It is my guess that just about everyone who is interested in Christian apologetics is aware of 1 Peter 3:15 in which Peter encourages believers to be ready to make a defense (apology) to everyone who asks about our hope. Yet, when we make that defense, not everyone responds to the claims of the Gospel. Admittedly, sometimes the lack of response is because of a poor … [Read more...]
Defending the Faith by Mary Jo Sharp – Book Review
A Review of Defending the Faith Looking for a book on women’s ministry that stands out from the crowd? I found one. It’s a great new book I was given by Kregel on apologetics in women’s ministry: Defending the Faith by Mary Jo Sharp. … [Read more...]
Apologetics through the Dystopian
I enjoy dystopian novels. However, it isn’t just a bizarre interest of mine. Right now, people are flocking to the movie theaters to see Catching Fire or swarming the bookstores to pick up Allegiant. In generations past, you could pick up Lord of the Flies or even Fahrenheit 451 to see a depiction of a world gone wrong. In the past, I have thought of these novels more as an … [Read more...]
Why Christian Case Makers Need to Learn a New Language
I worked as a member of our Gang Detail for two years prior to entering our undercover team. It was a great season in my career and I still think of it often. I had a partner who was younger (and more culturally relevant) than I was, and he connected with street gangsters almost immediately. He knew how to “talk the talk” and “walk the walk,” and he had a better understanding … [Read more...]
Another Apologetic Paradigm Shift?
Apologetics is experiencing somewhat of a revival. Well, maybe a better term might be "rehabilitation." While the stereotype of the apologist as a well-coiffed white male who can bring an atheist to his knees through the power of his arguments alone is still very much alive (with good reason), there is a small minority of people (including myself) who tentatively embrace the … [Read more...]
Reformed Epistemology Apologetics
[This post is a work in progress as part of the CAA Catechism.] [Add the title only in the title field, not in the body of the post.] Summary in 400 words or less: Reformed Epistemology (RE, hereafter) answers the question, “How do you know what you know is true about God?” with the claim that belief in God can be warranted by experience of the divine, apart from arguments … [Read more...]
Presuppositional Apologetics
[This post is a work in progress as part of the CAA Catechism.] [Add the title only in the title field, not in the body of the post.] Summary in 400 words or less: Presuppositional apologetics begins with the fact of God’s existence as its foundation. It is rooted in a biblical approach of understanding and defending Christianity. A presupposition is a worldview. A … [Read more...]
Incarnational Apologetics
[This post is a work in progress as part of the CAA Catechism.] [Add the title only in the title field, not in the body of the post.] Summary in 400 words or less: Scripture for YouVersion: Short audio/video: Three questions (1 fill-in-the-blank, 1 multiple choice, and one discussion question): References for further reading: Collaboration notes: Collaborators: [Add your name … [Read more...]
Evidentialist Apologetics
[This post is a work in progress as part of the CAA Catechism.] [Add the title only in the title field, not in the body of the post.] Summary in 400 words or less: Scripture for YouVersion: Short audio/video: Three questions (1 fill-in-the-blank, 1 multiple choice, and one discussion question): References for further reading: Collaboration notes: Collaborators: [Add your name … [Read more...]
Cumulative Case Apologetics
This post is a work in progress as part of the CAA Catechism.] [Add the title only in the title field, not in the body of the post.] Summary in 400 words or less: Also known as “best explanation” apologetics, cumulative case apologetics involves a somewhat informal, abductive reasoning approach. In the worldview sense, the approach aims to demonstrate that Christianity makes … [Read more...]