Book Review: Handbook of Christian Apologetics

Handbook of Christian Apologetics
by Peter Kreeft & Ronald K. Tacelli

I am reading Peter Kreeft & Ronald K. Tacelli's Handbook of Christian Apologetics under our church's Reading Programme 2009, and I am so glad I picked this book. It is an excellent compilation of the main topics of Christian apologetics.

I have about only one more week to finish the book before I need to pass it on the next reader under the Reading Programme. But at the rate I am going, I don't think it will be a problem even though I am only halfway through (I am a serious procrastinator and so I started late, obviously).

I am reading the chapter on "The Bible: Myth or History?" and this paragraph stands out for me:

This book is about rational, logical, objective apologetics, not about subjective psychological motivations. But it's important to know what is really going on in the soul of the person to whom apologetic arguments are addressed, and to know the irrational forces behind unbelief ... all arguments against all the doctrines of Christianity are rationally refutable. Having said that, the most important task remains still undone. Arguments destroy ignorance and irrationality, but the real enemy is sin. Sin can be destroyed only by sanctity, prayer, faith, hope, charity, the blood of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. (p.203)

And I thought this statement is true and creatively constructed:

God did not design the Bible to be a dark puzzle for bright scholars but to be a bright lamp for travelers through a dark world. (p.213)

If you need a succinct book that tells you all the major points of Christian Apologetics without going too much into the varied details, this book is for you. It will do well as both an introductory level material as well as a handy reference book on Christian Apologetics. Each chapter comes with quite an extensive list of "Questions for Discussion", and this makes it good for use in a group study.

It comes highly recommended -- in fact, a must-have and a must-read for every believer.

pearlie