What is Apologetics?

I.        Defining apologetics

A.    In our modern English language, the biblical concept of “apologetics” can easily be misunderstood. It may bring to mind the concept of being sorry for something. We “apologize” when we admit that we have done something wrong. This, however, is not how we will use the term. We will use it in a more technical and restricted sense.

B.     The word “apologetics” is derived from the Greek term apologia which means “defense.”

General definition: “Apologetics is the art of defending a claim against objections” (Kelly James Clark, 101 Key Terms in Philosophy and Their Importance for Theology, 5).

C.     The term apologia was used in pagan and Christian literature and the New Testament itself.

1.      The Apology of Socrates – Plato’s account of Socrates’ trial in Athens.

2.      Justin Martyr wrote his Apology to defend Christianity from heretical ideas.

3.      When Paul was before a mob in Jerusalem he declared, “Hear my defense [apologia].”

4.      In the New Testament sense, apologia refers to making a defense of something. According to Pratt, “‘Apologetics’ is the study which pertains directly to the development and use of defense” (Richard L. Pratt, Jr., Every Thought Captive, 2).

II.      What is Christian apologetics?

A.     “The first usage of apologetics for a specific Christian discipline did not arise until 1834” (George Zemek, “Exegetical and Theological Bases for a Consistently Presuppositional Approach to Apologetics,” 7).

B.      Definitions

1.      “Apologetics is the discipline that deals with a rational defense of Christian faith” (Norman Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, “Apologetics, Need for,” 37).

2.      “Apologetics is concerned with the defense of the Christian faith against charges of falsehood, inconsistency, or credulity” (Steven, B. Cowan, Five Views on Apologetics, 7).

3.      “As it concerns the Christian faith, then, apologetics has to do with defending, or making a case for, the truth of the Christian faith.” (Cowan, 8).

C.     Key texts

1.      1 Peter 3:15  “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”

“Out of their enthronement of Christ as Lord should flow a personal readiness to explain to opponents the nature of the hope that dominates the lives of committed believers” (D. Edmond Hiebert, 1 Peter, 226).

2.      2 Corinthians 10:5:  “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”

III.   Purpose of Christian apologetics  As an intellectual discipline, apologetics serves two purposes: (1) to bolster the faith of Christian believers; and (2) to aid in the task of evangelism (Cowan, 8). Apologists seek these goals in two ways.

A.     Negative or Defensive apologetics  Refuting objections to the Christian faith

1.       Ex. The Problem of evil

2.       Ex. The Problem of miracles

3.       Ex. Trinity

4.       Ex. Deity of Jesus

B.     Positive or Offensive apologetics  Offering positive reasons for the Christian faith.

1.      Ex. Arguments for the existence of God

2.      Ex. Arguments for the resurrection of Jesus

3.      Ex. Arguments for miracles

IV.   Apologetic methodology

A.     “An apologetic method is a strategy for defending the faith. It is a way of putting together a case for the Christian faith using either positive or negative apologetics or a combination of the two” (Cowan, 14).

B.      “Although apologists agree on the basic definition and goals of apologetics, they can differ significantly on the proper methodology of apologetics. That is, they disagree about how the apologist goes about his task—about the kinds of arguments that can and should be employed and about the way the apologist should engage the unbeliever in apologetic discourse” (Cowan, 9).

C.      Three Aspects of Apologetics  John Frame says we can distinguish three aspects of apologetics:

1.      Apologetics as proof  -- presenting a rational basis for faith or “proving Christianity to be true.”

a)      John 14:11

b)     John 20:24-31

c)      1 Cor. 15:1-11

“Believers themselves sometimes doubt, and at that point apologetics becomes useful for them even apart from its role in dialogue with unbelievers. That is to say, apologetics confronts unbelief in the believer as well as in the unbeliever” (Frame, Apologetics to the Glory of God, 2).

2.       Apologetics as defense  Answering the objections of unbelief. (Phil. 1:7; cf. v. 16)

3.       Apologetics as offense  Attacking the foolishness of unbelieving thought.

a)      Psalm 14:1

b)     1 Cor. 1:18–2:16

c)      Apologetics goes beyond “the defense of the faith.” “God calls his people, not only to answer the objections of unbelievers, but also to go on the attack against falsehood…. Non-Christian thinking is ‘foolishness,’ according to Scripture . . . and one function of apologetics is to expose that foolishness for what it is” (Frame, ATTGG, 2-3).

d)     According to Frame, these three aspects are “perspectivally related.” Each is a way of looking at the whole apologetic enterprise (Frame, 3).