Christian Apologetics

Introduction To Integrated Christian Apologetics

William James

Summary:

The word “apologetics” comes from the Greek word “apologia”, meaning to “make a defense”. Apologetics is a defense of one’s faith or persuasion. Christian Apologetics is therefore a defense of the Christian Faith offering the listener reasons why Christianity can be trusted and is believable.

With the growing followers of science and technology, birthing atheistic convictions around the globe, all religions are under assault from all corners. The Prime Minister of Australia on ABC News, even went as far as making a public confession that she does not believe God exists. Those who voted her into parliament probably share the same sentiment.

Christianity of all religions continues to receive the hardest thump, because news reporters and anchors have given it much negative publicity. This is possibly because it has the largest following in the world, and it is good for business. Christians are being questioned about their faith world over. Many Christians are caught off guard, because they have not prepared themselves for such moments and questions. Many do not commit themselves to study of the scriptures and prayer. Some Christians are struggling holding on to their faith, because they do not have answers to some of life’s questions. It would be naïve to think that the world apart from Christianity has know knowledge at all about the Christian faith. The world is well informed through the media.

Among Christians the debate over the Bible being the infallible word of God is a contentious issues. If this is so, how are we to defend the Bible as the inspired Word of God. Students of the Bible are facing these contentions in Seminary or Bible Colleges. The contentions and questions about the Christian faith is nothing new. It has been around for as long as the Christian faith existed, but with new vigor especially in the past four centuries.

What is the solution to all these questions and contentions? Apologetics, apologetics, apologetics! No one has all the answers. Even the Son of God! He does not know when he will return except the Father. There are many qualified and committed Christians who are answering the critics and contributing to research work to defend their Christian faith. Their published work is accessible to anyone who is interested. Jesus said, “Bless those who persecute you”. When no person can ever hope to answer all the questions that are put to him, but every Christian should definitely know something about what godly men are doing in the field of Christian apologetics. Today the Christian society has numerous highly qualified and dedicated men belonging to all disciplines of study who are trying to answer each and every question that has been hurled against the Bible. No individual can face all of it, and it is natural for individuals to become fearful of these attacks, but once a person realizes that so many people are working on these problems, then he can rest assured that it will not be long before the answer is published. In fact, today there are several thousand scholars around the world who are publishing their conclusions in defense of the Christian faith through hundreds of professional journals and popular magazines. They are accessible to anyone who is willing to take interest. The Bible shall always be attacked, and there will always be people whose faith will be shaken by such attacks. Only the proper use of Christian Apologetics will help such people.

A Biblical Basis for Christian Apologetics

As Christians our mandate for apologetics is biblically based. In 1 Peter 3:15 it commands: “Always be prepared to make defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you”. The Greek word for defense is “Apologia” where the term “Apologetics is derived.

The author’s site provides a good definition of the character and function of Christian apologetics found in Scripture:

"We live in the flesh, of course, but the muscles that we fight with are not flesh. Our war is not fought with weapons of flesh, yet are strong enough, in God's cause, to demolish sophistries, and the arrogance that tries to resist the knowledge of God ; every thought is our prisoner, captured to be brought into obedience to Christ" (II Corinthians 10:3-6, Phillips)

There are other related scriptures that provide for the basis of doing Apologetics such as, Psalm 14-19, Romans 1:20, Acts 17, and the Book of Job.

APOLOGETIC APPROACHES IN THE BIBLE:

Time and time again we see God using miracles, wonders, and signs to prove He is God. When Pharoah asked for a sign He gave him a sign. When Gideon requested for signs, in both occasions God provided the evidence. Hezekiah was given a choice of signs to confirm that the Lord has spoken (1 Kings 20:5-12). Jesus performed many miracles for people inorder that they may prove what he said about Himself. When Thomas wanted proof Jesus appeared to Thomas and invited him to touch the scars in his hands.

The Bible encourages genuine inquiry. And that is the role Apologetics plays.

APOLOGETICS AND POLEMICS:

Apologetics addresses objections and critics of the Christian faith from external sources. Polemics addresses objections and critics of the Christian faith from internal sources. These objections come in two forms, in the form of distorted Bible interpretation and through cultic groups who claim to be true Christians. The purpose of Apologetics and Polemics is to refute error and establish truth. Every Apologist and polemist must be experts of each other’s fields.

History Of Christian Apologetics

Some people have the wrong idea that Christian Apologetics and Polemics are subjects of recent origin. Christian Apologetics and Polemics are as old as the Bible itself is. The Bible gives us ample evidence of this.

APOLOGETICS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:

The Old Testament is filled with records of attacks against the Word of God. Many questions about the authenticity of God can be found in the Old Testament and in many cases God provided suitable answers and demonstrations as noted above.

APOLOGETICS AMONG JEWISH FATHERS:

Jews believe that man is a sinner, totally depraved, and cannot save himself. One is only saved by God’s grace. This angered pagans who had a universal theology that teaches salvation is available in all religions to everyone. Their doctrines are inclusive while the Jewish doctrines are exclusive. To defend the Jewish faith against universalism Jewish apologists produced one of the finest works called Contra Apion, written in the first century by an Army officer and historian Flavious Josephus.

APOLOGETICS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT:

The easy accessibility of writing materials and influence of pagan philosophers gave rise to professionals called “scribes”. Their task was to spread heresy and criticize the New Testament church. The New Testament became a launching pad for critics and heretics, because it was very clearer on the position of man’s spiritual state and need for salvation by grace and faith alone. What was in a veiled manner in the Old Testament was unveiled in the New Testament. Many did not like this because it exposed their weaknesses. “No longer could they maintain their Universalism, Humanism, Accommodationsim, etc.”. Some people wanted the name “Christian” but not the life. They remained loyal to the philosophies and theologies of their past. These people perverted the teachings of the bible with the aim being self justification. The epistle of Galatians was a letter refutation to the Judizers and the letter to Colossians was an apologetic against the Gnostics. “The New Testament writers wrote extensively to expose error, to condemn it, and also to establish truth.”

APOLOGETICS AMONG CHURCH FATHERS:

The Christian challenge of the Bible that came from within was from Gnostics, Nestorians, Ebionites, Montanists, Pelegains, Arians, and many others. The early church fathers in several Church councils expressed disapproval of these heretic movements. They wanted to hold on the old belief systems and the Bible.

The non-christian challenge came from writers inclined to atheism, universalism, humanism, hedonism, or narcissism. Their philosophies were contrary to the Bible. With Christianity spreading far and wide the heretics did all they possibly could to stop its momentum. A notable heretic by the name of Porphyry in the third century wrote fifteen volumes entitled “Against Christianity”. In response the church fathers responded with hundreds of volumes of Christian Apologetics and Polemics which a lot of possible damages these heretics could have caused.

MODERN CREATIONISM AND APOLOGETICS:

For almost a thousand years Christian Apologetics and Polemics became inactive when the Roman Catholic Church ruled the Christian world. They ruled with an iron rod and there were no space for dissenters and reason, because of fear of being killed.

“The Roman Catholic church indulged in a great struggle for ecclesiastical as well as temporal power. In this struggle they silenced, tortured, and killed millions of dissenting people.”

The Reformation broke the silence and people revolted against the church. Many people could not distinguish the True Church of Christ and the Christ of the Bible from the Roman Catholic Church. As a result out went the Roman Catholic Church and Christianity.The nineteenth century saw a new wave of philosophies, anti-Christian people and movements of enormous proportions. Their common goal was to oppose the Bible and Christianity.

Charles Darwin’s Theory of evolution became the opposition to what was otherwise generally accepted worldwide in the creation story. Many groups took up this new hypothesis to object the Bible story. It attracted many scientists and scholars of different fields of study that by the end of the nineteenth century theologians started accepting it in Europe, America, and especially in Germany. Some of these theologians started persuading other theologians and in due course the idea found its way into bible seminaries. Germany was the breeding ground for these thinkers, especially when German theological institutes are controlled and funded by government money. This made it easy for these German atheists to spread their ideas worldwide.

Many compromised their Christian position keeping both evolution and creation together. Scoffield’s compromise interpretation of Genesis became widespread partially through the influence of compromising seminaries. “Compromise is never good for truth, because it is truth that suffers most when it is mixed with falsehood.”

“A few American Seventh Day Adventists,and a small remnant in some conservative churches in USA were willing to take a strong stand. In the first decade of the twentieth century they produced 12 volumes of books known as "The Fundamentals". Their influence eventually helped to turn the tide in favour of the Bible.”

CREATIONISM IN INDIA:

Indian theology was very much influenced by what happens n the West. The book “Evolution or Creation” marked a strong stand taken by an Indian on the creation story. It was launched in the early sixties.

In the sixties and seventies Cross And Crown a Pentecostal Magazine edited by Dr. Thomas Mathews from Udaipur, Rajesthan published articles taking firm stand in favour of the accuracy of the Bible, and carried such articles in it regularly for decades. The Calvin School of Apologetics And Theology movement has produced 1500 articles in six different languages in defense of the Creation story. The project known as Creation Research was founded by Dr. Johnson C. Philip in 1970. Three decades of crusading has seen a significant movement in India for the defense of faith.

Christian Apologists such as Dr. Johnson George, Dr. Ezhamkulam Samkutty, J. C. Dev, E. S. Thomas, and Paul K. Ramakrishnan have had a wide positive impact on the Christian faith. An apologetics organization that entered India recently is RZIM, founded originally in the USA by Dr. Ravi Zacharias. Their work tends to be more polemical and rhetorical than analytic.

GAINS OF MODERN APOLOGETICS:

Compromise in the last half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century period formed skepticism in the minds of the average Christian. Many did not have the courage to make a stand for the Bible or their faith. This allowed the rise of anti biblical, anti social, and anti morality movements of the forties and fifties, culminating in the acceptance of open immorality in the sixties in the USA. Evangelical Christians made the voices heard in the sixties and seventies with the birth of modern creationism and apologetics. Thousands of apologetic books, hundreds of magazines, and tens of thousands of articles have been produced defending the Bible since. In turn, this has started to diminish the influence of rationalists and radicals on Christians.

The loss to Christianity from the middle of the nineteenth to the middle of the twentieth century caused by rationalists has been greatly minimized now because of the work of Christian apologists. Their work has made it easy for people to know the Bible, and its connection with science, evolution, history, and archaeology.

Chapter -- 2

The Importance Of Apologetics

The defense of faith is an important part of spiritual life in the Old as well as the New Testament. One can find numerous apologetic passages in the Old and New Testaments.

As noted by the authors, the purpose of apologetics has remained unchanged for all the past millennia.

THE UNCHANGING PURPOSES OF APOLOGETICS:

As noted by the authors the methods and priorities of Christian Apologetics keep changing with time, but the aims remains the same, and they are:

1-To refute all the accusations that are brought against the Bible and the Christian faith.

2-To demonstrate that only the Bible and the Christian way of life work in the actual life, and that only the Bible and the Christian faith provide permanent peace and happiness.

3-To remove the sincere doubts in the hearts of believers and unbelievers, so that the hindrances to the growth and establishing their faith are eliminated.

4-To provide SUFFICIENT evidence for achieving the above goals. It is necessary for the apologist to understand the difference between sufficient and total proof. Because man is finite and limited in his knowledge and perception, total proof is never possible for anything. Total proof is possible only if every case in the world related to the subject is examined. This is humanly not possible. This is why scholars do not insist upon total proof for anything in any branch of science or history. Rather, everything is decided on the basis of sufficient proof. The same is the case with Christian Apologetics.

What Can Apologetics Do

Four different ways of thinking can be seen from time to time about Christian Apologetics, not all of them valid or biblically sound. These are:

SKEPTICISM:

A microscopic minority of people remain totally skeptical of Christian apologetics. They avoid dealing with real-life problems and overlook the numerous passages in the Bible that encourages apologetic activity.

CHRISTIAN RATIONALISM:

This view places human intelligence/intellect to reason things out as the answer. It claims reason can validate the Christian position. Life is filled with many things beyond the reach of reason alone. This group depend so much on human intelligence/intellect that they ignore the role of the Holy Spirit in illuminating the fallen and sinful human beings.

LOGICAL CHRISTIANITY:

In this view reason starts everything and faith ends the process. This view is more biblical, but it is still not fully correct. The danger here is the idea that since God can be known and understood through natural revelation alone there is no need at all for the Bible.

REASON DEFINITELY AIDS FAITH:

This view is most widely used among evangelical and fundamentalist scholars. Here faith is the starting-point and once established, it can be shown to be consistent with truth and reason. This viewpoint forms the backbone of this series of studies on apologetics. The function of the Christian apologist is only to aid the creation and maintenance of faith. The Holy Spirit plays a key role in this viewpoint in assisting the communicator and the recipient.

The Purpose Of Apologetics

With growing interests in Christian Apologetics there is a possibility to misunderstand or confuse the role, purpose, and contributions of apologetic. The following points would help to clarify some of these issues:

APOLOGETICS IS A MANWARD OPERATION:

Apologetics is a “manward operation” meant to help those who have doubts about the Bible. Apologetics defends the reliability of the Bible not with an attitude as though it is a helpless book. Scripture has stood the tests of time for the past four thousand years. Thus the defense of the Bible is to preserve the faith of the inquirer. This is what's meant by "manward operation". Apologist can face apprehension from people if they do not understand the motive and aim of apologetics. Only a person with this understanding will be able to put tense and skeptical, but God-fearing, Christians at ease.

APOLOGETICS HAS LIMITS:

Apologetics can never be used to prove that the Bible is the word of God because it is a manward operation. Apologetics can play a supportive role to a person accept the Bible as God’s word by faith. Its purpose is to aid a person to see that the attacks brought up against the Bible are NOT valid.

BARRIER REMOVAL IS THE PRIME TARGET:

The removal of hindering factors helps sincere inquirers to take a leap of faith and accept the Lord Jesus as personal Saviour. For those who are already Christians, the removal of barriers helps them to make a deeper commitment to Christ.

RATIONALIST DEMANDS MIGHT BE A BOON:

Rationalist demand a lot before a statement is accepted as true. This must not be viewed negatively, but seen as an excellent standard with which to evaluate our statements objectively. No amount of evidence can force a person, claiming to be a rationalist, against his will to believe. Apologetics is for those who want to know how reliable the rational content of the Bible is.

PROCLAMATION IS NOT TO BE MINIMIZED:

The gospel of salvation through Christ will remain fruitful, even where doubt exists. The purpose of apologetics is to help that person who wants to abandon his unbelief that has been there due to his lingering but sincere and honest doubts.

APOLOGETICS DEMANDS WILLING RECEPTION:

Apologetics is meant to serve as a cure for sincere doubts. Divine intervention is required to cure unbelief. The sword of the Spirit will discern and pierce thoughts and intents of the heart. Apologetics, if needed, should be used only after such a breakthrough.

APOLOGETICS HELPS SEEKERS MOST:

Barriers of doubts exist among sincere and true seekers from a Christian or non Christian background. Apologetics helps by removing these barriers. The gospel is not presented on the basis that the divinity of the Bible can proven first. The gospel message has power to save, and it needs not the consent of the unbeliever.

APOLOGETICS IS NOT SCIENTISM:

”Scientism is the belief that ultimately everything has to be explained with the help of science. This is a false belief. Science is the study of matter and energy.” The apologist does not need to explain everything with the help of science. The apologist uses science, history, logic and so on when they relevant. The apologist emphasizes faith where these subjects do not apply.

Practical Value Of Studying Apologetics

Christian apologetics as a formal discipline is about two thousand years old.

CONSERVATION OF OWN FAITH:

One maybe a good believer in Christ, but is unaware of real world problems. When these real world problems confront him, he is unprepared to handle it. One who studies the enemy’s tactics and terrains will know what to do than one who is ignorant.

BETTER ABILITY TO COMBAT:

Attacks on the Christian faith throughout history, has helped apologists develop more exact and refined answers. A formal and systematic study of apologetics makes a person discern which line of reasoning and answering is likely to have the greatest impact on the listeners.

ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE REFINED ENEMY TACTICS:

In all generations there will be objections and critics of the bible, but a person well trained in apologetics will be able to know which category the accusations fit and how to respond.

AID IN WITNESSING:

The activities mentioned above aid one's ability to witness powerfully for Christ. They can help one witness the gospel even where there is resistance such as doubts that many young people may have about the gospel. Rationalists can be found outside the church as well as inside the church.

Non-interest In Christian Apologetics

Some Christians do not give any encouragement to fellow Christians interested in Apologetics. This is mainly due to their misconceptions, and misunderstandings. The authors divide these people can into six categories:

1-People who never had any doubts in these subjects.

2-People who never had to face questions and attacks from scornful people.

3-People who have indeed faced personal doubts and external attacks, but who

have been running away from facing the challenge.

4-People who believe that the Bible does contain errors.

5-People who have lost sensitivity towards the pains and problems of others.

6-Pseudo Apologists who love prestige, but who have never mastered the subject.

THOSE WHO NEVER HAD DOUBTS:

This group should not take people for granted, but respond in a sensitive and sympathetic way towards those having doubts about the Bible. “A healthy person should never feel proud against a sick one.”

THOSE WHO NEVER HAD TO FACE ATTACKS:

This group should be sensitive to the doubts of our youth and not assume that others are equally safe or insulated, because many of our educated youth face some sort or other of attack from their peers or contemporaries. This group should not ignore their need for apologetics.

PEOPLE WHO FLEE (Escapists):

This people should understand that doubts and external attacks are not lessened by running away from it. Fear has a way of destroying a person. When they face their fears they develop a balanced or whole spiritual life.

PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN ERROR-PRONE BIBLE:

These people are neither hot nor cold, sitting on the fence so to speak and they are firm on this position. They become panicky when one defends the Bible. They a compromisers of the Christian faith and will attack anyone who defends the Bible.

PEOPLE INSENSITIVE TO OTHERS:

A slight mention of a defense of the Bible provokes great anger and hostility and contempt from this group. They are insensitive towards the needs, pains, and problems of others. They live in an artificial world, created by their selfishness. They do not know how to handle real-world problems and dilemmas.

PSEUDO APOLOGISTS:

“These people have some qualification in the science and humanities, but very little training in apologetics.” They create their own private system of apologetics use their own knowledge. Their lack of interaction with theologians and apologists renders their system of apologetics faulty. They live in their own world of ignorant apologetics. These people hold on to their personal prejudices and ignorance instead of trying to better their understanding of apologetics through mutual interaction. The apologists should expect some antagonism from them.

People who believe that the Bible contains errors are not truth-seekers or sincere enquirers. Their aim is to convince others of their erroneous view of the Bible. The first three categories of people above are potential listeners whereas the last two categories (compromisers and spiritually insensitive people) are usually hardliners. The attitude of witness we should imitate is that of Jesus’. Proof seekers are not to be shunned. Thomas wanted a proof, and the Lord provided him proof. Many dedicated Christians have doubts. They can be helped by emulating what the Lord did with Thomas and the rest of the disciples.

Opposition to Apologetics

“There are some Christians who are opposed to the very idea of apologetics. They do this because of a number of reasons, some of which are as follows: “

DISTRUST OF REASON:

Some people separate reason and faith. Reason is associated with natural world while faith is associated with the spiritual world. This view however lacks coherence, because the Christian approach to truth accepts that faith and reason do mix in many realms of spiritual truth.

FEAR:

Apologetics is a difficult subject to study. So those who are ill equipped to face the attacks find themselves running away from reality. “Faith is the starting-point of Christianity, and once faith is established Christianity can be shown to be consistent with truth and reason.” The task of the apologist is to help every genuine inquirer.

WILLFUL BLIND OPPOSITION:

Apologists are bound to face hostility. They should focus on those who a willing to listen and change, rather than wasting time on those who willfully oppose Christian Apologetics and Biblical Creationism willfully due to their stubbornness. “There is no medicine to cure willful opposition. In summary, every apologist should expect intense hostility from some people, but they should steer clear of them for the sake of their own effectiveness.”

Public Debates With Hostile People

Christian Apologetics is not about winning debates, but establishing the truth. “Thus the apologist should avoid debating in public, except in front of a mature crowd made up of a small number of seekers dominated by a true spirit of inquiry. Further, the other side of the debate should be presented by one or more persons who are not given to loaded words or to ridicule. The apologist should keep presenting his subject without allowing anyone with the spirit of mockery to dominate. Anything and everything they say destroys the serious mood of the audience, and once that is done the impact of even the best apologetic presentation can reduce to nothing.”

Apologetics Through Compromise

“Compromise is a slow poison that does more harm to truth than the fiercest attack directed against the Christian faith.“ People who revert to the middle ground when two systems of thought conflict are compromisers.

“Two apparently conflicting reports can be reconciled with each other if they represent two different aspects of one and the same truth. On the other hand, if conflicting reports come due to fundamental differences in the basic system itself, they cannot be reconciled. For example, the demands of evolution and creation cannot be reconciled with each other because they represent two fundamentally different, mutually hostile, and mutually exclusive systems. Opposites can be synthesized only at the cost of truth, and that is an alarming possibility for any apologist. “

We defend the truth expressed in the following statements:

Sola Scriptura (Bible Alone)

Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)

Sola Fide (Faith Alone)

Solus Christus (Christ Alone)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be Glory)