Essential Van Til Books
The following is a brief list of books on apologetics in the tradition of Van Til. These are the books I have found to be most helpful in developing a presuppositional apologetic. These books aren’t necessarily an easy read, but for those seeking understanding in the subject, these are the writings I have found most helpful.
- Bahnsen, Greg L. Van Til’s Apologetic (Phillipsburg: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1998).
This book is indispensable. I would recommend reading this book before all the other books (provided one if fairly familiar with presuppositionalism). Bahnsen provides tremendously useful footnotes that explain Van Til’s writing. Diving right into Van Til’s writings directly can be a bit overwhelming. Bahnsen provides an alternative that lets you get into the depths of Van Til while he still holds your hand so you don’t drown. The book is laid out in a way that lends itself to referencing - so you’ll be able to turn to appropriate sections easily when you’re looking for a particular topic. Bahnsen isperhaps the author closest[very close] to Van Til’s position. John Frame strays just a little bit in a few areas (Bahnsen addresses these in the book). For those seeking a thorough explanation of presuppositional apologetics - this is the book. - Frame, John. Cornelius Van Til: An Analysis of His Thought (Phillipsburg: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1995).
This is another great overview of Van Til’s apologetic. Though the title may indicate otherwise, it is a sympathetic work. I found the discussion of the problem of the one-and-many to be very helpful. - Notaro, Thom. Van Til and the Use of Evidence (Phillipsburg: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1980).
This small volume covers the much debated topic of presuppositional apologetics and evidences. It’s a useful book and provides a good overview of how the presuppositionalist [should] understand the role of evidences. - Van Til, Cornelius and William Edgar, ed. Christian Apologetics (Phillipsburg: Presbyterian and Reformed, 2003).
This book is perhaps the closest thing to an introduction to apologetics Van Til wrote. Bill Edgar annotates some of the more difficult sections. It’s a wonderful book, however it’s not necessary if you have read Bahnsen’s volume. - Van Til, Cornelius. The Defense of the Faith (Phillipsburg: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1955).
This is the classic Van Til volume. If you only have one Van Til book on the shelf, this should be it. However, much of this book is contained in Bahnsen’s book. If you’ve read Bahnsen you’ll have already read the big points and heard the famous illustrations. - Pratt, Richard L. Every Thought Captive. (Phillipsburg: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1979).
This short book is an introduction to presuppositional apologetics aimed at high school students. It’s a great book and provides a Biblical foundation for apologetics. It is an introduction, so if you’re familiar with the subject, it is non-essential. This book is a great resource to point others toward.
There are many other great books, but these few will give you a solid foundation in presuppositional thought. Perhaps we could get Presbyterian and Reformed Publishers to package these together and offer them at a discount.
Filed under: Apologetics by Camden Bucey |
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