RLGN 104 WEEK 1 NOTES

RLGN 104 WEEK 1 NOTES RELGN 104 – Chapter 1 NOTES “worldview” has commonly been used to describe a person’s perspective on life *Ed Hindson (2017). (p. 1). Everyday Biblical Worldview. B&H Academic. Retrieved from htt ...

RLGN 104 WEEK 1 NOTES RELGN 104 – Chapter 1 NOTES “worldview” has commonly been used to describe a person’s perspective on life *Ed Hindson (2017). (p. 1). Everyday Biblical Worldview. B&H Academic. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com] The word “worldview” is a translation of the German word weltanschauung that combines the words welt, meaning “world,” and anschauung, meaning “perception.” This German term has long enjoyed popularity in discussions in German philosophy regarding one’s view of the world. atheism (belief in no god or higher power) to worldviews involving one or more gods common to other world religions. Using the Bible as a standard of evaluation, we will see that other worldviews have various levels of similarity and difference in comparison Instead, studying worldviews from a biblical perspective offers three important areas of learning for our lives. First, studying worldviews helps us to better understand our own beliefs. As we see how other worldviews and faiths view aspects of life differently, we are better able to define what we believe. Second, studying worldviews helps us to better understand those who do not hold a biblical worldview. Third, studying worldviews helps us to better communicate our faith to others. For example, Hinduism (and other eastern religions) believes that a person reincarnates into another lifeform after what is a “biblical” worldview? Though this issue will be the topic of chapter 1, we will address it briefly here. A biblical worldview is a perspective or viewpoint on life based on the teachings of the Bible.Many important areas must also be addressed among those who claim to hold a biblical worldview as a result. These include: The text of the Bible (called textual criticism) The translation of the Bible The interpretation of the Bible (also known as hermeneutics) The application of the Bible The Text of the Bible The Bible did not simply fall out of the sky. Instead, it is more rightly described as a collection of books Christians believe are inspired by God. It was written in three languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) by many authors (approximately forty people), from three continents (Asia, Africa, and Europe) over a long period of time (approximately 1,500 years). Prior to the use of the printing press in the 1500s, texts were copied by hand. There are more handwritten copies of the Bible in existence than any other ancient book, with more than 5,800 fragments or manuscripts remaining from the New Testament alone. Because there are thousands of manuscripts in existence, tens of thousands of differences have been discovered and studied. The study of these differences has actually helped better determine the original wording of the biblical text. Biblical scholars generally agree that more than 99 percent of the original wording of the Bible’s text can be agreed upon with a high degree of certainty. Also, the words that remain in dispute do not deal with key issues of belief. Often, the differences are regarding a single word or even a letter or spelling. In summary, the text of the Bible is highly accurate despite being written long ago. The number of copies, the early existence of copies, and the great level of research in this area have provided great confidence that the Bible’s text has been accurately preserved. No other book of any kind from ancient history has been copied and transmitted over the centuries with greater clarity and accuracy than the Bible.The Translation of the Bible The Bible is the world’s most translated book, with copies existing in more than one thousand languages How do we know the Bible has been translated accurately? Which translations most clearly convey what the biblical authors intended? First, in nearly all major Bible translations a team of scholars is involved to improve accuracy and limit bias. For example, the New International Version is overseen by the Committee on Bible Translation, while the Holman Christian Standard Bible is led by a team from B&H Publishing Second, each translation has a particular goal. Some translations (such as the New American Standard Bible) focus on a more literal translation, while other translations (such as the Contemporary English Version) focus on being easy to read. Those who seek to know the meaning of a passage can consult both kinds of translations, along with additional study tools, to better understand Scripture. The King James Version (1611) long held prominence in the English-speaking world. However, changes in the English language have led to the need for newer versions to update antiquated expressions. Among the most popular are the New King James Version, New International Version, English Standard Version, and Holman Christian Standard Bible. The Interpretation of the Bible A biblical worldview is guided by the Bible, yet any two people can hold different interpretations of the same passage of the Bible. In biblical interpretation, also called hermeneutics, we seek to understand the meaning of the Bible’s words. Bible interpretation looks at Scripture in its original context, including language, culture, literary form, and history, to determine the author’s meaning. In many cases, the author’s meaning can be determined with a high level of confidence. At other times, two or more possibilities exist. The Application of the Bible James 1:22 states that we should be “doers of the word and not hearers only.” The Bible is to be both studied and applied. A biblical worldview influences how Christians live. Therefore, understanding the Bible’s view on life’s topics is important for both belief and practice. Application is the final step of a biblical worldview, as well as the aspect that may have the most influence on unbelievers as they consider ChristianityOne way to appreciate the importance of studying a biblical worldview can be discovered through the three words “think,” “grow,” and “live.” We think about our worldview because Jesus calls his followers to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:2). This involves evaluating our current beliefs, investigating the Bible’s claims (2 Tim 2:15), and better understanding the beliefs of others Preparing Spiritual Conversations PAUL One of the greatest theologians and scholars in history experienced every one of these responses. In fact, these kinds of responses became common place for him. After every lecture or discussion that the apostle Paul had with people concerning the person of Jesus, he faced a diversity of reactions from his audience. In a word, the apostle Paul often witnessed a display of emotional "chaos." Some believed. Others did not. Some treated him with respect. Others abrasively and rudely shouted at him. Some scheduled an appointment to talk to him later. Others attempted to literally kill him. Jesus showed and taught His followers how to expect the unexpected when talking about spiritual issues. One notable day, Jesus traveled to an extremely diverse land called the Decapolis region. There He encountered a man so unspeakably different from the rest of his countrymen that they ostracized him to the outskirts of their land. As a result, this man took his residence amid a graveyard near the coast of the Sea of Galilee. As one approached the beachhead, this man could be heard screaming at the top of his lungs day and night He was reported to have been cutting himself unceasingly with the edges of stones. And it was not uncommon for him to exhibit an inhuman ability to break things in two that would have been impenetrable to others. This was the man Jesus intentionally desired to talk to about spiritual truths, truths that could change his life.What was this frantic man's response? Emotional chaos. As soon as this man locked eyes with Jesus, he ran at full stride toward Jesus and His twelve disciples. The biblical account does not record what the disciples were thinking as they witnessed one of the most disturbed individuals start running at full speed towards them. I'm guessing they were freaking out! But what we do know is that Jesus remained calm He looked past the chaos and patiently began to speak to this disturbed man. What began in chaos ended in the man's life being utterly changed. In fact, he exhibited such tranquil behavior that the city's onlookers dropped what they were doing and ran to tell others about what had happened on the beachhead that day. But the story doesn't end here. This man's chaotic-to-calm reaction to meeting Jesus Christ for the first time is actually not the reaction that is so unsettling to the reader. What is even more curious is how the people responded when they saw the miracle of this man's changed life. The diversity of their responses demonstrates the wide range of reactions when people are exposed to life-changing truth. .They testified of how Jesus not only got the man to stop screaming, but that Jesus was able to change the very countenance of this man—so much so that this man was no longer acting hostile and uncontrollable. He was now civil, calm, and desiring to learn more from the one who just changed his life. Immediately, the people from the city traveled to the place where they had ostracized this man in order to witness for themselves the colossal change that had taken place. As soon as they arrived at the beachhead, they saw the formerly crazy man sitting calmly, fully clothed, and in his right frame of mind. It was hard to believe it was the same man they had thrown outside the city walls and simply ignored. They had been powerless to do anything with him. This transformation was beyond their comprehension. In their bewilderment, they turned to Jesus and made an astounding demand. "Leave." "Leave!" "Get out of here!" "Get in your boat and never come back!" Why did they react this way? Why did they choose to ostracize Jesus when Jesus was the one who healed the man they chose to ostracize? It seems like a backwards response, doesn't it? It makes no sense … or does it? Experience has shown me that when someone encounters something that is so overwhelmingly powerful and/or something that would cause them to have to alter their fixed traditions or long-held beliefs, that person seems to need a little break from it all—just to let it sink in. This story is found in the Gospel of Mark, chapter five, in theNew Testament. but what was both a miraculous and scary moment for them was also the moment when they were confronted with the Source of truth, Jesus They had grown up thinking their gods were the most powerful of all. They concluded, "It's probably best to run this man out of town!" The whole experience was so new, so perplexing, so daunting. It was their watershed moment to question their own faith in what they held as truth. This moment caused them to consider Jesus' earth-shattering claims that flew at the very foundation of their theological and religious beliefs. And they needed time to process it all. He actually honored their request. He instructed His disciples to follow Him back to the boat, and they sailed away. Jesus understood that His departure would actually contribute to the process of those people coming to an understanding of Jesus' power, love, forgiveness, and ultimately to the salvation of their souls. So, Jesus instructed this man to stay there. "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you" (v. 19). And with this directive, Jesus and His disciples pushed the boat offshore and left a brand new believer in Jesus Christ on the shore with the hostile, unfriendly countrymen that he had lived with all his life. Are you wondering whatever happened to this man and his countrymen? Did they ever come to grips with their traditional religious ideologies that were totally devastated by Jesus' miracle? You will find the answer in Mark 7:31-8:10. Upon visiting this region for a second time, Jesus was met on the same beachhead by literally thousands of people who had come to hear His words and experience His teaching. Apparently the once disturbed man shared the story of his transformation with people all over the region. He was part of the process for thousands of people to come hear what Jesus had to say the next time He was in the area. Even today, if you travel to Israel, you can walk on the very same beachhead that many believe is the actual location where this miraculous event took place It takes time to process truth, especially when that truth goes against all of one's pre-conceived ideas. And just like Jesus experienced, there will be times when you will want to stay and insist they listen to the life-changing truth that you want to share with them. But you, too, will possibly hear something like, "Leave." "Get out of here!" "Get in whatever brought you here and never come back!" And if that should happen, you need to honor the request, following Jesus' example. It just might be their watershed moment. Trust Jesus with the timing of the process for those to come to an understanding of truth. You see, to adopt all the claims and truths of Jesus Christ, it implies that an authority is now in place above them, which means they no longer hold veto power on all things in their life. Even though God should be their Lord and Savior, they trust themselves, first and foremost. Most of us do not want to relinquish our control and trust another to have an authoritative say in our lives—even when that authority is God Himself. Fortunately, God clearly provides instructions in the Bible for us to follow in order to help others process and understand biblical truthThere is a verse in the Bible that depicts what our reaction should be to those who offer any sort of objection when we ask them to consider our spiritual message: "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction" (2 Tim. 4:2) Three instructions come to us from this sentence in the Bible about how we ought to ask people to consider spiritual truth: Pleading. Precision. Patience BELIEVE WHAT YOU SAY The Greek word translated "preach" in this translation is actually the first-century word that means "to proclaim." It implies passion as produced by one's sincere belief in the spiritual message. This word can be used in a formal sense (as clergy "preach" on Sunday), or it can be used in an informal sense (as anyone can "proclaim" or "tell in order to make their point perfectly clear" to any listener). Thus, it can apply to people in a church building hearing a sermon, or it can also apply to someone making their point clear as they discuss spiritual concepts while sitting casually on a park bench. Some people will express their passionate tell God to "Leave!" pleading through tears. Others may plead their case through escalating the tone of their voice. Still others will exhibit their passions by preparing a well-framed series of thoughts that telegraph to the listener a high level of respect for their time. But however your pleading is expressed, remember to include the other two principles from 2 Timothy 4:2 about how to share God's truth. Passionate pleading must involve precision and patience. Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction." (2 Tim 4:2) Preach "the Word." This term refers to the full council of God's truth. Ultimately, this "full council" of God's truth was collected within the covers of the Holy Bible (Old and New Testaments). But at the time of the writing of this statement, all of the biblical writings had not yet been written. Therefore, the Bible encourages the proclaimer to hold fast to God's view of the world and His relationship to it rather than to mankind's logic. God's worldview is in stark contrast to mankind's natural logic, which is imperfect, sinful, and tarnished. Man's logic is incapable of giving ultimate clarity to things that pertain to living a godly life. In contrast, God is perfect, all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present. "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness" (2 Pet 1:3).That is why the Bible encourages us to stick to God's message of truth provided within its pages."correct, rebuke and encourage" others in the faith. Correcting and rebuking are difficult assignments, both for the deliverer and the receiver. But it must be done prayerfully and in humility with love. None of us are above reproach, so if the body of Christ is healthy and functioning according to biblical principles, at some point in our lives we will be on both the giving and receiving ends of being corrected, rebuked and encouraged. The apostle Paul encouraged this same idea in 1 Thessalonians "And we urge you brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone" (1 Thess 5:14). After establishing what should be proclaimed, the majority of this biblical statement instructs us on how we ought to passionately deliver such a message. Notice the two words at the end of 2 Timothy 4:2, "careful instruction." They refer to a thoughtful, careful presentation of and a precise pleading of God's Truth "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" (1 Pet 3:15). The Greek word translated "an answer" in this translation is actually the first-century word that denotes the type of answer that a lawyer provides in a courtroom—a well-prepared, seasoned, balanced, wise response. All the while, the lawyer has to stay within the framework of the legal procedures that are refereed by an experienced judge. The lawyer must keep all of these details in mind as he presents his case to be judged by the people PATIENCE The third point from 2 Timothy 4:2 furthers the "how" component of the apostle Paul's instructions about the way we ought to ask people to consider spiritual truth. Patience is one of those attributes that few of us have developed. We have noticed that when encounters with those of different faiths "stall out," it's not necessarily because the points and counterpoints presented by Christians are faulty. It's been our observation that it's the method, not the message that drives away the unbelieving listener. Many Christians believe that the entire presentation of the gospel's truth (including the conversion of the listener) must always take place in the very first conversation ever held between the two parties. But that is not what occurred in many encounters that Jesus had during His earthly ministry We humans don't typically trust a stranger, so why would we expect anyone to trust what we say upon meeting for the first time? Jesus understood this principle. He demonstrated patience in His encounter with that man who was a social outcast in the Mark 5 story. When the people asked Him to leave, Jesus respected their request and He quietly left. He didn't argue with them or give them a list of verses to memorize. He didn't even pray with them.Jesus realized that more often than not, there is a process that involves steps of further investigation and understanding before one adopts the truth of the gospel A BALANCING ACT Talking to people about spiritual truths is indeed a balancing act. We need to be both passionate yet patient. We need to be precise but also to listen precisely to the comments and concerns that the listener is trying to express so as to most appropriately respond. And we certainly must remember that truth can profoundly impact a heart, so we must sometimes allow them to process all the implications that truth will require of them The people who passionately share the truth of Jesus Christ are often rejected—not because of the truth of the message, but rather for the unbridled lack of control in their presentation. In their zeal they reach a level of force in either their tone of voice or in their personal demeanor that detracts the listener's attention away from the message and redirects the listener's full attention to reacting to the messenger's forceful tone and/or demeanor . But if you lose sight of the role of passion in your presentation, and you ignore the position and emotions of the listener, it can be so offensive the listener ultimately will miss the message It's also true that Jesus spoke as "one who had authority" (Matt 7:29), but this did not mean He spoke abrasively or rudely. Actually, this verse refers to the fact that Jesus spoke as if He had the authority to speak on the issues because He Himself was the source of truth (i.e., "not as their teachers of the law" who referenced each other to gain an authoritative status). Thus, even though there were a few times Jesus addressed people with the equal force that they were attacking Him, generally, if the people were not hostile to Him, Jesus was not unnecessarily forceful in return THE GOAL We recommend that you adopt Paul's balanced approach as recorded in Acts 17:2-3. We know that after his conversion, Paul's zeal landed him in several jails! But these verses indicate that somewhere along the way, Paul learned how to balance his passion with patience when he was presenting the truth. Acts 17:2-3 confirms that he exhibited a patient, calm, and controlled resoluteness when he spoke to others. "As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, 'We will hear you again on this matter.' So Paul departed from among them. However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them" (Acts 17:32-34 NKJV).LET US REASON Now that we have introduced some of the emotional impacts of having spiritual conversations with people, in the pages to follow, we will talk in length about the cognitive impact to considering spiritual truth. Meaning, if we are going to ask people to "consider" spiritual truth and "reason" with us about it, then it goes without saying that we need to be logical thinkers that are able to soundly reason with people USE THIS TIME WISELY Wherever you are in your spiritual life, we encourage you to make the most out of this opportunity as you focus your mind on these spiritual issues in the coming days. We would ask that you take the journey. Talk about it with friends, classmates, professors, colleagues, pastors, and fellow parishioners. Devote this time to ask the questions you may have never had the courage to ask before Chapter 1 What Is Apologetics? Instead of a supermarket, picture yourself in an emergency room with a serious illness. The doctor explains that the illness is 100 percent fatal unless one particular antidote is administered. He then goes on to say that recovery from the illness after taking the antidote has a 100 percent success rate. By this, the doctor is proclaiming that your preferences do not matter at all; they are not a part of the conversation. Whether or not you like to get shots or take pills is irrelevant. This particular ailment has a particular remedy that needs to be administered in a particular way. Do it or die. Given this illness and the necessary treatment, a misdiagnosis is very dangerous. No one having a heart attack wants to go to a doctor who thinks the proper response is to put a leg in a cast. Proper treatment is necessary no matter how distasteful, inconvenient, painful, or even offensive. There is no going shopping for the treatment you like best. The remedy is the remedy—period. The patient must conform his thinking to accept the remedy or face the alternative. Christianity properly understood is an antidote, not a lifestyle choice or part of a well-balanced religious view. Like the antidote, it can be painful and inconvenient. It can be socially unacceptable. But most of all, it can be offensive. Most of us would much rather take the supermarket approach where we always ended up with a religion tailored to our lifestyles and preferences and could change as we changed.But we cannot seriously believe like this. As human beings capable of rational thought, we are obliged to conform our beliefs to reality, not the other way around. Not to approach the world in this way is to create very dangerous situations. Before attempting to cross a street we must conform our beliefs about current traffic conditions to what we see around us. If we begin crossing the street because we prefer the street to be free of traffic and because it is more convenient to us, we risk being flattened by a bus. The bus doesn't care what we prefer or what is convenient. It is our responsibility to respond to the facts of the matter, to conform ourselves to them. To do this, to form beliefs, we must investigate the world and its issues to discover facts and truths about them. This process, which we all employ, is useful for one simple reason: truth is true whether you believe it or not. Truth does not require belief in order to be true, but it does deserve to be believed. Spiritually speaking, we must gain an understanding of our situation to be able to understand why an antidote is necessary. It is the goal of the law of God to give us that understanding, that diagnosis, and the goal of the gospel of Jesus Christ to provide the antidote. Jesus is not just a cherry flavored cough syrup that works just as well as the lemon flavored Buddha. Belief in Jesus is an extremely invasive heart procedure that brings people to life. And it is the only procedure that will work. But as human beings who would rather be in the supermarket we must be persuaded to go to the emergency room. We have many objections, barriers, biases, acculturations, conditions, misconceptions, presuppositions, distortion of facts, and any number of excuses. It is the goal of Christian apologetics to remove these hindrances that stand between a person and the cross of Christ As a result, some Christians see apologetics as preevangelism; it is not the gospel, but it prepares the soil for the gospel. 1 Others make no such distinction, seeing apologetics, theology, philosophy, and evangelism as deeply entwined facets of the gospel. 2 Whatever its relation to the gospel, apologetics is an extremely important enterprise that can profoundly impact unbelievers and be used as the tool that clears the way to faith in Jesus Christ Apologetics Is for Believers as Well For some, though, apologetics is not discovered until after making a profession of faith. Many Christians did not come to believe as a result of investigating the authority of the Bible, the evidence for the resurrection, or as a response to the philosophical arguments for God's existence. They simply responded to the proclamation of the gospel. Although these people have reasons for their belief, they are deeply personal reasons that often do not make sense to unbelieversIt is quite possible to believe something is true without having a proper understanding of it or the ability to articulate it. Christians who believe but don't know why are often insecure and comfortable only around other Christians. Defensiveness can quickly surface when challenges arise on issues of faith, morality, and truth because of a lack of information regarding the rational grounds for Christianity. At its worst this can lead to either a fortress mentality or a belligerent faith, precisely the opposite of the Great Commission Jesus gave in Matthew 28:19–20. The charge of the Christian is not to withdraw from the world and lead an insular life. Rather, we are to be engaged in the culture, to be salt and light. The solution to this problem is for believers to become informed in doctrine, the history of their faith, philosophy, logic, and other disciplines as they relate to Christianity. They need to know the facts, arguments and theology and understand how to employ them in a way that will effectively engage the culture. In short, the answer is Christian apologetics. One of the first tasks of Christian apologetics is to provide information. A number of widely held assumptions about Christianity can be easily challenged with a little information. This is even true for persons who are generally well-educated. C. S. Lewis had always believed the Gospels were collections of myths like those of Balder, Adonis, and Bacchus. Lewis held this view until he first read the Gospels at age 31. Having read as many myths and legends as he had, Lewis recognized that what was in the Gospels did not fit this literary genre. The Gospels were simple eyewitness accounts of historical events, lacking the artistry of ancient myths. Other assumptions widely held in our culture that can be challenged by both information and argument are: Jesus never lived. You can't prove God exists. There are no such things as miracles. There is no evidence that Jesus rose from the dead. The Bible wasn't written until hundreds of years after the life of Jesus. What about the books that got left out of the Bible? All religions basically teach the same thing. If the God of the Bible is real, how could He allow evil to exist? What's true for you is true for you; what's true for me is true for me.Christianity is unreasonable. This is just a sample of the challenges and questions that apologetics training equips believers to answer. And it does so in three ways. First, it shows that while Christian faith cannot be proven by reason, Christian faith isn't irrational—contrary to reason. This is very important because it demonstrates that Christianity is not simply personal preference, a function of how one was raised, or a worldview supported only by emotional considerations. Second, it answers objections against the faith and seeks to remove misconceptions. Third, Christian apologetics not only provides evidence and arguments for Christianity but demonstrates the weaknesses of atheism and other belief systems logically incompatible with historic Christian faith. It offers something far better to replace these worldviews he results of training in apologetics are boldness, security, and a lack of defensiveness. Apologetics enables the believer to engage the world without acquiescing to it and without compromise. Much as the antidote mentioned above that one must understand a virus or poison in order to counteract it, so must Christians understand and recognize the fatal flaws of unbelieving thought, be able to expose them, and provide a more adequate worldview. These are the tasks of apologetics. The results of training in apologetics are boldness, security, and a lack of defensiveness. Apologetics in the Bible Some believers are suspicious of and opposed to apologetics. They view it as being contrary to faith. They fear that if Christianity can be shown to be reasonable, then there is no place for faith. This anti-intellectual approach to Christianity is rooted in a misunderstanding of the word “faith” itself The word translated as “faith” and “belief” in the New Testament is pistis. Pistis encompasses a number of ideas, all of them revolving around an intentional, engaged trust. Definitions include “firm persuasion, the conviction…a firmly relying confidence.” 3 Lawrence O. Richards notes, “ Pistis and related words deal with relationships established by trust and maintained by trustworthiness.” 4 When we trust something, we have reasons for it, evidence that justifies and supports it. A claim is not true just because we believe it or untrue because we don't believe it. First, we assess the evidence and reasons for its truth. Next, we weigh the evidence to determine how well supported these claims are. Finally, we trust; we exercise faith based on the weight of the evidence. Faith is not Christian-branded hoping or wishing. Those who embrace other belief systems incompatible with Christianity will often follow this same process. The difference comes down to how each assesses the evidence for its position as well as others. Faith is theproduct of investigation and deliberation, and reason is its grounding and its backbone, not its enemy On the other hand, to believe in something without first seriously reflecting on it or looking into it is not an act of faith, it is an act of foolishness. It is not, as some have held, a virtue to believe something without evidence or reason. The person who says, “You just have to have faith,” is really just proclaiming he has no idea what faith is. The whole point of Christianity is not that we have faith—that is no different from any other religion or worldview. If just having faith were the goal, all would be saved since everyone believes something. No, faith itself is not the object. In fact, what differentiates religions is the object of each faith. The content of faith ultimately is what matters. And the content of a faith is what must be investigated and then embraced or rejected. Christian apologetics is neither a new practice nor is it unbiblical. In fact, it is not only modeled in the New Testament, but it is also commanded. The Greek word apologia, which is where we get our word apologetics, is used to describe a defense, as in a legal defense or making a case. 6 In the New Testament it is translated as defense or vindication as in the following verses: “ Brethren and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”— Paul before a Jewish crowd as he was arrested in the temple, Acts 22:1 “ It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and establishment of the gospel.— Paul, Philippians 1:7 “ But set apart the Messiah as Lord in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear, so that when you are accused, those who denounce your Christian life will be put to shame.”—Peter to suffering Christians in what is modern-day Turkey, 1 Peter 3:15–16 The idea of apologetics is assumed in the exhortation of Jude 3 when he tells believers to “ contend earnestly for the faith.” In Acts 17:22-34, we see a picture of Paul practicing apologetics in Athens on Mars Hill. “ Then Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said: 'Men of Athens! I see that you are extremely religious in every respect. For as I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.“ 'Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it— He is Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in shrines made by hands. Neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives everyone life and breath and all things. From one man He has made every nation of men to live all over the earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live, so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' Being God's offspring, then, we shouldn't think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination. “ 'Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has set a day on which He is going to judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.' “ When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to ridicule him. But others said, 'We will hear you about this again.' So Paul went out from their presence. However, some men joined him and believed, among whom were Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them. This led him to argue for the faith in two ways. First, Paul found common ground in the fact that his audience believed in some form of religion. The problem, according to Paul, was that they believed in something false, not that they believed in nothing. They had a religious worldview, but it was full of holes. Knowing the egregious flaws in their religious systems, he made a case for Christianity as a belief system in which there is coherence between the power that created and sustains the universe and the sense of justice widely prevalent in Greek society. Second, Paul argued based on facts that could be investigated by anyone who was interested. He recognized that if Christianity was true, it must be rooted in facts. Paul saw the contact point in the historical, physical, temporal aspects of the life of Jesus. Jesus was a real person who did and said certain things in certain places at certain times. Witnesses to Jesus' life and teaching could be found and questioned regarding these things Paul was so sure of this foundation that he went so far as to point out the most vulnerable claim of the Christian faith Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead"? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is without foundation, and so is your faith. In addition, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we havetestified about God that He raised up Christ—whom He did not raise up if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Therefore those who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. If we have placed our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone. By pointing out this vulnerability, Paul was really pointing out the strength of Christianity. So convinced was he of the historicity and verifiability of the resurrection, the event that confirmed the claims of Jesus, that he pointed out how to prove it false—almost as a challenge. Christian claims can be investigated and tested. This challenge has no parallel in other religions. No other sacred text shows how to destroy its own claims. The church fathers showed they understood the importance of Jesus' historicity when they crafted the Nicene Creed, the universally accepted creed of the church. The creed says, “For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.” Why mention Pontius Pilate? What doctrine is based on him? The answer is: none; there is no doctrine based on Pilate. He is mentioned to remind us that these were real events happening to a real person at a particular point in history. Many critics of the New Testament understood this and used it as a point of attack saying that Pilate never even existed, that there was no evidence of Pilate outside the New Testament. That changed in 1961 because of an archaeological find at Caesarea Maritima. A team of Italian archaeologists were excavating the theater there and found a stone with an inscription had been repurposed to be used in a repair. Some of the inscription was still legible and gave the names of Tiberius and Pontius Pilate, as well as the title Prefect of Judea. 8 As a result, the historicity of Pontius Pilate is no longer questioned. The importance of the life of the mind was directly addressed by Jesus Himself when He quoted the greatest commandment, which is found in Deuteronomy. In Matthew 22:37 Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” The Christian life is a balance of the intellect, emotions, and experience. God is the object on which they should all be focused, in which reason is grounded, and that which gives the world coherency and meaning. The importance of the life of the mind was directly addressed by Jesus Himself when He quoted the greatest commandment, which is found in Deuteronomy. In Matthew 22:37 Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind”Use and Abuse Two things need to be made clear at this point regarding the use of apologetics. First, the goal of Christian apologetics is not to win an argument at all costs. It is quite possible to win an argument but do it in such a way that it reflects badly on the gracious love of Jesus Christ. Christians are to speak truth in this world, and apologetics is one way believers do that. God could choose to make Himself known by knocking everyone to the ground for a few days as He did Paul. But instead God uses His people as His agents. And as His agents, Christians need to speak the truth in love. Sometimes this calls for using well-formed argument. Second, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to save people; it is the work of the Christian to bear witness to the truth. The Holy Spirit takes such witness and uses it to open the minds and hearts of those who listen. An apologist is not going to ever argue someone into the kingdom. Christians need to do their job in an informed and gracious way and try not to add any offense or stumbling block to the gospel. The Christian worldview is not proven in one or two strokes, but is rather verified by appealing to a wide and compelling variety of converging arguments. “Christianity is shown to be the best explanation for origin and nature of the universe as well as the human condition and the facts of history. Moreover, Christians must be pastoral in their apologetic practices. We must care deeply for the lost, not simply desire to defeat their arguments. The stakes are too high for apologetic one-upmanship.—Douglas Groothius Tollers and Jack A good example of an informed, gracious Christian's participation in the salvation of another took place on September 19, 1931, at Magdalen College, Oxford. That evening three men were strolling along Addison's Walk. One man, Jack, was a longtime atheist who had recently embraced theism but had many objections to Christianity. The other two men were Christians. They shared a common interest in mythology and that night were discussing what gave myths their truth. Tollers, one of the Christians, argued that the truth of myth is the degree to which it reflects the story of Jesus. He then went on to explain and argue for the truthfulness of Christianity. The conversation continued into the early morning back in Jack's room. The arguments and manner of Tollers and Hugo Dyson, the third friend, had a profound impact on Jack. Twelve days later Jack wrote in a letter, “I have just passed on from believing in God to definitely believing in Christ—in Christianity….My long night talk with Dyson and Tolkien had a good deal to do with it.” 10 Jack had committed himself intellectually and spiritually to Jesus. Over the next thirty years Jack grew to become the most popular Christian apologist of the twentieth century. Jack was the nickname of C. S. Lewis, author of not only apologetics works, but alsoof novels for both children and adults as well as works in his academic specialty—medieval and renaissance literature. Tollers went on to incorporate his ideas about myth into his own elaborate mythology. His works of fantasy are now widely regarded as the greatest works of the fantasy genre. Tollers was the nickname of J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings trilogy as well as The Hobbit. Tolkien and Dyson had no way of knowing, of course, what impact that conversation would have, or even that the conversation on their walk would turn to that subject. But they were prepared to respond when the subject did arise. And who knows how many others they helped in the same way. Addison's Walk at Oxford—one of C. S. Lewis's favorite paths. In light of the command to be able to give a defense for the truth that is within us and to love God with all our minds, we must equip ourselves with the facts, evidence, and arguments for Christianity. Conclusion In light of the command to be able to give a defense for the truth that is within us and to love God with all our minds, we must equip ourselves with the facts, evidence, and arguments for Christianity. We must equip ourselves with a knowledge of the culture we live in and a will to engage it. And we must equip ourselves with a manner that can administer an antidote effectively. We are not to be clanging gongs but as the most beautiful music—welcoming, infectious, and irresistible. To begin this training, we will start by assuming nothing. Before we can talk about Christianity, we must be able to show that God exists, period. But can we reasonably believe that God exists? And if God does exist, which religion describes Him most accurately? The next section looks at several arguments for God's existence and His attributes. We will then compare our discoveries with how God is viewed by a variety of religions Notable Quote When people see this—our love for one another and our unity through love—then they will in turn be drawn by this to Christ and will respond to the gospel's offer of salvation. More often than not, it is what you are rather than what you say that will bring an unbeliever to Christ. This, then, is the ultimate apologetic. For the ultimate apologetic is: your life. — William Lane Craig” The Bible is to be both studied and applied. A biblical worldview influences how Christians live. Therefore, understanding the Bible’s view on life’s topics is important for both belief and practice. [Ed Hindson (2017). (p. 4). Everyday Biblical Worldview. B&H Academic. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com]