Apologetics & the Christian WorldviewPart 1: Introduction to the Introduction to

Apologetics

“For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness…”

1 Corinthians 1:22-23 (NASB)

Observations• 21st Century America is very much like 1st Century Athens. It is highly pluralistic. There is a full spectrum of religions and philosophies which view the world from every conceivable angle. And even though everyone has heard of the Bible, relatively few really know anything at all about it.• If we are to follow in Paul’s footsteps, we should understand these differences and speak in a way that the world can understand.

Observations•These different ways of thinking are called worldviews.•This class is intended help Christians understand the underlying concepts of some of the major worldviews in our society and identify barriers to belief that these worldviews have created.

Class Overview• Introduction to Christian Apologetics• Introduction to Worldviews• Overviews of The Big Three, The Other Three, and The Unholy Union

•God, The Universe, Mankind, Knowledge, Ethics, Suffering, History, The Future, etc.•Darwinian Evolution, Islam, Trinitarianism• Science and Christianity•Kalam, Moral, and Design Arguments

Apologetics & the Christian WorldviewPart 1b: Introduction to Apologetics

Apologize? For what?• The English word “apologetics” comes from the Greek apologia, or literally “to speak away”.• The word gradually came to mean “defense”.• Plato wrote an account of Socrates’ defense against his accusers. It was simply entitled The Apology.• Muslims, Darwinists, home schoolers, instant replay advocates, etc. all practice apologetics. That is, they defend their beliefs/positions in some way.

Apologize? For what?• The word apologia is used 17 times in the NT and can accurately be (but, is not always) defined as “defense” in each case.• “And when they bring you before the synagogues and

the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself…” (Luke 12:11)

• “They [the Gentiles] show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse [or defend] them…” (Romans 2:15)

Apologize? For what?•Of course, 1 Peter contains the most famous example:• “Have no fear of them [your persecutors], nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…” (1 Peter 3:14-15)

Apologize? For what?• In simplest terms, Christian Apologetics is the discipline of defending the truth of the Christian faith. It is a necessary part of the Christian life, as all believers are commanded not only to proclaim the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-20), but to also be equipped to defend it (1 Peter 3:15).

More Motivation (Ephesians 6:10-20)• “Standing against the schemes of the devil” is not limited to issues of morality and sin. We must also stand intellectually.• “The whole armor” includes “the belt of truth”. Knowing the truth involves a fully engaged mind.• Temptation toward isolated sin is not nearly as dangerous as questioning underlying principles.•Our goal should be to glorify God by building His kingdom both internally and externally.

The Apologist’s Task•Our task is not to persuade, but to prove.• Persuade: To cause to believe or act• Prove: To demonstrate the truth of something

•Only the Holy Spirit can persuade, (i.e. bring a person to faith).• In this class, God’s sovereignty is assumed. Our emphasis will be on human responsibility.

•The best apologetic strategy is to know what you believe and why you believe it.

Offense vs. Defense•Apologists may take two different “postures” (for lack of a better word).• Positive apologetics is like playing offense where the goal is to show that some element of Christianity is true.•Negative apologetics is like playing defense where the goal is to answer arguments made against Christianity.

Offense vs. Defense• Positive apologetics consists of arguments like:• The latest scarabs (or amulets) found at Jericho by John Garstang were from the period of Amenhotep III who reigned from 1412 to 1376 B.C.

• From Tacitus’ Annals (116 A.D.), “…Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class… called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus…

Offense vs. Defense• The Kalam Cosmological argument• The Bible consists of 66 documents written over a period of 1500 years on 3 different continents by over 40 different authors who range from fisherman and shepherds to kings and scholars. And yet, its message is unified and clear. For 2000 years, it has been attacked from every direction and investigated like no other text in the history of man. And yet, it stands.

Offense vs. Defense•Negative apologetics refutes arguments like:• “You will remember that Christ said, ‘Judge not lest ye be judged.’ That principle I do not think you would find was popular in the law courts of Christian countries. I have known in my time quite a number of judges who were very earnest Christians, and none of them felt that they were acting contrary to Christian principles in what they did…” (Bertrand Russell, Why I Am Not A Christian)

Offense vs. Defense•Christianity is totally irrational and incoherent. The Doctrine of the Trinity says that 1 + 1 + 1 = 1. I mean, come on.• All wars are caused by religion.• You can’t prove God exists with science.• You and all other protestants are outside of the one true, holy, and universal church and are therefore anathema.

Areas of Contention•Obviously, the battle is fought on many fronts. Both positive and negative cases must be made in areas like:• The existence and nature of God• The veracity of Scripture• The historicity of the Resurrection• The origin, nature, and value of mankind

Areas of Contention•The person who wishes to engage significantly in Christian Apologetics must then study many different areas:• The Bible• Systematic theology•Church history• Philosophy, natural science, archaeology, world history, textual criticism, cults, other religions

Approaches to Apologetics•Where do you begin in apologetics? What is the starting point?•Do you begin by proving the existence of God with rational proofs?•Do you begin with historical evidence?•Do you begin with the authority of the Bible?

•Here are the three most prominent approaches to Christian Apologetics:

Evidential• Grounds Christianity on empirically and historically verifiable biblical facts.• Creation• Ancient customs and practices• Who ruled where and when

• Logical certainty is not established. But, the approach shows that belief in Christianity is not unreasonable.• Adherents: Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel, Ken Ham

Classical•Classical apologetics begins with the laws of logic (non-contradiction, self-consistency, coherence, etc.) which are used to used to refute non-Christian worldviews and establish the existence of God.•The classical apologist may claim logical certainty of God’s existence.

Classical•Once the logical case for theism is established, evidence that God has revealed Himself in Christ is then presented.•Adherents include: C.S. Lewis, R.C. Sproul, Norman Geisler, William Lane Craig, Lance Waldie, yours truly

Presuppositional•Begins with the idea that meaning and thought is only possible if God exists. •Emphasizes the fact that sin has corrupted the ability of mankind to think rationally.•Asserts, therefore, that the proper starting place is the presupposition that Christianity is true.•Adherents: Cornelius Van Til, Greg Bahnsen, Francis Schaeffer

Three (or so) Approaches•Regardless of the approach taken, bear in mind that it is the Spirit that changes the heart.•Most objections to Christianity are emotional rather than rational.•Personally, I don’t think any of the views are inherently superior to the others.

Due Diligence• "Isn't it ironic that when Islam is in a position of power, Islamic beliefs are forced on everyone, and that when atheism has the upper hand, atheistic beliefs are enforced on everyone? Only in Christianity is the privilege given both to believe and to disbelieve without any enforcement." (Zacharias, End of Reason, 631)