JP Moreland's Top Five

JP Moreland lists his top five apologetics books over at Christianity Today.  Here is his line up:

• Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics
  William Lane Craig
• New Dictionary of Christian Apologetics
  W. C. Campbell-Jack, Gavin J McGrath, C. Stephen Evans, eds.
• Icons of Evolution: Science or Myth? Why Much of What We Teach About Evolution Is Wrong
  Jonathan Wells
• Philosophical Foundations For A Christian Worldview
  J. P. Moreland, William Lane Craig
• The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus
  Lee Strobel

I own all of these books and concur with their selection. 

• Craig's work is thorough and very helpful in the areas of his strength - scholarly and philosophical his segments on the existence of God, knowing vs. showing God's existence are very compelling.  Blomberg's essay on the NT in this book is very good as well. 
  
• The dictionary is a new reference which is a must for anyone who cares about Apologetics. 
  
• Along with Behe, Johnson and Dempski, Jonathan Wells is one of the important authors in the ID/Darwinism discussion.  The DVD with the same title is also well done.
  
• Philosophical Foundations is an excellent Christian philosophy text book and rigorous in each major area of philosophical investigation. The only weakness I found is that Craig/Morelands view of  libertarian/contra causal freedom comes across too strong and compatibilism not treated as fairly.  A great book nonetheless.  This combines the best of Craig and Morelands work over the years
• Case for Christ is a great popular level book which hits many of the best scholars in their fields. 
  

A few other books I recommend for specific purposes. 

• Moreland's Scaling the Secular City is still an excellent general but scholarly Apologetic work. 
  
• For skeptics I recommend the classic Orthodoxy by GK Chesterton as well as the recent book The Question of God by Armand Nicholi. 
  
• For those interested in historical views on Apologetics and Apologetic Systems check out Faith Has its Reason by Boa and Bowman.  The Roman Catholic Avery Dulles' A History of Apologetics is also a good historical tour de force.
• For those studying theology at mainline and liberal divinity schools and seminaries - Dempski and Richards Unapologetic Apologetics is a must read.
  
• John Frame's Apologetics to the Glory of God is a good view of reformed Apologetics offering a unique and valuable methodology.
• James Sire's The Universe Next Door is a great book on basic worldview categories
  

Remember, many books have apologetic value even if not complete in their theological outlook and presentation.  Apologetics is a defense of Christian doctrine, but also has a role in engaging the thought world of every era.  The importance of Apologetics is to make a reasonable case for our faith and to be able to intersect and engage other worldviews.  Not just for intellectual games, but to set forth Christ plainly without barriers to considering him for who he really is.  A great task - a little reading never hurts.