologetics is a monumental result of decades of study and reflection. Breathtaking in scope, clear in style, this book is now the go-to text in the field. I know of nothing like it, and I enthusiastically recommend it to all who want to learn to give an answer for the hope that is within them."--J. P. Moreland, author of The God Question

"Christian Apologetics is an outstanding book that I wholeheartedly endorse. It is one of the most thorough, insightful and well-written apologetics books I have read in a long time. Groothuis has the rare ability to write in a way that is understandable to the nonspecialist and yet rigorous enough to challenge the apologetic connoisseur. I wish every Christian would read this book carefully and then pass it on to a skeptic for discussion, interaction and dialogue."--Sean McDowell, author of Apologetics for a New Generation

"Douglas Groothuis does Christian apologetics the way it needs to be done, situating apologetics within a Christian worldview and answering the troubling questions that people are actually asking--questions to which they need answers if faith is going to be a live option. His book draws on many years of teaching and writing about apologetics, distilling the most effective arguments in defense of the Christian faith."--William A. Dembski, author of The End of Christianity

Review

"The work of Douglas Groothuis has been invaluable to me as a Christian believer and 'case maker.' I immediately purchased the first edition of this award-winning book and readily consumed it, page by page, as a concise, accessible, and thorough defense of truth and Christianity. Over the next several years, I tracked along with Douglas's personal journey and turned to his writing repeatedly to understand the relationship between hope and truth. The second edition of Christian Apologetics is a must-read for every Christian, especially in turbulent times when hope seems elusive. Read this book, grow in your Christian confidence, and allow the truth of Christianity to fill you with hope and optimism."

-- J. Warner Wallace, Dateline-featured cold-case detective and senior fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B098H3PVQZ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ IVP Academic
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ Feb. 8 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5.8 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 839 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1514002766
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • 鶹 Rank: #431,393 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 out of 5 stars 332 ratings

About the author

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Douglas Groothuis

Douglas Groothuis

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I serve at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as Distinguished University Research Professor of Apologetics and Christian Worldview.

I have authored thirty academic papers published in journals such as Religious Studies, Academic Questions, Inquiry, Sophia, Philosophia Christi, Think, and Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. I have also published dozens of articles in magazines such as Christianity Today, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Philosopher's Magazine, Philosophy Now, The Christian Research Journal, and many others.

I am the author of twenty books:

1. Unmasking the New Age (InterVarsity Press, 1986). 150,000 copies in print.

2. Confronting the New Age (InterVarsity Press, 1988)

3. Revealing the New Age Jesus (InterVarsity Press, 1990)

4. Christianity That Counts (Baker Books, 1994)

5. Deceived by the Light (Harvest House, 1995)

6. Jesus in an Age of Controversy (Harvest House, 1996)

7. The Soul in Cyberspace (Baker Books, 1997)

8. Truth Decay (InterVarsity Press, 2000)

9. On Jesus (Wadsworth, 2003)

10. On Pascal (Wadsworth, 2003). Translated into Chinese.

11. Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith (InterVarsity Press, 2011). Translated into Korean.

12. Philosophy in Seven Sentences (InterVarsity Press, 2016)

13. Walking through Twilight: A Wife's Illness--A Philosopher's Lament (InterVarsity Press, 2017). Translated into Korean.

14. I Love You To The Stars (with Crystal Bowman), (Kregel, 2020). A children's book.

15. Christian Apologetics, 2nd ed. (InterVarsity Academic, 2022). Eight new chapters added from the 2011 edition.

16. Fire in the Streets (Salem Books, July, 2022). On Critical Race Theory or wokeness.

17. The Knowledge of God in the World and in the Word: An Introduction to Classical Apologetics (with Andrew Shepardson) Zondervan-Academic, 2022).

18. The Knowledge of God in the World and in the Word: An Introduction to Classical Apologetics: Workbook (with Andrew Shepardson) (Zondervan Academic, 2023).

19. World Religions in Seven Sentences (InterVarsity-Academic, 2023)

20. Beyond the Wager: The Christian Brilliance of Blaise Pascal (InterVarsity-Academic, forthcoming, April 2024).

I also co-edited the volume, In Defense of Natural Theology: A Post-Humean Assessment (InterVarsity Press, 2005) with James Sennett

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Top reviews from Canada

  • Ashley
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good
    Reviewed in Canada on June 14, 2025
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    Good book
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  • 鶹 Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars I found this book to be true to its title ...
    Reviewed in Canada on September 2, 2017
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    I found this book to be true to its title. It is comprehensive and it presents a compelling set of arguments for the truth of Christianity.
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  • Ron Steffensen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on February 11, 2016
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    A must have for the serious student.
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  • Rodge
    4.0 out of 5 stars Massive, comprehensive, systematic apologetics for the modern age
    Reviewed in Canada on April 14, 2012
    Groothuis here provides a very extensive and well-organized case for the Christian faith against all challengers. His primary approach is to first lay some groundwork regarding presuppositions, lay the boundaries for the apologetics project and defend the concept of Christian apologetics. He then presents a rational case for Christianity progressing from the abstract ontological argument through arguments from cosmology and design ending with Jesus of Nazareth, culminating in the resurrection. There is a final section that deals with relativistic objections, and challenges from Eastern religions and Islam.

    Not all the arguments are here, but if you make your way through this tome, you'll feel like you've read through most of them. Books like these always have their flaws, but it is useful to be knowledgeable about these arguments and understand that Christian is a rationally defendable faith, contrary to what is said on occasion by other detractors.

    If the arguments from this book are backed and supplemented by a fully Christian life, then the apologetics will come to life and full fruit. Take it to the streets, indeed.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Michael D. Stark
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Superlative Resource for Apologetics
    Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2011
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    If one has even an entry-level knowledge of the field of apologetics, one knows some of the traditional textbooks in which to turn to for study. Norman Geisler's classic Christian Apologetics still stands strong a few decades after it was first written. J.P. Moreland's Scaling the Secular City and William Lane Craig's Reasonable Faith are others that are widely used, and rightly so. The scholarship and wisdom in the books I have just mentioned provide an intellectual analysis of the field of apologetics and how Christians ought to engage with it. Contemporary Christians interested in apologetics can now turn to another text that is bound to become one of the most-used textbooks in apologetics. Douglas Groothuis' Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for the Biblical Faith (InterVarsity, 2011) may have more breadth both in content and wisdom than any apologetics text to date. The subtitle is justified as the book, over 700 pages and 26 chapters long (not including two appendixes), presents the need for apologetics and explores the main philosophical arguments for the existence of God. Unlike other apologetics texts, Groothuis includes chapters examining truth in postmodern society, religious pluralism, and a tactful approach to dealing with Islam. Furthermore, biblical scholars (and Denver Seminary colleagues) Richard Hess and Craig Blomberg build on an already strong text by writing chapters on apologetics in the Old Testament (Appendix 2) and a historical approach to the person of Christ and the gospels, respectively.
    It is difficult to provide an in-depth chapter-by-chapter review of any textbook, let alone a book that concludes at 752 pages. I will not be so naïve to think I could do such a thing either. Thus, this review will hit on what I believe to be the most important and substantial portions of the book. Groothuis divides the book into three sections and I will structure this review in accordance to that division. While a few critiques may be included in the sectional review, I will leave what I believe to be the most pressing critiques (and they are few and minimal) until the end of the review. As one would expect with a book of this size, this review will be lengthy. I will be as concise as possible; however, I will not devalue the examination this book deserves simply to be brief. It is my role as a reviewer to do diligence to both the author and text itself to be as objective and comprehensive in my examination as possible.

    PART ONE

    Part one of the book, entitled "Apologetic Preliminaries" examines the need and reasons to engage in apologetics. I would recommend this section to any Christian scholar, pastor, missionary and layperson alike. Groothuis begins by laying out the need for apologetics as not something that Christians can do if they so choose, but rather as a biblical mandate. The contemporary attitude towards apologetics is often hostile. We live in a culture that thrives on tolerance between different worldviews and the defense of one position seems to rub against the grain of what is now considered normal. Groothuis masterfully breaks down this misconception in the opening chapters of the book. While Christian apologetics is the defense of a particular position, it is not one that is meant to be hostile. Rather, Groothuis says that Christian apologetics is "the rational defense of the Christian worldview as objectively true, rationally compelling and existentially or subjectively engaging." Apologetics is shown to be crucial for both the presenter and receiver of the apologetic message. For the receiver, a logically and rationally compelling argument is given that promotes the objective truth of Christianity. For the presenter, the Christian, engaging in apologetics fortifies the Christian in their position as a Christian.
    While apologetics is a field of its own, Groothuis makes the claim that an apologetic argument cannot be effectively presented without understanding its connection to philosophy and theology. Apologetics is not reducible to either of these fields but it greatly hinges on the content and discipline of these other areas of study. The systematic doctrine of theology is itself what is being defended. One cannot properly present an apology for Christianity without adequately understanding its truth-claims. In relation to philosophy, one must be skilled and trained in rational and logical styles of argumentation. This makes the argument itself sound and eliminates philosophical fallacies. Furthermore, Groothuis grounds the field of apologetics as biblically mandatory. He presents biblical examples of apologetic interaction - including Jesus himself.
    Groothuis wisely includes a chapter of the apologetic method and its core reliance on philosophical logic. As previously stated, one cannot be a good apologist without being familiar with logical argumentation. Groothuis, then, follows up on that claim with the inclusion of a chapter devoted to basic logical principles necessary for apologetics.
    Apologetics 101 is knowing the content of the worldview that one is defending. Thus, Groothuis lays out the foundational beliefs of Christianity. Quite a lot is discussed in one chapter as Groothuis examines the theist's belief of metaphysics, epistemological foundation, the human condition, salvation and morality. Countless books have been devoted to subsets of each of these topics and thus the finer details of these areas cannot be adequately included in this type of book. However, Groothuis hits all the main and foundation beliefs of Christianity that one needs to know in order to engage in apologetic discussion. It is a chapter filled with the basic truths of Christianity and is a chapter that will serve as a nice complimentary piece to James Sire's The Universe Next Door for anyone interested in comparative worldviews. Should one want a deeper examination of the details of the topics discussed in this chapter, one will need to consult other books.
    As a philosopher that is as focused on objective truth, it is to no surprise that Groothuis includes a chapter on truth in postmodern culture. Building on one of his previous books, Truth Decay, Groothuis states that objective truth is a staple of humanity, the "intellectual oxygen we breathe." Here, Groothuis tactfully examines and breaks down the postmodern thought that truth is not objective. Identifying two main enemies of truth in contemporary American culture, apathy and tolerance, Groothuis states that objective truth is dismissed in favor of the lauded view of tolerance, which attempts to embrace all differing cultural norms, and apathy, the lackadaisical approach to knowing truth. The book wisely points out that these views are antithetical to sound philosophy. In philosophy, one is on the path of knowledge and engages in the discipline of knowing truth. The connection to Christianity is clear - the Bible presents truth-claims. If one believes these to be true, they must be objectively true. If one believes the Christian worldview to be true, it is the intellectual responsibility of the Christian to gain further knowledge about the worldview.
    While much more can be said about the opening section of the book as I only highlighted crucial features of a few chapters, I can conclude this section encouraging anyone interested in apologetics consult this first section of Christian Apologetics. It provides the examination of the necessity for apologetics and is the portrayal of Groothuis' attitude towards the discipline. It is easy to deduce that Groothuis is passionate about the truth of the Christian faith and is direly concerned with its presentations to those outside the Christian worldview. If an academic book were to ever tug at one's heart and implore one to move, it will be found in this opening section.

    PART TWO

    Part two of Christian Apologetics is the heart of the book - the dense examination of the main philosophical arguments for the existence of God. Again, it would be irresponsible for me to do a quick and flippant review of each chapter and thus I will examine what I believe to be the most important and pertinent content.
    Groothuis starts off with an ancient and controversial argument: the ontological argument. Hinging on both of Saint Anselm's arguments as well as the reformed version by Alvin Plantinga, Groothuis presents the ontological argument as one that is both rationally captivating and successful. I currently remain in limbo on the success of this particular argument. It his been widely (and unwarrantedly) ridiculed and yet has remained defended for centuries. The ontological argument works entirely off the notion of the existence of God without relying on empirical claims. If nothing else, the ontological argument gives evidence to the brilliance of human reason. This particular argument logically guarantees that God exists from the premise that one can conceptualize a Perfect Being. The (Anselmian) argument, deductive in form, can be summed up by saying that a person can think of a greatest possible being. From this, a thing either exists only as knowledge construct, or, as something that exists in reality. It is greater for a thing to exist in reality rather than merely in the mind. But, God is the greatest possible being and he therefore exists in reality.
    Groothuis provides a few examples of critiques of the argument and goes into a lengthy exploration of Kant's critique. While Groothuis, I believe, accurately dismisses Kant's critique, I have found little persuasiveness in this chapter that would lead me to accept the ontological argument as a success. This is no reflection on the author's ability to engage with difficult subjects. The very fact that Groothuis included a chapter devoted to this difficult concept exemplify his skill as a philosopher. The area that lacked, however, was a detailed examination on how the mind can construct a supposed reality about an immaterial Perfect Being from human reason alone. While I come to the same conclusion, that of believing God is a Perfect Being that is logically necessary, I still am not persuaded by this argument. Furthermore, Saint Thomas Aquinas' critique of this argument is quite compelling and is not examined in this book.
    The chapter on cosmological arguments is superb and only further qualifies Groothuis as a proficient thinker. This chapter without question is the chapter I learned the most from. Groothuis engages very difficult scientific and philosophical concepts and communicates them in a way that even the beginner will be able to grasp. Though there are many different versions of the cosmological argument, the chapter hones in on the kalam cosmological argument as put forth by William Lane Craig. The kalam argument is superior to other cosmological arguments in that it supposedly secures the theistic doctrine of ex nihilo if the arguments proves successful (note: a minor quibble of this chapter is that Groothuis purports that the Thomistic cosmological argument does not endorse ex nihilo. I believe this to be false). This specific chapter was sensational - however I was left disappointed that no time was given to addressing the cosmological argument posited by Aquinas. In some respects, the Thomistic cosmological argument is the simplest form for people new to apologetics. The Thomistic version does not get into the technical issues of the metaphysics of time and Big Bang cosmology that the kalam version uses, nor does it require knowledge of the principle of sufficient reason that the Leibnizian version necessitates. While the kalam and Leibnizian versions are logical and sound arguments, they may confusing to people new to apologetics. Because of this, beginners ought to take the time to read this chapter slowly and more than once because of the finer technical details.
    Chapters 12-14 are devoted to the design argument and issues relating to it. Groothuis opposes macroevolution and thus goes to great extent to battle Darwinism. Those interested in the philosophy of science will be drawn to these chapters. The chapter focused on intelligent design relies heavily on the work of William Dembski and Michael Behe. These chapters serve as a valuable introduction for those new to discussion between Christian and naturalistic sciences.
    Chapter 15 is perhaps the most successful chapter of the entire book as it deals with the moral argument. It is my belief that the moral argument is the most successful argument for the existence of God as it appeals to everyone, Christian, atheist, and non-Christian religious persons. Ethical theory may perhaps be the most widely debated philosophical topic throughout history and thus Groothuis could have taken many approaches when discussing the moral argument. The way he structured his chapter, however, is nearly flawless. Building off his chapter examining truth in the postmodern culture (chapter 7), Groothuis correlates the denial of objective truth to the ridding of objective moral value. He unmercifully attacks moral relativism and brilliantly shows its dangers. He states that cultural relativism reduces to individual relativism, which, in turn, ultimately rests on nihilism. The setup of this reductio ad absurdum points the reader to a moral system that does not reduce to nihilism. Thus, a worldview that embraces objective moral truths must be embraced. Groothuis makes the claim that the source of objective moral truths is found in the absolute Being - God. Groothuis puts for the notion that God is the source of all perfect moral code because he himself is incapable of an evil act as it would be a contradiction of God's Being.
    Also included is an argument from religious experience. It is refreshing to see this argument given the attention that it deserves as it is not as predominately seen in apologetics as some of the other arguments already discussed. Groothuis supports the claim that one can know God through some experience of divine reality. He supports this by using the argument from divine longing and numinous experience. The argument from numinous experience is defended well via a phenomenological triad that correlates a revelatory experience to an intentional religious experience. That is, numinous experience, as intentional, find their source outside the person who is experiencing - thus correlating objectively to a divine Being.
    The remaining chapters of section two surround arguments of the person and ministry of Jesus Christ. This includes the chapter from Professor Craig Blomberg. Groothuis includes a defense of the incarnation, Jesus' miracles and the resurrection - all while refuting common arguments against these issues. These chapters are an appropriate end to a magnificent examination of the main apologetic methods.

    PART THREE

    The last section is contains chapters related to a few common objections to Christian theism: religious pluralism, issues surrounding Islam and the perennial problem of evil. The chapter on religious pluralism is wonderfully laid out and carefully examines the American ideal that all religions be treated equally and all lead to salvation. As Groothuis points out, "the dizzying plethora of religious pluralism has led many to believe that no religion can claim to be the only way of salvation. Religions should succumb to a more humble estimation ... in order to avoid religious dogmatism, controversy and strife." Such a statement is a profound summary of the current ideal. Groothuis goes to great lengths to argue against this worldview and states that the Christian worldview is objectively true and the only source of salvation. This chapter not only serves well as a stand-alone chapter, but the material is heightened when read in light of the opening chapters about truth in postmodern contexts. Groothuis examines other world religions and the worldview of perennialism to combat the pluralistic claims - including that of liberal theologian John Hick. This chapter serves well when read in the company of Harold Netland's Encountering Religious Pluralism.

    SUMMARY

    I have attempted to examine and review this monumental work in as much detail as I can. I have left out many things that could otherwise be noted in this review. However, I tried to touch on what I felt was most important. This books lives up to its name and is truly a comprehensive case for the biblical faith. The mastery of difficult topics shows that Groothuis is highly qualified and profoundly motivated in the field of apologetics. This books comes with many treats that other apologetics texts do not offer, such as the argument from religious experience, a chapter on Pascal's anthropological argument and also chapters on Islam and Hell.
    No book is perfect, and while Christian Apologetics offers much, it does have a few flaws worth pointing out. Many of my critiques within the main body of this review were centered around exclusion of topics I felt worthwhile. Obviously, Groothuis could not hit on every topic, but the exclusion of subjects like the Thomistic cosmological argument leaves that specific chapter with a hole. Groothuis, at times, also too quickly passes over important objections to Christianity. This is evident in his dealing with the Euthyphro dilemma in the chapter on the moral argument (I believe his response can be considered question-begging by atheistic opposition). His chapter on the problem of evil is perhaps the chapter that kept me wanting most. Considering the book has 26 chapters and two appendixes (including the contributions of Blomberg and Hess), one chapter which lacks is not a bad feat. The problem of evil is only examined significantly under a compatiabilist and Calvinistic standpoint. While I hold neither of these positions, I understand their viewpoint and do not feel as though the problem of evil is argued away sufficiently with these views held.
    The book significantly can enhance one's knowledge of the argument and it deeply examines arguments not prevalently seen. The book, however, will be an influential source to any person that needs an introduction to this important field. All in all, this is a great book and one that I would highly recommend to anyone.
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  • Alison M. Smith
    5.0 out of 5 stars Belief in Christianity.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 3, 2023
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    I am still reading this book, it is quite long and has a lot food for thought. I am finding it interesting and helpful. It is not hard to read but there is a lot to think about.
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  • Adam Smith
    5.0 out of 5 stars A strong effort in cumulative case apologetics
    Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2012
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    Book Highlights

    In the first sentence in the Acknowledgements section, Douglas Groothuis says, "Christian Apologetics comes out of my Christian life and all who have contributed to it. Since this book is as close to a magnum opus as I will ever have, I should like to thank as many people as possible who, in one way or another, contributed to its existence."

    This volume is certainly weighty, coming in at 752 pages; so it does feel like a magnum opus. The reader gets the sense almost immediately that Groothuis is attempting to be as comprehensive as possible. At several points throughout the book Groothuis admits that he cannot cover any particular topic in any depth as he would like. But my feeling is that he covers each topic adequately.

    The book has a practical feel to it. That is apparent from his statement that "Christian Apologeitcs" comes out of his Christian life. It flows from his conversations with real people. Groothuis does not speak from the ivory tower, but from the street level. His learning has been applied to the real world.

    In the Christian apologetic task, this book falls under the cumulative case approach. Several lines of evidence are marshaled in an attempt to lead the seeker from non-belief, to general theism, to belief in the unique aspects of Christianity. Given that this is his goal, I think Groothuis succeeds very well here. Christian Apologetics could be thought of as a very useful book. As I stated above, it is very practical in nature. That is not to say that it is not theoretical, but just that the theoretical aspects are balanced well with how this might play out in particular apologetics conversations.

    Apologists of the Van Tillian stripe will not agree with his approach, yet I think that even the most strident presuppositionalist will find useful content within.

    General Outline

    The basic structure of the book is as follows:

    1) Apologetic Preliminaries - The nature of reality; the Biblical ground for apologetics; apologetics methodology; worldview; the nature of truth; postmodernism; incentives for belief.
    2) The Case for Christian Theism - Defense of theistic arguments; ontological argument; cosmological argument; design argument; origins; intelligent design; moral argument; religious experience argument; uniqueness of humanity; anthropological argument; historical evidence for Christianity; the claims and credentials of Jesus; the incarnation; the resurrection.
    3) Objections to Christian Theism - Religious pluralism; Islam; The problem of evil
    4) Conclusion - Taking it to the streets

    Book Evaluation

    I would rate Christian Apologetics very highly. Douglas Groothuis has poured his heart and soul into this work. Given the scope of the book, it certainly meets the criteria of a magnum opus. It is the fruit of his lifetime of study and practical apologetics conversations. One gets the sense that this book has been field tested and I would say that it helps equip both experienced and inexperienced apologists alike.

    While some apologists might find fault with Groothuis approach, he is certainly very straightforward with the reader. The cumulative case approach is strongly recommended by this volume and has moved this reviewer to more fully appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of this approach. While the book is somewhat lengthy, the writing style is accessible and understandable. This is no academic paper understandable to a very few, on the contrary, this is a well-written apologetics book that is useful in many situations. I would highly recommend it.
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  • Dr David J Bryan
    4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction to Christian apologetics
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 13, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent introduction to Christian apologetics. Groothuis comes across as a thoughtful Christian who does not claim too much but who also considers the Christian faith reasonable and able to address its critics with some confidence. The book is well structured and signposted. The style is not too technical and occasionally reflects his ecclesial cultural background.
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  • Ed Stark
    5.0 out of 5 stars Detailed and broad. Understandable yet complex.
    Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    This is such a great book to learn more about every possible subject that leads the learner to Christ. It uncovers how science, philosophy, and theology all lead to Christ based on evidence and not someone preferences.
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