A final volume with a bit of a historical bent is Christian Apologetics Past and Present (Crossway), edited by Willian Edgar and K. Scott Oliphant. Volume I of this two-part anthology recently has been released, covering the years to 1500 A.D. The editors provide helpful introductory material, then present primary source material from writers such as Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas and others. Church leaders with an interest in apologetics will appreciate this resource.

Speaking of history, the third edition of Bruce Shelley's Church History in Plain Language (Thomas Nelson) is available. Shelley tells the story of the Christian Church in an enjoyable style. This would be a great resource for a small group or church study of the history of the church.

I found God's Battalions (HarperOne) by Rodney Stark to be a fascinating book as it unravels the 20th century mythology that has emerged around Islam and the Crusades. Weaving a story that involves kinds and sheiks, knights and monks, Stark makes the case for the Crusades and helps us understand why they occurred -- and it's probably not the reason your high school history teacher offered.