DESCRIPTION:

This course explores the major challenges that Christianity faces in North America at the end of the 20th 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. This course will have a significant focus on community building.

1000 pages of reading from the following required books and selections from recommended books:

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

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

Middleton, J. Richard and Brian J. Walsh. Truth is Stranger Than It Used To Be. InterVarsity Press, 1995.

Murphy, Nancey. Anglo-American Postmodernity. Westview, 1997.

Newbigin, Lesslie. The Gospel in a Pluralist Society. Eerdmans, 1990.

Platcher, William L. Unapologetic Theology: A Christian Voice in a Pluralistic Conversation. WJKP, 1989.

A Course syllabus consisting of 50 to 100 pages.

Berger, Peter. A Rumor of Angels. Anchor, 1990. OR The Heretical Imperative, Anchor, 1979.

Berger, Peter and Thomas Luckmann. The Social Construction of Reality. Doubleday, 1966.

Bonino, Jose Miquez. Doing Theology in a Revolutionary Situation. Fortress, 1975.

Clark, David K. Dialogical Apologetics. Baker, 1993.

Clark, David and William Edgar. Reasons of the Heart: Rediscovering Christian Persuasion. Baker, 1996.

Dyrness, William. Emerging Voices in Global Christian Theology. Zondervan, 1994.

Groothuis, Douglas. Unmasking the New Age. InterVarsity Press, 1986.

Sproul, R. C., John Gerstner and Arthur Lindsley. Classical Apologetics. Zondervan, 1984.

Stackhouse, Max. Apologia. Eerdmans, 1988.

Turner, James. Without God, Without Creed. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1985.

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 will be done in learning groups of 3 or 4, due the last day of exam week.