Apologetics Part 1

Listen here for Apologetics Part 1

Methods of Apologetics:- Classic Apologetics: Natural Theology and Christian evidenceProponents: RC Sproul, Norman Geisler.Strengths: Strengthens faith of believersWeaknesses: Presupposes the rationality of reasoning; makes man the ultimate standard of truth; undermines the authority of God Word.Evidentialism: Christian evidence i.e. archeological, historicalProponents: Josh McDowell, Hank Hanegraaff.Strengths: proves the historicity of events, places, and people of the ScripturesWeaknesses: presupposes the reliability of empirical studies, makes man the ultimate standard of truth; undermines the authority of God Word.Presuppostionalism: Christian worldview is presupposed to be true.Proponents: Cornelius Vantil, Greg Bahnsen (transcendental presuppostionalism), Gordon Clark (rationalistic presuppostionalism, scriptualism) Francis Schaeffer (practical presuppostionalism)Strengths: Presents God and His Word as the ultimate authority; denies man his so called autonomy. Brings people immediately to the Triune God of Scripture.Weakens: rational presuppostionalism; is axiomatic and presupposes the authority of logic and reasoning. Experiential presuppostionalism is axiomatic in that it presupposes the reliability of our senses and experience. Transcendental presuppostionalism can be difficult to explain to people who are not used thinking transcendentally.Reformed epistemology: Basic belief in God is justified until proven otherwise.Proponents: Alvin Plantinga, Michael Sudduth.Strengths: can save time and effort in both evangelism and apologetics.Weaknesses: Only gives negative apologetics; is dogmatic; does not answer the skeptic; is too vague and puts itself in the same category as other mono-theistic religions i.e. Islam; can comes across as fideism