Part Seven: HOW TO MAKE APOLOGETICS NON-THREATENING

There’s something in human nature that causes us to hate to admit we’re wrong, especially in a heated debate in front of our peers. As Oxford University Professor Alister McGrath points out in his book Intellectual Don’t Need God, and Other Modern Myths, ”People find it difficult to change their minds if they are made to feel it is a win-or-lose situation. Bad apologetics creates the impression that changing your mind is equivalent to losing an argument. And nobody likes losing an argument—especially in public.” (90)

The Socratic Method, asking relevant questions that put the burden of proof on non-Christian who challenge Christian truth-claims, avoids this pitfall. It enables non-Christians to conclude for themselves, rather than being told, that their present religious or secular beliefs on a particular subject are inadequate. Because unbelievers reach this conclusion primarily on their own, it is seldom perceived as a direct attack and raises the ire of non-Christians. We don’t come across trying to intellectually clobber an opponent.

Christians possess religious and moral truth and are able to muster considerable evidence to substantiate their truth-claims. Without much difficulty, most Christians trained in apologetics can defeat most non-Christians at every turn. However, when people feel themselves shoved into a cerebral corner where there is no way out but to admit they’re wrong they seldom do so. Rather, they get angry. Or fall back on straw man arguments. Or they shut down completely and refuse to debate any further. Or they cross their arms and irrationally reject the Christian view in spite of the evidences.

The Socratic Method challenges unbelievers to reexamine their positions without hammering the Christian point of view down their throats. We’re not lecturing; we’re asking questions. We are encouraging non-Christians to consider and accept the Christian solution through their own reasoning channels.

I’m not saying that Non-Christians will never have a thoughtful response to our Socratic questions. They may very well. However, if unbelievers do have a rejoinder, it will always fall short of the Christian position in terms of supporting evidence. Remember, Christianity is truth. We will always have the correct solution to any conflicting worldview issue—we just have to know it.

Remember Your Goal

Finally, the Socratic Method can lead to a Gospel presentation. After discussing the non-Christian’s stand on moral relativism, the problem of evil, the resurrection, creation, and so on, we can move the conversation to direct evangelism by asking this simple, unobtrusive question: “Do you understand, or know, what the Bible teaches in this area?” Many unbelievers will admit they don’t, and we can give the Christian view to more willing listener. If the unbeliever answers yes, ask them to explain. Likely they will present a distorted or popularized picture of what they think is the Christian view on the issue under discussion. Either way, the door is open for leading the conversation to a Gospel presentation.

What’s ahead

Beginning next week, and for six to eight weeks thereafter, I will provide specific examples of the kinds of Socratic questions we can ask in response to the typical challenges non-Christians raise. I’ll arrange them according to five major categories of apologetic topics that Christians most frequently encounter: the Bible, evolution, atheism, Jesus, and postmodernism.

* This series of blog articles is adapted from my books Engaging the Closed Minded: Presenting Your Faith to the Confirmed Unbeliever and The Christian Combat Manual: Helps for Defending Your Faith; A Handbook for Practical Apologetics, which can be purchased at most outlets.