Defending Christianity in an Age of PluralismA talk by Kaitlyn Nowak

on her studies at the International Academy of Apologetics, Evangelism, and Human Rights

Outline

1. Intro to Strasbourg, quick overview of Academy classes

2. Apologetics – What is it?

3. Why is Apologetics necessary today?

4. Sin as a starting point

5. Grace as the answer

6. Historicity of Christianity

7. Reliability of the Gospels

Quick Overview of Classes

• 8 days (2 4-day weeks) of classes, 6 hours/day

• Wide range of topics

• The Apologetic Task Today

• Scientific Apologetics & Medical Ethics

• Legal Apologetics & Human Rights

• Literary & Cultural Apologetics

• Apologetics of C.S. Lewis

• Cults, Sects, and the World’s Religions

• Biblical Authority Today

• Philosophical Apologetics

• Historical Apologetics

• Looked at evidence, not rhetoric

• “If you want to learn to argue…”

Av. de la Forêt Noire

Inside the Cathedral

La Petite France

Reformation Site Trip

My Classmates

The Professors

What is Apologetics?

• The Greek word “apologia”

• A defense

• 1 Peter 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts,

and always be ready

to give a defense to

everyone who asks

you a reason for the

hope that is in you.”

Apologetics is Biblical

• Paul on Mars Hill

Apologetics is Biblical

Apologetics is Biblical

• Jesus & the paralytic

• Forgiving sins isn’t objectively verifiable in and of itself

• So Jesus heals him – “it’s going to be pretty embarrassing…”

Apologetics is Theology

• Used to be considered just another branch of theology

• Not “in competition” with evangelism, preaching, the means of grace

• Faith needs an object

• Called to love God with our whole mind, not just our whole heart

• Can’t convince anyone intellectually into faith

• Can clear away misconceptions

• Can answer Christians’ questions

• Don’t venerate a map that gets us to the king’s palace

Apologetics is Necessary

• Gives an answer to secularism

• Secularization didn’t start after prayer left schools

• In the 18th century, “the Bible died”

• In the 19th century, “God died”

• In the 20th century, “man died”

• Christianity (or, “Churchianity”) is no longer a common language

• Need to meet people where they are

• Church Fathers

• Most objections/arguments have already been addressed

• Some objections are simply wrong but widely propagated

Apologetics is Necessary

• Gives an answer to pluralism

• The post-Christian mind: emotivism & logical positivism

• Emotivism – moral judgments are nothing but expressions of preference, attitude, or feeling

• Logical positivism – scientific method is the only valid path to knowledge (scientism)

• Replaced traditional ethical systems

• All religions are seen as “what works for you”, “what gives you peace”, etc.

• You can’t “test drive” all religions – not even close!

QUESTIONS?