# Always Ready Greg Bahnsen



## ReformedChristian (Oct 28, 2013)

I highly recommend this book to anyone who just starting to study Presuppositional Apologetics. It was one of the first books I have read on this topic. If there is any book that helps beginners understand the Presuppositional method, this is the one. Broken down by chapters and sections the outline for Bahnsen’s book is as follows.

Section 1: The Lordship of Christ in the Realm of Knowledge

Section 2: The Conditions Necessary for the Apologetic Task

Section 3: How to Defend the Faith

Section 4: The Conditions Necessary for Apologetic Success

Section 5: Answers to Apologetic Challenges

Appendix: Biblical Exposition of Acts 17

The first section covers chapters 1-6. In this section, Bahnsen lays down that the most important foundation for any apologetic encounter is that it is Christ who is to be at the center, for he is the foundation for all knowledge and understanding. He shows that no worldview is neutral in its claims, but that every foundation is built on presuppositions and assumptions. Bahnsen shows the nature of unbelieving thought and how the fall and total depravity of man has effected the mind. Chapter 4 covers the fact that when one becomes a new believer in Christ, the new Christian is regenerated and that he takes on a new nature, begins to think after God’s thoughts, and he realizes that all truth must first start with the revelation of Jesus Christ, for only in him is true wisdom, knowledge and understanding found and that God’s self attesting authority is the foundation for this revelation.

In section 2 Bahnsen deals with 3 common criticisms that are leveled at Presuppositionalism, and that a Christian is to conduct himself in a Christlike manner when doing apologetics. Finally, in chapters 10-11 he argues that the foundations of both the believer and unbeliever are in conflict with each other and have no common ground. Chapter 12 is a basic summation of the previous chapters in this section.

Section 3 teaches a believer how to defend the faith and how the unbelievers worldview is foolish. The Christian is instructed not argue on the grounds of the unbeliever but instead on the presuppositions laid out in the scriptures to do otherwise is to dishonor God and his word.

Section 4 Shows that in order for a believer to do apologetics God must first grant understanding and repentance 2nd Timothy 2:25 in order for the unbeliever to come to the acknowledgement of the truth. A believer is to use Godly principles when witnessing to unbelievers and not wisdom which is found in the world and are to be honest and not dishonor God by lying in order to defend the truth.

Section 5 which is the final section, Bahnsen gives examples in how to put the presuppositional method into practice he interacts with arguments such as; The Problem of Evil, Faith, Miracles, Knowing the Supernatural and The Problem with Religious Language and how the believer can effectively refute and counter these arguments. Finally in the closing Appendix Bahnsen gives a Biblical exposition of the 17th chapter of the book of Acts and demonstrates how Paul used the Presuppositional method in his encounter with the Greeks on Mars Hill and the Jews in Jerusalem.


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## Stephen L Smith (Oct 28, 2013)

I agree with you Christopher. Scott Oliphint also has helpful books that also defend Presuppositional Apologetics http://www.heritagebooks.org/search.php?search_query=oliphint&squery=.


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## GloriousBoaz (Oct 28, 2013)

I haven't actually dove into Always Ready yet, it's in my que. (And by in my que I mean it is on a display stand on my self lol) Sye Ten Bruggencate originally recommended "Ultimate Proof of Creation" by Jason Lisle. Even without having read Always Ready I can tell you now the first book I will give out or recommend for presup is that. The only draw back is that I'd wish he'd write some books with the same formate for like Islam and Mormonism for example, but after reading that book you are ready to come up against any evolutionist, he even has letters that evolutionists, atheists, and even unsure or curious christians have sent in to Answers in Genesis and he analyses their arguments and then responds to about 20 of them, some very lengthy (honestly I could read stuff like that all day, its like listening to Sye Ten Bruggencate or Dustin Segers informally debate, I could do it all day!). 

The Ultimate Proof of Creation table of contents is
1. the nature of evidence
2. resolving the origins debate
3. illustrations of the Ultimate Proof (which is really just the TAG pretty much)
4. reasoning with an evolutionist
5. procedure for defending the faith
6. the place of evidence (as on who believes evidence is more for believers than debates because we interpret evidence based on our presuppositions i really appreciated this chapter)
7. logical fallacies part I (informal)
8. logical fallacies part II (formal)
9. closing the loopholes (all the questions you wanted answered great chapter, talks about miracles, uniformity, faith, circular reasoning)
10. apologetics in the bible

I wrote out every single one of the informal and formal fallacies and the evolutionist examples he gives of the most common ones they use often on flashcards! the best practical break down I have ever seen of fallacies, this is the starting place for anyone who needs to learn about fallacies, he even throws a few in from Islam somewhere in the book. 

Lisle sets up very easy practical guides for when talking to an athiest for instance his AIP test. look for arbitrariness, inconsistency, and the preconditions of intelligibility. And he works through "answer, don't answer" from proverbs 26:4~5 brilliantly, it is understandable and simple yet hard hitting, I think from what I've read of Bahnsen this is better for a beginner, then move on to Bahnsen and then Van Til, if we are being ideal in our progression of simple to harder to understand writers. 

If you don't have Lisles book get it, I got mine brand new for like 8 bucks on ebay. This is the one I will stock up on and hand out, in fact I was contemplating the other day if I could give every christian I know (or even on earth) 10 books this and Always Ready (its reputation preceeds it) would be on the list. Thanks for the info about Always Ready that is getting me stirred up and excited to read it. I love Bahnsen, his article on Philosophy was life changing for me, I thought all philosophy was from satan till I read it! Here is the link PA053 and here are a bunch of other free Bahnsen article FYI If you haven't seen this yet Free Articles


ReformedChristian said:


> Bahnsen lays down that the most important foundation for any apologetic encounter is that it is Christ who is to be at the center, for he is the foundation for all knowledge and understanding.


 Amen!



ReformedChristian said:


> In section 2 Bahnsen deals with 3 common criticisms that are leveled at Presuppositionalism,


 Can't wait to read that!



ReformedChristian said:


> Section 5 which is the final section, Bahnsen gives examples in how to put the presuppositional method into practice he interacts with arguments such as; The Problem of Evil, Faith, Miracles, Knowing the Supernatural and The Problem with Religious Language and how the believer can effectively refute and counter these arguments.


 and this!

Dustin Segers and Sye Ten Bruggencate are Van Tillians and they are awesome to hear or watch in practice laying out the very principles you elegantly outlined from Bahnsen's book if you have free time listen to them Segers can be found on youtube street preaching and debating and teaching also here http://www.sfofgso.org/resources.asp?href=sermon for sermons but there is an encounter with Mormon's at his house, that is a perfect conversation, so cool, its mixed in there somewhere at that site. His blog is "Grace in the Triad". But i'd recommend starting at proofthatGodexists.org and listen through the audio and video multimedia. plus click the question buttons they are fun., (i mapped them all out so I can use this format in presupp apologetic encounters lol!)


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