Presuppositional Apologetics: Stated and Defended Hardcover – April 25, 2010

In the recent years there have been a variety of popular books and resources on apologetics coming out. Major names include Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel, Norman Geisler, and others. These resources are given away to friends who may be atheist, agnostic, or of another religion in an attempt to convince them of the truth of Christianity. While we may be glad for some of the fruit bore by these popular apologetic endeavors we must disagree with the common methodology used in attempting to defend the faith. The common approach among evangelicals is evidentialism stressing evidences for the existence of God, the resurrection, and the veracity of the Scriptures. The Reformed community is unique in its general (though not total) advocacy of a presuppositional approach to apologetics. In this book, Bahnsen outlines a consistent presuppositional approach to apologetics and in the process critiques other apologetic systems that claim to be presuppositional.First, this book has some history behind it that is important for understanding where this book fits within the Bahnsen corpus. Originally this was part of a work that Bahnsen was writing which would outline presuppositionalism and critique inconsistent presuppositionalists as well as other openly evidential apologetic approaches. The work was almost finished but due to other engagements was not finished and was lost for many years only being found a couple years ago sixteen years after Bahnsen's death. The third part of the book was never finished so this volume contains the first two parts in their entirety. Other Bahnsen books published on apologetics are mostly culled from various lectures (with the exception of Van Til's Apologetic). This work however was written directly by Bahnsen and is therefore very well written, engaging, and surprisingly understandable for the subject matter.As mentioned above, the first portion of the book lays out the basics of presuppositional apologetics and shows how only a truly presuppositional system upholds the Lordship of Christ in the various philosophical divisions while other systems attempt to assume "neutrality" and in the process subvert the original task of showing Christianity to be the truth. Bahnsen spends a good 50 to 60 pages expositing Scripture and brings out what the Scriptures teach and their implications for the task of apologetics. Bahnsen shows how evidential approaches are objectionable on both an epistemological and ethical level. Due to the fact that evidential approaches do not presuppose God's revelation they therefore have no proper foundation for their epistemological task of setting out to prove God. On an ethical level, the evidentialist abandons the Lordship of Christ in the area of epistemology in an attempt to get the unbeliever to submit to the Lordship of Christ in epistemology. The evidentialist approach is seen to be both dishonoring to the Lordship of God and insufficient to "prove" the existence of God or the fact of Christianity. Bahnsen explains the internal conflicts within the unbelievers system of thought and shows how to expose these logical contradictions.The second part of Bahnsen's book is devoted to a critique of other presuppositional approaches. Specifically, the methods of Clark, Carnell, and Schaeffer are critiqued. The primary insufficiency Bahnsen sees in these various approaches is that while retaining elements of presuppositional thought, they fail to be truly presuppositional in the fact that they insist on autonomy, testing, and verification. Their approaches, like the evidential approaches, leave Christianity as a possibility, the most likely possibility perhaps, but not the only possibility as Bahnsen labors to show throughout the book. This book is truly a great resource and has clarified presuppositionalism for me and answered a number of questions. Bahnsen gives the believer an apologetic tool box which doesn't succumb to the attraction of autonomous reason or complex philosophical arguments that are not grounded in the fear of God which is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge (Prov. 1:7).

The content is very good. Bahnsen is very easy to understand and did a great job explaining "Presuppostional apologetics". What it is and how to use it.The kindle version does not have any table of contents.I usually read the table of contents to give me a first impression of the structure of the book.So I guess it was a bit harder to understand at first because of that.It was really missed but the much lower price compensate.

Great book, I’d say presup is the only “Biblical Method” for doing Apologetics. Coming from a non-Calvin. Presup doesn’t abandon Christ Lordship in apologetical encounters with the pagan. Other schools of thought do and they invoke neutrality which is a sin against God. I love Bahnsens work, God used that man to greatly strengthen my faith. God bless him and his family, may we see him again at Christ Second Coming.

I chose this rating one star lower than for his "Always Ready" primarily because it is a more difficult read for the non-seminarian believer. But I was reluctant to do so in that for me personally it was like eating candy! But I believe that the book would lose the average Christian believer because of its rather academic philosophical concepts, and presented in such a way that it is not as clear as "Always Ready." Still, for me and those looking for such stuff, this is an excellent book, too.

Comprehensive and informational for those who are unfamiliar with the Presuppositional approach to apologetics. A little upset the hardcover version I had paid extra for was blank though.

The hand-written note was a very nice touch. Not for the simple-minded.

Bahnsen appeals to Scripture as the sole support for the Christian's defense of the faith, and rightly so. There is no other. Unregenerate man is not able to "see the kingdom of God." Rather, he "suppresses the truth in unrighteousness." The Christian cannot appeal to worldly philosophy to defend God's holy Word. The only defense of Scripture is Scripture. God authored it. God defends it. As Spurgeon said, (paraphrase): "I don't need to defend the Word any more than I would a lion. All I need to do is let it out of its cage."

I am new to the whole presuppositional method of apologetics and I found Greg handling of the issue succinct and convincing. After reading this book I am sure that this is the only way to do apologetics.

Great book but I will definitely need to reread it to soak it all in. I didn’t find it the easiest read but well worth it. Bahnsen was a master of his craft.