Transcript Introduction to Apologetics

Introduction to Apologetics
Apologetics from the Scriptures
“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 you have that is in you; yet
do this with gentleness and respect, having a
good conscience, so that when you are
slandered by those who rebuke your good
behavior in Christ, they may be put to
shame.” 1 Peter 3:15-16 (ESV)
Apologetics from the Scriptures
"Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you
but also all who hear me this day might become such as I
am--except for these chains.“ Acts:26:29(ESV)
“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised
against the knowledge of God, and take every thought
captive to obey Christ” 2 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV)
“Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about
our common salvation, I found it necessary to write
appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for
all delivered to the saints. Jude 1:3 (ESV)
Defining Apologetics
Apologia-“reason or defense”
It is the discipline that deals with a
rational defense of the Christian
faith. A branch of Christian theology
which seeks to provide a rational
justification for Christianity’s truth
claims.
Positive & Negative apologetics
Offensive (Positive) apologetics:
Presents a positive case for Christianity’s truth
claims. Positive grounds and reasons.
Defensive (Negative) apologetics:
Attempt to rebut or undercut the objections raised
against Christianity by its opponents. Objections to
God’s existence and objections to Christianity in
particular.
Offensive (Positive) apologetics
Natural theology: (General Revelation)
Is the study of God based on what one can know from nature. In
contrast with supernatural theology (specific theology) which is
dependent on supernatural revelation. Ex: triunity of God,
incarnation of Christ, redemption. (Romans 1: 20)
Arguments:
Cosmological Argument: (Cosmos-orderly world/universe)
Moral Argument: (Distinguishing good from evil)
Christian Evidences: (Specific Revelation)
Evidences:
Fulfilled Prophecy
Jesus of Nazareth own radical claims
Miracles and resurrection
Deductive Reasoning
Syllogism: An instance of a form of reasoning in
which a conclusion is drawn (whether validly or
not) from two given or assumed propositions
(premises), each of which shares a term with the
conclusion, and shares a common or middle term
not present in the conclusion.
premise: All men are mortal.
premise: Socrates is a man.
conclusion: Socrates is mortal.
Cosmological Argument:
(Cosmos-orderly world/universe)attempts to show
there is a first cause of sufficient reason for the
existence of the cosmos(Universe).
2 premises and 1 conclusion.
Premise 1:
Whatever begins to exist has a cause.
Premise 2:
The universe began to exist.
Conclusion:
Therefore the universe has a cause.
Cosmological Argument:
First principal of metaphysics: Things don’t come into
being out of nothing. Being does not arise from nonbeing. Being only comes from being. Something
cannot come into existence out of nothing.
Illustrations:
Ex: No one believes that a dictionary would pop out of
being from nothing. Not even that a dictionary would
come into being out of an explosion at a printing press.
Ex: To believe otherwise is worse than magic. In
magic, when the magician pulls the rabbit out of the
hat, you at least have the hat and the magician.
Moral Argument
Morality: It is objectively good in it self(an end) not merely
good as means. It is something we ought to pursue, a duty.
Morality is prescriptive (an “ought”), not merely descriptive
(an “is”). Morality deals with what is right, as opposed to
wrong. It is an obligation, that for which a person is
accountable.
Premise 1:
If God does not exist objective moral values do not exist.
Premise 2:
Objective moral values do exist.
Conclusion:
Therefore God exist.
Moral Argument
Objective: Valid and binding independently
of whether anybody believes in it or not.
Youth resonate with (everything is relative) it
is arrogant or immoral to impose their values
upon another society.
An apologetic life
• Relevance to the listener:
• Logos (Intellectual), Ethos (social) , Pathos (Emotional)
• Paul writes with relevance:
Hebrew (Light)
Greek (Knowledge)
Roman (Glory)
“For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness, " has
shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this
treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power
belongs to God and not to us.” 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 (ESV)
An apologetic life
Mind your Language:
“Classical apologetics has generally assumed a common starting point
out-side of God for developing arguments for God and Christ…the
conventional way of describing God in abstract and negative
terms---absolute, infinite, immortal, invisible, impassible, and so
on…has the important advantage of not equating God to anything
that belongs to finite creation, thus avoiding the possibility of
verbal idolatry. However, it creates two huge problems.
One we know what God is not, but who is he, and what is he like?
Two, if the infinite is defined as the absence of the finite, we also
have a philosophical problem. That is should the infinite depend
on the finite for its understanding?
In the amazing providence of God, he stands revealed not in
platitudes and abstracts universals, but in a breath taking narrative
recorded for us in the bible.” L.T Jeyachandran
An apologetic life
Mind your Language:
“Often we use terms like salvation, sin, eternal life, and
even God in our conversations and are confident that
they hold the same meaning for the person to whom we
are talking…However when we are speaking to
someone from another culture, familiar terms that we
think convey what we mean may not be communicating
precisely what we want to say. This suggest that we
must carefully define what we mean by our terms and
concepts in our evangelistic conversations.”
I’Ching Thomas
An apologetic life
Asking questions:
“Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said
to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
Luke18:18-19 (ESV)
Living the Faith we defend:
“I have little doubt that the single greatest obstacle to the impact of
the gospel has not been its inability to provide answers, but the failure
on our part to live it out.”
Ravi Zacharias
Credits
1. Norman L. Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of
Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker
books, 1999), 36-37, 521.
2. http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/syllogism.aspx
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syllogism
4. Ravi Zacharias, Beyond opinion Living the Faith
we Defend (Nashville,TN: Thomas Nelson,
2007),212, 231, 237.
5. Michael Ramsdem, Foundations of Apologetics,
Conversations that count (Norcross, GA: RZIM)