...Introduction 1. Summary of the Islamic worldview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2. Evaluating the Islamic Worldview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3. Correcting the Islamic Worldview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 4. Defending the Christian Worldview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 5. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Apologetics Application Paper Introduction According to Brown, people everywhere filter what they read and hear through the grid of their own worldview. We all see the world different and the assumptions and prejudices that have about the world have an effect on how we regard the world. The Christian worldview and the Islamic worldview are similar, but they are different in many ways. But, what is a worldview? The ways a person views and understands the world have an effect on everyone. Sire defines a worldview as "a set of presuppositions (or assumptions) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously) about the basic makeup of our world.” The Islamic religion is primarily in Africa, the...
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...is found in 1 Peter 3:15 giving apologetics a biblical origin. Peter’s call for believers to “make a defense (apologia)” is the heart of Christian Apologetics. The idea is that, in the face of unbelief and persecution, Christians need to be ready to defend or argue for their belief in Christ. Put a little more plainly, apologetics is “defending Christianity in the context of an unbelieving and skeptical world.” Apologetics comes in many forms or styles that can by generally categorized as one of two differing styles: positive apologetics (“presents the truth of Christ”) or polemics (“proclaims the errors of all other systems”). Within the two styles of apologetics, there are many different approaches to or uses of them. This paper will focus on just one of the many Apologetic Methods: Evidentialism, with the purpose of providing an analysis of the evidential approach to apologetics. Summary of Evidential Apologetics Evidential Apologetics is a form of positive apologetics that is actually a sub-genre of the Classical Apologetics approach to defending the faith. Further, W. G. Phillips claims that “all evidentialists are axiopists,” Axiopists approach apologetics with the idea that “God has structured reality in such a way that all His creatures can know truth.” Essentially, this apologetic method attempts to present evidence to the truth of Christianity. This is done under the assumption that, as the...
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...Apologetics Application Paper: Part 1 (Grading Rubric) [pic] Late 10% or 6 points. TOTAL SCORE Apologetics Application Paper Instructions Choose a non-Christian target audience (see below for choices). Write a paper that demonstrates a solid working knowledge of the assigned course readings and accomplishes the following: 1. Summarize the worldview of that audience by using the main worldview categories discussed in the assigned course reading. This section of the paper must be approximately 1 full page. 2. Use Groothuis’ criteria for evaluating worldviews in order to reveal the significant ways in which the selected audience’s worldview fails in providing a livable, comprehensive system. This section of the paper must be 2–3 pages. 3. Discuss how Christianity can correct the selected worldview and offer a more reasonable alternative to the challenges faced. This section of the paper must be 3–4 pages in length. 4. Develop a plan to share and defend the Christian worldview with someone in the target audience. Take into consideration at least 2 of the following: the problem of evil; 2–3 theistic arguments; defense of the resurrection of Jesus; defense of objective truth and moral values. This section of the paper must be 3–4 pages. In addition to these requirements, the paper must have a proper introduction and conclusion and must follow the structure of a standard academic essay. When including both the proper introduction and...
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...The Confessions of Saint Augustine St. Augustine main conflict was accepting God in his life. He struggle to acknowledge that God has possessed him. His father was a pagan, but his mother was such a devoted Christian woman; she dedicated her life to pray for the conversion of her son. St. Augustine was a teacher and during his youth days he encounters conflicts with Christian morality. He questioned himself many time “who am I” and “who are men?” he was a sinner and lived a very disorderly life. For example, as a child he was not baptized, he was not initiated in the Christian formation and he became afraid to sin after receiving the sacrament. This kept enriching his Manichean beliefs, he was “seduced and he seduced others, deceived and deceiving by various desires” and his doubts about encountering the truth kept increasing. He was too proud, too full of vanities, he had affairs with many women, and even had a son, but he realizes that his vision that happiness cannot be found in worldly pleasures but in the search for truth beyond the material world. “My heart was made dark by sorrow, and whatever I looked upon was death” he refers to the death of his closes friend whom he had perverted, and whose death he felt and wept bitterly. He became very desperate, confused and mad because he...
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...Quiz 1 Study Guide Towns: Chapter I What does “prolegomena” mean? ➢ Things that are said before; introduction to the study of theology. What are the three presuppositions of prolegomena? ➢ 1) There is a God, 2) truth exists, & 3) person can know truth. What is the contemporary usage of the word “theology?” ➢ 1) Science of God and relations between God and the universe, and 2) essential being and His relationship to the universe as set forth in the Holy Scriptures. pg. 7 What is catechism? ➢ A scheme of questions and answers. What are five presuppositions for the task of theologizing? ➢ 1) there is a God and He has revealed Himself, 2) there are laws that are self-evident, 3) man has the ability to know things to the degree to which he directly observes them, 4) truth does not contradict itself, but is consistent and corresponds to reality, & 5) the mind accepts that which is logical and rejects that which is illogical. What are the tests used to verify theological truths? Explain. ➢ 1) test of consistency, 2) test of correspondence, 3) test of priority of data (what’s essential or irrelevant?), 4) test of cohesiveness, & 5) test of thoroughness (examine beliefs) pg. 12 What is the aim of Biblical theology? ➢ To arrange and classify the facts of revelation, confining itself to the scriptures for its material, and treating of doctrine only so far as it was developed at the close of the apostolic age. Where does Biblical theology get its material? ...
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...seven gifts of the holy spirit which are strengthened through the sacrament of confirmation. Wisdom helps us realize that the truths of Christian belief are far more important to are eternal soul that the things of these worlds, and and it helps us love creation for the sake of god instead of the sake of the creation itself. Another gift of the holy spirit is understanding. The gift of Understanding allows us to graspthe very essence of the truths of the Catholic faith. Through understanding, we gain a certitude about our beliefs that moves beyond faith. Counsel is the third gift of the holy spirit. Prudence can be practiced by anyone, but counsel is supernatural. Through this gift of the Holy Spirit, we are able...
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...addresses the ideas of pluralism. John Hick, (1922-2012) wrote several books and articles concerning the Christian worldviews and ideas on Christian doctrines. Hick uses a platform of cultural and geographical ideas, as well as, the “Christian experience,” to launch his theories of pluralism. At a young age, (18) it is believed that Hick underwent a strong religious experience that may have been partly the blame for at least some of his original thoughts on religion. Hick argues that for the ordinary believer, religious knowledge is gained by experiencing God for oneself. Religious knowledge, then, is mediated through our experience of the world, in much the same way that the rest of the know- ledge we have about the world is gained…A primary and unevidenceable act of interpretation is required which, when directed toward God, has traditionally been termed “faith.” Many more philosophical ideas developed in the 90 years of Hick’s life stemming from religious language, religious epistemology, the problem of evil, Christology, and of course, religious pluralism. As pluralistic ideas have expanded throughout the world and many Universities and College campuses embrace its suggestions, Christian exclusivists find themselves in an awkward position, defending the plan of salvation on a Biblical foundation. In Ronald Nash’s book, Is JESUS the Only SAVIOR...
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...As Christians we believe, that scripture is God breathed and because it is from God, it is accurate and authoritative. The Bible is directly from God, written through his disciples. Since the authority belongs to God, our command as Christ followers is to follow Jesus’ example of how he lived in the Bible. According to the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, “Authority is the right and power to command, enforce laws, exact obedience, determine or judge.” In respect to the Bible, this means that because it is authoritative, we must follow the laws given by its word. This empowerment belongs to God, and to God alone. Matthew 21:23-24 states, that Jesus’ authority came from God his Father, the one who sent him to Earth. The Bible’s authority, comes from God, but was not written by God, or Jesus themselves. The people chosen to write the books of the Bible were chosen specifically by God, and were inspired through the work of the Holy Spirit. Along with authority and inspiration, comes the discussion of inerrancy. Inerrancy is the view that the entire Bible is completely accurate and true. There are four arguments for inerrancy, including The Biblical Argument. This argument states that if God has authority over the Bible, then it has to be inerrant because God is truth. The Bible is the word of God; therefore, it is without error. The Bible indicates divine communication. Prophets were given the words to write by a divine message, which contained total and absolute truth. The...
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...this method. If the end goal of apologetics is, “defending the Christian faith,” then one must seek to make the basic tenants of the faith evidenced in the apologetic method used. The classical approach fails to do this. To succeed in presenting a classical apologetic argument would include laying out logical arguments, have the seeker agree with them, and finally reach the conclusion that there is one god. This is the farthest that this method...
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...responsibility to see that every child in their care receive and education based on truth. This only can be achieved by understanding that absolute truth exists. There is a great debate in this country as to whether absolute truth exists. To make that statement that there is no absolute truth is completely illogical. There are indeed absolute realities and standards that define what is true and what is not. Therefore, actions can be deemed right or wrong by how each compares to those absolute standards. Educators have the ability to share the absolute truth to their students in many areas of study. Christian educators believe the Bible when it says that Jesus is “the way, and the truth, and the life” and that He is the ultimate manifestation of truth and the only way one can get to heaven (John 14:6). Another example of the existence of absolute truth is found in the human conscience, that feeling within them that tells them that things should be a certain way that some things are just wrong. In the Holy Bible, book of Romans 2:14-16, describes the role of human conscience. “Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them. This...
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...Lenzy Cornatzer Professor O’Neil Introduction to Philosophy Philosophy Engagement Paper December 15, 2014 For many Christians understanding the early church philosophers is not something that is done on a regular basis. Philosophy is a discipline that studies and researches different topics like justice, morality, religion and reality. There are three branches of philosophy that are accepted, natural philosophy, moral philosophy and metaphysical philosophy. Philosophy is a system of principles for guidance. So how do philosophy and the Christian life intersect? One of the ways to understand that is to look at the early church philosophers that have shaped our knowledge and understanding of the scriptures. In the following paragraphs we will examine the philosopher Thomas Aquinas. Thomas had a way of understanding God that you may or may not agree with but hopefully will learn about him in the paragraphs ahead. Thomas Aquinas was an Italian Dominican theologian and philosopher that is believed by many to be one of the most influential thinkers of Scholasticism and is also know as the father of the Thomistic school of theology. Thomas Aquinas was born in the year 1225 in Roccasecca, in the Kingdom of Sicily also know as present day Italy. He combined the theological principles with the principles of reason and he is ranked by many as one of the most influential thinkers of medieval Scholasticism. Thomas...
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...According to Groothuis, various apologetic systems have proved useful, even though the best apologetic method must squarely face its limits. Even though a thorough and wide ranging apologetic is surely needed today, apologetics is bounded by at least three realities. [1] First, the Bible is a long, ancient and sometimes perplexing book for contemporary people. Defending what the Bible teaches is not a simple task and it certainly does not admit of a formula. We should realize that all our intellectual endeavors, especially those dealing with the broadest and deepest questions of life’s meaning, will be dogged to some degree by misunderstand, ignorance and intellectual disappointment. To hold that the Christian worldview is the best rational explanation for the things that matter most does not imply that we have a lock on all the best arguments or have attained all the truths we need. [2] Second, apologetics is limited not only by the difficulty of the subject itself, but by the weaknesses of the subjects who practice it which is us. We commend and defend Christianity through our speech, our writing and our demeanor. If we fall short as apologists, this does not mean that Christianity is untrue or irrational, or that all our efforts are vain. Our job is to faithfully give the best arguments possible from the purest heart possible. [3] Then lastly, apologetics must be understood within the framework of God’s secret councils. God often does not tell us how or why he...
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...Cornelius Van Til has been regarded as one of the most influential Christian philosophers in apologetics. He is well known for revitalizing the traditional method of apologetics to a presuppositional method for defending the faith. Although he was born in the Netherlands, he grew up on a farm in Indian. In 1922 he graduated from Calvin College, in 1925 he graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary with a ThM, and in 1927 he received his PhD from Princeton University. He later taught at Westminster Theological Seminary for forty-three years and became a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church from the 1930s to his death in 1987. Van Til was instrumental in showing the Christian how not to give up ground to the unbeliever in apologetics....
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...able to change my mind of beliefs also frightens me that I will never be quite right. What I do know I believe about God and Jesus is questionable, I am aware that they are two different people and primarily play two different roles and are supposed to be that way. The bible is the “book of life” and it is said to guide us through life. It is known to determine whether or not we are going to “heaven” or “hell”. It teaches us how to live in the name of Jesus without sinning and committing any of the “wrongs” stated in the Bible. I am also aware that the Bible ends with “The Book of Revelation” and it states how God is coming back, but without reading it to get my own perspective I am unaware of what is really going to happen and the “Christian community” all have different beliefs about the revelation. The thing about religion is you have to know what you believe to be true and what a myth is. Worldview is not necessarily a “worldview” because everyone gets their personal beliefs upon it. God is the almighty king, he is the father, and he is the man above all humanity. He is the one who “rules” the world. More commonly known as the “eternal creator of everything” (Origins, 2014). As stated in the Origins PowerPoint he is more than the “creator of...
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...Introduction The Christian World View used to be universal to the idea that Jesus was the only way to salvation but this has been under attack by those who would believe that there are many ways to be saved, they would be known as Pluralist. Ronald Nash confronts these claims and defends the orthodox Christian beliefs in his book “Is Jesus the only Savior?” An analysis of the first six chapters of the book “Is Jesus the only Savior?” by Ronald Nash will be given by the author in two parts, the first will analysis the arguments given by Nash on the topic of Religious Pluralism, and the second part will be a personal conclusion on the topic. Ronald Nash served as a professor for over forty years in the areas of theology, apologetics, ethics, world view and history. Nash had a doctorate in Philosophy with a Christian world view. Book Analysis In the first six chapters of the book “Is Jesus the only Savior?” Nash defends Christian Exclusivism and argues against “Religious Pluralism” specifically John Hicks modern view on the topic. Nash in his logical arguments never strays away from fundamental biblical foundations and presents a clear and logical defense of his view and rebuttal towards Hicks and Religious Pluralism on a whole. Nash starts the book with a very clear and concise definition for Christian Exclusivism, “Christian exclusivism can be defined as a belief that (1) Jesus is the only Savior and (2) explicit faith in Jesus is necessary for salvation.” As Nash argues against...
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