Introduction to Christian Apologetics Edwin Chong Fall 2007 Faith EFC, Fall'07 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 (NIV) Faith EFC, Fall'07 2 1 Overview What is apologetics? Why is apologetics important? Faith and reason Implications of atheism Theistic arguments Faith EFC, Fall'07 3 Text and Prerequisites William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics, Revised Edition, Crossway Books, 1994. Partly reflects my own “tastes” in Christian apologetics. This class assumes TTP-like training. In particular, Christian maturity. (Otherwise could be “shocking” to some!) Faith EFC, Fall'07 4 2 Introduction Faith EFC, Fall'07 What is Apologetics? Greek apologia: a defense A branch of Christian theology that seeks to provide a rational justification for the truth claims of the Christian faith. Primarily a theoretical discipline. Not training in the art of answering (cid:132) questions, or debating, or evangelism. Faith EFC, Fall'07 6 3 That’s Apologetics? Bound to be disappointing to some. Many are just not interested in the rational justification of Christianity. What’s more “useful” is to know answers to questions like, “…” Practical matters are logically secondary to the theoretical issues and cannot occupy the center of attention. (Of course, practical matters must occupy some of our attention!) Faith EFC, Fall'07 7 Why Theoretical Issues? Christians need to grasp a wider picture of Western thought and culture, rather than concentrate exclusively on their immediate evangelistic contacts. If we don’t confront these issues, what lies ahead for us in the US is already evident in Europe: utter secularism. Quote from Craig: “Throughout Europe, evangelism is immeasurably more difficult …” (p. xii) Faith EFC, Fall'07 8 4 Anti-Christianity Francis Schaeffer: We are living in a post-Christian era, when the thought- forms of society are fundamentally anti- Christian. Charles Malik: The greatest danger confronting American evangelical Christianity is … J. Gresham Machen’s warning in 1913. Faith EFC, Fall'07 9 Role of Christian Education Some say, Christian education is for producing pastors, not scholars. John La Shell quote on science. Same goes with philosophy and Biblical criticism. Craig: “What good does it do to preach …” (p. xiv) Faith EFC, Fall'07 10 5 Christian Laity What about Christian laypersons? Machen: “The Church is perishing today through the lack of thinking, not through an excess of it.” Many Christian parents have children who have left the faith. Why? Faith EFC, Fall'07 11 Offensive and Defensive Two basic approaches to apologetics: Offensive (positive): Seeks to present a (cid:132) positive case for Christian truth claims. Defensive (negative): Seeks to nullify (cid:132) objections to those claims. Two basic subdivisions: Natural theology (cid:132) Christian evidences (cid:132) Faith EFC, Fall'07 12 6 Offensive Apologetics Natural theology: Provide arguments and evidences in support of theism. Ontological, cosmological, teleological, and (cid:132) moral arguments. Christian evidences: Show why a specifically Christian theism is true. Fulfilled prophecy, radical claims of Christ, (cid:132) historical reliability of the gospels. Faith EFC, Fall'07 13 Defensive Apologetics Natural theology: Address objections to theism. Problem of evil, hiddenness of God. (cid:132) Christian evidences: Defend against objections to Biblical theism. Objections posed by modern Biblical (cid:132) criticism and contemporary science. Faith EFC, Fall'07 14 7 Craig’s Approach Mainly offensive. Sometimes blends offensive and defensive apologetics. Problem of evil (defensive) and moral (cid:132) argument (offensive). Resurrection of Christ (offensive) and (cid:132) criticism to the historical reliability of the NT (defensive) Often new and difficult for students. Faith EFC, Fall'07 15 But Why Such Depth? The story of John Loftus. Faith EFC, Fall'07 16 8 Faith and Reason Faith EFC, Fall'07 How do We Know that Christianity is True? By leap of faith? On the authority of Word of God? Religious experience? Is a rational foundation of faith necessary, without which faith is unjustified and irrational? Faith EFC, Fall'07 18 9 Historical Overview Medieval: (cid:132) Augustine (354–430) (cid:132) Thomas Aquinas (1224–1274) The Enlightenment (cid:132) John Locke (1632–1704) (cid:132) Henry Dodwell(1700–1784) Contemporary (cid:132) Karl Barth (1886–1968) (cid:132) Rudolph Bultmann(1884–1976) (cid:132) WolfhartPannenberg (cid:132) Alvin Plantinga Faith EFC, Fall'07 19 Augustine (354–430) Augustine’s writings difficult to interpret. His views evolved over time. Two main “prongs”: Faith based on authority of Scripture and (cid:132) Church. Reason supports understanding. (cid:132) Faith EFC, Fall'07 20 10