
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. Podcast: https://theapologistsbookshelf.podbean.com Contact me: theapologistsbookshelf@gmail.com
Episodes

Saturday Apr 30, 2022
Confronting Christianity | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Saturday Apr 30, 2022
Saturday Apr 30, 2022
Rebecca McLaughlin's book deals with twelve hard questions aimed at Christians. This podcast focuses on one of her chapters: "Doesn't Christianity Denigrate Women?"

Saturday Apr 23, 2022
Going Clear (Scientology) \ The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Saturday Apr 23, 2022
Saturday Apr 23, 2022
Lawrence Wright, a Pulitzer-Prize winning author, wrote this book on Scientology. I give a brief overview of his book to show how this belief system shares many attributes of cults, why it has an appeal, and ways Christians can interact with someone who is involved with it.

Saturday Apr 16, 2022
The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Saturday Apr 16, 2022
Saturday Apr 16, 2022
Gary Habermas is the leading scholar on the resurrection of Jesus. In this book he and Mike Licona offer a valuable resource for anyone looking for detailed historical evidence of the physical resurrection of Jesus. I cover the opening chapter that talks of why this event is so crucial, whether Jesus actually predicted his rise from the dead, and whether this event can be "proven." I also mention the five minimal facts that the majority of all historians are willing to grant regarding the resurrection.

Saturday Apr 09, 2022
Keeping Your Kids on God’s Side | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Saturday Apr 09, 2022
Saturday Apr 09, 2022
Natasha Crain has done a wonderful job equipping parents with tools to help them keep their kids focused on the truth of Christianity. I cover her chapter on how the books of the New Testament were chosen.

Saturday Apr 02, 2022
If God Is Good | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Saturday Apr 02, 2022
Saturday Apr 02, 2022
Randy Alcorn tackles the difficult issue of the existence of God in a world of pain and suffering. This is the number-one complaint many have--how can there be a good, all-powerful God when there is so much evil in this life? I look at his first chapter, in which he explains why the problem of evil and suffering is so important.

Saturday Mar 26, 2022
Faithfully Different | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Saturday Mar 26, 2022
Saturday Mar 26, 2022
Natasha Crain has written a book that describes the modern secular culture we live in and ways Christians can navigate it. Today's podcast looks at her chapter that explains why secularism is so appealing.

Saturday Mar 19, 2022
I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Saturday Mar 19, 2022
Saturday Mar 19, 2022
This is one of the best apologetics books available. I go over a chapter in it that talks about early testimony about Jesus.

Friday Mar 11, 2022
6 Modern Myths | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Friday Mar 11, 2022
Friday Mar 11, 2022
Here's a book that tackles six false accounts of Christianity's history. I am looking at the author's chapter on missionaries and the good that they have really done, as opposed to the myth that they wrecked native cultures.

Thursday Mar 03, 2022
God’s Battalions | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Thursday Mar 03, 2022
Thursday Mar 03, 2022
Rodney Stark, noted historian, takes a look at the Crusades to show how many misconceptions and lies exist about those struggles. I explore his chapter that refutes the idea of a "Dark Ages" in Europe and clears up a misconception about Muslim culture.

Friday Feb 25, 2022
Christianity on Trial | The Apologist’s Bookshelf
Friday Feb 25, 2022
Friday Feb 25, 2022
This book tackles major attacks on Christianity. I look at a chapter that explores the history of science and Christianity to show that they are not enemies.