Book Review: “Expository Apologetics” by Voddie Baucham

Book Review: “Expository Apologetics” by Voddie Baucham

The book is an explanation of how a believer—preacher or layman—might address skeptics and apologetical questions with “the power of the Word.”  I found it a helpful book in line with the presuppositional apologetic tradition which emphasizes the authority and power of God’s Word. Voddie Baucham was once asked about his approach to preaching and teaching and the book “Expository Apologetics” was born (13-17).

It begins (17-31) by laying a foundation for “expository apologetics,” which Baucham understands as consisting of three things: biblical (using God’s Word in encounters), easy to remember (simple), and conversational (p 20). Baucham leads the reader through the key passage about apologetics (1 Peter 3:15) in its context (33-47) and helps us understand how the root of the unbelievers problem is unbelief (48-66). He then shows how the Apostle Paul employed the practice of expository apologetics himself both in his encounters with religious people and irreligious (67-83) before going on to show the importance of the Creeds, Confessions and Catechisms as resources for apologetics (85-103). I appreciated this reminder, as I found in my owe practice how beneficial learning a catechism is apologetic conversations and for embracing a biblical worldview.

Baucham then encourages the reader to memorize and employ the 10 commandments in our expository apologetic encounters (105-141) and then shows how expository apologetics can work on the ground in his chapters “The Expository Apologetic Waltz” (143-160) and “Preaching and Teaching Like an Expository Apologist” (161-180).

I believe that I’m already using much of what Baucham advocates, so found it an encouraging and helpful reminder of principles and practices. I particularly liked chapters 3 (“Why Unbelief”) and 8 (“The Expository Apologetic Waltz”), and will summarize some of their principles in the next posts.

I would recommend Baucham’s book if one is looking to get a foundation for apologetics from a Reformed presuppositional vantage point.