Christian Apologetics

LTCi course 702

Acts 17:19 The Areopagus is the hill of Ares (Ares being the Greek god of war). The Court of the Areopagus was a long-established body with extensive authority over the civil and religious life of Athens. ! It exercised jurisdiction especially in matters of religion and morality.! Paul would have addressed them either on the hill of Ares (i.e., Mars Hill), located below the acropolis, or northwest of the acropolis in the northwest corner of the Agora, where at the time of Paul the group held its ordinary meetings in the Royal Colonnade.

Pocket Handbook of Christian Apologetics (2003)! Peter Kreeft & Ronald Tacelli

Dening Christian Apologetics

Christian apologetics is a eld of Christian theology which aims to present a rational basis for the Christian faith, defending the faith against objections.!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_apologetics

apologetics pl jetiks

Dening Christian Apologetics

Christian apologetics isina eld of Greek !"#$#%&' , "speaking defense" plural noun [treated as sing. or pl. ] Christian theology which aims to reasoned arguments or writings in present a rational basis for the justication of something, typically a Christian faith, defending the faith theory or religious doctrine. against objections.!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_apologetics

Apologetics comes from the Greek word apologia, originally used of a speech of defence or an answer given in reply. ! In ancient Athens it referred to a defense made in the courtroom as part of the normal judicial procedure. After the accusation, the defendant was allowed to refute the charges with a defense or reply (apologia).

APOLOGIA Australian stallion

The accused would attempt to speak away (apoaway, logiaspeech) the accusation. ! The word appears 17x in the NT, being translated defence or vindication in every case. Usually it refers to a speech made in ones own defence.

APOLOGIA Australian stallion

(Is that) a good point?

I am an atheist. I don't believe in God There are too many hypocrites in the church
http://carm.org/objections-and-answers

(Is that) a good point?

I am an atheist. I don't believe in God There are too many hypocrites in the church
http://carm.org/objections-and-answers

Good, bad or?

Good, bad or?

A non-Christians response
http://truth-saves.com/are-you-a-good-person

A person is not considered a "liar" unless that person repeatedly lies. Telling a lie on occasion does not mean the person is actually a liar, just as a person who played baseball once as a child would not be considered a "baseball player." ! Such descriptive titles are based on frequency AND degree.

Again, whether or not a person is considered a thief is based on the extent of their thievery. Stealing a pen will not lead you to being charged as a thief, stealing a TV will.

This does not, by any means, make you a bad person. It just makes you a person. We are biologically designed to lust after others. If a person thinks lusting after someone is a bad thing then they should be taking it up with the designer, not the design. Humans and other animals have no control over such desires, they were built to have sexual tendencies. ! If one wishes to assume that God created/designed life then God is the one to blame for human lust.

This does not, by any means, make you a bad person. It just makes you a person. We are biologically designed to lust after others. If a person thinks lusting after someone is a bad thing then they should be taking it up with the designer, not the design. Humans and other animals have no control over such desires, they were built to have sexual tendencies. ! If one wishes to assume that God created/designed life then God is the one to blame for human lust.

Almost everyone that Living Waters accuses of "taking the lord's name in vain" are 100% innocent. Saying something like "God Dammit" is NOT taking the lord's name in vain because it does not involve the use of the lord's name. God is what the lord is, it is not his name. His name is Yahweh, so only if one said "Yahweh Dammit" would they be taking the lord's name in vain.

Almost everyone that Living Waters accuses of "taking the lord's name in vain" are 100% innocent. Saying something like "God Dammit" is NOT taking the lord's name in vain because it does not involve the use of the lord's name. God is what the lord is, it is not his name. His name is Yahweh, so only if one said "Yahweh Dammit" would they be taking the lord's name in vain.

Despite what Living Waters dishonestly insinuates, people are not in control of their thoughts. How we act upon our thoughts is what denes us morally and personally. Psalm 44:21 also refers to a person's conscious desires and intents, not his subconscious uncontrollable thoughts.

It is true, if you are actually guilty of a crime then asking to "just let it slide" will not make you innocent of your crimes. But do you know what else wont work in court? Asking if someone else *cough* Jesus *cough* can carry out the punishment for your crimes instead of you.

As this tract says, "a GOOD judge would say that justice demands that YOU pay for YOUR crimes." This is very true but since the Bible says that God will allow JESUS to pay for YOUR crimes then Living Waters just admitted that God is NOT a good judge.! This is not an act of love. Keep in mind that God can magically create as many sons as he wants. He also committed adultery and created Jesus for the specic purpose of having him sacriced.

If Jesus is the immortal son of God (or God himself) and not subject to death then he did not die and thus a sacrice never occurred. Jesus pretending to die for our sins has less of an impact.! So you can't earn God's gift but you can also earn God's gift through "humbling" yourself to Jesus? Wow, Living Waters changed their claim in the same sentence. Impressive.

They conclude by saying that this is what the tract SHOULD have looked like...

from the Bible that we should be engaged in apologetics - what are the important texts?

Texts About Evangelism adapted from an original by Tim Challies

1. There is work to be!done Matthew 9:37-38! Then he said to his disciples, The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his!harvest.

Texts About Evangelism adapted from an original by Tim Challies

2. Jesus has commanded you to do!it Matthew 28:18-20! And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the!age.

Texts About Evangelism adapted from an original by Tim Challies

3. Success is!guaranteed - John 10:16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one ock, one!shepherd.

Texts About Evangelism adapted from an original by Tim Challies

4. Jesus is the only!salvation John 14:6! Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through!me."
(

5. You were given the Holy Spirit for this!purpose Acts 1:8! But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the!earth.

Texts About Evangelism adapted from an original by Tim Challies

6. People wont be saved without!hearing Romans 10:11-15! How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good!news!

Texts About Evangelism adapted from an original by Tim Challies

7. Evangelism is necessary for your own growth in!Christ - Philemon 6! And I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of!Christ.

Texts About Evangelism adapted from an original by Tim Challies

1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect," Apologetics is the enterprise of obeying that command

2 Corinthians 10:5 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Thats a good point!

I am not a sinner / I am a good person I tried Christianity once I already believe in God
http://carm.org/objections-and-answers

Is Christianity a leap of faith?

Is Christianity a leap of faith?

Reasons for apologetics

Some Christians think that apologetics is intellectual, rational and abstract - they say reason is less important than love and sanctity.! How would you respond to them?

Reasons for apologetics

The problem is such thinking needs reasoning we all reason our arguments, we simply need to make sure we do it well.! In fact many Christians argue that reason is a friend of faith

Reasons for apologetics

The problem is such thinking needs reasoning we all reason our arguments, we simply need to make sure we do it well.! In fact many Christians argue that reason is a friend of faith

Some people decide with their hearts more than with their heads - biblically the heart is the centre of our being - apologetics gets to the heart through the head - the head is the gate to the heart. We love what we know.

Arguments can keep you from faith - we cannot believe what we believe to be untrue, and we cannot love what we believe is unreal. So we have to join the battle of arguments. In essence reason has veto power

Arguments can keep you from faith - we cannot believe what we believe to be untrue, and we cannot love what we believe is unreal. So we have to join the battle of arguments. In essence reason has veto power

Arguments can bring you closer to faith in the same way a car can bring you to the sea. The car cant swim; you have to jump in to do that. But you cant jump in the sea from 100 miles inland - you need a car to bring you to the place where you make the leap of faith into the water. Faith is a leap, but not a leap in the dark but in the light.

1. Apologetics Defends the Faith: Proof or Vindication Defending Christianity against the many attacks made against it by critics of varying belief systems. This function involves clarifying the Christian position in light of misunderstandings and misrepresentations;

answering objections, criticisms, or questions from non-Christians; and in general clearing away any intellectual difculties that nonbelievers claim stand in the way of their coming to faith.

Every Christian, to some degree, is called to be an apologist and should know Gods word well enough to be able to answer the questions and objections our friends, families etc.! Apologetics shows that it is reasonable to be a Christian and that our faith is grounded in reality.

(Is that) a good question?

The Bible is full of contradictions - so how can we trust it? What makes you think the Bible is the word of God?
http://carm.org/objections-and-answers

Ex. 15:33 - Rom 15:33" Matt 1:16 - Luke 3:23" 1Kings 4:26 - 2Chron 9:25" Matt 27:5 - Acts 1:18

2. Apologetics Afrms the Faith of Believers: Apologetics reinforces the faith of Christians - showing Christians that they can proclaim the faith boldly because the evidence is on their side. Christianity is based upon sound historical claims such as the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

2. Apologetics Afrms the Faith of Believers: Reinforce Apologetics reinforces the faith of - showing (Christians ) Christians that they can proclaim the faith boldly is a key character in because the evidence is on their side. Christianity is based Magical Girl Lyrical upon sound historical claims Nanoha A's such as the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Apologetics shows the validity to the Christian truth claims and uses history, philosophy, science and logic to provide evidence in its favour. No other religion in the world can boast the impressive weight of evidence that Christianity has going for it.! If you understand how reasonable our faith is and how much support it has, you should be condent in your faith and in sharing it.

3. Apologetics Removes Barriers to Faith: While defending the faith we can answer the sincere questions of unbelievers essentially we are tearing down walls of unbelief that are keeping them from trusting in Christ.

E.g. Paul Acts 17:16-34 Paul reasoned with thinking men about God and the person of Jesus - not all believed but some did.! By dealing with people who are hostile to our faith or who use objections to avoid dealing with the truth - when we answer their objections, then we strip away their barriers and leave them face to face with God.

E.g. Paul Acts 17:16-34 Paul reasoned with thinking men about God and the person of Jesus - not all believed but some did.! By dealing with people who are hostile to our faith or who use objections to avoid dealing with the truth - when we answer their objections, then we strip away their barriers and leave them face to face with God.

4. Refuting opposing beliefs This function focuses on answering, not specic objections to Christianity, but the arguments non-Christians give in support of their own beliefs. This cannot stand alone, since proving a nonChristian religion or philosophy to be false does not prove that Christianity is true.

4. Refuting opposing beliefs This function focuses on answering, not specic objections to Christianity, but the arguments non-Christians give in support of their own beliefs. This cannot stand alone, since proving a nonChristian religion or philosophy to be false does not prove that Christianity is true.

- prove (a statement or theory) to be wrong or false; disprove: - prove that (someone) is wrong - deny or contradict (a statement or accusation):

4. Refuting opposing beliefs This function focuses on answering, not specic objections to Christianity, but the arguments non-Christians give in support of their own beliefs. This cannot stand alone, since proving a nonChristian religion or philosophy to be false does not prove that Christianity is true.

5. Persuading This is not simply convincing people that Christianity is true, but persuading them to apply its truth to their life - bringing nonChristians to the point of commitment. We do not simply want to win an intellectual argument, but to persuade people to commit their lives and eternal futures to Jesus Christ. This is called evangelism or witness.

They will then be forced to deal with the fact that they are rejecting Christ not on the basis of genuine objections but because in their sin they want nothing to do with the true God.

a good question to ask

Why did Jesus have to die in order for me to go to heaven? What about dinosaurs and evolution?
http://carm.org/objections-and-answers

Concerning methodology
Kreeft and Tacelli state that they try to use common sense standards of rationality and universally agreed principles of logic in all their arguing. (it is a good policy for us too!)! They do make the point that human arguments have some important features in their context:

1. The psyches (mind) of the people involved! 2. The relationship of the two people involved! 3. The immediate situation in which they nd themselves! 4. The larger social, cultural, and historical situation surrounding them.

National, political, social factors all affect our apologetics - you do not argue in the same way with a Muslim woman in Tehran as you would a Hindu in Siliguri. ! Our arguments should be like swords not bombs - the sword is an extension of the swordsman - tone, sincerity, concern, listening and respect matter a great deal in ensuring you are heard.

National, political, social factors all affect our apologetics - you dowon not for The world was argue in the same way with a Christ not by Muslim woman in Tehran as arguments but by you would a Hindu in Siliguri. ! Our arguments should be like sanctity: What you swords not bombs - the are speaks so loud, I sword is an extension of the can hardly hear what swordsman - tone, sincerity, concern, listening and respect you say. matter a great deal in ensuring you are heard.

The need for apologetics today

1. Western civilisation is in danger of dying - the reason is spiritual, it is losing its life and soul, which was its Christian faith - western countries are engulfed by secularism - the 20th century has been dominated by genocide, sexual chaos and money worship - the authors suggest we are doomed unless we turn back the clock (spiritually)! secular |!seky"l"r|! denoting attitudes, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis

2. As well as the civil, cultural crisis we are in there is a philosophical, intellectual one too - there is a crisis of truth Any idea of objective, denitive, truth is rejected or attacked - this is especially seen in the schools and media.! 3. The deepest level of crisis in society is not cultural or intellectual but spiritual. The eternal souls of men and women, for whom Christ came to die, are at stake. Saying such a thing, in such a denite way, is not necessarily popular or acceptable today.

The basis of the book

The authors declare in the book they are dealing with the basic or core beliefs which are common to all Christians - those at the core of the faith as outlined in the Apostles Creed. This, they say, unites many Christians whilst Liberal or revisionist theologians will not be happy about what is written in the book - e.g. arguing for miracles, the reliability of Scripture, the reality of the resurrection, the divinity of Christ and the reality of heaven and hell.