Randy Singer, a veteran trial lawyer, takes a novel approach (pun intended) in his two books, The Cross Examination of Jesus Christ and The Cross Examination of Oliver Finney (Colorado Springs: WaterBrook Press, 2006). These are stand-alone titles, but the author encourages us to read them in tandem. Now that’s a clever way to sell two books at once, eh?

In The Cross Examination of Jesus Christ, Singer opens and closes the book with an account of the trial of Jesus from the perspective of Pontius Pilate’s main legal adviser—a fictional account of the known historical facts. The eight chapters sandwiched between the opening and closing chapters are a series of flashbacks to encounters Jesus had with the Pharisees.

Readers listen as Jesus defends His messianic credentials, explains how He can forgive a woman caught in adultery, describes His view of Church-state relationships, reveals His understanding of salvation and discusses the nature of truth.

The Cross Examination of Oliver Finney, Singer’s second book, is a suspense thriller built around a reality show created to demonstrate which of the world’s great religions is most credible. Sequestered on an undisclosed island with the other contestants, judge Finney, who represents Christianity, soon realizes danger lurks. The show’s producers appear to have a hidden agenda, putting one or all of the participants in jeopardy. Finney discovers a way to send coded messages through the internet to a former law clerk, Nikki Moreno.

Here’s the twist. Clues to Finney’s coded messages are found in The Cross Examination of Jesus Christ, a book recently written by none other than Oliver Finney himself. Nikki has to read that book to find out what Finney wants to say.

Singer recommends we read his novel with a copy of The Cross Examination of Jesus beside us. He challenges us to find the clues before Nikki does. I tried to do that, but unsuccessfully. I had to finish the novel to find the unexpected answers.

The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus by Gary Habermas and Michael Licona (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2004) is a full-fledged apologetic treatment of the resurrection. Well-known apologist J.P. Moreland highly recommends this book, describing it as “the most thorough defence of the historicity of the resurrection.” As well as covering the pertinent facts, Habermas and Licona also provide valuable tips in using this material with others. An added bonus is a CD containing “The Resurrection Challenge Game”—a neat way to reinforce the information covered in the book.

For an exhaustive treatment of the resurrection of Jesus, readers will be hard-pressed to find anything better than N.T. Wright’s The Resurrection of the Son of God (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003). In what was originally to be the final chapter in Wright’s Jesus and the Victory of God (Fortress, 1996), this treatment of Christ’s resurrection has grown to a massive 817-page tome (including bibliography and indices), covering every facet of the doctrine of the resurrection, and taking its place as volume three in Wright’s ongoing series, Christian Origins and the Question of God.

What really happened on Easter morning? How did early believers understand the resurrection event? What are the implications for us today? How did the ancient world understand life, death and life after death?

What did Paul really believe and teach about the resurrection? How did the doctrine develop in later Christian teaching? These are just a few of the questions driving Wright as he painstakingly unpacks Christianity’s most crucial doctrine.

Four titles defending one message—Jesus Christ, God’s eternal Son, lived, died and rose again to provide salvation for all who believe. Now that’s what I call an apology worth having.

David Daniels directs the ministry of New Covenant House (Toronto) and serves as the book reviews coordinator for ChristianWeek. You can reach him at: books@christianweek.org.