Lecture 4: History of Apologetics, Pt. 3

Question 1

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?

Answer 1

Pascal

Question 2

Define presuppositional apologetics.

Answer 2

Argument must start with the Bible, because the noetic effect of sin means there is no common ground shared between the believer and skeptic.

Question 3

How did Schaeffer view nature and grace?

Answer 3

Because we have separated nature from grace, nature eats up grace. Grace (revelation) had been replaced with nature (rationalism).

Question 4

Define dialogical apologetics.

Answer 4

A person-oriented approach that emphasizes persuasion over proof, recognizing that people grasp truth on different levels.

Question 5

Give a weakness of classical apologetics.

Answer 5

There is a danger of placing too much confidence in reason, and postmodernity in particular views this with suspicion.

Question 6

What was Luther’s battle cry with respect to reason?

Answer 6

Sola fide, sola gratia. (Only faith, only grace.)

Question 7

Give a strength of classical apologetics.

Answer 7

Starting with nature itself (a common experience), it realizes people come from different world views.

Question 8

Give a weakness of existential apologetics.

Answer 8

It may apply equally to other faith systems.

Question 9

Where does existentialism place its emphasis?

Answer 9

On action, rather than speculation. First act, then decide later.

Question 10

Give an example of someone who used a trascendental argument in his presuppositional apologetics.

Answer 10

Cornelius Van Til

Question 11

Give a criticism of the ‘big four’ types of apologetics with regard to audience.

Answer 11

People have various reasons to avoid belief, and even the most watertight argument may be rejected.

Question 12

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?

Answer 12

Richard Swinburne

Question 13

Where does classical apologetics get its name?

Answer 13

From the assumption that the church fathers used it.

Question 14

Give Calvin’s view on natural theology.

Answer 14

We can discern something of God’s attributes by looking at creation, but we need Scripture to understand God fully.

Question 15

Define existential apologetics.

Answer 15

This stresses the appeal of the Christian experience, including God’s work in the sinner’s heart. It rejects any rational appeals.

Question 16

Barth used which type of apologetics?

Answer 16

Existential apologetics

Question 17

Define evidentialist apologetics.

Answer 17

Evidentialism uses historical evidence or miracles to establish theism.

Question 18

For Pascal, which two types of people are reasonable?

Answer 18

Those who know God and serve him with their whole heart, and those who are seeking him with their whole hearts.

Question 19

Define trascendental argument.

Answer 19

An argument that tries to show certain presuppositions are required in order to create the possibility of rationality.

Question 20

Who developed dialogical apologetics?

Answer 20

David Clark

Question 21

Kierkegaard used which type of apologetics?

Answer 21

Existential apologetics

Question 22

Give a weakness of presuppositional apologetics.

Answer 22

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.

Question 23

Who believed that certainties of faith are unattainable except to those who love?

Answer 23

Pascal

Question 24

Who believed that those who want to believe but couldn’t should begin engaging in the practices?

Answer 24

Pascal

Question 25

Pascal used which type of apologetics?

Answer 25

Existential apologetics

Question 26

Give the ‘big four’ types of apologetics.

Answer 26

Classical
Evidentialist
Presuppositional
Existential

Question 27

What kind of rationalism does dialogical apologetics use?

Answer 27

“Soft rationalism,” in between fideism and rationalism.

Question 28

Give a criticism of the ‘big four’ types of apologetics with regard to truth.

Answer 28

They fail to acknowledge the difference between truth and understanding of truth - knowledge can be arrived at through different paths.

Question 29

William Paley’s Natural Theology is which type of apologetics?

Answer 29

Evidentialist

Question 30

Who called humankind a “thinking reed”?

Answer 30

Pascal

Question 31

Define classical apologetics.

Answer 31

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)

Question 32

What did Pascal profess about reason?

Answer 32

We should use a “heart” or inner reason that relies on intuitive logic.

Question 33

What distinguishes dialogical apologetics from the ‘big four’?

Answer 33

The others are content-oriented, versus dialogical is person-oriented.

Question 34

Give a strength of existential apologetics.

Answer 34

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.

Question 35

Give a strength of presuppositional apologetics.

Answer 35

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.

Question 36

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?

Answer 36

Francis Schaeffer

Question 37

Presuppositional apologetics starts by asking the individual to accept what for the sake of argument?

Answer 37

To assume the Bible is true.