Mere Apologetics: How to Help Seekers and Skeptics Find Faith Paperback - 2012

How to engage unbelievers with intelligence and imagination

Throughout history there have been great and articulate defenders of the faith. But with the new challenges of scientific atheism we see in our day, there is a need for a fresh and flexible approach to apologetics. Rather than supplying the fine detail of every apologetic issue in order to win arguments, Mere Apologetics teaches a method that appeals not only to the mind but also to the heart and the imagination.

After discussing the biblical basis for and historical uses of apologetics, McGrath offers various approaches to sharing your faith with others. He outlines pointers to faith, such as our innate sense of longing for justice, our appreciation for beauty, the order we see in the physical world, and much more. He also shows how there are many right ways to share your faith--through explanations, arguments, stories, and images--and helps you decide which works best for your personality and your audience.

"Apologetics is not to be seen as a defensive and hostile reaction against the world," says McGrath, "but as a welcome opportunity to exhibit, celebrate, and display the treasure chest of the Christian faith." If you long to commend your faith to those outside the church, Mere Apologetics will show you how to do so gracefully and effectively.


"This is a fresh, clear, and practical introduction to apologetics from someone who doesn't just talk about the subject but actually does it brilliantly. It is especially helpful because it avoids the fruitless wrangling between apologetic schools that stops many people from getting on with the task. "--Os Guinness, author of Long Journey Home

"Mere Apologetics helps readers work out their own way to effectively communicate and defend the gospel. An excellent text for courses in apologetics. A great read for both beginning and experienced apologists."--Jim Sire, author of The Universe Next Door

"Over the years I have found Alister McGrath to be an insightful, wise guide on many topics. So I am pleased to recommend his book on apologetics. It is foundational, practical, and creative as well as faithful to Scripture. A fine resource indeed!"--Paul Copan, author of Is God a Moral Monster?


Alister E. McGrath is professor of theology, ministry, and education and head of the Centre for Theology, Religion, and Culture at King's College, London, and president of the Oxford Center for Christian Apologetics. He is the author and editor of numerous books, including the award-winning The Passionate Intellect: Christian Faith and the Discipleship of the Mind. A former atheist, he is respectful yet critical of the New Atheist movement and regularly engages in debate and dialogue with its leaders.