Frontline Apologetics: How to Respond to Honest Questions by Spiritual Seekers, Critical Challenges by Religious Skeptics, and Fallacious Comments by Argumentative Contrarians
Times and Locations:
Tuesdays, Jan. 10 – March 27, 7 PM, Perimeter Church
Course Synopsis:
Christians are often caught unprepared when confronted by honest questions by spiritual seekers, critical challenges by religious skeptics, and/or fallacious comments by argumentative contrarians.
Such encounters can be frustrating, unnerving, and even embarrassing, and often leave Christians wishing that they were better equipped to handle such situations. One reason why so many Christians are hesitant to share their faith is because they feel unprepared to handle tough questions and challenges from non-believers. It only takes one or two such encounters before many Christians decide to never again risk sharing their beliefs.
The purpose of this course is to identify many of the challenges that skeptics raise against the Christian faith, and to equip Christians to handle these and other objections clearly and effectively.
As an interactive and practical study, we’ll address many issues including…
- The problem of anti-intellectualism in contemporary evangelical Christianity.
- Apologetics tactics: How to deal effectively with honest questions, dishonest attacks, and ignorant and fallacious comments directed toward the Christian faith.
- Is everything relative, or is there such a thing as absolute truth?
- “Christians are intolerant and judgmental.”
- “There are many paths to God, and it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere.”
- “If Jesus is the only way to God, what about all those who have never heard of him?”
- Are Christianity and modern science compatible?
- How can intelligent people believe in miracles?
- What’s wrong with homosexual relations, and are people born gay?
- What’s wrong with a pro-choice position on abortion?
- Why politics matters.
- … and other issues, as time permits
Texts
Jefrey D. Breshears, The Problem of Christian Anti-Intellectualism (The Areopagus, 2010).
Gregory Koukl, Tactics (Zondervan, 2009).
Paul Copan, True for You But Not for Me (Bethany House, 1998, 2009).
Paul Copan, That’s Just Your Interpretation (BakerBooks, 2001).
Paul Copan, When God Goes To Starbucks (BakerBooks, 2008).