Defending the Faith (Apologetics) 2012-13

Course Handouts:

• Syllabus (PDF)
• Assignment Schedule & Rubrics
• Introduction to Apologetics (Defending the Faith)
• Birchat Cohanim (Priestly Benediction): Numbers 6:24-26
  – Rationale for learning this:  We are to correct one another in a spirit of love and truth.  We should remember to bless those we correct, in order to lead them to YHWH’s Truth, not simply condemn someone’s false belief without demonstrating the Messiah-like love of taking them by the hand and leading them to replacing it with Biblical Truth.  Pronouncing a blessing over those we correct will help us to remember this.
• Evidential Apologetics: Historie vs. Geschichte
• Evidential Apologetics: Archaeological Studies
• Philosophical Apologetics: Popular Approaches
• Answering the Skeptics
• Discerning Cults from Legitimate Denominations
• Discerning False Doctrines from Orthodoxy
• Capstone Project

TURABIAN FORMATTING GUIDE  (This will serve you throughout the Ministry School)

Apologetics Bibliography:

• Gundry, Stanley N & Steven B Cowan. Five Views on Apologetics. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000.  [viewbook]
• Boa, Kenneth. Cuts, World Religions, and You: Strange Religions, New and Old, Seek Converts in Your Community.  Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1977.
• Boyd, Gregory A & Edward K. Letters from a Skeptic: A Son Wrestles with His Father’s Questions about Christianity. Colorado Springs: Victor, 1994.  [open theism]
• Compolo, Tony. A Reasonable Faith: The Case for Christianity in a Secular World. Dallas: Word, 1983.  [cumulative case]
• Hoekema, Anthony A.  The Four Major Cults.  Grand Rapids: Wm. B Eerdmans, 1963. [note: some of his “proofs” are unbiblical]
• Hunt, Dave. What Love is This? Calvinism’s Misrepresentation of God. Bend, OR: Berean Call, 2006.  [cumulative case]
• Kreeft, Peter & Ronald K Tacelli. Handbook of Christian Apologetics: Hundreds of Answers to Crucial Questions. Downers Grove: IVP, 1994.  [philosophical]
• Lewis, Gordon R. Confronting the Cults. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1985.
• Mayers, Ronald B. Balanced Apologetics: Using Evidences and Presuppositions in Defense of the Faith. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1996; orig. 1984.  [presuppositional]
• McDowell, Josh. The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1999.  [evidential]
• Montgomery, John Warwick. Faith Founded on Fact: Essays in Evidential Apologetics.  Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1978.  [evidential]

Online Apologetics Resources:

• Apologetics Index.  http://www.apologeticsindex.org [Pentecostal perspective]
• Apprising Ministries. http://apprising.org [Calvinist Baptist perspective]
• Autman, Brian.  Apologetics 315.  http://www.apologetics315.com/  [Calvinist perspective]
• Calvary SantaFe Apologetics.  http://calvarysantafe.org/teachings.php?search=topic&topic=Apologetics [Calvinist perspective]
• Got Questions? http://gotquestions.org [Amyrauldian perspective]
• Hunt, Dave.  The Berean Call.  http://www.thebereancall.org/ [Wesleyan perspective]
• Mayim Hayim Ministries.  http://www.mayimhayim.org/ [Messianic Jewish perspective]
• Peters, Justin.  Justin Peters Ministries.  http://justinpeters.org/ [Non-Calvinist Baptist perspective]
• Rieske, Kent R.  Bible Life Ministries.  http://www.biblelife.org/ [Classical Dispensationalist perspective]
• Slick, Matt.  Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry.  http://carm.org/  [Anti-Catholic perspective]