
Welcome to The Apologist’s Bookshelf, a podcast dedicated to exploring the best books in Christian apologetics. I’m Gary Zacharias, a professor of English, avid reader, and passionate follower of Jesus Christ. This podcast is for anyone curious about the intellectual foundation of the Christian faith—whether you’re a believer seeking to deepen your understanding, or a skeptic exploring the truth claims of Christianity. Each episode, I feature a key book on topics like the existence of God, the historical evidence for Jesus, the reliability of the Bible, creation and design in the universe, and how to engage unbelievers with wisdom and grace. These are the books that have earned a permanent place on my apologetics bookshelf—and I want to share them with you. If you’re interested in faith and reason, defending the Christian worldview, or simply love diving into thought-provoking Christian books, this podcast is for you. Contact me at: theapolgistsbookshelf@gmail.com.
Episodes

Saturday May 20, 2023
Faithfully Different | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Saturday May 20, 2023
Saturday May 20, 2023
In chapter 4 of this book, Natasha Crain discusses how we as Christians can regain a supernatural worldview in the face of a culture that buys into naturalism (the belief that the natural world is all that exists).

Wednesday May 17, 2023
Guide to How It All Began | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Wednesday May 17, 2023
Wednesday May 17, 2023
This book, subtitled "A User-Friendly Approach," covers a lot of material in a relaxed manner. I am discussing chapter 7, which looks at three possible explanations for how everything started, the idea of a prebiotic soup, the fossil record, the Cambrian explosion, and irreducible complexity.

Saturday May 13, 2023
Evidence That Demands a Verdict | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Saturday May 13, 2023
Saturday May 13, 2023
This updated version of a popular book covers so much good information about Christianity. This time I cover chapter 13, which examines the deaths of the disciples. Do we know what happened to them? Did any of them renounce their faith when faced with death?

Wednesday May 10, 2023
The Creator Revealed | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Wednesday May 10, 2023
Wednesday May 10, 2023
Here's a second look at Mike Strauss' book dealing with Genesis and creation. My first podcast on this book was done on December 30, 2021 in case you'd like to hear it. This time I cover a chapter in which Mike examines the issue of the creation "days"--was it all done in 24-hour periods?

Saturday May 06, 2023
The God Conversation, Part 2 | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Saturday May 06, 2023
Saturday May 06, 2023
I am continuing with a second podcast on The God Conversation, which challenges Christians to engage others using stories and illustrations to explain our faith. Chapter 2 deals with the difficult issue of a good God and the existence of pain and suffering.

Wednesday May 03, 2023
The God Conversation, Part 1 | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Wednesday May 03, 2023
Wednesday May 03, 2023
J. P. Moreland, a great author and Christian thinker, has a book that suggests ways we can use stories and illustrations to explain our Christian faith. In this podcast, I cover his opening chapters that explain the value of using examples and illustrations to share our beliefs with others.

Saturday Apr 29, 2023
2084 | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Saturday Apr 29, 2023
Saturday Apr 29, 2023
John Lennox, a great thinker and apologist, takes a look at artificial intelligence in chapters 4 and 5 in his book--its promises and its dangers. This is important as we face a future in which we will be interacting with AI in many ways.

Tuesday Apr 25, 2023
Welcome to College | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Tuesday Apr 25, 2023
Tuesday Apr 25, 2023
Too many Christians drift away from their Christian faith when going to college. This book is so important for the advice it gives students on how to stay faithful to Christ during those years. Chapter 2 discusses the importance of cultivating a Christian worldview.

Saturday Apr 22, 2023
No Reason to Hide, Part 2 | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Saturday Apr 22, 2023
Saturday Apr 22, 2023
Erwin Lutzer's book is so important these days with all the ludicrous ideas brought out in our society. This podcast covers the second half of chapter 4, in which he challenges the terrible ideas of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) that many are pushing today.

Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
No Reason to Hide, Part 1 | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
Erwin Lutzer has written a book to challenge Christians to stand for Christ in a collapsing culture. I'm covering chapter 4, which examines the the destructive influence of diversity/equity/inclusion that our society is pushing so hard on all of us. This podcast will discuss only the first half of the chapter since I don't want to go over the material too quickly. The next podcast will cover the second half of this important chapter.