If you missed the class listen to it here!
This Week’s Downloads:
| Week | Date | Topic | Student Notes | Audio | PowerPoint | Teacher
notes |
| 1 | 2/11 | Introduction to Course | Notes | MP3 | PPT | Notes |
Homework downloads:
Homework: Paul’s Use of Apologetics in Evangelism
Here are some Highlights from today’s class:
I. Syllabus Review
Course Goal:
To compare the core beliefs of the Christian faith with other competing religions so that students will know in general what makes the Christian faith distinctive and in particular how it differs from other faiths/belief systems.
Course Description:
This course will present the core of the Christian faith and compare the differences with core of other major world views and world religions
Required Text:
So What’s the Difference? – by Fritz Ridenour
Recommended Texts:
- Questioning Evangelism: Engaging People’s Hearts the Way Jesus Did 2nd Edition – by Randy Newman (listen to a podcast by Randy Here where he summarizes his book into a single message)
- Kingdom of the Cults – by Walter Martin (Author), Ravi Zacharias (Editor)
Three Ways to Benefit from this Class
- To get something from this class
- Come to each class ready to learn
- To get more from this class
- Come to each class ready to learn
- Complete the weekly reading assignment
- To get the most from this class:
- Come to each class ready to learn
- Complete the weekly reading assignment
- Complete weekly homework assignments and final paper
II. Apologetics Definition
Definition
- “In it’s simplest form, apologetics is knowing what you believe, why you believe it and being able to communicate that to others”[1] – Voddie Baucham
- The term ‘apologetics’ comes from the Greek word ἀπολογία (apologia) to make an oral defense
- It is a judicial term which describes the way a lawyer defends his client in a court room (2 Tim. 4:16).
- It is not a military term.
The Goal of Apologetics in General
- The goal is: ‘Winning people to Christ’ and not ‘Winning arguments about Christ’
Branches of Christian Apologetics
1. Positive Arguments
Building a positive case for the Christian Faith (Romans 1:19-20, Luke 24:39; Isaiah 1:18; 1 Peter 3:15; Acts 1:3)
“…always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear…” 1 Peter 3:15
2. Negative Arguments
Answering objections against the Faith (2 Cor. 10:5, Titus 1:9-11). The goal is to defend and uphold God’s truth by refuting error
Titus 1:9
9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.
2 Corinthians 10:5
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ
3. Purposeful Arguments (aka evangelical)
Paving the way for the Gospel. Pre-Evangelism: We cannot effectively evangelize until we first pre-evangelize.
The Patter of Paul:
He started where they were and took them where they needed to go (A to Z evangelism)
III. Worldview
Definition
What is a worldview?
What’s your worldview video Here[2] – short story
Book Definition:
“your world view is the set of assumptions that make up your personal outlook on the nature of the world and how to live in that world day by day. It is your, ‘set of beliefs about the most important issues in life.’” (6-7)
Ravi Zacharias: video here[3] – answering the question, ‘What is a worldview?’
He states:
“A worldview is a set of assumptions or assertions you have made through which you look at every choice and every decision that ultimately comes in life.”
There are four questions, or categories of questions, which reveal a worldview:[4]
- Origin – Where did I come from?
- Meaning – What gives life meaning?
- Morality – How do I separate right from wrong?
- Destiny – What is the end of all of this?
Worldview in relationship to beliefs, thoughts, feelings[5]
Image a pyramid with Worldview at the base, Beliefs build on top of that and Thoughts on the very top being informed by both worldview and beliefs. When speaking with those of other worldviews we should begin with foundation (i.e. worldview) questions and not in beliefs and thoughts which are built upon a different foundation.
Worldview Analysis
Note: The Briefing with Al Mohler
https://albertmohler.com/the-briefing
A daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview
There are Differences:
The poet Steve Turner describes brilliantly what many think when it comes to religion: “Jesus was a good man just like Buddha, Mohammed, and ourselves. We believe he was a good teacher of morals but we believe that his good morals are really bad. We believe that all religions are basically the same, at least the one we read was. They all believe in love and goodness, they only differ on matters of creation, sin, heaven, hell, God, and salvation.”[6]
How to test the quality of a world view[7]
Two ultimate tests:
- Correspondence – correspond to reality – external consistency
- Coherence – as a whole worldview it does not contradict itself – internal consistency
Three steps in analysis:
- Logical consistency
- Empirical adequacy
- Experiential relevance
Worldview Comparison
The Danger of “Knowing” when you don’t really Know
- Knowing some brute facts about a religion
- Knowing the person
- The old saying is appropriate: “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
________________________________________________
End Notes:
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKrusciTYos&t=149s 2:40 Expository Apologetics Part 1 | Voddie Baucham, Dmin
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXnSE0uvwzM
[3] https://vimeo.com/47662226
[4] http://rzim.org/just-a-thought-broadcasts/a-coherent-worldview/ 4 podcasts on worldview are here http://rzim.org/?s=worldview
[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVzMiu8KoW0&t=63s
[6] http://rzim.org/a-slice-of-infinity/arent-all-religions-the-same/ for the full creed see https://www.apuritansmind.com/apologetics/steveturnercreed/
[7] From Ravi Zacharias https://vimeo.com/47662226
Valley Springs Bible School 