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98 pages

English

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Objections to the Christian faith are not new. The ability to boldly proclaim the old faith to a post-Christian culture is. In an era where access to objections and arguments is easier than ever, everyday Christians need to be prepared with strong, clear responses. In Everyday Apologetics, readers will be equipped with answers to some of Christianity's most difficult objections: Why is the God of the Old Testament so violent? Are science and faith in fundamental conflict with one another? The contributors take up these questions, and more, helping Christians be strengthened in their faith, while also providing powerful answers to opponents of the Christian faith.With a clear, inviting, winsome style, Everyday Apologetics is for everyone: Christians, skeptics, seekers, and everyone in between.

Sujets

Philosophie et théologie

Christian theology

Theology

Christianity

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Publié par	Lexham Press
Date de parution	06 mai 2020
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781683593737
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	2 Mo

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everyday apologetics
answering common objections to the christian faith
PAUL CHAMBERLAIN
CHRIS PRICE • EDITORS
JASON BALLARD • MARK CLARK
KIRK DURSTON • MICHAEL HORNER
JON MORRISON • BARTON PRIEBE
ANDY STEIGER • AUTHORS
foreword by sean mcdowell
Everyday Apologetics: Answering Common Objections to the Christian Faith
Copyright 2020 Paul Chamberlain, Chris Price, Jason Ballard, Mark Clark, Kirk Durston, Michael Horner, Jon Morrison, Barton Priebe, and Andy Steiger
Lexham Press, 1313 Commercial St., Bellingham, WA 98225
LexhamPress.com
All rights reserved. You may use brief quotations from this resource in presentations, articles, and books. For all other uses, please write Lexham Press for permission. Email us at permissions@lexhampress.com .
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ® . Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked ( NLT ) are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked ( ESV ) are from ESV ® Bible ( The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ® ), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Print ISBN 9781683593720
Digital ISBN 9781683593737
Library of Congress Control Number 2020930368
Lexham Editorial: Elliot Ritzema, Matthew Boffey, Danielle Thevenaz
Cover Design: Kristen Cork
Contents
FOREWORD
SEAN MCDOWELL
INTRODUCTION:
WHY EVERYDAY APOLOGETICS?
PART 1:
DEFENDING THE FAITH TODAY
1. THE NAGGING DOUBTS THAT STRENGTHENED MY FAITH
JON MORRISON
2. RESPONDING TO A NEW KIND OF SKEPTIC
PAUL CHAMBERLAIN
PART 2:
ANSWERING OBJECTIONS
3. WHY IS THE OLD TESTAMENT GOD SO VIOLENT?
BARTON PRIEBE
4. WHY DOES GOD ALLOW SUFFERING?
CHRIS PRICE
5. ARE FAITH AND SCIENCE IN CONFLICT?
KIRK DURSTON
6. HOW CAN WE RECONCILE THE EXCLUSIVE CLAIMS OF CHRIST WITH A PLURALISTIC CULTURE?
JASON BALLARD
PART 3:
BUILDING A POSITIVE CASE
7. THE REASONABLENESS OF BELIEF IN GOD
ANDY STEIGER
8. HOW FINE-TUNING POINTS POWERFULLY TO GOD
MICHAEL HORNER
9. THE HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION
MARK CLARK
10. THE SEARCH FOR THE MEANING OF LIFE
ANDY STEIGER
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
Foreword
SEAN MCDOWELL
“T here is good news and there is bad news. Which would you like to hear first?” We’ve all been asked this question about a host of issues. Personally, I often prefer to hear bad news first to get it out of the way. But I’m going to step out of character and offer the good news first.
Here’s the good news: There is a new global generation of young people—often called Generation Z—who are both open to evidence for the Christian faith and who carry less negative baggage about Christians than older generations. In the study Gen Z conducted by the Barna Group, nearly half of teens (forty-six percent) say “I need factual evidence to support my beliefs.”
And Gen Z’ers in the UK are slightly more positive toward Christian faith and worship than older generations. For those of us who care about reaching and equipping the next generation, this is unmistakably good news ! But …
Here’s the bad news: As a church, we are struggling to truly equip young people with answers to the tough questions facing them daily. And we are not engaging non-believing students with both the truth and power of the gospel. As a result, many young Christians disengage from the church and many non-Christians reject Christ.
Given how much is at stake, why aren’t we tackling these tough questions head-on?
In my experience, one of the main reasons is because we don’t feel equipped. As a church, we really don’t know what we believe and why. I often role-play an atheist at camps, conferences, and churches. It’s amazing how defensive and aggressive Christian audiences can become. When the role-play is over, I often point out that this is because many people don’t know what they believe, and when I press them for answers, they get defensive.
Here’s the bottom line: If we are going to equip the next generation of young people and also engage our culture with grace, confidence, and truth, we simply must have answers to the big questions people are asking: Why is there evil? Is Jesus the only way? Do science and faith conflict? Is there a meaning to life? And so on.
This is why I am thrilled about Everyday Apologetics —a wonderful resource for a number of reasons. Please allow me to highlight three.
First, this book is accessible. You may have hesitated to pick up a book with the word “apologetics” in the title. Apologetics can be intimidating! But each author has gone to great lengths to tell stories, give understandable illustrations, and make the material accessible.
Second, this book is practical. Everyday Apologetics isn’t filled with heady knowledge void of life application. It deals with scientific and historical issues, but it also deals with very personal issues like doubt and the meaning of life. Paul and Chris offer apologetic insights as well as practical connections to everyday matters.
Third, the authors communicate with kindness. To try and rise above the distraction in our culture, many turn to outrage and name-calling. This approach may get clicks, but it ultimately undermines cultural civility. The contributors follow the advice of the apostle Paul: “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Colossians 4:6).
This book is a wonderful resource for effective apologetics. I hope you will keep this copy handy, read it, and then put its advice into your everyday life. The great news is that God can (and will) use you if you’re willing to be used. So go for it!
Introduction: Why Everyday Apologetics?
CHRIS PRICE AND PAUL CHAMBERLAIN
N ot too long ago, an eleven-year-old boy I (Chris) know emailed his Christian mother these pointed questions:
“How do Christians get off saying their religion is the only true one?”
“Don’t all religions lead to the same God?”
“How do you know there is a God?”
“How can there be a God when there is so much evil and suffering in the world?”
“How can you reconcile belief in God with science and especially evolution?”
“How can you trust the Bible?”
“Why is God so morbidly violent in the Old Testament?”
Pause for a moment and reflect on these objections. How would you answer each one? It feels a little overwhelming, doesn’t it? Almost like you need to become an expert in philosophy, biology, history, and theology in order to respond to each concern.
Admittedly, these are not easy issues to tackle and, don’t forget, the boy raising these objections was only eleven! For the most part these questions are not new, but as long as new people keep turning up on the planet, fresh answers to age-old questions will be required.
And what is new is the easy access provided by the Internet. As Sean McDowell writes, “With the ubiquity of the internet, difficult questions seem to be arising now more than ever.” 1 The Internet allows one to readily discover passionate diatribes about the poisonous nature of religion, the absurdity of Christian belief, and the anti-scientific bias of most believers—all with a few simple clicks. This type of continual exposure, much of it sent our way or stumbled upon by accident, can precipitate a crisis of belief for individuals young and old.
Are we prepared? Now more than ever, believers must be.

WHAT IS APOLOGETICS?
Recently I visited the Natural History Museum in London. While we were enjoying the impressive dinosaur exhibit, my host, who didn’t identify as a follower of Jesus, asked me whether I believed in dinosaurs. At the time we were both staring at a large, nearly complete dinosaur skeleton, so, needless to say, I was taken aback by her inquiry.
“Sorry, did you ask, ‘Do I believe in dinosaurs?’ ”
(Read with British accent.) “Yeah, quite right. Do you?”
“You mean … like the one whose remains are standing right in front of me?”
(Host nods head, looks very British.)
“Umm, yes, yes I do.”
My host was under the impression that belief in dinosaurs was incompatible with the Christian worldview. I assured her that such was not the case, and even pointed out where the misconception may have arisen.
This interaction forcibly reminded me of the many misleading ideas or cultural objections that people have when it comes to the Christian faith. Every believer has likely encountered similar misunderstandings when watching the news, scrolling through social media feeds, searching the web, or chatting with friends and family about Christianity.
Apologetics helps clear up these misunderstandings. But what does the word apologetics actually mean? Many people have heard the term but wonder if it entails learning to apologize for being Christians or, perhaps, attempting to make other people sorry they got into a discussion with us about religion. But the word does not mean “to apologize,” at least not in the way we normally experience an apology.
“Apologetics” comes from the Greek word apologia , which means “defense.” Doing apologetics is speaking in defense of the faith, or providing reasons for belief. It involves untangling the many misconceptions that people lug around due to their upbringing or the various cultural sound bites they’ve consciously or unconsciously absorbed into their religious point of view. Apologetics serves to clear away the intellectual rubble strewn about by our cultural moment and the entrenched assumptions of our day, providing the message of Jesus with a fairer hearing in the marketplace of ideas.
As important as this all sounds, there may be a sliver of suspicion that this whole undertaking is better left to ivory-t