Date post: | 31-Dec-2015 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | colin-dorsey |
View: | 213 times |
Download: | 0 times |
What Apologetics is not
The art of getting really good at sayin “I’m sorry over and over again.”
The art of intellectually forcing unbelievers into submission holds MMA style
What Apologetics is not
Arguing about how many angels can stand on a pin. (knowing all the stuff)
Shaving your head and looking cool
What are Apologetics
Apologetics is the branch of Christian theology which attempts to give a rational defense of the Christian fatih
Apologetics is giving a reason for why you believe what you believe.
What are Apologetics
Comes from the Greek word “apologia” απολογια
means “give an answer” or “give a defense”
Court system
Early church
What are Apologetics
Apologetics is also called “pre-evangelism”
An apologist is someone who defends the Christian faith.
What are Apologetics
How it is used:Refers to the discipline concerned with the defense of the faithApproaches or systems developed for defending the faith Practice of defending the fatihmetapologetics
Why Apologetics
13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”
Why Apologetics
15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have….
Why Apologetics
…But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
Why Apologetics
3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.
Why Apologetics
The Bible commands it1 Peter 3:15Jude 3Should be done with mercy and love
1 Cor 8:1, 1 Cor 13, Jude 22
Why Apologetics
To better know your faith and share it more effectively
To answer peoples real questions which hinder them from accepting the gospel
Why Apologetics
To have influence in the public square
To prevent doctrinal apostasy in the church
To answer false claims of cults and religions
Why Apologetics
Faith, on its own, is not enough.
Simple faith doesn’t enable us to defend the gospel, and make a well-reasoned case for Christ.
Why Apologetics
Evangelism has changedCulture has shifted from valuing fact to experience.Cant assume people have a Christian world view/valuesAtheists have gone on the offensive; books, movies, etc…
Why Apologetics
High school students are leaving the faith but still attending church…until they go to college.
40%-70% of students stop attending church when they graduateStudies show most cant articulate their beliefs“moralistic-therapeutic-deism” (crutch)
Varieties of Apologetics
3 schools of thought
Presuppositional ApologeticsEmphasizes the importance of presuppositions or the foundation of ones thinkingAssumes the existence of God and the truth the bible2 Peter 3:5
Varieties of Apologetics
Classical ApologeticsStresses rational argumentation for the existence of God.It is necessary to demonstrate the existence of God first in order to argue for the resurrection of JesusRomans 1:20
Varieties of Apologetics
Evidentual ApologeticsEmphasize giving evidence for the Christian faith whether historical, logical, etc...They think that miracles do not presuppose God’s existence, but can serve as evidence for existence1 Cor 15:3-7
Varieties of Apologetics
Areas of:
Philosophical CosmologicalTeleologicalOntologicalMoralTranscendentalPresuppostional
Varieties of Apologetics
Theological
Biblical
Scientific
Religion and Cults
Historical and legal
Defense of miracles
Varieties of Apologetics
Prophetic fulfilment
Moral
Creationist
Experiential
Others (sociology, business, etc…)
So…What is worldview?
the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world. “it is the ideology, philosophy, theology, movement or religion that provides an overarching approach to understanding God, the world, and man’s relations to God and the world”
So…For example a 2 year old believes he is the center of the universe. A secular humanist believes that the material world is all that exist. And a Buddhist believes he can be liberated by self purificationSomeone with a biblical world view believes his primary reason for existence is to love and serve God
So…Since Christianity is a worldview, apologetics in some sense affects every aspect of life.
The bible commands it, Jesus did it, Paul did it, the early church did it, and the world needs it.
What are you going to do about it?
Apologeticsis
A lonely endeavor. It is possible for a person to give a great deal of effort to apologetic work, to defending God’s word, to answering questions, to reasoning with people and have it all seem as though it was worthless.