Apologetics at the Cross: An Introduction for Christian Witness

Many books designed to introduce Christian apologetics (e.g. William Lane Craig's "Reasonable Faith" or "On Guard", Frank Turek's "I Don't Have Enough Faith to be An Atheist", Peter Kreeft's "Handbook of Christian Apologetics", etc.) focus primarily on discussing arguments for Christianity and responding to objections. Don't get me wrong, they are very helpful for what they intend to do, which is to demonstrate a rational case for Christianity; yet these texts fail to mention the other side of Christian apologetics, which is the character of the apologist. In Apologetics at the Cross, Dr. Joshua Chatraw and Dr. Mark Allen present a holistic description and demonstration of Christian apologetics in clear and understandable terms. They build a strong biblical foundation for apologetics and include a great (albeit brief) survey of Christian apologists past and present. They also cover the traditional introductory topics, such as the differences in apologetic methodology, common objections to Christianity, and common arguments in favor of Christianity.The unique contribution of this book is their emphasis on the character of the apologist, simultaneously dispelling common misconceptions about Christian apologetics and displaying a beautiful vision of Christians who are both loving and persuasive. Moreover, the writing style is simple enough for laymen/laywomen to understand, but the authors also included footnotes and recommended reading throughout the book for people who want to go deeper. In sum, I cannot recommend this book highly enough, and I hope that many people will use it as a foundation for their own evangelistic ministries.

I have read and studied at least a dozen books on this study. This is far and away the best work of them all. Reliable, factual, and easy to read.

This was required reading for a class I took, and I was provided a digital copy for that purpose. However, I was so pleasantly surprised with its content that I bought this hardback version.It was detailed and theologically rich, without being wordy or complicated. It’s very readable, and written in a very engaging and personal tone.I’m still a relatively new Christian (ex-Mormon), and I felt like this book really held my hand and walked me through how to defend my faith and share it with others in a way that is personal and genuine.

My favorite aspect of this book was its practicality. While it does cover the essential elements of an introduction to apologetics (e.g. systems, arguments), it aids the reader in (1) engaging with the average person (2) where they are at and (3) on the issues that are of importance to them, and then (4) naturally weaving the appropriate apologetic argument into the dialogue. Chatraw and Allen also propose an apologetic approach that transcends apologetic systems (e.g. Classical, Evidential, Presuppositional, etc.), highlighting the best of each system and utilizing the methods relevant to the dialogue at hand.The book is an excellent read and very accessible. I highly recommend it.

Very informative and is the same that is used the Liberty University in Virginia.

Used for class. History of ministering without judgement. Great information for witnessing. Lived it! Made the "Honoroll" with this book!

Even though this is a textbook I devoured it! SOO much good content! Worth the read whether you are taking the class or not!

The author showed that while facts and figures type evidence has it place we need to love the person we are talking to enough to listen to their concerns and then show that the Christian answer to these concerns is the best choice. Well done.

This book is seemingly thoroughly well researched with a ton of footnotes and further reading suggestions. I’d say it’s not a book for someone wanting to step into apologetics for the first time, but rather a book that helps reorient the seasoned apologist back to what apologetics is meant to serve and share - Jesus.

I love the way the authors have rooted apologetics in the Bible -- just as the discipline should be. I also appreciate the overview of how Christians have engaged in apologetics down through the centuries. The authors point out how effectively we can apply the same approaches in today's culture. An interesting read with good information that can be practically applied. I recommend it.

One cannot shake the feeling that this book is very keller-ish, with lots of quotes and illustrations from keller. There's also major influence from Taylor, Plantings, and Lewis but these are also the writers who influenced Keller as well.The most helpful contribution is the survey of apologetics history, and clearing laying out the four distinct school of apologetics in modern evangelical thoughts.

Great book. Easy to understand and a must for a Christians library.

It arrived on time and as described.