Christian Apologetics

by Cornelius Van Til

Book Overview

This book originated in Van Til's seminary syllabus in 1929. This went through many editions and was first published for use outside the classroom as a book by P&R in 1975. Since then, it has become a classic of apologetics theory and practice. In this edition, editor Bill Edgar adds an introduction and explanatory notes.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0875525113
• ISBN13: 9780875525112
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: P & R Publishing
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Classic with Slight Modifications and Edgar's Comments

Throughout church history the defense of the faith has been pivotal in the expansion of Christian Theism (CT). Cornelius Van Til was convinced that "Christian apologetics is rooted in a unified system of scriptural truth, a worldview that encompasses all spheres of knowledge." In this new edition Van Til's insights will not only enrich your apologetic goals and evangelism work, but will increase your devotion to the Triune God. This volume includes William Edgar's outstanding introduction (15 pages long) and he provides the reader with numerous explanatory notes in this first typeset edition. Edgar assists the reader with a light annotation of the text and Gaffin says that Edgar's comments are "invariably helpful, never intrusive." This new version is an important resource and is endorsed by: - Luder Whitlock - Scott Oliphint - Richard Gaffin. Edgar in the introduction writes that Van Til "was without a doubt one of the most original apologists of the twentieth century" (p. 3). He further notes that Van Til's "originality consists in this: he sought to develop a God-centered apologetics without compromise and yet without cutting off communication with unbelievers or retreating into a Christian tribalism. ... Van Til's goal as a presuppositionalist was to show that the Christian worldview is the only rational and objectively valid one. Without it nothing makes sense." Edgar adds that "everything in the world speaks of God the Creator, the Christian apologist can begin an argument virtually form any point in human experience and show how it voices the truth" (p. 4). Edgar further explains that "Presuppositional apologetics asks that we but recognize that all ideas and arguments come within a basic arrangement, a framework within which they make sense. That framework, when it does not conform to biblical truth, is open to challenge" (p. 5). The apologetic approach: "The apologist must get over onto the ground of the unbeliever for argument's sake and show him that this claims cannot succeed" (p. 7). In Van Til's approach everything becomes evidence for the Christian worldview, since everything in creation proclaims God's handiwork. Even our self-knowledge is rooted in the knowledge of God" (p. 8). The astute editor suggests that this book is Van Til's "most complete, succinct introduction to his apologetics in all of his writings" (p. 11). In the text itself, Van Til asserts that "Christianity can never be separated from some theory about the existence and the nature of God. The result is that Christian theism must be thought of as a unit" (p. 18). Van Til proceeds from theology in his apologetic and rightly claims that knowledge and truth must be grounded on God who has sovereignty, aseity, immutability, omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, and unity. Deny this God, and one cannot account for anything within human experience. Van Til befittingly asserts that the God of the Bible has "independence or aseity" (p. 24). For intelligibility,

Dutch Calvinist Christian Apologetics At Its Finest

Cornelius Van Til is a legend in the Dutch Calvinist circles. Descended from a country that was at one point 100 per cent Calvinist, Van Til takes the tradition of Dutch Calvinism seriously. But this book is not only for Calvinists. Roman Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, Anglicans can use the strategic defense of the Christian Gospel in fighting enemies of Christianity.

Small but insightful...

Originally a basic text for his introductory course in apologetics, today this small but insightful book will undoubtedly serve to introduce a new generation of students to Van Til's distinctive approach to Christian apologetics. Although a good starting-place for understanding Van Til's thought in general, yet the real strengths of this book are its clarity and conciseness (two qualities only heightened by Edgar's respectful editorial hand). Now typeset and published with translated foreign terms and annotative footnotes that open up Van Til's meaning to even the neophyte, this work is sure to become a popular entry-way into presuppositional apologetics. Modifications aside, another reason that makes purchasing this second edition worthwhile is Bill Edgar's introductory essay. An essay that in only fifteen pages manages to: set Van Til in apologetic and ideological context, clarify presuppositional apologetics against still too common misconceptions, and offer a prefatory tour of the content, style and features of this volume. A compliment to Edgar's Westminster predecessor and a genuine improvement over the first edition, I hope this newly packaged text achieves a wide reading and that additional volumes in what was the "Cornelius Van Til Collection" can receive similar treatment in due course.

Excellent Introduction to Van Til and His Method

This book is an excellent introduction to Cornelius Van Til's presuppositional apologetic. Written as an introductory work for his students at Westminster Seminary, it includes the theological foundations of the method and the philosophical, epistemological, and methodological issues surrounding apologetics.Van Til spends much of this book explaining the shortcomings of the Roman Catholic and Arminian apologetic methods while demonstrating how the Reformed presuppositional framework is the proper framework to employ when apologizing from a Biblical worldview.I recommend this book to any person looking for a solid introduction to Van Tillian thought written by Van Til himself and including insightful comments by William Edgar, professor of apologetics at Westminster Seminary.

The best book on Reformed Apologetics

My words would be too few and poor to reflect how important this book is/was on the Reformed apologetical method let alone me.