Apologetics

Evangelistic - Little

Historical - McDowell

Cultural - Schaeffer

Philosophical - Plantinga

Nature of Apologetics

Historical Approach:

Church Fathers

Middle Ages

Renaissance – Reformation

Enlightenment

Modern - Postmodern

Five Areas:

Scripture – Christ

Personal Experience

Rationality

Social Experience

Superior Value

Contemporary Methods

Empiricism – Montgomery, McDowell

 Reason/Rationality – Geisler, Clark

 Theistic Proofs – Gerstner, Craig

 Presuppositionalism - Van Til, Frame

 Systematic Consistency – Carnell, Rahner

Building a Case

John Montgomerys Apologetic for Christ and the Bible.

1. The Gospels are tested critically and found historically trust worthy.

2. From these sources we learn that Jesus made divine historical choices (miracles) and made divine claims for Himself (theology) based upon a particular forthcoming miracle (the resurrection).

Building a Case

3. The Gospels and other records attest to his resurrection.

4. The resurrection cannot be discounted a priori.

5. The reality of the resurrection confirms Christs deity.

Building a Case

6. Therefore, Christ spoke truth about the authority of the Bible as well as the meaning of His life and death and the nature and destiny of man.

7. The Bible stands as infallible based on Christs authority.

8. The truths of the Bible lay a claim on all reality for which people are morally accountable.

Historical Apologetics