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"Apologetics is the vindication of the Christian philosophy of life against the various forms of the non Christian way of life."[1] Our modern word apologetics can be traced back to the Greek word ΑΠΟΛΟΓΙΑ, a defense offered in court against an accusation. One who engages in apologetics is called and apologete. As Christians, we are commanded to "always be ready to give an answer (apologia) to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you." (1 Peter 3:15). When we consider how to convert the unbeliever, we must be ready with philosophical arguements, as well as emotional sensitivity and discernment. Ultimately, sound thinking is a gift of God, and not even the most common instrument of salvation in an non-believer's life.
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Older Methods
- See also: History of Apologetics
Since the inception of the Christian Age, attempts have been made to bridge the chasm between Athens and Jerusalem, between Philosophy and Theology. These methods of argumentation have ultimately proved wanted, as the most dogged of atheists torn down their ungodly presuppositions.
Cosmological
The cosmological argument is an attempt to prove the necessity of God's existence from causation., "Everything has a cause, so the first cause ever would have to be something uncaused. This must be God." Plato and Aristotle both contemplated an "unmoved mover". Avicenna carried this argument forward, saying God added 'existence' to 'essense'. Finally, Thomas Aquinas's conception of First Cause was the idea that the Universe must have been caused by something that was itself uncaused, which he asserted was God.
Trouble with this theory quickly emerged. It became readily apparent that this kind of reasoning could just as easily produce a god who created the world and never interacted with it again. God might have created the world "In fieri" (in becoming) but He is not needed for its continued existence. 'in esse' means God's continued action is required for the continued existence of the universe.
The cosmological argument rests on an unqualified reliance upon non-Christian's Reason: "If Man would only employ the means he has used with Nature, he would see that Christianity is true." (Bishop Joseph Butler). Philosopher David Hume pointed out that causal relations need not be true a priori
Ontological
Teleological
Presuppositionalism
- ↑ C. Van Til, Apologetics, p1