APOLOGETIC METHODS
Growing up in a large African American Baptist Church over the past 40 plus years with the past 30 plus years proactively engaged in the attempt of pastors & ministers trying to bridge and mesh this gap that has long existed in our places of worship for various reasons. This gap is the intellectual knowledge of the reasoning and faith. Being that faith and reason are two modes of belief, to explain the relationship of the two one must first explain exactly what reason and faith are. Reason is generally a methodical belief that is gained by utilization of intellectual, moral, or religious principles or evidence. Faith, on the other hand, is belief that is generally a willed attitude of trust motivated by inspiration by a divine authority or revelation. Hence, Reason is more so a demonstrated belief, whereas faith is more so a do-able belief. In our ancestry past, due to lack of access (opportunity) to the faith experience was more of a heart ( do- able ) belief instead of a head ( demonstrated) belief, which was not all wrong , but was not all right neither. Groothuis states ,”Biblically understood, conversion is a radical turn away from sin, selfishness and Satan, and a turn toward God and his kingdom. This incorporates the whole person, not merely the intellect….. Therefore, conversion is necessarily intellectual and involves cognitive assent to propositions taken to be objectively true. “ ( Groothuis, 2011). Basically speaking there is much power in apologetics when the two – faith and reason – are being used in perfect harmony with each other. When trying to determine the best apologetic method to use , we must keep in mind that it is not an one size fits all solution. Groothuis even stated , “ Although various apologetic systems have proved useful, even the best apologetic method must squarely face its limits.” ( Groothuis, 2011). Let us examine these three methods of apologetics – evidentialism, presuppositionalist, and experientialist to see which one of these three would be more beneficial in transforming non-believers to believers. “Evidentialism is a method in apologetics that argues that the most significant historical events in Christianity – particularly the resurrection of Jesus- are matters that can be established through proper historical argumentation, even apart from any prior arguments for the existence of God.” (Groothuis , 2011). Simply put, evidence- proof of his resurrection settles everything- no further arguments needed! The next method, Presuppositionalism is a method of apologetics that claims that the Christian should presuppose the entire the Christian worldview and reason from this conviction with unbelievers.( Groothuis, 2011). The Presuppositionalist feels that there is absolutely no common ground between the believer and the non-believer. Everything has to be viewed from a Christian viewpoint to make any sense. The last apologetic method is the Experientialist which places emphasis on the necessity of experience. “The Christian faith is not an abstract set of concepts to be believed but a life to embraced, a life that includes all of a person – head, heart, and hands, reason, emotion, and will.” ( Beilby,2011). Faith is developed more through experience than arguments. Considering all three of these methods, all have their pros and their cons, but a quilting of the three together depending on your target audience the ultimate goal of successful apologetics could be done.

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