The task of the apologist

Christian apologetics is the branch of Christian theology that is concerned with defending the truth of Christian doctrines. It is the vindication of the Christian philosophy of life against the various forms of the non-Christian philosophy of life. It involves the systematic use of information and arguments to vindicate the beliefs and practices of Christianity against all who choose to oppose it. This typically includes addressing questions and challenges posed by non-Christians or sceptics, as well as clarifying and explaining Christian beliefs to both believers and non-believers. By studying Christian apologetics, Christians will be prepared to “make a defence” when asked to. The nature of the “defence” should be built on the sure foundation of God’s Word, described as the sword of the Spirit, living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword. 

In my observation of the local South African context, throughout much of the 20th and into the early 21st century, the practice of apologetics was notably absent in numerous Christian communities. During this time, the Reformed Church saw significant growth and encountered little in the way of cultural resistance. This led to an environment where the skill of effectively defending the Christian faith was not emphasized, inadvertently cultivating a generation inclined towards fideism - a form of faith rooted more in unquestioning belief than in reasoned understanding. The prevailing teaching was to "believe the Bible" and "not to question," which seemed sufficient in a society predominantly Christian. While individuals genuinely held to the Bible's teachings and placed their trust in Jesus Christ for salvation, this approach left many ill-equipped to articulate and defend their faith. The consequences of this educational gap became particularly apparent when these individuals faced probing questions or challenges about their beliefs, often posed by their children (now being raised in the age of the internet and information) seeking deeper understanding.

I sometimes ponder how many of the elders in the church will be able to withstand the arguments of the Jehovah's Witnesses and positively put forth their reason for believing in the divinity of Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinitarian God. The arguments that Jehovah's Witnesses make today are rehashes of the same arguments that the Arians made at the first council of Nicea (circa 325). The Arians were refuted by the elders of the church, and the Nicean creed was established which is still confessed by churches in the 21st century. Will our modern elders be able to do the same, or have they blindly (and might I respectfully add, lazily) accepted the Nicean creed at face value without truly making the contents of the creed their own?  If a Christian finds them baffled by objections or arguments raised by non-Christians, it's because apologetics has been neglected.

 1 Peter 3:14–16 tells us that every Christian is to be prepared to give an answer or “make a defence” when their faith is challenged. Apologetics, then, concerns the defence of the Christian faith against all forms of unbelief. The word “apologetics” comes from the Greek word ἀπολογία (apologia) in verse 15. This is a legal term, meaning a defence against an accusation in a court of law. “But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them [those who are out to harm you], nor be troubled, but in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame.” (1 Peter 3:14–16, ESV). 1 Peter was written to Christians who were facing severe persecution. The group was enduring hardship, scattered and subjected to unfair persecution. Peter encouraged them, urging them to stay steadfast during these challenging times. He reminded them that God would ultimately uphold justice on their behalf, reassuring them of the certainty of the salvation promised by the Lord. This is why, before commanding them to be prepared to give a defence of their faith, Peter reminded them to “honour Christ as Lord”. The battle ultimately belongs to the Lord.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 further indicates that we are to demolish all arguments and lofty opinions that raise themselves against the knowledge of God. The passage further indicates that our weapons have a divine power to destroy the strongholds of unbelief. “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, ESV).

The problem with philosophically “neutral” apologetics

Many Christians have endeavoured to defend Christian doctrines from what is deemed a neutral perspective rather than an explicitly Christian perspective as the above texts seem to require. This neutral perspective does not inherently regard the Christian worldview as the fundamental basis for understanding reality. Instead, it operates under the assumption that the primary deficiency in non-Christians is a lack of “information”. If non-Christians are just presented with “more facts” and “follow the logic”, the neutral apologist argues, they would expand their existing set of beliefs to also accept the Christian beliefs. But, Scripture offers an alternative viewpoint, suggesting that the issue with unbelievers is not merely a deficiency in “information”. Instead, unbelief is characterized as a state of outright rebellion against divine truth. As previously quoted, in 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul writes about “... [destroying] arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and [taking] every thought captive to obey Christ”. This verse suggests that our reasoning and arguments should not be detached from (or neutral to) our faith in Christ, but rather be in submission to Him. Moreover, Proverbs 1:7 states, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction”. This implies that true knowledge and wisdom start with a reverence for God rather than ending with it, contradicting the idea of a “neutral” or secular starting point for defending the faith. Instead of adopting a neutral standpoint, Christians ought to acknowledge and embrace the Christian worldview as the foundation for all reasoning and thus the defence of their faith. Furthermore, Colossians 2:8 warns against being taken “[captive] by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” If “neutrality” was a non-issue, why would the apostle call philosophy according to human tradition “empty deceit”? Our philosophy, then, ought to be according to Christ, and our arguments with non-Christians will be firmly based on this philosophy. Now, surely some might take offence at this point, but we’ll discuss the deeper reasoning for this in the coming chapters of this book.

Paul's opening in the early verses of Colossians 2 is a profound declaration of the essence and supremacy of Christ in our philosophical endeavours. He wishes for all those in Laodicea to “... be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this so that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.” (Colossians 2:1-4, ESV). This passage goes beyond a superficial acknowledgement of Christ’s mere intellectual capacity: It asserts that apart from Christ, true wisdom and understanding remain elusive. The essence of Paul's message is that the wisdom and knowledge presented by the world, albeit seemingly credible, are intrinsically flawed and empty because they are detached from Christ, the Creator. Through this, Paul emphasizes that genuine knowledge and discernment are inherently bound to Christ, without whom any understanding is void and delusive. The knowledge of Christ as Creator, therefore, is not a conclusion that we reach after much independent reasoning with unbelievers as if the knowledge of Christ is merely a cherry atop the sundae. It is a fundamental starting point for our apologetics. 

By the conclusion of this book, how "neutral" apologetics falls short due to its insufficient recognition of the Creator-creature distinction and its underestimation of sin's profound impact on the reasoning of those in rebellion against God will be more thoroughly and precisely understood.

The importance of apologetics

In our contemporary Christian world, the significance of apologetics cannot be overstated. As believers, we are increasingly confronted with a myriad of ungodly ideas. Some are in clear and outright opposition to Christianity, and others seem to differ in subtle and harder-to-detect ways from biblical truth. Concepts like the “prosperity gospel”, “name it and claim it”, phrases such as “speak life,” and the emergence of various Christian sects continually challenge our youth. The ability to identify and refute such deviations from orthodox Christian teachings hinges on our understanding of the Bible. Just as it is impossible to recognize a counterfeit without a thorough knowledge of the genuine article, so discerning the nuances of false teachings requires a solid grounding in biblical truth.

Apologetics plays a crucial role in the education of children within the Christian faith. It equips us to confidently impart the Christian worldview to our children, enabling us to address even their simplest queries from a distinctly Christian standpoint. In today’s world, our children are sure and quick to encounter ideas and beliefs that are at odds with their Christian upbringing. Through apologetics, we can guide them effectively through these challenging situations. It involves not just explaining why we adhere to certain beliefs and reject others, but also demonstrating the reasons underpinning our beliefs, along with highlighting the flaws in contrary viewpoints. This approach instils a vital sense of confidence in children as they explore and understand their world. As our children venture out to explore and understand the world around them, the body of knowledge they develop must be well-grounded and interconnected. This approach ensures that they don't merely accumulate isolated and disjointed facts, but instead, construct a cohesive and comprehensive understanding of the world, anchored in a well-rounded and integrated Christian framework. This helps in building a strong foundation in their faith, reducing the likelihood of them drifting away from their Christian roots in later life.

Apologetics also plays a vital role in providing clarity on complex theological issues through the development of robust arguments. Consider the doctrine of the Trinity. Many doctrinal matters that are now established within the Church were once subjects of intense apologetic debate. A prime example is the divinity of Christ also mentioned earlier, a topic vigorously discussed during the Council of Nicaea. The elders of the Church not only vindicated this doctrine but also formulated the Nicene Creed. Despite its acceptance by the universal church, modern sects (like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christ in Me International [CiM] and others) still challenge the truth of the Trinity (albeit for sinister reasons). To effectively engage in apologetic discussions with these groups, it is essential to be well-versed in the reasons and evidence underpinning our confessions and doctrines. It's not sufficient to simply quote the Nicene Creed when engaging with someone like a Jehovah’s Witness, as they’ve been trained to reject the Nicene Creed on the grounds of various proof texts and revisionist historical facts. Therefore, in studying apologetics, not only do we equip ourselves to counter unbelief, but we also follow in the footsteps of the Christians who came before us to reinforce our Christian convictions and make them our own, rather than merely inheriting them. Whether serving as an elder, catechist, or in other capacities, solid training in the field of apologetics enhances our ability to guide, teach, and uphold the doctrinal integrity of the Church.

Moreover, being well-versed in apologetics cultivates a deep-seated confidence in the Christian faith, which profoundly influences our worship. This strengthened faith extends beyond the boundaries of Sunday services, permeating every moment of our daily lives. It transforms our worship from a weekly ritual into a continuous expression of our devotion and trust in God.

Apologetics, then, seems to be an interesting leeway for Christians to become versed in systematic theology. The more we study apologetics to defend against wide ranges of unbelief, the sooner we realise that we are defending the Christian worldview as a systematic whole, and to do this, we need to be versed in systematic theology. It’s for this reason that the following sections in the book will delve into a brief outline of a Christian systematic theology which underpins the Christian worldview. It would be a disappointment if my contribution to the world of apologetics in this book consisted solely of presenting “disjointed facts” that seemingly support the Christian worldview which lacks systematic grounding. Apologetics that rely on such fragmented information fails to foster confidence in both believers and non-believers alike, given the overwhelming abundance of facts available for study. Rather, focusing on the worldviews and the systematic nature of knowledge enables us to gain confidence in our Christian faith even though we don’t know and never will be able to study all the facts in the universe.

Finally, Christian apologetics can also be considered“pre-evangelism”, or as something that occurs as part of evangelism. Only in very rare cases does the preaching of the Gospel in and of itself result in the conversion of unbelievers. Usually, unbelievers have set questions about the Gospel itself, and it is in the answering of these questions that evangelism effectively becomes apologetics. Being well-versed in apologetics then instils the confidence to openly talk about the Gospel in the workplace, during family events and elsewhere, as you will be ready to give a defence truthfully and respectfully should any objections be thrown your way.