Do We Need Apologetics?
December 15, 2005 Posted by Roger Overton
Mark Coppenger has written an intruiging article for the Illinois Baptist, “Why the Church Needs Apologetics, Even When the Lost Won't Listen“. I suggest checking it out! Here is an excerpt:
Now and then apologetics (argumentation for defense of the faith) has a direct impact on lost people, leading them toward conversion, or at least away from hostility. For instance, perennial skeptic Antony Flew now expresses a form of theism, in part because of the argument from intelligent design in nature. (See the interview at www.biola.edu/antonyflew/.) But it's been my experience that the will is more often the problem than the intellect. Men don't want a Lord, they don't want someone interfering with their agendas. Rather than admit this (to themselves or others), they toss out arguments to lend their indifference or hostility to God an air of sophistication.
Still, apologetics is an important handmaiden of evangelism. It can strip away smugness, loosen up hardened soil, embarrass treasured criticisms and sow disarray in a pagan worldview. Of course, the critic will seldom admit on the spot that you've scored points, but his private reflections may be a different story.
What if they don't listen? Is apologetics worth the effort anyway?
Related posts:
- Emergent Apologetics?
- Debating Emergent Apologetics
- How Then Should We Do Apologetics?
- Apologetics on the Mission Field
- Are You Wary of Apologetics?
- Apologetics Blogging with The A-Team
Posted in Apologetics, Main Page
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December 15th, 2005 at 1:36 pm
== Tangent ==
I don't know what an optimum number of posts per day is for a blog, but now that you all have added writers, you might want to consider throttling back the posts per person. It seems like posts scroll off before we have much time to talk about them. Then again, if you'd rather the discussion be curtailed in favor of the posting content, that wouldn't be necessary.
== End Tangent ==
And now back to your topic.
December 15th, 2005 at 8:19 pm
I concur that apologetics can serve a dual purpose–giving a reasoned defense of the Christian faith to nonChristians, and the edification of those who are already Christians.
There is a great need for apologetics in the sphere of ministry where I serve (a college campus). There is so much misinformation regarding the Bible, the resurrection, and the Christian faith that it is a mistake to think that we start out with a blank slate with people. Many times one has to demolish a mischaracterization of these things that have been implanted in minds while at the same time communicating the gospel. There is also the need to counteract the poisonous influence that liberal scholarship can have on young believers who are exposed to these things in the classroom.
December 15th, 2005 at 8:42 pm
I'm enjoying this. At this rate, I'll only have to blog once a month and this place will still be active!
I appreciate the insight, thanks!