Apologetics

noun, Gk. ἀπολογία
A branch of theology devoted to the defense of the divine origin and authority of Christianity

How to use this site

Before reading articles, there are some fundamental ideas worth noting for effective reading, logged here:

1. Without love, you are nothing

Love before logic. Jesus said this way better than I ever could, so I’ll leave you with some of the words he inspired first:

And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Colossians 4:6

…In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense 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 behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 1 Peter 3:15–16

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Ephesians 4:11-16

Keep the fruit of the spirit in your heart when you talk with non-Christians, especially in heated debates. Gentleness and kindness will make more of a difference in people’s hearts than logic in many scenarios. Above all, remain humble. Speak with authority, but without superiority. So many of the lost shut themselves out from Christianity because of past experiences with Christians who only bring half of the story of condemnation and redemption. Hellfire and always-agreeable talk end in doctrinal error by themselves, so whenever you attack someone’s argument, present the full story while remembering that the human underneath is the same one you were without Christ.

2. Humans will never prove or disprove Chrsitianity

There will always be enough light for those who want to see, but there will always be enough darkness for those who want to hide.
- Brandon McGuire, Daily Dose of Wisdom

Don’t misunderstand this principle. Logic does not go against God; in fact, to Christians, logic is proof of God. The truth is that people see abstract concepts like logic, good, beauty, et cetera differently based on environmental biases and personal beliefs.

The point of apologetics is not to prove the existence of what is by essence supernatural (God), it is to show that God is not incompatible with reality, with science. From a non-religious perspective, we must show that God is possible, maybe even likely. From an Islamic, Judaic, or Hindu perspective, we must show that the evidence points toward the triune God of the Christians, not their god. Use this content to show that to the world. Only God can truly change the heart; our job is to open the world’s minds to him.

3. Reading Defense pages by Section

Attack

At the beginning of each page will be an outline of the argument against Christianity. It may include a short blurb of historical context and key proponents.

Defense

The Defense section makes up the meat of each page. The systematic analysis and rebuttal to the argument introduced in Attack section are found here.

Conclusion

The name says it all.

Flipping the Attack

This section is included to offer references to Attack pages that naturally follow from the defense. For instance, The Epicurean Trilemma, an attack on God’s goodness by the presence of evil, will link to an article on how the presence of evil is actually proof of God.

Recursive Rebuttals

Recursive Rebuttals procedes down the line of possible argument stemming from the Defense just made. Many common responses are addressed here that aren’t addressed in Defense. Many of these arguments often lead into their own topics, so other pages will be linked for full reference; however, this section will remain quick bullet points.

Sources

Credit given where credit is due. This section is especially important in the historicity arguments department, where accurate sources are critical. Any article that argues about non-self-evident topics without sources is useless.