DESCRIPTION:

This course explores the major challenges that Christianity faces in North America at the turn of the 21st century. The approach is to develop an apologetic framework by (1) surveying the way Christians have defended the faith throughout the history of the church, (2) exploring a biblical model for understanding Christianity, and (3) developing a strategy for defending the truth of Christianity and thus commending the faith to unbelievers. The entire last section of the course will be devoted to studying issues the class feels are important with the tools we have developed.

As the Church increasingly finds itself in a secular environment that is hostile to the Gospel, the challenges it faces will often be apologetic in character. Moreover, Christian growth, both individually and corporately, involves facing these challenges honestly and developing apologetic strategies that support and complement our evangelism.

The class will meet weekly for a three-hour session. The course is divided into two sections. The first section will introduce apologetic method and give a brief overview of the history of apologetics. A mid-term exam will follow this part. During the remaining classes we will apply the apologetic method developed to particular apologetic problems, which students will study and address in learning groups. Curriculum for this part will be developed in consultation with students.

One of the following:

Dyrness, W. Christian Apologetics in a World Community. InterVarsity Press, 1982. OR

McGrath, Alister. Intellectuals Don't Need God. Zondervan, 1993. OR

Sproul, R. C., J. Gerstner and A. Lindsley. Classical Apologetics. Zondervan, 1984 (any 200 pp.).

Chang, Curtis. Engaging Unbelief. InterVarsity Press, 2000.

Groothuis, Douglas R. Truth Decay: Defining Christian Against the Challenges of Postmodernism. InterVarsity Press, 2000.

Ramachandra, Vinoth. Faiths in Conflict: Christian Integrity in a Multicultural World. InterVarsity Press, 1999.

Stackhouse, J. G. Humble Apologetics: Defending the Faith Today. Oxford University Press, 2003.

Apologetics Reader (100 pp.).

Berger, Peter, ed. The Desecularization of the World. Eerdmans, 1999.

Carter, Stephen. God's Name in Vain. Basic Books, 2000.

Grenz, Stanley. A Primer on Postmodernism. Eerdmans, 1996.

Hawking, Stephen. A Brief History of Time. Bantam Books, 1988.

Murphy, Nancey. Theology in the Age of Scientific Reasoning. Cornell University Press, 1990.

Scarry, Elaine. On Beauty and Being Just. Princeton, 2000.

Smith, James K. The Fall of Interpretation. InterVarsity Press, 2000.

Stackhouse, Max. Apologia. [Cross cultural Apologetics.] Eerdmans, 1988.

Westphal, Merold. Overcoming OntoTheology: Toward a Postmodern Christian Faith. Fordham University Press, 2001.

The course grade is dependent on the mid term exam (40%) after the first section of the course; a 5-7 page critical book review (20%) of one of the books in the recommended reading list due during the 8th week of class; and a 12-15 page paper/project (40%) on a particular apologetic problem, which may be done in learning groups of 3 or 4, due the last day of exam week.