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First Short Assignment: How does the general postmodernist approach to truth challenge the task of Christian apologetics in the contemporary world? Class: PR501 – Defending the Christian Faith Date Due: Oct. 9, 2002 Date Submitted: Oct. 9, 2002 Submitted by: Jason Smith Campus Box: XXX Introduction This paper will discuss the challenge of the postmodernist approach to truth to the task of Christian apologetics. Some may wonder about the need for apologetics in the contemporary world. In response to this, I will begin by defining the nature, purpose, and justification of Christian apologetics. I will then define what a worldview is and explain its importance for apologetics. Once the importance of a worldview is established, I will expound the tenets of a Christian worldview. I will conclude by briefly explaining the postmodernist worldview, and proposing an apologetic method that I feel adequately deals with the challenges of the postmodernist view of truth. Nature, Purpose, and Justification of Apologetics At its most basic level, apologetics means to give a defense of an already held idea, position, or cause. Apologetics often refers to a branch of philosophy that deals with the defense of a religious or theological position, but this is not required by most definitions and is not a purely Christian exercise. You will find apologists for various religions and philosophies such as: Islam, Judaism, naturalism, relativistic postmodernism, as well as many others. For the purposes of this paper, I will use apologetics to mean “the rational defense of the Christian worldview as objectively true and existentially or subjectively engaging.” The purpose of apologetics is to define and defend the truth-claims that make up the Christian worldview. This is important to the Christian disciplines of theology and evangelism, as well as to individual Christians in their daily lives. A systematic or integrated theology that cannot be adequately defended or shown to be rationally coherent is really no theology at all. Apologetics can pave the way for evangelism by removing obstacles to the Gospel, and showing the weaknesses in alternative views. Apologetics also helps to assure Christians who must defend their faith in a relativistic, pluralistic, and hostile world. Ronald Nash defines two types of apologetics. He calls them negative apologetics and positive apologetics. This is not to say that one type is bad and the other good. Negative apologetics is a defensive position that focuses on finding weaknesses in alternative worldviews and responding to questions and attacks of the Christian faith by alternative religions and philosophies. Positive apologetics is an offensive position that seeks to convince people of the truth-claims that the Christian worldview holds. So, apologetics is useful for both defending the Christian faith against attack and advancing it through sound, rational arguments. It can be seen from the benefits discussed above that apologetics is justified. It brings glory to God by turning people to Him, and defends the truths that God has revealed through general and special revelation.
Approximate Word count = 1901
Approximate Pages = 7.6
(250 words per page double spaced)
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