Apologetics Final

Question 1

General vs special revelation

Answer 1

General - available to all people, all times. enough to condemn but not save

Special - revealed at certain times through certain people.

Question 2

Trinitarian apologetics vs. general theism

Answer 2

Persuading for the Christain God

Question 3

The four apologetic methods

Answer 3

1. classical -
   two-step, 1) introduce “god”
   2) introduce Christ
2. presuppositional - top-down approach, God as starting point. Tares down opposing views.
3. evidential - one step, historical Jesus, proof of the resurrection
4. expirmental/narrative - goal not to win but to invite into sotry

Question 4

Key figures within each apologetic method

Answer 4

1. Classical - William Lane Craig
2. Presuppositional - Cornelius Van Til
3. Evidential - Lee Strobel, John Warwick
4. Experimental/narrative - C.S. Lewis

Question 5

The cosmological argument

Answer 5

Being from cause

God is the uncaused causer

1. Whatever begins to exist has a cause
2. The universe began to exist
3. Therefore, the universe has a cause

Question 6

The teleological argument

Answer 6

Created with an end/purpose in mind

Fine-tuning - perfect conditions for life
(fundamental constant - narrow range for life)

Question 7

The moral argument

Question 8

presuppositions

Answer 8

assumptions, the lens a person sees the world through

Question 9

The impossibility of the contrary

Answer 9

presuppostional

borrowed capital - believer can account for unbeliever can’t

Question 10

Romans 1 and the state of humanity

Answer 10

Paul makes it clear that despite fallen nature, humankind has a knowledge of God, and is therefore without excuse

Question 11

Plausibility structures

Answer 11

How inclined we are to believe in something if the people around us believe it too.

Question 12

sensus divinitatis

Answer 12

All men have the sense of the divine

Question 13

Contextualization: Peter and Paul’s apologetic

Answer 13

acts 17 (paul) uses culture to explain

Question 14

Cumulative case

Answer 14

Soft forms seem to suggest, there are many possible ways to make a case for Christianity.

Question 15

The difference between apologists at the cross and apologists of glory

Answer 15

Apologetics at the cross - not concerned with self (humility, honesty, and boldness)

Submit to God and his word

Apologetics of glory - expect total success and aim to win (seek honor, power and persoonal satisfaction)

Dimish the scandal of the cross to make it more appealing to current culture

Question 16

Modern pluralism

Answer 16

believe what ever you want

Question 17

The features of pre-modernism, modernism, and post-modernism

Answer 17

Pre-modernism - authority: the Church. God’s existence: assumed

modernism: shift towards tools and systems. Empericism, autonomy, and man-centered.

post-modernism - a tolerant system where all get along. Share. Accept all religions.

Question 18

The Immanent Frame, the age of the spinmeister and how they relate to apologetics

Answer 18

the way we spin the truth and present it.

Often more important to be first than right, which breeds distrust and skepticism, especially towards authority.

steer people in desired conclusions

Question 19

The difference between a spin and a take

Answer 19

Spin - an overconfident picture in which we cant imagine it to be any other way.

Take - understanding the pull and tug of alternatives views, reconizeing different view points.

Question 20

The Columbo Tactic (three)

Answer 20

Named after detective, no pressure appologetics

1. what do you mean by that?
2. how did you come to that conclusion?
3. Can you clear something up for me?

accomplishes:
1. gathers information
2. shifts the burden of proof
3. exposes inconsistencies.

Question 21

Faith in light of evidence/reason

Answer 21

Belief that faith is harmful and foolish. Everything requires faith. faith is how we recieve what God has done for us.

Fidelism - that faith and evidence oppose eachother

naturalism is a self defeator
science can be the only valid way to iscover truth (scientiscim) because how do we know science is truth.

Question 22

Lewis’ argument from reason

Answer 22

Idea of desire - cause and effect doesn’t exist (no cause, no effect).

reasoning isn’t possible, ground to consequence

?claims that naturalism (the belief that only matter and natural processes exist) is self-refuting because it cannot account for reliable reason?

Question 23

The Christian sexual ethic in apologetics

Answer 23

belief: Christian ethics is dehumanizing

Reality: humanizing and life-giving
- life-giving literally
- Christianity approves the body
- givenness and oughtness
If we redefine something sacred, there’s no given.

Question 24

The two types of argument for the problem of evil and suffering

Answer 24

Intellectual problem - it is irrational that God would permit evil

local version - it is impossible that God and evil co-exist

probabilistic version - it is improbable that God and evil co-exist

Emotional problem - “I don’t like a God that would permit evil”

Question 25

Historical responses to the problem of evil

Answer 25

Epicurus - if God is willing to prevent evil but is unable, God is not omnipotent; if God is able but unwilling, God is not benevolent; if God is both able and willing, why does evil exist; and if God is neither able nor willing, why call this being "God." Free will and ordination of evil - ordains but not responsible Greater Good Argue - ultimately permitted evil to achieve something greater

Question 26

Inside Out approach

Question 27

Implement the Inside Out method against expressive individualism.

Question 28

Potential Essay: Make a case for the importance of asking questions in apologetics. Explain how Jesus utilized this in his ministry.

Question 29

Potential Essay: Respond to the following defeater: Christianity restricts individual freedom.

Question 30

Potential Essay: Explain how faith isn’t opposed to evidences and reason

Question 31

Potential Essay: Respond to the following statement: “A God who is omnibenevolent and omnipotent cannot exist because of evil and suffering in the world.”

Question 32

Potential Essay: Make a case to the unbeliever why the Christian sexual ethic is a humanizing and lifegiving ethic. Touch on at least two of the following issues: gender binary, transgenderism, intersex, homosexuality, marriage, and/or pornography.