Home

This month, I’ll be running an introductory apologetics course at my church. The course will begin tonight and run for ten weeks. It’s open to anyone. Here are the details:

Introduction to Apologetics: defending the faith with reason and evidence

The apostle Paul, writing about the necessary qualifications for a minister of the gospel, says “He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” (Titus 1:9). It’s not enough to merely explain what Christianity is, Paul argues that it must also be defended. Apologetics is exactly this – providing a rational defense for the Christian truth-claims.

This course is for everyone who wants to dig deeper into the evidence for Christianity, confront honest questions about God and the Bible, and develop tools to talk effectively and meaningfully about the Gospel. Over ten weeks, we’ll examine topics like the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection, why God allows suffering, and how to declare the Gospel in a world that doesn’t believe in objective truth anymore. If you have ever wanted to connect your head with your heart or sharpen your evangelistic witness, this course can help you.

Course text book:
William Lane Craig, On Guard: Defending your faith with Reason and Precision

Course Overview:

Lesson 1. Getting started: What is apologetics and why is it necessary?

What the Bible tells us about giving reasons for why we believe, and the broader benefits of apologetics.

Lesson 2. Standing for Truth: How do we declare the Gospel in today’s world?

- What is the nature of truth and faith
- Knowing and showing the truth with grace
- What makes a good argument

Lesson 3. Cosmic evidence Part 1: For a Creator of the Universe

- Argument from sufficient reason
- Argument from the beginning of the universe

Lesson 4. Cosmic evidence Part 2: For a Fine-tuner of the Universe

- Intelligent Design and the argument for a cosmic designer
- What does it mean if evolution is true?

Lesson 5. Moral Evidence: Does the universe need a Moral-Lawgiver?

- On the Moral Argument for God’s existence from objective moral values and duties

Lesson 6. Historical Evidence Part 1: Who did Jesus believe he was?

- Assessing the trilemma of Lunatic, Liar, Lord
- Jesus’ radical self-conception in the Gospels
- The problem of miracles: are they possible, and can we know it?

Lesson 7. Historical Evidence Part 2: Did Jesus rise from the dead?

- Historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus

Lesson 8. Deliver Us From Evil: Can we reconcile a good God with the suffering in the world?

- Assessing the problem of evil and providing an explanation for the suffering in world and why it seems that God hides from us.

Lesson 9. The Scandal of Christian Particularism: Is Jesus the Only Way?

- Answering common objections to the problem posed by religious diversity and those who never hear the gospel.

Lesson 10. By the Book: Why is the Bible a Reliable Guide to knowing God?

- A sketch of the external and internal evidence for the New Testament and how to deal with alleged discrepancies in the Bible.

In association with: Thinking Matters and Encounter Christian Centre