Lecture 4: History of Apologetics, Pt. 3 Flashcards
Who said that God has arranged the universe such that there is enough evidence for those who want to believe, but enough shadow for those who wish not to?
Pascal
Define presuppositional apologetics.
Argument must start with the Bible, because the noetic effect of sin means there is no common ground shared between the believer and skeptic.
How did Schaeffer view nature and grace?
Because we have separated nature from grace, nature eats up grace. Grace (revelation) had been replaced with nature (rationalism).
Define dialogical apologetics.
A person-oriented approach that emphasizes persuasion over proof, recognizing that people grasp truth on different levels.
Give a weakness of classical apologetics.
There is a danger of placing too much confidence in reason, and postmodernity in particular views this with suspicion.
What was Luther’s battle cry with respect to reason?
Sola fide, sola gratia. (Only faith, only grace.)
Give a strength of classical apologetics.
Starting with nature itself (a common experience), it realizes people come from different world views.
Give a weakness of existential apologetics.
It may apply equally to other faith systems.
Where does existentialism place its emphasis?
On action, rather than speculation. First act, then decide later.
Give an example of someone who used a trascendental argument in his presuppositional apologetics.
Cornelius Van Til
Give a criticism of the ‘big four’ types of apologetics with regard to audience.
People have various reasons to avoid belief, and even the most watertight argument may be rejected.
Who believed in “inference to the best explanation,” that belief in God’s existence offers the best solution to a wide range of observable data, and that it is more likely that God exists than that He does not?
Richard Swinburne
Where does classical apologetics get its name?
From the assumption that the church fathers used it.
Give Calvin’s view on natural theology.
We can discern something of God’s attributes by looking at creation, but we need Scripture to understand God fully.
Define existential apologetics.
This stresses the appeal of the Christian experience, including God’s work in the sinner’s heart. It rejects any rational appeals.
Barth used which type of apologetics?
Existential apologetics
Define evidentialist apologetics.
Evidentialism uses historical evidence or miracles to establish theism.
For Pascal, which two types of people are reasonable?
Those who know God and serve him with their whole heart, and those who are seeking him with their whole hearts.
Define trascendental argument.
An argument that tries to show certain presuppositions are required in order to create the possibility of rationality.
Who developed dialogical apologetics?
David Clark
Kierkegaard used which type of apologetics?
Existential apologetics
Give a weakness of presuppositional apologetics.
Not everyone will be willing to start by assuming faith for argument’s sake. It fails to recognize any common ground between believer and skeptic.
Who believed that certainties of faith are unattainable except to those who love?
Pascal
Who believed that those who want to believe but couldn’t should begin engaging in the practices?
Pascal
Pascal used which type of apologetics?
Existential apologetics
Give the ‘big four’ types of apologetics.
Classical
Evidentialist
Presuppositional
Existential
What kind of rationalism does dialogical apologetics use?
“Soft rationalism,” in between fideism and rationalism.
Give a criticism of the ‘big four’ types of apologetics with regard to truth.
They fail to acknowledge the difference between truth and understanding of truth - knowledge can be arrived at through different paths.
William Paley’s Natural Theology is which type of apologetics?
Evidentialist
Who called humankind a “thinking reed”?
Pascal
Define classical apologetics.
A two-part method:
- Use natural theology to establish God’s existence
- Establish the Christian understanding of God based on other evidence (e.g. miracles)
What did Pascal profess about reason?
We should use a “heart” or inner reason that relies on intuitive logic.
What distinguishes dialogical apologetics from the ‘big four’?
The others are content-oriented, versus dialogical is person-oriented.
Give a strength of existential apologetics.
It acknowledges that faith comes not from dry arguments but from a relationship with a living God. Also, by avoiding use of reason, it may be more appealing to a postmodern society.
Give a strength of presuppositional apologetics.
It has a healthy skepticism of reason and it recognizes that someone’s worldview may influence how someone views ‘evidence’ for God’s existence.
It acknowledges that all reality must be interpreted, and only God has the objective view. Still, the Christian viewpoint is the most accurate view of reality.
Who founded a fellowship in Switzerland, and invited people to come and talk about their beliefs, then would introduce Christianity when their beliefs fell apart under probing?
Francis Schaeffer
Presuppositional apologetics starts by asking the individual to accept what for the sake of argument?
To assume the Bible is true.
