The What and Why of Apologetics
What is apologetics? Why does it matter? Why does it get its own space on this website? Who are we apologizing to???
Christian apologetics is the defense of the Christian faith and practices, rooted in philosophy, theology, science, history, ethics, and epistemology. We’ll discuss the meaning behind the term “apologetics” shortly. Our ultimate goal is to demonstrate that Christianity is not only reasonable but also the most sound and valid explanation for reality.
"We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ."
- 2 Corinthians 10:5
The Scope of Apologetics
The history of Christian apologetics goes back to the very beginning of our faith. Jesus himself, during his earthly ministry, interacted regularly with the religious leaders of his time challenging their worldview. The Apostle Paul can be seen in the book of Acts reasoning “in the synagogue with the Jews and devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there” (Acts 17:17). The Epistle to the Hebrews can be seen as an apologetic towards the Jews, as the author builds a systematic argument for the supremacy of Jesus over the Old Testament staples (Moses, the Mosaic Covenant, the Levitical priesthood and sacrifices, etc.). Indeed, many of the epistles can be seen as apologetic in nature as the authors build organized, logical arguments for the foundations of Christian theology.
History is filled with Christian theologians and philosophers presenting arguments for the Christian worldview. Quadratus of Athens, in 125 AD, wrote a defense of Christianity to Emperor Hadrian. One of the church fathers, Origen, wrote Contra Celsum addressing Greek critics of his time and bringing an academic respect to the faith.
In the Middle Ages, Anselm of Canterbury presented the Ontological Argument for the existence of God. Thomas Aquinas famously put forward five arguments for God’s existence as well.
Into modern times, countless Christian apologists have come forward adding their voices to the conversation, including C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, William Lane Craig, Tim Keller, John Lennox, Alvin Plantinga, and countless others. All of these men stand as bulwarks against the tide of atheism in our modern academic world.
The world of Christian Apologetics is filled with many arguments from many angles seeking to establish the faith. Some of the most famous include: the Kalam Cosmological Argument (from creation), the Teliological Argument (from design), the Contingency Argument, the Ontological Argument, the historicity of the New Testament accounts of Jesus, and more.
Why Study Apologetics?
1 Peter 3:15–16 challenges us. As Peter encourages us to have no fear of the world around us, he calls us to
" . . . honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”
A few observations here. First, we are called to honor Christ as holy. This command applies to all aspects of our life, but, in this space, the act of “being prepared” falls into how we honor Christ as holy. If I am to honor Christ as the most supreme, that would include being able to make an account of why he is most supreme. If I am to honor my favorite burger joint, I ought to be prepared to make an account of why it is superior to all other burger joints in town.
Second, we ought to ALWAYS be prepared. Apologetics can and should be incredibly practical, whether we stand on a stage in a formal debate, or in casual conversation with friends or coworkers.
Third, we are called to make “a defense” for our hope. In Greek, the word is “apologia”, where we get “apologetics” from. This word is a combination of apo (a preposition meaning from) + logia (which is derived from logismos, meaning cognitive reasoning, or you may think of the English word “logic”). Remember 2 Corinthians 10:5 quoted above? “We destroy arguments [logismos]”. Our calling is to interact with the reasoning and philosophies of this present age by presenting our reason for the hope that we have from logic, and in this way, we destroy the hollow philosophies of the world.
Fourth, as we interact with others, we must do so “with gentleness and respect” and a “clear conscience”. It is easy to be sucked into unfruitful arguments and allow ourselves to become heated and driven by the competition of debate, but we must stay rooted in gentleness and respect. There is absolutely no place for ad hominem attacks among Christians; we must be above that. In Romans 2:4, Paul tells us that the kindness of God leads us to repentance. He does not say that logical syllogisms lead to repentance, rather it is God’s kindness on full display in the Gospel.
“He does not say that logical syllogisms lead to repentance, rather it is God’s kindness on full display in the Gospel”
The Gospel Is Key
This brings me to the final point: the Gospel must be the center. We are not trying to win arguments; we are seeking to win souls for Christ. Logic has never saved anyone from their sins, only the blood of Christ can do this. We can philosophize all day and arrive at grand conclusions about God, science, morality, history, but all of it is fruitless without the cross of Christ.
In 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Paul tells the Corinthians that he:
"did not come proclaiming . . . the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified . . . and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God"
- 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
How radical an idea! Paul, who himself could stand toe-to-toe with the likes of Aristotle and Plato, chose to come in this humility. He could have run intellectual circles around the Corinthians to demonstrate the superiority of his way of thinking, yet he “decided” to present the simple Gospel, because it is the “power of God unto salvation for all who believe” (Rom 1:16).
There are two applications this brings to us. First, we must preach the Gospel and the cross of Christ. As I have conversations with non-believers, I will entertain and use apologetic arguments in making my defense of Christianity, but I find myself always seeking to land the plane on the Gospel. People must know of their own sin, the doom of eternal separation from God, and of the amazing love of Christ that was on full display at the cross. Apologetics, though vastly important and useful, is a supplement to the Gospel. It is not the star of the show.
Second, in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, Paul reminds the Corinthians of their calling. They were not wise, powerful, or of noble birth. Yet, “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise”. Our fruitfulness in our evangelism is not based on how eloquent or smart we may be; rather, it is based on our availability to be used by God. As Isaiah says before God “Here I am! Send me” (Isaiah 6:8). So, be equipped with apologetics, but remember that, in evangelism, God is concerned with your availability above all, not your intellect! God used Moses, an exiled murderer who was a poor at speech (Exodus 4:10) to lead the people of Israel. He used David, a lowly shepherd boy to establish as a King over His people. He used fishermen to spread His church across the globe. Lastly, Jesus himself, a lowly carpenter’s son in the middle-of-nowhere we know as Nazareth, to change human history forever.
So friends, drink deep of the well of apologetics. Find encouragement in the reasonableness of our faith, and be equipped to defend it. Let us be gentle and respectful in our conduct, full of grace, seasoned with salt. Let us be prepared to give answers. Let us champion the Gospel, the blood of Christ shed on the cross for the forgiveness of sins and our adoption as sons and daughters of God. Always honor Christ the Lord as holy and supremely valuable above all!
Expositing Reality 