The Big Book of Christian Apologetics

Norman Geisler's The Big Book of Christian Apologetics represents a comprehensive systematic defense of Christian theism against contemporary challenges. This encyclopedic handbook compiles arguments supporting the existence of God, the reliability of Scripture, and the truth of Christian doctrine while addressing objections from atheism, religious pluralism, and scientific materialism.

The work employs classical apologetic methodology, building from natural theology to revealed theology through logical argumentation. Geisler begins with philosophical proofs for God's existence, including refined versions of the cosmological, teleological, and moral arguments. He defends each against standard objections while arguing that cumulative case reasoning establishes theism as more probable than naturalism. The text particularly emphasizes the kalam cosmological argument and the fine-tuning argument, presenting them as compelling evidence for a transcendent creator.

Geisler systematically addresses challenges from New Atheism, engaging directly with arguments from Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris. He contends that their objections rest on philosophical misunderstandings and category errors, particularly regarding the relationship between science and theology. The work defends miraculous intervention as philosophically coherent and historically verifiable, with extensive treatment of resurrection evidence.

The handbook's distinctive contribution lies in its breadth of coverage and accessibility. Organized alphabetically by topic, it functions as a reference work covering over 700 subjects relevant to Christian apologetics. Each entry provides concise argumentation suitable for both academic study and popular application. Geisler incorporates insights from contemporary philosophy of religion, referencing William Lane Craig, Alvin Plantinga, and Richard Swinburne while maintaining commitment to classical Thomistic foundations.

Methodologically, the work combines evidentialist and presuppositionalist approaches, though leaning heavily toward evidentialism. Geisler argues that reason properly employed leads to theistic conclusions, rejecting fideism while acknowledging faith's role in complete Christian commitment. He addresses postmodern epistemological challenges by defending objective truth and the correspondence theory of truth as necessary foundations for meaningful religious discourse.

The text engages seriously with world religions, arguing for Christian exclusivism while treating other traditions respectfully. Geisler maintains that comparative religion demonstrates Christianity's unique credibility through fulfilled prophecy, historical verification, and philosophical coherence. This comprehensive handbook serves as both introduction and advanced reference for those defending Christian theism in contemporary intellectual discourse.