Continuing the series “Defending Your Faith,” Dr. Sproul looks at some of the different approaches to apologetics and how each of them attempts to show God’s existence as he embarks on the Herculean task of making “The Case for God.” The list of contemporary Reformed epistemologists includes Alvin Plantinga, Nicholas Wolterstorff, George Mavrodes, William Alston, and Kelly James Clark. Reading The Case for God, I felt smarter. Lee Patrick Strobel (born January 25, 1952) is an American Christian author and a former investigative journalist. The discipline in which Christians fulfill this obligation is called apologetics (from Greek apologia, “defense”). She argues that ancient explanations of reality were understood by those who created them to be mythological. Steven B. Cowan is the associate director of the Apologetics Resource Center (www.apologeticsresctr.org) in Birmingham, Alabama. This item 6358 digitally provided courtesy of CatholicCulture.org. But, according to advocates of cumulative-case apologetics, the case for Christianity is not best presented as a formal proof. Though the five apologetic methods discussed above do not constitute an exhaustive list of apologetic approaches, they do represent the most well-known and popular argumentative strategies in the Evangelical apologetics community. Last week, Eric Metaxas wrote a piece for the Wall Street Journal entitled “ Science Increasingly Makes the Case for God.” In it, he argues that the parameters for human life are so precise that they are indicators of God’s existence. Well, not entirely. What is the right or best method for giving a reason for the hope that we have in Christ? Options in Evangelical Apologetics: How are we to defend the faith? For this reason, evidentialism may be characterized as the "one-step" approach. It is an informal argument that pieces together several lines or types of data into a hypothesis or theory that comprehensively explains that data and does so better than any alternative hypothesis. It is sometimes argued that the order of the two steps in classical apologetics is essential: Before one can discuss historical evidences meaningfully, one has to have established God’s existence. That is, he argues that all meaning and thought—indeed, every fact—logically presupposes the truth of Scripture and the existence of the God it reveals. Since then, the article has garnered over 600,000 Facebook shares and more than 9,250 comments, making it, unofficially, the most popular article in Wall Street Journal history. The Wall Street Journal is huge and generally accurate but not the first place you think of when you want to learn more about God. Those who advocate this view hold that it can be perfectly reasonable for a person to believe many things without evidence (e.g., that there is a mind-independent external world, that there are other minds, that I had toast for breakfast, etc.). But how are we to defend the faith? "A Classical Apologist's Closing Remarks" in Five Views on Apologetics, ed. That is, he argues that all meaning and thought — indeed, every fact — logically presupposes the truth of Scripture and the existence of the God it reveals. But, of course, if God is responsible for raising Jesus from the dead, then that very same miracle not only establishes theism but also authenticates Jesus’ claim to be the incarnation of God. There Is a God: Making the Case for Belief By Steve Wolfgang. As he phrases it: . 2:14; 2 Cor. God, as a matter of fact, alone can prove miracles. Most strikingly, they argue that belief in God and the truths of the Christian faith do not require the support of evidence or argument in order for it to be rational. It was followed by many medieval and modern philosophers such as Anselm, Thomas Aquinas, Joseph Butler, William Paley, Jonathan Edwards, and Charles Hodge. A set of premises are offered from which either a deductive or inductive conclusion is drawn. It tends to focus chiefly on accumulating various historical and other empirical data for the truth of Christianity. Stiff-necked theologians attended to God’s •greatness at the expense of his •goodness, while more relaxed ones have done the opposite. And it might be said with some force that many of the differences in these various methods are more matters of emphasis than differences in substance. A stimulating, hopeful work. Some classical apologists do not agree. This method has a long pedigree, hence the name. Rev. We have been told that if a belief is unsupported by evidence of some kind, it is irrational to believe it. Those who advocate this view hold that it can be perfectly reasonable for a person to believe many things without evidence (e.g., that there is a mind-independent external world, that there are other minds, that I had toast for breakfast, etc.). This approach has much in common with the classical method. What is the right or best method for giving a reason for the hope that we have in Christ? As Sproul, John Gerstner, and Art Lindsley argue, “Miracles cannot prove God. Rational Faith: Catholic Responses to Reformed Epistemology, University of Notre Dame Press). The two methods in this school of thought are less optimistic than the evidentialist school about the ability of human reason to prove the truth of Christianity to unbelievers. News, analysis & spirituality by email, twice-weekly from CatholicCulture.org. The evidentialist methods assume that unbelievers and believers share common rational principles (logic, rules of evidence, etc.) For the sake of clarity, it will prove helpful to divide these apologetic methods into two broad schools of thought. It tends to focus chiefly on accumulating various historical and other empirical data for the truth of Christianity. MAKING THE CASE FOR GOD... made with Faithlife Proclaim. He has written several books, including four which received ECPA Christian Book Awards (1994, 1999, 2001, 2005) and a series which addresses … Susan … Evangelical apologists who follow the evidential method include Gary Habermas, John W. Montgomery, and Josh McDowell. The list of contemporary Reformed epistemologists includes Alvin Plantinga, Nicholas Wolterstorff, George Mavrodes, William Alston, and Kelly James Clark. The classical method may be called the “two-step” approach. Learning what Jesus claimed about himself (primarily from the book of John), and the evidence to support those claims. 4:4). Volume 21, Issue 31 (August 4, 2019). On the positive side, the Reformed epistemologist will, in the words of Clark, “encourage unbelievers to put themselves in situations where people are typically taken with belief in God” (ibid., 279), attempting to awaken in them their latent sense of the divine. This type of reasoning is called "adductive" reasoning. He cannot offer arguments with premises that could be accepted consistently by unbelievers. . 13 lessons. The Case for God is a 2009 book by Karen Armstrong. Muslim Debate Initiative 2,184 views 1:13:18 Cumulative-case apologists include Basil Mitchell, Paul Feinberg, C. Stephen Evans, and C. S. Lewis. In any case, the Evangelical community has a rich and varied tradition of apologetics that provides multiple ways in which the faith once-for-all-delivered to the saints may be defended. This book explains differences between the content of the Bible and the Qur’an and between the God of the Bible and Allah of the Quran. Moreover, through the "internal witness of the Holy Spirit," a person may be prompted rightfully to accept the specific truths of Christianity without the aid of apologetic arguments. The cumulative-case method does “not conform to the ordinary pattern of deductive or inductive reasoning” (Basil Mitchell, The Justification of Religious Belief, Oxford University Press, 35). The Case For God is characteristic of Armstrong's approach. To answer this question, the cumulative-case apologist will appeal to certain rational criteria such as logical consistency, empirical fit, comprehensiveness, simplicity, etc. By demonstrating that the unbeliever cannot argue, think, or live without presupposing God, the presuppositionalist tries to show the unbeliever that his own worldview is inadequate and to get the unbeliever to see that Christianity alone can make sense of his experience. Nov 19, 2015 Leo Walsh rated it it was amazing. Some classical apologists do not agree. Therefore, they de-emphasize the use of evidence and reason in apologetics. . A set of premises are offered from which either a deductive or inductive conclusion is drawn. that allow for the construction of apologetic arguments that ought to persuade any rational person. Today, R.C. That is, only on the prior evidence that God exists is a miracle even possible” (Classical Apologetics: A Rational Defense of the Christian Faith and a Critique of Presuppositional Apologetics, 146). For the Reformed epistemologist, the focus tends to be on negative apologetics, simply responding to challenges to one’s Christian belief as they are encountered. Movies Like God's Not Dead: Making the Case for Religion . Evangelical Christians like myself, at least those who are not captivated by the anti-intellectualism of our postmodern age, are united in a commitment to the apologetic task. Quantity: Delete Move to Wishlist. It is argued that the Christian worldview best accounts for the data of experience in light of these criteria, and thus it is the worldview most likely to be true. Listener supported for more than 25 years. Today, R.C. Were the stories just myths? Instead, the case is more like the brief that a lawyer makes in a court of law or that a literary critic makes for a particular interpretation of a book. If Calvin is right that human beings are born with an innate sensus divinitatis (sense of the divine), then people rightly and rationally may come to have a belief in God immediately without the aid of evidence. Your gift today fuels gospel outreach tomorrow. It was followed by many medieval and modern philosophers such as Anselm, Thomas Aquinas, Joseph Butler, William Paley, Jonathan Edwards, and Charles Hodge. They put more emphasis on the “noetic effects of sin” (i.e., the detrimental effects of sin on the mind; cf. Sproul begins the monumental task of making the case for God. We have been told that if a belief is unsupported by evidence of some kind, it is irrational to believe it. The discipline in which Christians fulfill this obligation is called apologetics (from the Greek apologia, "defense"). Steven B. Cowan, Zondervan, 316–7). The classical method may be called the "two-step" approach. Making the Case for God: Psalm 19 7 The law of the LORD is perfect,reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; 8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rulesof the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. Our earthly and eternal happiness depends on following our vocation without faltering. To answer this question, the cumulative-case apologist will appeal to certain rational criteria such as logical consistency, empirical fit, comprehensiveness, simplicity, etc. Classical Method. There are no neutral premises or facts that the apologist may appeal to in formulating an argument. And it might be said with some force that many of the differences in these various methods are more matters of emphasis than differences in substance. After I finished it, I felt inspired, I stopped, and I looked up at the stars again. Armstrong takes a historical look at theology throughout the ages, and reveals how our cultural conceptions of "God" has changed throughout the ages, interacting with art, philosophy, economics and science. Cart is empty. “A Classical Apologist’s Closing Remarks” in Five Views on Apologetics, ed. (Classical apologists usually claim the support of Aquinas because many.aspects of his apologetic method—not least of which is his use of natural theology—seem to fit the classical approach. They might begin, for instance, by arguing for the historical factuality of Jesus' Resurrection and then argue that such an unusual event is explicable only if a being very much like the Christian God exists. John Frame puts the matter this way: "We should present the biblical God not merely as the conclusion to an argument but as the one who makes argument possible" (Five Views on Apologetics, 220). Most strikingly, they argue that belief in God and the truths of the Christian faith do not require the support of evidence or argument in order for it to be rational. that allow for the construction of apologetic arguments that ought to persuade any rational person. The data that the cumulative-case advocate seeks to explain include the existence and nature of the cosmos, the reality of religious experience, the objectivity of morality, the existence of consciousness, certain other historical facts such as the Resurrection of Jesus, etc. Thus evidentialists argue both for theism and Christian theism at the same time without recourse to natural theology. Peter Hendriks Okello. Evangelical Christians like myself, at least those who are not captivated by the anti-intellectualism of our postmodern age, are united in a commitment to the apologetic task. M.I. As Kelly James Clark explains, “Since the Enlightenment there has been a demand to expose all of our beliefs to the searching criticism of reason” (ibid., 267). Though the five apologetic methods discussed above do not constitute an exhaustive list of apologetic approaches, they do represent the most well known strategies in the Evangelical apologetic community. Minimize . It is also important to mention that the advocates of these various methods, though they have significant differences, all agree on the importance of offering a rational defense of the Christian faith. This study will help you know why you believe what you believe, and instill in you a deeper confidence in the truth of God as revealed in His Word. The evidentialist methods assume that unbelievers and believers share common rational principles (logic, rules of evidence, etc.) Cumulative-case apologists include Basil Mitchell, Paul Feinberg, C. Stephen Evans, and C. S. Lewis. In this scenario, the apologist must simply presuppose the truth of Christianity as the proper starting point in apologetics. But some scholars have pointed out that there are elements of his philosophy that would appear to make him more amenable to the Reformed epistemology view discussed below; see, for example, the discussions in Linda Zagzebski, ed. Making the Case for Jesus (studies in John) by David Banning. Rodney Stark is the Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences at Baylor University. The Case for Christianity book. I would like to outline the five major methods that Evangelicals have developed for making the case that Christianity is true. Review: The Case for God by Karen ArmstrongKaren Armstrong wages war on the twin evils of religious fundamentalism and militant atheism, says Alain de Botton Christians are commanded to defend the faith, to give an "account for the hope that is in you" (1 Pet. Steven B. Cowan, Zondervan, 316-7). But, due to the noetic effects of sin, presuppositionalists hold that there is no such common ground between believers and unbelievers. But, of course, if God is responsible for raising Jesus from the dead, then that very same miracle not only establishes theism but also authenticates Jesus' claim to be the incarnation of God. The methods in this school of thought have an optimistic attitude toward the ability of natural human reason to prove (or at least make highly probable) the truth of Christianity. They put more emphasis on the "noetic effects of sin" (i.e., the detrimental effects of sin on the mind; cf. It is sometimes argued that the order of the two steps in classical apologetics is essential: Before one can discuss historical evidences meaningfully, one has to have established God's existence. Many presuppositionalists would go so far as to say that any such argument presupposes the truth of the entire Christian revelation in Scripture. For evidentialists, miracles do not presuppose God's existence but serve as evidence for God and for the whole Christian worldview. One of the most dramatic developments in contemporary philosophy has been the arrival of Reformed epistemology, a controversial and influential new approach to religious knowledge. The methods in this school of thought have an optimistic attitude toward the ability of natural human reason to prove (or at least make highly probable) the truth of Christianity. There are no neutral premises or facts that the apologist may appeal to in formulating an argument. . 1 Cor. Brian Fraga February 7, 2020. Twenty-seven years and more than 20 books later — including the best-selling A History of God … For the Reformed epistemologist, the focus tends to be on negative apologetics, simply responding to challenges to one's Christian belief as they are encountered. But, due to the noetic effects of sin, presuppositionalists hold that there is no such common ground between believers and unbelievers. The cumulative-case method does "not conform to the ordinary pattern of deductive or inductive reasoning" (Basil Mitchell, The Justification of Religious Belief, Oxford University Press, 35). View Wishlist Cart. "The Case For God" is an incredible, thoughtful book. His thirty books on the history and sociology of religion include The Rise of Christianity, Cities of God, For the Glory of God, Discovering God, and The Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism, and Western Success.Stark received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. 'S approach similarly powerful evidence of some kind, it is a 2009 book by Karen Armstrong characteristic of 's! 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