Gord Carkner’s Apologia Resource Index
Apologetic Workshop
Workshop to come at Apologetics Canada Conference: 12 noon, March 8 Willingdon Church, Burnaby
Title: Monopolizing Knowledge: Scientism and the Search for Reality
Speaker: Gordon Carkner
Science is a vital part of our modern culture in the West. However the contemporary belief that science is the only way to truth (scientism) is a perversion of science and a major barrier to exploring the benefits of Christiaity. Rooted in the worldview of materialistic naturalism, it promotes a conflict between science and faith (believed by 70% of university students). This workshop provides critical perspective on the character of scientism, as compared to legitimate scientific work, offering excellent resources to grapple with this vital apologetic question. SCIENTISM@Missfst
Toward Stronger Discipleship, Dialogue Skill Growth and Stable Commitment to Christ
Apologetics is a highly effective and necessary resource for today’s students, Christian leaders and church community members. There are some very effective, proven approaches and resources available. These are relevant for both the early and late modern worlds. We must be multi-lingual in our approach depending on the area of study or the individual questioner. The field has grown much in quantity and sophistication in the past decade.
Students and friends need answers, plus fresh ways of articulating what they believe and why. They need resources that can help them reason well and engage the hard questions; it often is a matter of spiritual life and death. The bibliography below is an attempt to show that there exists a very robust resource base in speakers, books, websites and articles. We do not want students or community members to get caught in the cultural rip tide of skepticism and scientific naturalistic materialism, or the malaise/nihilism within the humanities.
Gord has consulted with apologists internationally to bring to the surface some of the best available material and speakers so that our ministries, our dialogue can be robustly empowered. Our campus and church communities need to be challenged to rethink the stereotypes of naïve or blind irrational faith. Quality and creativity are top priorities in what is offered below, vital to build strength into people’s minds and hearts. It is encouraging to see believers grow in confidence and discover creativity in their witness as they begin to read and think through good questions and realize that Christian faith is compatible with good reason and non-hostile discussion or dialogue.
This vital resource directory is oriented to promote energy, hope and a non-defensive stance on the part of Christians. It also offers much material with integrity for seekers looking into the Christian faith for the first time. Tim Keller’s book The Reason for God is a great example of the spirit of thoughtful and open dialogue. Regent Bookstore on the UBC campus has an excellent selection of this kind of book and even a special section denoted Apologetics.
1. Methodology & Perspective
Newbigin, Lesslie, The Gospel in a Pluaristic Society. Eerdmans, 1989.
McGrath, Alister, Intellectuals Don’t Need God? Zondervan
Stackhouse, John G., Jr. Humble Apologetics: Defending the Faith Today.
New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
Clark, David K. Dialogical Apologetics: A Person-Centered Approach to
Christian Defense. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1993.
Edgar, William. Reasons of the Heart: Recovering Christian Persuasion.
Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996.
Craig, William Lane, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics. Crossway Books.
Chapman, C., Eerdmans Handbook: The Case for Christianity. Eerdmans, 1981.
Sire, James, The Universe Next Door. IVP
Adler, M. J. Intellect: Mind Over Matter. Collier, 1990.
Keller, Tim. Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Scepticism. Dutton, 2008.
Plantinga, A. Warranted Christian Belief.
Zaccharias, R. Can Man Live Without God?
White, J.E., A Mind for God. Ivp, 2006.
Bush, L. Russ. Classical Readings in Christian Apologetics: A.D.
100-1800. Grand Rapids: Zondervan/Academie, 1983.
The Apologetics Study Bible
Campbell-Jack, W.C., McGrath, G.J., Evans, C. Stephen. Eds. The New Dictionary of Christian Apologetics
Evans, C. Stephen. Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics and Philosophy of
Religion. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2002.
Kreeft, P. & Tacelli, R.K., Handbook of Christian Apologetics. IVP
Noll, Mark, The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind. Eerdmans, 1994.
2. Feminism
Cochran, Pamela D. H. Evangelical Feminism: A History. New York and London: New York University Press, 2005.
Grenz, Stanley J., with Denise Muir Kjesbo. Women in the Church: A Biblical Theology of Women in Ministry. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1995.
Hancock, Maxine, ed. Christian Perspectives on Gender, Sexuality, and Community. Vancouver, BC: Regent College Publishing, 2003.
Pierce, Ronald W. and Rebecca Merrill Groothuis, eds. Discovering Biblical Equality: Complementarity without Hierarchy. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004.
Stackhouse, John G., Jr. “Women in Public Ministry: Five Models in Twentieth-Century North American Evangelicalism.” Chap. in Evangelical Landscapes: Facing Critical Issues of the Day. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002.
Storkey, Elaine. Origins of Difference: The Gender Debate Revisited. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2001.
Tucker, Ruth A. and Walter Liefeld. Daughters of the Church: Women and Ministry from New Testament Times to the Present. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1987.
Van Leeuwen, Mary Stewart. Gender & Grace: Love, Work & Parenting in a Changing World. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1990.
Van Leeuwen, Mary Stewart, ed. After Eden: Facing the Challenge of Gender Reconciliation. Grand Rapids, MI / Carlisle: Eerdmans / Paternoster Press, 1993.
Stackhouse, John G. Jr. Finally Feminist: A Pragmatic Christian Understanding of Gender Baker Academic, 2005.
Charry, Ellen T., article in Cambridge Companion to Feminism, ed. Susan Frank Parsons. CUP, 2002.
Creegan, N.H., & Christine D. Pohl, Living on the Boundaries: evangelical women, feminism and the theological academy. IVP, 2005.
3. Science & Natural Theology
Polkinghorne, Sir John, One World: The Interaction of Science & Theology.
Princeton. (physicist/theologian—leading light)
Polkinghorne, Sir John, Exploring Reality: The Intertwining of Science: Religion, Science and Providence.
Gingerich, Owen, God’s Universe.
Collins, Francis, The Language of God. Free Press.
Pascal, Blaise. Pensees. Trans. A. J. Krailsheimer. Harmondsworth,
U.K.: Penguin, 1966.
Capell & Cook eds., Not Just Science: Questions Where Christian Faith and Natural Science Intersect. Zondervan
Jaki, Stanley, The Road to Science and the Ways to God. Chicago (Gifford
Lectures on history of science)
Russell, Colin, Crosscurrents: Interactions Between Science & Faith. Eerdmans
Danielson, Dennis ed., The Book of the Cosmos. Perceus.
Lewis, C.S., Miracles. Macmillan
Waltke, Bruce, “Gift of the Cosmos”(article on Genesis 1:1-2:4) Chapter 8 in An Old Testament Theology, Zondervan, 2007.
Alexander, Denis, Rebuilding the Matrix: Science & Faith in the 21st
Century. Zondervan (director of Faraday Institute in Cambridge, UK)
Burke, ed., Creation & Evolution: 7 Prominent Christians Debate. IVP UK.
Livingstone, D. N., Darwin’s Forgotten Defenders: The Encounter Between
Evangelical Theology and Evolutionary Thought.
Owens, V.S., Godspy: Faith, Perception, and the New Physics.
Gingerich, Owen, “Let There Be Light” article on natural theology by America’s top Christian physicist.
Theology of Creation:
Capon, R. F., “The Third Peacock” in The Romance of the Word. Eerdmans.
McGrath, Alister, A Fine-Tuned Universe. WJK, 2009.
Gunton, C., The Triune Creator: a historical and systematic study. Eerdmans (English theologian)
Walsh & Middleton, The Transforming Vision. IVP
Bouma-Prediger, S., For the Beauty of the Earth: a Christian vision of creation care.. Baker Academic, 2010.
Limits of Science:
Medawar, P., The Limits of Science.
Schumacher, E.F. A Guide for the Perplexed. Abacus. (challenge to reductionism)
Carkner, G., Under Investigation: Scientism (short unpublished paper on reductionism)
McGrath, A. & J., The Dawkins Delusion? IVP 2007.
Lennox, John. God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? Lion
Jeeves & Berry, Science, Life, and Christian Belief. Apollos Books.
Ward, Keith, Pascal’s Fire: Scientific Faith and Religious Understanding.
Oneworld.
Harper, Charles Jr. ed., Spiritual Information: 100 Perspectives on Science and Religion. Templeton Foundation Press.
Spencer, N. & White, R. Christianity, Climate Change, and
Sustainable Living. SPCK, 2007.
4. Scripture Authority and Authenticity
Barnett, Paul. Is the New Testament Reliable? 2nd ed. Downers Grove:
Intervarsity Press, 2005.
.Bock, Darrell, L. The Missing Gospels: Unearthing the Truth Behind
Alternative Christianities. Nashville: Nelson Books, 2006.
Bruce, F.F., New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 2003.
Blomberg, Craig, The Historical Reliability of the Gospels. Downers
Grove: Intervarsity press, 1987.
Blomberg, Craig. The Historical Reliability of John’s Gospel. Downers
Grove: Intervarsity press, 2002.
Bock, Darrel, Can I Trust the Bible? Defending the Bible’s Reliability.
Atlanta: RZIM Critical Concerns Series, 2001.
5. Jesus: Life, Death & Ressurection
Wright, N.T. The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and
Is. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1999. (Wright is top scholar on Jesus and the New Testament)
Wright, N.T., The New Testament and the People of God.
Dunn, James D.G. The Evidence for Jesus. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1986
Yancey, Philip. The Jesus I Never Knew.
Copan, Paul ed. Will the Real Jesus please stand up: A Debate between
William Lane Craig and John Dominic Crossan. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House,
1998.
Habermas, Gary and Antony Flewdebate. Did Jesus Rise from the Dead? Ed. by
Terry L. Miethe. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1987.
Swinburne, Richard, The Resurrection of God Incarnate. Oxford:
Clarendon Press, 2003.
Two part video on Gospel of John (powerfully acted and close to the text)
6. Christianity & Other Religions & Ideologies
Taylor, Charles, A Secular Age. Harvard University Press, 2007
Anderson, Sir Norman. Christianity and World Religions: The Challenge of Pluralism [original title: Christianity and Comparative Religions]. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1984 [1970].
Neil, Stephen, Christian Faith & Other Faiths. IVP
Baker, David W., ed. Biblical Faith and Other Religions: An Evangelical Assessment. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2004.
Chesterton, G. K. The Everlasting Man. Reprint ed. New York: Image, 1955 [1925].
Edwards, James R. Is Jesus the Only Savior? Grand Rapids, MI and Cambridge, UK: Eerdmans, 2005.
Gardner, Howard. Changing Minds: The Art and Science of Changing Our Own and Other People’s Minds. New York: Harvard Business School Press, 2004.
Griffiths, Paul J. An Apology for Apologetics: A Study in the Logic of Interreligious Dialogue. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1991.
Griffiths, Paul J. Christianity through Non-Christian Eyes. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1998.
Karkkainen, Veli-Matti. An Introduction to the Theology of Religions: Biblical, Historical, and Contemporary Perspectives. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2003.
Ludwig, Theodore. The Sacred Paths: Understanding the Religions of the World. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
McDermott, Gerald R. Can Evangelicals Learn from World Religions? Jesus, Revelation & Religious Traditions. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.
Pinnock, Clark H. A Wideness in God’s Mercy: The Finality of Jesus Christ in a World of Religions. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992.
Sanders, John, ed. What About Those Who Have Never Heard? Three Views on the Destiny of the Unevangelized. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1995.
Sanneh, Lamin. Whose Religion Is Christianity? The Gospel Beyond the West. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2003.
Stackhouse, John G., Jr., ed. No Other Gods before Me? Evangelicals Encounter the World’s Religions. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2001.
Tiessen, Terrance L. Who Can Be Saved? Reassessing Salvation in Christ and World Religions. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2004.
7. History
Evans, C. Stephen. The Historical Christ and the Jesus of Faith: The Incarnational Narrative as History. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996.
McIntire, C. T. and Ronald A. Wells, eds. History and Historical Understanding. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1984.
Marsden, George & Frank Roberts, ed. A Christian View of History? Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1975.
Marsden, George, The Soul of the University.
Bebbington, David. Patterns in History: A Christian Perspective on Historical Thought. Reprint Ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1990 [1979].
Wells, Ronald A., ed. History and the Christian Historian. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1998.
8.Epistemology: making sense, evidences, coherence, comprehensiveness, sources, method of analysis, what constitutes good argument or warrant.
Schumacher, E.F. A Guide for the Perplexed. Abacus
Mavrodes, George, Belief in God.
Sire, James, The Universe Next Door: a worldview catalogue. IVP.
Swinburne, Richard, The Coherence of Theism. Oxford University Press
Wolfe, D.L. Epistemology: The Justification of Belief. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1982
Plantinga, Alvin & Nicholas Wolterstorff, ed. Faith and Rationality: Reason and Belief in God. Notre Dame, Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press, 1983.
Wolterstorff, Nicholas. Reason within the Bounds of Religion. 2nd ed., Grand Rapids, MI. Eerdmans, 1984 [1976].
Moreland, J.P. and William Lane Craig. Philosophical Foundations for a
Christian Worldview. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2003.
Wood, W. Jay, Epistemology: Becoming Intellectually Virtuous (Contours of Christian Philosophy), IVP.
Beckwith,F.G. & Koukl, G., Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air.
Schlossberg, H., Idols for Destruction.
Carkner, G.E. Unpublished essays in ‘Under Investigation Series’ on Scientism, Relativism and Nihilism.
Thisleton, A., New Horizons in Hermeneutics. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992.
9. Use of Literature in Apologetics
Craig, William Lane (use of Dostoyevski) in Apologetics: an Introduction.
Lewis, C.S., Narnia Chronicles and Space Trilogy
Bowen, John, new book on Narnia, Dare Booklets on Tolkein, etc.
Eagleton, Terry, The Ideology of the Aesthetic.
Dostoyevski, Brothers Karamozov, Crime and Punishment and The Idiot.
Percy, Walker, Lost in the Cosmos.
Capon, Robert Farrar, Romancing the Word.
Lewis, C.S., God in the Dock.
Chapman, J.D., Faith in Words: a poet’s creed. (a Canadian bio-physicist’s poetic reflections). Durango, 2006.
10. Suffering, Evil, & Injustice
Kreeft, P. Making Sense Out of Suffering. Servant Books, 1989.
Lewis, C.S. The Problem of Pain & A Grief Observed. Macmillan.
Lewis, C.S. The Great Divorce.
Girard, René. I Saw Satan Fall Like Lightning.
Geivett, Douglas, Evil and the Evidence for God: The Challenge of John Hick’s Theodicy.” Temple University Press, 1993.
Geisler, N. The Roots of Evil.
Howard-Snyder, Daniel ed., The Evidential Argument from Evil.
Peck, Scott, People of the Lie.
Stackhouse, John G. Jr. Can God Be Trusted? OUP.
Wolterstorff, N., Until Justice & Peace Embrace. Eerdmans, 1983.
11. Quest for Meaning, Identity, and Parameters of the Self
Taylor, Charles. Sources of the Self: the Making of the Modern Identity.
Taylor, Charles. A Secular Age. Harvard University Press.
Morris, Tomas V., Making Sense of It All.
Kreeft, Peter. The Best Things in Life: A Twentieth-Century Socrates
Looks at Power, Pleasure, Truth, and the Good Life. Downers Grove: Intervarsity
Press, 1984.
Lewis, C.S., Mere Christianity.
Gay, Craig, The Way of the (Modern) World.
Kreeft, P. Heaven: the Heart’s Deepest Longing. Ignatius Press
Zacharias, R. Cries of the Heart.
Lewis, C.S., The Weight of Glory
Packer, J.I. & Thomas Howard, Christianity: the True Humanism.
Barrs, J. & Macauley, R. Being Human: the nature of spiritual experience. IVP
Moltmann, Wolterstorff, & Charry, A Passion for God’s Reign: Theology, Christian Learning and the Christian Self.
12. The Postmodern Condition
Ward, Graham ed., The Postmodern God: a theological reader. Blackwell, 1997.
Anderson, W.T., The Future of the Self: Exploring the Post-Identity Society. Tarcher, 1997.
Walsh & Middleton, Truth is Stranger than it Used to Be. IVP
Walsh, B. & Keesmaat, S., Colossians Remixed: Subverting the Empire. IVP, 2004.
Downing, C.L., How Postmodernism Serves (My) Faith: Questioning Truth in Language, Philosophy and Art. IVP. 2006.
Thiselton, A.C., Interpreting God and the Postmodern Self: on meaning, manipulation and promise. T. & T. Clark, 1995.
Carkner, Gordon, University of Wales PhD Dissertation: “A Critical Examination of the Constitution of the Moral Self in Michel Foucault in Dialogue with Charles Taylor” in the British Library.
Klassen, N. & Jens Zimmerman, The Passionate Intellect: incarnational humanism and the future of university education. IVP Academic, 2007.
Shrag, C.O., The Self After Postmodernity. Yale University Press, 1997.
Eagleton, Terry, The Illusions of Postmodernism. Blackwell, 1996.
Borgmann, A., Crossing the Postmodern Divide. University Books, 1993.
Cahoune, L. ed., From Modernism to Postmodernism: an Anthology. Blackwell, 1996.
12. Some Top Apologist Speakers:
William Lane Craig phiosopher @ Talbot Seminary; Paul Chamberlain philosopher @ ACTS/TWU Langley, BC, Ravi Zacharias in Orlando, Florida; Alister McGrath theologian/scientist in Oxford, UK; Norman Geisler, Dean of Southern Evangelical Seminary, Charlotte, North Carolina; J.P. Moreland philosopher @ Talbot, Os Guinness @ The Trinity Forum in Northern Virginia, Kevin Van Hoozer @ TEDS in Deerfield, Illinois on Paul Ricoeur (good on postmodernity), C. Stephen Evans philosophy @ Baylor, John Stackhouse theologian @ Regent College, John Bowen at Wycliffe in Toronto. Dr. John Patrick from Ottawa is a great speaker on medical ethics. Biola University in California is a major center of Christian philosophy and apologetics. Nicholas Wolterstorff (Yale) and Alvin Plantinga (Notre Dame) are the two greatest American philosophers. Charles Taylor at McGill is Canada’s greatest living philosopher, a world-class mind in social sciences and the self. IFES Apologists: Jurgen Speis in Germany (now Institut fur Glaube und Wissenschaft); Stefan Gustavsson former General Secretary in Sweden (now @ Credo Institute) s.g@mailbox.euromail.se; Spain: Dr. Pablo Martinez Vila (physician); Brazil: Dr. Altair de Souza Assis (physicist).
13. Key Websites:
Ravi Zacharias Ministries www.rzim.org/resources, Course in apologetics at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, UK
UCCF (IVCF) in UK www.bethinking.org/resources.php?ID=224
Christian Heritage Cambridge www.christianheritageuk.org.uk/ summer school in apologetics
William Lane Craig www.reasonablefaith.org/site/PageServer
& Craig Scholarly Articles: www.reasonablefaith.org/site/PageServer?pagename=scholarly_articles_main
C.S. Lewis Foundation: Stan Mattson www.cslewis.org/ Conferences in Oxbridge
Faraday Institute on Science & Religion: www.st-edmunds.cam.ac.uk/faraday/
The Bibliography You Cannot Live Without: Resources on the Christian Worldview by Walsh, Middleton & Carkner: www3.sympatico.ca/ian.ritchie/BiblioWCLW.htm
Leadership University articles: www.leaderu.com
Mars Hill Audio Interviews with Great Christian Thinkers: www.marshillaudio.org
14. Apologetic Lecture Sampler
Veritas Forums @ Western and all across USA.
Pascal Lectures @ University of Waterloo, esp Chales Malik: “A Christian Critique of the University.”
Gifford Lectures in Edinburgh, Scotland
Grad & Faculty Christian Forum @ UBC, esp. Francis Collins “Are we more than our genes?”
Bampton Lectures in Natural Theology in UK
Cambridge University: the Faraday Institute
Various Debates with people such as Craig, Moreland, Geisler, Chamberlain, Redekop-Glass on Christianity & Marxism, Lennox & Dawkins on the God Delusion.
15. Series & Periodicals
Dare Booklets
First Things
Journal of American Scientific Affiliation
Christians in Science (UK)
Dr. Gordon Carkner
Outreach Canada Grad Student & Faculty Ministries, Lower Mainland, BC
gcarkner@outreach.ca
ubcgcu 
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