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Christian Apologetics, Past and Present, Volume 1, to 1500
An unprecedented anthology of apologetics texts with selections from the first century AD through the Middle Ages. Includes introductory material, timelines, maps, footnotes, and discussion questions.
The apostle Peter tells us always to be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks us to account for our hope as Christians (1 Peter 3:15). While the gospel message remains the same, such arguments will look different from one age to another.
In the midst of a recent revival in the field of apologetics, few things could be more useful than an acquaintance with some of these arguments for the Christian belief through the ages. This first of two proposed volumes features primary source documents from the time of the early church (100-400) and the Middle Ages (400-1500). Featured apologists include Aristides, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Athanasius, Augustine, Anselm, and Thomas Aquinas.
The authors provide a preface to each major historical section, with a timeline and a map, then an introduction to each apologist. Each primary source text is followed by questions for reflection or discussion purposes.
The apostle Peter tells us always to be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks us to account for our hope as Christians (1 Peter 3:15). While the gospel message remains the same, such arguments will look different from one age to another.
In the midst of a recent revival in the field of apologetics, few things could be more useful than an acquaintance with some of these arguments for the Christian belief through the ages. This first of two proposed volumes features primary source documents from the time of the early church (100-400) and the Middle Ages (400-1500). Featured apologists include Aristides, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Athanasius, Augustine, Anselm, and Thomas Aquinas.
The authors provide a preface to each major historical section, with a timeline and a map, then an introduction to each apologist. Each primary source text is followed by questions for reflection or discussion purposes.
512 pages, Hardcover
First published September 30, 2009
26 people are currently reading
202 people want to read
About the author
William Edgar
57 books12 followersWilliam Edgar (DTheol, University of Geneva) is professor of apologetics and coordinator of the apologetics department at Westminster Theological Seminary. His books include Reasons of the Heart, The Face of Truth, and Truth in All Its Glory.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 16, 2024
Read for seminary. By and large, it's an anthology of apologetic writings covering 1500 years. Not exactly my type of pleasure reading. And some of what our brothers in the past wrote was, at times, pretty wonky. But I appreciated it for what it was, even if I would never want to read it again.
March 17, 2013
A wonderful collection of some of the greatest apologetic arguments ever made for the Christian faith.
September 21, 2025
In their first volume on the history of apologetics, William Edgar and K. Scott Oliphint introduce the reader to sixteen figures from the patristic and medieval periods of church history that have left notable marks in the development of Christian apologetics. Along with each figure, at least one representative work is reproduced. From the patristic era, Edgar and Oliphint include as their primary sources biblical texts, Aristedes, Justin Martyr, Athengoras, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Athanasius, John Chrysostom, and Augustine. From the medieval period, the editors list Boethius, Peter Abelard, Anselm, Thomas Aquinas, Raymond Lull, and Girolamo Savonarola.
From these primary sources, the reader gathers several significant points concerning the development of Christian apologetics in the patristic and medieval eras. First, and most generally, apologetics is always contextual. The fact that the early apologists are under the power of the Roman Empire deeply influences their apologetic concerns, especially since Christianity was the object of several persecutions during its first few hundred years of existence. Justin Martyr, Athenegoras, and Tertullian are three early church apologists who all attempt to clear Christians of the same false rumors and in so doing argue for the truth of Christianity.
Second, apologetics is not just for the purpose of defending the faith against unbelievers, but it is also devoted to defending orthodoxy and orthopraxy from false teaching. Irenaeus and Athenasius are incredible examples of this from the early church, and Boethius provides a great example from the Medieval period.
Third, there is variation of apologetic methods throughout the history of the church; historical, cultural, and biographical contexts seem to significantly impact how an apologist approaches the task of defending the faith. Justin Martyr, for example, sought through many different philosophical schools before converting to Christianity, and thus his apologetic is more friendly to certain forms of philosophy. Raymond Lull, for a different example, lived in the Mediterranean world of the Medieval period, and therefore his apologetic works heavily involve Jewish and Islamic perspectives. Many apologists, however, do uphold a classical methodology, in which the theological principles of the faith are self-consciously removed from the engagement with the unbeliever. One can see this methodological move explicitly in John Chrysostom, (debatedly) Anselm, and Savonarola.
The editorial work from Edgar and Oliphint is a mixed bag; some of their introductions are better than others. The introduction to Justin Martyr and ad hominem arguments, for example, possesses unhelpful examples and redundancy, and the illustration of Van Til verges on the edge of historical eisegesis (why not an example of a positive ad hominem from Justin himself?). I am unconvinced of the position articulated concerning Anselm’s method in his introduction, namely that Anselm represents the classical method of attempting to prove the truthfulness of Christianity solely on the basis of rational argument with no methodological recourse to or presupposition of Christian teaching (John Frame and Robert Letham offer expositions of the counter perspective). The introduction on Thomas Aquinas also seems to assume that the reader is more familiar with Thomas than not, and also takes on a critical tone throughout, which seems unfitting for an introduction.
Overall, this is a fine primary source reader that helps the reader to not only become basically familiar with specific apologists and their arguments, but also helps the reader to see the broad contours of the developments of Christian apologetics from the primary sources themselves. The reader, however, may not receive the most helpful or consistent information from the introductions of the sources, which is most likely due to the fact that there are two different editors with two different styles of writing (if one is already familiar with the writings and emphases of Edgar and Oliphint, one should be able to discern which introductions are being written by which editor; if my own discernment is correct, Edgar’s introductions are typically more engaging and helpful than Oliphint’s).
From these primary sources, the reader gathers several significant points concerning the development of Christian apologetics in the patristic and medieval eras. First, and most generally, apologetics is always contextual. The fact that the early apologists are under the power of the Roman Empire deeply influences their apologetic concerns, especially since Christianity was the object of several persecutions during its first few hundred years of existence. Justin Martyr, Athenegoras, and Tertullian are three early church apologists who all attempt to clear Christians of the same false rumors and in so doing argue for the truth of Christianity.
Second, apologetics is not just for the purpose of defending the faith against unbelievers, but it is also devoted to defending orthodoxy and orthopraxy from false teaching. Irenaeus and Athenasius are incredible examples of this from the early church, and Boethius provides a great example from the Medieval period.
Third, there is variation of apologetic methods throughout the history of the church; historical, cultural, and biographical contexts seem to significantly impact how an apologist approaches the task of defending the faith. Justin Martyr, for example, sought through many different philosophical schools before converting to Christianity, and thus his apologetic is more friendly to certain forms of philosophy. Raymond Lull, for a different example, lived in the Mediterranean world of the Medieval period, and therefore his apologetic works heavily involve Jewish and Islamic perspectives. Many apologists, however, do uphold a classical methodology, in which the theological principles of the faith are self-consciously removed from the engagement with the unbeliever. One can see this methodological move explicitly in John Chrysostom, (debatedly) Anselm, and Savonarola.
The editorial work from Edgar and Oliphint is a mixed bag; some of their introductions are better than others. The introduction to Justin Martyr and ad hominem arguments, for example, possesses unhelpful examples and redundancy, and the illustration of Van Til verges on the edge of historical eisegesis (why not an example of a positive ad hominem from Justin himself?). I am unconvinced of the position articulated concerning Anselm’s method in his introduction, namely that Anselm represents the classical method of attempting to prove the truthfulness of Christianity solely on the basis of rational argument with no methodological recourse to or presupposition of Christian teaching (John Frame and Robert Letham offer expositions of the counter perspective). The introduction on Thomas Aquinas also seems to assume that the reader is more familiar with Thomas than not, and also takes on a critical tone throughout, which seems unfitting for an introduction.
Overall, this is a fine primary source reader that helps the reader to not only become basically familiar with specific apologists and their arguments, but also helps the reader to see the broad contours of the developments of Christian apologetics from the primary sources themselves. The reader, however, may not receive the most helpful or consistent information from the introductions of the sources, which is most likely due to the fact that there are two different editors with two different styles of writing (if one is already familiar with the writings and emphases of Edgar and Oliphint, one should be able to discern which introductions are being written by which editor; if my own discernment is correct, Edgar’s introductions are typically more engaging and helpful than Oliphint’s).
January 8, 2019
Edgar and Oliphint have produced a fine anthology of texts that represent Christian apologetics. They also write introductions to each author represented, as well as each era from which those writings are taken, and discussion questions. The texts here range from early apologists like Justin Martyr and Athenagoras of Athens to Augustine to Thomas Aquinas and Girolamo Savonarola. (In most cases, the writers presented are the most famous theologians of the church's first 1400-plus years.)
The selection seems to be quite good, with large chunks of Augustine's Confessions and City of God, and many other important works.
Occasionally, the "diagnostic questions" at the end of each reading don't seem to match up well with the text. Other than that, this is a great anthology.
[Finished reading 11/1/18.]
The selection seems to be quite good, with large chunks of Augustine's Confessions and City of God, and many other important works.
Occasionally, the "diagnostic questions" at the end of each reading don't seem to match up well with the text. Other than that, this is a great anthology.
[Finished reading 11/1/18.]
June 22, 2022
An incredibly beneficial collection of apologetic writings from the first century of the Church, up until the Reformation, this work demonstrates well the variety of purposes Christian apologetics has served through centuries of Church history. Though there are certain sections and chapters of various writers’ works that have been omitted in the book, it still accomplishes its goal of showcasing their work.
October 9, 2009
Christian Apologetics Past And Present
Vol 1: To 1500
ISBN-10: 1581349068 ISBN-13: 9781581349061
Christian Apologetics is a primary source reader. Instead of giving to us an apologetic argument, the editors have simply allowed people from the first sixteen centuries of Christianity to speak to us concerning the Christian faith.
First of all, I must say that this is a very good approach. Too often we commit the sin of what C.S. Lewis called “chronological snobbery” and think that we should apply ourselves more to contemporary writings. Sadly, those who ignore the past are certain to commit many of the same errors that have already been made. They will also fall into many of the heresies of the past. It is wise to present the words of past apologists that we might learn from them.
Second, I must say that I believe that the average person is neither familiar enough with the past to know what they should read. Neither do they have the money to buy the complete writings of the past. Even the thirty-eight volumes of the early church fathers is quite expensive. It is also a daunting task to try to read them. It is nowhere near such a task to sit down and carefully read a source book such as this.
I especially appreciate the care that was given to presenting the reader with a short biographical sketch of each one whose writings were included as well as the historical background into which they spoke.
A great plus for the reader is the fact that this book is extremely well bound. This book oozes quality in workmanship and in content.
It would be difficult to recommend this book too highly. For someone who wants to learn about apologetics, and for the one who desires to learn much about theology, too, this book is a blessing.
Many thanks to Angie Cheatham of Crossway for providing me with this copy of Christian Apologetics to review.
Vol 1: To 1500
ISBN-10: 1581349068 ISBN-13: 9781581349061
Christian Apologetics is a primary source reader. Instead of giving to us an apologetic argument, the editors have simply allowed people from the first sixteen centuries of Christianity to speak to us concerning the Christian faith.
First of all, I must say that this is a very good approach. Too often we commit the sin of what C.S. Lewis called “chronological snobbery” and think that we should apply ourselves more to contemporary writings. Sadly, those who ignore the past are certain to commit many of the same errors that have already been made. They will also fall into many of the heresies of the past. It is wise to present the words of past apologists that we might learn from them.
Second, I must say that I believe that the average person is neither familiar enough with the past to know what they should read. Neither do they have the money to buy the complete writings of the past. Even the thirty-eight volumes of the early church fathers is quite expensive. It is also a daunting task to try to read them. It is nowhere near such a task to sit down and carefully read a source book such as this.
I especially appreciate the care that was given to presenting the reader with a short biographical sketch of each one whose writings were included as well as the historical background into which they spoke.
A great plus for the reader is the fact that this book is extremely well bound. This book oozes quality in workmanship and in content.
It would be difficult to recommend this book too highly. For someone who wants to learn about apologetics, and for the one who desires to learn much about theology, too, this book is a blessing.
Many thanks to Angie Cheatham of Crossway for providing me with this copy of Christian Apologetics to review.
March 11, 2013
This volume introduces the reader to the writings of a number of different authors who wrote in defense of the christian faith, beginning with the Authors of the New Testament, and finishing in the 1500s. In my opinion, though a number of the selections are very good, they are not necessarily the best. I will be writing a full review later.
July 24, 2012
This is going to be a long read - on and off again. A great selection of historical apologetics. Looking forward to more in Vol 2.
July 27, 2016
Volume one from a two volume set: the patristic to medieval thinkers providing a solid historical context for the biblical writers through medieval times.
June 13, 2016
I love this class. Onward to Volume 2.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews