Apologetics

Debra J. Wright

Apologetics

From the Greek word: Apologia Means to “explain and defend” How to explain and defend your

Catholic Faith in Scriptures

Bible in a NutshellLiterary work:

Genesis – Revelation

Message of SalvationMessiah

Two major CovenantsAbrahamic CovenantDavidic Covenant

Bible DifferencesSeven more books in the Catholic

BibleTobitJudithMaccabbees 1Maccabbees 2WisdomSirachBaruch

Bible Timeline

300 BCAlexand

er the

Great

Christwalked

theEarth

100 ADSevenBooks

removed

400 ADNew

TestamentCompiled

(Alexandrian)

1500’sProtestantReformers(Palestinia

n)

Gospel WritersMatthew: Galilean known as Levi. He wrote in the Hebrew

language – not Old Testament Hebrew, but the Hebrew of his day called Aramaic. His gospel was for the Jews who worshipped Jehovah, God of the Old Testament.

Mark: Wrote the first and oldest gospel. Never an eye-witness to Christ on earth, Mark learned everything orally and omitted nothing from his writings. His work was put down from spoken Aramaic into Greek.

Luke: A physician who named diseases and inflictions, he taught science and medicine. His gospel confirms the witness of handing off oral tradition. Written for the Greeks in perfect Greek form.

John: Focused on the Lord’s life in Judea, addresses the Scribes and Pharisees in Jerusalem. Written toward the end of his life (best guess, around 96 AD) in Greek with the inflection of understanding Palestinian culture and Aramaic language.

Spiritual Development

James Fowler: Seven Stages1. Primal Faith (infancy)2. Intuitive-Projective Faith (early childhood)3. Mythic-Literal Faith (elementary/adolescence)4. Synthetic-Conventional Faith (middle

adolescence)5. Individuative-Reflective Faith (young

adulthood)6. Conjuctive Faith (mid-life or beyond)7. Universalizing Faith (grounded in oneness)

Great Saints: Virgin Mary, St. Augustine, Aquinas

Bible Preparation

Bible Tabs

Map Pencils

GEOGRAPHYMaps are important to understand

the significance of where events happened and the direction of each trip

Bible PLUS Tradition Jn 21:25 Not everything in written

word 1Cor 11:2 Paul handed on traditions 1Pet 1:25 Hold fast to oral traditions Mt 16:13-20 Teach and hand down

The church is the foundation and pillar of truth (1Tim 3:15), not the Bible.

Bible PLUS Tradition2 Thess 2:15

2 Thess 3:6

Acts 8:30-31

Heb 13:7-9

2 Tim 3:16-17

Jn 21:25

1 Cor 11:2

1 Pet 1:25

2 Pet 3:15-16

1 Tim 3:15

Mt 16:13-20

Mt 18:18

Lk 10:16

Mt 28:19-20

Jn 14:16

Faith PLUS Works Rev 2:5 Repent and do good works Jas 2:20-26 Faith without works is

useless Rom 2:5-10 You’re Christian? Show

me! Mt 25:41-46 No works? Hell for you! Gal 5:19-21 Saved people can be lost 1Jn: 2:3-4,24 No works? You’re a liar Rom 8:24 Hold to hope - work for

Christ

Papacy Infallibility: Bind here, bound there Peccability: You will deny me 3 times Prime Minister Position of Old

Testament Greek “Petros” (small stone) Aramaic “Kepha” (large foundation

rock) Jesus spoke ARAMAIC

Purgatory & Sin Rev 21:27 Only perfection enters

heaven Mt 5:25-26 Prison until last penny is

paid 1Cor 3:14-15 Purifying fire/work is

lacking SIN

Guilt vs. PunishmentMortal vs. Venial

“Purgatory” is not found in Scripture… nor is “Trinity” or “Incarnation”

or “Rapture”

Fathers/Celibacy/Confession

Lk 16:24 Christ calls Abraham, “father”

Acts 7:1-2 Stephen calls elders, “fathers”

Mt 19:12 Christ said live celebately/disciples

Lk 18:29-20 Celibacy = heavenly rewards

Jn 20:22-23 Christ started Confession Acts 19:18 Early Christians confessed

Statues

Ex 25:18-20 Angels of gold on ark Num 21:8-9 Bronze serpent on a

pole 1Kings 7:24-25 Statues in God’s

templeStatues and stained glass pictures are to a Catholic Church as family photos to a home. People don’t worship photos of siblings or grandparents, nor do we.

Saints

IP=Intercessory Prayer MB=Mystical Body of Christ H=ALIVE in Heaven S=Sharing in Christ’s Mediation P=Hearing our prayers and

petitions

Saints Rev 5:1-8 They offer our prayers to

God 1Tim 2:1 Faithful are asked to

“intercede” Rom 8:17 We are joint heirs to Christ Rom 12:10 We are one Body, many

parts 2Kings 13:21 Power of sacramentals Acts 9:4 Share in Christ’s mediation

Divinity/Trinity/Holy Spirit

Is 7:14 Emmanuel: “God is with us” Jn 8:58-59 Jesus calls himself “I AM”

Gen 1:26 God is referred to in plural Mt 28:19 Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Jn 14:26 Holy Spirit teaches us Eph 4:30 Holy Spirit is not to be

saddened

Eucharist Jn 6 The Bread of Life chapter Mt 26:26-29 Exact words “This is

My Body This is My Blood” Mk 14:22-25 Again, exact words Jn 6:48-56 Explicit on the real

presence Acts 2:42 Mass celebrated by

Christians Rom 8:5-9 Consume Him as

directed

EucharistSt. Paul summarizes the seriousness of this

sacrifice when he says (1Cor 11:27-29)

“Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the Body and Blood of the Lord.

A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without

discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.”

Completing the Eucharist

Discern: literal vs. figurative speech

Luther’s writings on the Real Presence

Eucharistic Miracles movie The blessings of frequent

Reconciliation Proper frame of mind for receiving

Christ Receive Communion with reverence

Mary M=Mother of God (Theotokos) B=Brothers of Christ IC=Immaculate Conception P=Praying the “Hail Mary” A=Assumption of Mary into

Heaven QM=Queen Mother AC=Ark of the Covenant E=The New Eve

Mary Lk 1:43 The Mother of my Lord Gen 3:15 She is the woman whose enmity

with Satan and sin is absolute Ex 25:11-21 She is the ark of the

covenant, to hold the living Word

Mary is one of the most complex topics in Apologetics. In fact, it is common for the

topic of the Blessed Mother to take two to three

classes.

BIBLEBASIC

INSTRUCTIONSBEFORELEAVINGEARTH

Be doers of the Word and not hearers only

~James 1:22