Are Traditional Apologetic Tactics Useful Today?
The concern that traditional apologetic tactics may not be useful today has prompted some Christian apologists to suggest that Christians must avoid relying on propositional truth-claims and instead make their case from a wholly subjective point of view. Why? They say people today ignore logic, sidestep rational discussions, and deny the possibility of discovering absolute truth. These people often shrug us off with quips such as:
- “Well, that may be true for you but it’s not for me.”
- “All religions are basically the same. Christianity isn’t the only path to God.”
- “You may not like abortion, but that doesn’t mean it’s not OK for other people.”
- “That’s your interpretation; I have my own. And it’s just as valid as yours!”
Although successfully communicating apologetics in today’s secular, relativistic culture may necessitate adding subjective weapons to our apologetic arsenal, I disagree that traditional apologetics is ineffective today. In fact, Christian apologists who sidestep the issue of absolute truth, especially in terms of Christian truth-claims, are making a serious tactical error, which will greatly diminish their effectiveness in countering moral relativism and religious pluralism.
Christianity, after all, is a history-based religion grounded on specific historical events (See 1 Corinthians 15:3-8). We cannot separate the first Advent of Jesus Christ, the Day of Pentecost described in Acts 2, Jesus’ resurrection, and other historical events from the spiritual truths that flow out of them. This historical “rootedness” separates Christianity from all other religions. If we can’t demonstrate the Bible reveals genuine knowledge, wisdom, and absolute truth, Christianity becomes just one more dish in the smorgasbord of available religions.
Rather than hiding from the reality of absolute truth and the veracity of sound reasoning, our first apologetic task, when confronting secularists and relativists, is to establish that Christianity rests on verifiable historical facts and presents absolute, objective truth—not subjective opinions.
Fortunately, in spite of what critics may say, this approach works. As C. S. Lewis pointed out in God in the Dock; Essays on Theology and Ethics,
One of the things that distinguishes man from the other animals is that he wants to know things, wants to find out what reality is like, simply for the sake of knowing. . . . Christianity claims to give an account of facts—to tell you what the real universe is like. . . . If Christianity is untrue, then no honest man will want to believe it, however helpful it might be: if it is true, every honest man will want to believe it, even if it gives him no help at all. (108-109)
The fact is most people still maintain beliefs that depend on absolute truth. Even people who verbally endorse moral relativism and preach religious pluralism do not (as we’ll see in a later blog post) live consistently with this philosophy. It’s easy to tout moral relativism at a party or in a classroom, but in the real world, most people still think and behave in terms of moral absolutes and still accept the trustworthiness of logic and reason in most areas of life. ©
Hi Dan . I will probably soon order some of your books or literature. Did you ever do an CD’s or any churches do an audio recording? I was a student at CCBC Vista back in early 1990’s. I enjoyed your class and Bob Hoekstra’s the most.
Hi Doug. You are aging me speaking of my class at CCBC in Vista back in the early 1990s! That was probably the beginning of my inter-church speaking ministry – which I no longer do (I now stick to writing books and articles). In the subsequent years, I did give workshops, seminars, and preached at quite a few churches, and most made an audio recording and later videos. But except for a couple of videos based on two of my more recent books, I have not saved any of them.
It strikes me that Isaiah 55 still applies, even if people reject it.
God’s word will accomplish the purpose for which it was sent forth.
Salvation to those who believe, and judgment to those who do not believe.
In John 3:18-21 we see that people who love the truth will come to Jesus, but those who love their sin will not come to Jesus because it would expose them.
Jesus said in the John 8 passage you’re referring to,
If you continue in my teachings you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.
In John 14:20-24 Jesus said that if we keep his teachings we will show that we love him and we will be loved by God and they will make their home with us.
Thus, I have to wonder at what point do we consider that as valid as intellectual components are, at what point do we go back to the foundation?
Are we trying to make intellectual converts without converting the heart as well?
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2, that we want our faith to be based on the power of God and not the wisdom of men.
Who do we believe?
Thanks for your thoughtful comments, Steve. The foundation, as you know, of faith is always the Holy Spirit; no one comes to God independent of the Holy Spirit. Having said this, the Holy Spirit also uses intellectual arguments and evidence as an avenue for people to be receptive to the Spirit. For example, C.S. Lewis, Josh McDowell, John Warwick Montgomery, Lee Strobel, and other well-known Christians came to Christ through the Holy Spirit working through intellectual channels. In additon to that, apologetic evidence can be highly confirming to new believers and strengthen their faith. This was certainly the case for me. As William Lane Craig put it, apologetics demonstates Christianity but its the Holy Spirit that confirms it.