Experiencial Apologetics – a Summary, Critque, and Supporters
LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
EXPERIENCIAL APOLOGETICS – A SUMMARY, CRITQUE, AND SUPPORTERS
SUBMITTED TO DR. GERARDO A. ALFARO
IN PARTIAL COMPLETION OF COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR
INTRODUCTION TO APOLOGETICS (APOL 500-C09)
JASON DION (Student ID 23494458)
JACKSONVILLE, FL
MARCH 4, 2012
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION1 SUPPORTERS OF EXPERIENTIAL APOLOGETICS2 BLAISE PASCAL 2 SÖREN KIERKEGAARD 3 PAUL TILLICH3 CRITIQUE OF EXPERIENTIAL APOLOGETICS4 CONCLUSION4
INTRODUCTION
According to Beilby, “Apologetics is, in its simplest possible terms, the attempt to defend a particular belief or system of beliefs against objections.” Caner considers experiential apologetics one of the five traditional forms of apologetics, alongside classical, evidential, historical, and presuppositional apologetics. Experiential apologetics are based on personal testimony of a transformed believer, generally considered one of the most personal and intimate approaches to apologetics. Utilizing this approach, a person usually provides an account of their life prior to becoming saved by Jesus Christ, and the resulting change that occurs after their conversion. Additionally, this approach encompasses the use of dialogue concerned with the relationship between God and man, vice that of logic, facts, and reason. This method is quite popular in modern churches as it contains an inherent widespread ability to be performed by most Christians, all of whom have a testimony to share. Conversely, though, other religions have members with a testimony to share, therefore a testimony alone may be inadequate proof when conversing with a skeptic since a person’s testimony is not able to be proved to another person and is completely subjective. Others claim this approach is superior to other more “academic” apologetics, such as evidential apologetics. Kierkegaard contends that providing evidential proof for Christianity is like a lover who must present
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
EXPERIENCIAL APOLOGETICS – A SUMMARY, CRITQUE, AND SUPPORTERS
SUBMITTED TO DR. GERARDO A. ALFARO
IN PARTIAL COMPLETION OF COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR
INTRODUCTION TO APOLOGETICS (APOL 500-C09)
JASON DION (Student ID 23494458)
JACKSONVILLE, FL
MARCH 4, 2012
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION1 SUPPORTERS OF EXPERIENTIAL APOLOGETICS2 BLAISE PASCAL 2 SÖREN KIERKEGAARD 3 PAUL TILLICH3 CRITIQUE OF EXPERIENTIAL APOLOGETICS4 CONCLUSION4
INTRODUCTION
According to Beilby, “Apologetics is, in its simplest possible terms, the attempt to defend a particular belief or system of beliefs against objections.” Caner considers experiential apologetics one of the five traditional forms of apologetics, alongside classical, evidential, historical, and presuppositional apologetics. Experiential apologetics are based on personal testimony of a transformed believer, generally considered one of the most personal and intimate approaches to apologetics. Utilizing this approach, a person usually provides an account of their life prior to becoming saved by Jesus Christ, and the resulting change that occurs after their conversion. Additionally, this approach encompasses the use of dialogue concerned with the relationship between God and man, vice that of logic, facts, and reason. This method is quite popular in modern churches as it contains an inherent widespread ability to be performed by most Christians, all of whom have a testimony to share. Conversely, though, other religions have members with a testimony to share, therefore a testimony alone may be inadequate proof when conversing with a skeptic since a person’s testimony is not able to be proved to another person and is completely subjective. Others claim this approach is superior to other more “academic” apologetics, such as evidential apologetics. Kierkegaard contends that providing evidential proof for Christianity is like a lover who must present
Bibliography: Beilby, James. Thinking about Christian Apologetics: What It Is and Why We Do It. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2011. Hindon, Ed and Caner, Ergun. The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2008. Geisler, Norman L. Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999. The Holy Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Kierkegaard, Sören. Concluding Unscientific Postscript To Philosophical Fragments. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1992. Kierkegaard, Sören. Sickness Unto Death. Radford, VA: Wilder Publications, 2008. Kierkegaard, Sören. Works of Love. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1962. Pascal, Blaise Tillich, Paul. Dynamics of Faith. New York: Perennial, 2001. [ 2 ]. . Ergun Caner, “Apologetics, Types Of,” In The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics, ed. Ed Hindson and Ergun Caner (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2008), 64-66. [ 3 ]. . Ergun Caner, “Apologetics, Types Of,” In The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics, ed. Ed Hindson and Ergun Caner (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2008), 66. [ 4 ]. Norman L. Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999), 43. [ 5 ]. Sören Kierkegaard, Sickness Unto Death (Radford, VA: Wilder Publications, 2008), 85. [ 6 ]. The Holy Bible: New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996), 1 Pe 3:15. [ 7 ]. Norman L. Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999), 43. [ 8 ]. The Holy Bible: New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996), Acts 9. [ 9 ]. Ergun Caner, “Pascal, Blaise,” In The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics, ed. Ed Hindson and Ergun Caner (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2008), 389-391. [ 10 ]. Blaise Pascal, Pensées, (New York: E.P. Dutton & Company, 1958), 78. [ 11 ]. Ergun Caner, “Pascal, Blaise,” In The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics, ed. Ed Hindson and Ergun Caner (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2008), 389-390. [ 14 ]. Sören Kierkegaard, Works of Love, (New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1962), 2,74. [ 15 ]. Paul Tillich, Dynamics of Faith, (New York: Perennial, 2001), 5. [ 17 ]. Blaise Pascal, Pensées, (New York: E.P. Dutton & Company, 1958), 78.