DESCRIPTION:

The task of apologetics is to argue for the credibility of the gospel. Challenges to that credibility are presented via questions such as: How can we reconcile our affirmation of the reality of a good God with the manifest reality of evil? Is the estimation that the Christian faith compares favorably to its alternatives justifiable? How do we maintain the ongoing relevance of appeal to a premodern source such as the Bible? The intent of this course is to develop the student's competency to address such challenges.

In that questions such as the above occur to nonbelievers and believers alike, this course will provide the student with historical and philosophical resources for ministry to both. As a prepared apologist, the student will emerge from this course well aware of the most relevant objections to the Christian faith, abreast of the most persuasive treatments of these objections advanced and practiced in critically formulating a personal response.

The class will meet twice a week for a four-hour period (5:00-9:00 p.m.). Lecture, supplemented by assigned readings, will be the chief means of introducing course content, allowing for responsive dialogue on related items. Toward the end of the course, class time will also be given to small group presentations on areas of interest.

Murphy, Nancey. Beyond Liberalism and Fundamentalism. Trinity Press, 1996.

Stackhouse, John G., Jr. Can God Be Trusted? Oxford University Press, 1998.

Wood, W. Jay. Epistemology: Becoming Intellectually Virtuous. InterVarsity Press, 1998.

Course reader.

Credit for the course will be determined by the completion of assigned readings, three 7-page essays, one small group presentation and three 2-page critiques of the presentations.

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Meets M. Div. core requirement in Philosophical Theology (PHIL).

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