Why Apologetics
I have been asked two questions repeatedly since beginning my graduate studies. 1. What is apologetics? 2. Why do we need apologetics. I hope to answer both in this post.
What is the meaning of apologetics?
To understand why we engage in apologetics, we must first understand the meaning of apologetics. In its simplest form, apologetics means defense. However, Biblical apologetics means much more than this. Defining apologetics as, “an attempt to remove obstacles or doubts to, as well as offer positive reasons for, believing that Christianity is true and satisfying."1 explains the purpose of apologetics and why we engage in apologetics.
Why do we engage in apologetics?
We use apologetics in reaching those who do not share our faith in Christ. As followers of Christ, we are commanded to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19 English Standard Version). Many people we encounter will have obstacles and doubts to coming to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. It is through apologetics that we can help them navigate through doubts, obstacles, and other objections they may have that prevent them from becoming a believer. While apologetics is useful in helping make disciples of others, it can also help us in our own relationships with Christ. Scripture commands us in 1 Peter 3:15 to “honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” If we are to be prepared to give a defense of the hope that is in us, we must ourselves know why we have that hope. When we understand what we believe and why we believe it, we can more effectively win unbelievers to Christ.
One of the first things we encounter in defending the Christian faith is the idea of truth. Truth is difficult to precisely define because it is such a simple concept, but truth permeates all our lives. One helpful way of defining truth can be through the use of correspondence theory. The correspondence theory of truth consists of several parts. The first part is the proposition, otherwise known as the truth bearer. “A proposition is always descriptive and, as such, is either true or false.”2 An example of a proposition would be “I believe that the sky is blue.” The proposition here is the sky is blue. Propositions are either true or false; there is no middle ground. The next part of the correspondence theory of truth is the fact that makes the proposition true, otherwise known as the truth maker. “A fact is an objective feature of the world. It is simply the way the world is, no matter what anybody thinks or believes or claims.”3 A fact would be that triangles have three sides. No matter where one is in the universe or what one believes, a triangle will always have three sides. The final part of the correspondence theory of truth is how the proposition corresponds to the fact and is known as the correspondence relation. Not any fact can make a proposition true. The fact that triangles have three sides does not have any relationship to the proposition that aliens exist.
As Christians, we use truth, knowledge, and faith together to form our beliefs. These three ideas are related to each other. There are three conditions that have to be met for someone to have knowledge. The first condition is that the person must believe the proposition. The second condition is that the proposition must be true, and the third condition is that the person must have a good reason or reasons for believing the proposition. To ensure beliefs are true, one must work to make sure the reasons for belief in the proposition. For most people, what they need to believe a certain proposition is evidence. A good definition of evidence would be, "any fact that indicates the truth”4 of the proposition. This evidence could come in the form of experiences, ancient texts, or even eyewitness testimony. However, in our Christian lives, we do not only look at evidence but rely on faith. The book of Hebrews gives us a Biblical definition of faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”(Hebrews 11:1). However, a more fitting definition of faith might be a state of trust in something or someone.
As Christians we entrust “ourselves to Christ and venturing on the truth and reality of the gospel. We place our faith in Christ as Savior and Lord. It is not merely the truth of the gospel, and it is not merely the evidence and reasons constitutive of the knowledge of the gospel, but we are literally entrusting ourselves to Christ and his gospel."5
Conclusion
Apologetics is not used just to win arguments. Apologetics is not only used in evangelism either. Apologetics can be used by every Christian to help them understand their beliefs. I have relied on apologetics to help bolster my own faith. There have been times where I have questioned why I believe what I believe and by looking at the evidence and Scripture, I have been able to articulate my beliefs instead of just relying on "blind faith." As I continue to study and learn more about God, His Word, and His people, I will continue to base my beliefs on truth, knowledge, and faith.
[1] Paul Gould, Travis Dickinson, and Keith Loftin, Stand Firm: Apologetics and the Brilliance of the Gospel (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2018), 2–3.
[2] Ibid., 17.
[3] Ibid., 19.
[4] Ibid., 25.
[5] Ibid., 30–31.