Product Description: This comprehensive reference volume covers every key issue, person, and concept related to Christian apologetics from Anselm to Zen.
Amazon.com Review: The Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics by Norman L. Geisler is the ultimate one-volume reference for Christians who seek meaningful responses to criticisms of their faith. Geisler, a professor of theology and apologetics at Southern Evangelical Seminary, is the encyclopedia's sole author. His previous books--Answering Islam and When Cultists Ask--help qualify Geisler to respond to a wide range of challenges to Christian belief. And this encyclopedia covers almost every conceivable philosophical challenge to Christianity, from "Agnosticism" to "Zen Buddhism." It also summarizes the key points regarding oft-challenged Christian doctrines and beliefs ("Adam, Historicity of," "Virgin Birth of Christ"). Each article is cleanly written and clearly organized. Indeed, Geisler's greatest talent is for logical thinking. Whether he is considering Jesus' view of the Bible or the tenets of Deism, he writes with confident assurance, so that no reader will feel lost.
Baken Encyclopedia of Apologetics The book would be a good value even if priced at the original price. The structure of the book enables the user to quickly and easily find the material which is sought.
I recommend this book without reservation.
An essential Biblical tool. Here-gathered are a vast sampling of professional essays and research on all the Biblical topics you will likely encounter. Offering clear and in-depth research, you will gain a great if conservative (orthodox) insight into all manner of doctrine, heresy, false doctrines, various important persons etc... A worthy investment for those ready to "offer a reason" and studied defence of Biblical Christianity.
Should Be a Part of Everyone's Library. An excellent book. Detailed and well documented. A Must Read. Useful for people of all faiths who wish to learn more of the point of view of orthodox Christianity.
Better than IVP's New Dictionary of Christian Apologetics Two of the three reviews of IVP's New Dictionary of Christian Apologetics included comparisons with Norman Geisler's Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, a volume of similar size and scope. An an owner of both, I would like to offer my own comparison of the two, focusing on the topics that come up most frequently in Christian apologetics, namely the existence of God, the problem of evil, biblical contradictions, miracles, the resurrection, science and the Bible, etc. Coverage by page count for the two volumes are as follows:
_______________________________Baker Encyclopedia_____IVP's New Dictionary Evidence/Arguments for God____________32-1/2_________________11 Problem of Evil________________________5-1/2__________________3-1/2 The Resurrection______________________23-1/2_________________5 Bible Criticism_________________________5-1/2__________________2 Bible Difficulties/Errors__________________6-1/2__________________5-1/2 Miracles_____________________________38_____________________5-1/2 The Trinity____________________________7-1/2_________________3-1/2 Views of Creation/Origins_______________15-1/2_________________4-1/2 Science & the Bible_____________________9_____________________2 Evolution______________________________9-1/2_________________2-1/2 Big Bang Theory________________________4____________________1/2 C. S. Lewis____________________________5_____________________1 Salvation of Infants_____________________5-1/2__________________0
In addition, the articles in the Baker Encyclopedia tend to be more structured, with sub-headings, text tables, and numbered lists, which make them much easier to follow and to browse. The articles in IVP's New Dictionary are almost exclusively undifferentiated paragraphs of text.
Furthermore, in the area that I am most familiar with (science & the Bible), the articles in the Baker Encyclopedia are much more informative and balanced.
Therefore, between the two, I recommend Norman Geisler's Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics.
OH! MY! GOD! The arguments, reasoning and logic used in this book are so horribly bad that it scares me that the men who wrote live in the same world as me! The bottom line reasoning of this book is that God is real and perfect and that the Bible is his real and prefect word. The end all proof, the world exists, we exist, the bible exists, if God did not exist how could these things exist. And how do we know that the Bible is the real and perfect word of God, because God told the people who he had write it ,say so in it, so we would know it came from him................. Hey, I'm not kidding, here's an example, how can we know that evolution is false, in the bible Adam can speak, talk to God, and names all the animals, proving that he was not an "ignorant half-ape", proving that man did not evolve, proving that evolution is false. TA DA! How do we know that evolution is false, because the bible says so, how do we know whats in the bible is true, because God does not lie, how do we know that God does not lie, because the bible says so...... and round and round it goes.
For the Theist, this is just a very, very, long winded faith statement, if you already have faith then don't waste your time and money on this. Of course if you reading this then you must feel that you are lacking in something, like a rational explanation for your faith, if you find it here then it is amazing that you had the capacity to reason that you were missing it in the first place.
For the Atheist, this is a must have for a few reasons, 1) As an Atheist your making a choice (Vs faith), that choice should be based on all the best available information 2) If this is the best case the Theist can make then you are fully justified in your belief. 3) And as a bonus you get to remove from the table the hypocritical Theist claim that if you would only listen to what they had to say you would see the light.
Final word, if the arguments made in this book make since to you, well, then, I'm sorry to say, your stupid. How do you know your stupid, because this review says so, how do you know whats in this review is true, because the reviewer says it is, how do you know that what the reviewer says is true, because the reviewer wouldn't put it in the review if it wasn't. TA DA!
Anything Goes Trivia
Last Kiss
Megaton Man
Trevor
