Christian Apologetics

PE 420/PE 620

Historical Challenges to Christianity 2:

The Historicity of Christ

The Resurrection

The Emergence of the Church

“For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And

if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in

your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have

perished. If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all

people most to be pitied.” (Paul, 1 Corinthians 15)

Lecture overview

One Solitary Life … Worshipping Jesus

Challenges to Our Story/Discussion

Different Apologetic Approaches to Jesus

Jesus on Trial Activity

One solitary life

What grabs you about Jesus? …

Fill the whiteboard with worship

*Challenges to Our Story*

Challenges to our story

-question—something you don’t get, or want to clarify

-challenge—something you disagree with, or want to nuance

-implication—“so what” for your apologetic approach

-application—something useful right now in your context

+ show and tell

CLASSICAL: Jesus, the alternatives

(1)Jesus’ claim to deity excludes him as a mere man

(2)Quantilemma: Legend, lama, liar, lunatic, Lord?

CLASSICAL: Jesus, the alternatives

(1)Jesus’ claim to deity excludes him as a mere man

(2)Quantilemma: Legend, lama, liar, lunatic, Lord?

Apologetics for Jesus

CLASSICAL: Jesus, the alternatives

(1)Jesus’ claim to deity excludes him as a mere man

(2)Quantilemma: Legend, lama, liar, lunatic, Lord?

EVIDENTIAL: Jesus, the evidence

(1)Jesus’ resurrection can be proved historically

(2)False dilemma: Jesus of history or Christ of faith

REFORMED: Jesus, the self-attesting Christ of Scripture

(1)Jesus is the self-attesting Christ of Scripture

(2)Jesus should be believed because He is God

FIDEIST: Jesus, the Christ of faith

(1)Jesus is self-attesting Christ as witnessed in Scripture

(2)Jesus is someone no human could invent

CLASSICAL: Jesus, the alternatives

(1)Jesus’ claim to deity excludes him as a mere man

(2)Quantilemma: Legend, lama, liar, lunatic, Lord?

EVIDENTIAL: Jesus, the evidence

(1)Jesus’ resurrection can be proved historically

(2)False dilemma: Jesus of history or Christ of faith

REFORMED: Jesus, the self-attesting Christ of Scripture

(1)Jesus is the self-attesting Christ of Scripture

(2)Jesus should be believed because He is God

FIDEIST: Jesus, the Christ of faith

(1)Jesus is self-attesting Christ as witnessed in Scripture

(2)Jesus is someone no human could invent

Apologetics for Jesus

CLASSICAL: Jesus, the alternatives

EVIDENTIAL: Jesus, the evidence

REFORMED: Jesus, the self-attesting Christ of Scripture

FIDEIST: Jesus, the Christ of faith

CLASSICAL: Jesus, the alternatives

EVIDENTIAL: Jesus, the evidence

REFORMED: Jesus, the self-attesting Christ of Scripture

FIDEIST: Jesus, the Christ of faith

Apologetics for Jesus

INTEGRATED: Jesus, the answer

(1) Classical Apologetics (immanent aspect):

Jesus as Lord – the divine Christ (John)

(2) Reformed Apologetics (transcendent aspect):

Jesus as Lord – the biblical Christ (Matthew)

(3) Evidentialism (situational perspective):

Jesus as Saviour – the risen Christ (Luke)

(4) Fideism (existential perspective):

Jesus as Saviour – the crucified Christ (Mark)

INTEGRATED: Jesus, the answer

(1) Classical Apologetics (immanent aspect):

Jesus as Lord – the divine Christ (John)

(2) Reformed Apologetics (transcendent aspect):

Jesus as Lord – the biblical Christ (Matthew)

(3) Evidentialism (situational perspective):

Jesus as Saviour – the risen Christ (Luke)

(4) Fideism (existential perspective):

Jesus as Saviour – the crucified Christ (Mark)

Apologetics for Jesus

� Q1) Did Jesus Even Exist - & can we trust the Bible & other sources of evidence?

� Q2) Did Jesus believe He was God - & was He Right or Crazy?

� Q3) Was Jesus the MESSIAH (Saviour of the World) –predicted in the Bible even before He was born?

Q4) Did Jesus really Die on the Cross – or did He just fake it?

� Q5) Did Jesus come back to life (the resurrection) after being killed?

� Q6) Even if this is all true, isn’t it irrelevant in today’s modern society?

� Q1) Did Jesus Even Exist - & can we trust the Bible & other sources of evidence?

� Q2) Did Jesus believe He was God - & was He Right or Crazy?

� Q3) Was Jesus the MESSIAH (Saviour of the World) –predicted in the Bible even before He was born?

Q4) Did Jesus really Die on the Cross – or did He just fake it?

� Q5) Did Jesus come back to life (the resurrection) after being killed?

� Q6) Even if this is all true, isn’t it irrelevant in today’s modern society?

Jesus on Trial

� Q1) Did Jesus Even Exist - & can we trust the Bible & other sources

of evidence?

� Q1) Did Jesus Even Exist - & can we trust the Bible & other sources

of evidence?

Jesus on Trial

� Q2) Did Jesus believe He was God - & was He Right or Crazy?� Q2) Did Jesus believe He was God - & was He Right or Crazy?

Jesus on Trial

� Q3) Was Jesus the MESSIAH (Saviour of the World) – predicted in the Bible

even before He was born?

� Q3) Was Jesus the MESSIAH (Saviour of the World) – predicted in the Bible

even before He was born?

Jesus on Trial

Q4) Did Jesus really Die on the Cross – or did He just fake it?

Q4) Did Jesus really Die on the Cross – or did He just fake it?

Jesus on Trial

� Q5) Did Jesus come back to life (the resurrection) after being killed?

� Q5) Did Jesus come back to life (the resurrection) after being killed?

Jesus on Trial

� Q6) Even if this is all true, isn’t it irrelevant in today’s modern society?� Q6) Even if this is all true, isn’t it irrelevant in today’s modern society?

Jesus on Trial

Dead BodyDead Body

Empty TombEmpty Tomb

Multiple WitnessesMultiple Witnesses

Lives TransformedLives Transformed

The Incomparable ChristThe Incomparable Christ

In Christ Alone …In Christ Alone …

-question—something you don’t get, or want to clarify

-challenge—something you disagree with, or want to nuance

-implication—“so what” for your apologetic approach

-application—something useful right now in your context

+ show and tell