Faith Has Its Reasons : An Integrative Approach to Defending Christianity

by Boa, Kenneth D.; Bowman, Robert M., Jr.

• ISBN13: 9781576831434
• ISBN10: 1576831434
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-04-01
• Publisher: Intervarsity Press

Summary

An accessible but thorough primer on apologetics.

Author Biography

Dr. Kenneth D. Boa is the president of Reflections Ministries. He has authored numerous books including Pursuing Wisdom and The Art of Living Well (both NavPress) and is a contributing editor to the Open Bible, the Promise Keeper's Men's Study Bible, and the Leadership Bible. Dr. Boa earned a B.S. from Case Institute of Technology, a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary, a Ph.D. from New York University, and a D.Phil. from the University of Oxford. He resides in Atlanta, Georgia. Robert M. Bowman, Jr., is the president of the Institute for the Development of Evangelical Apologetics (IDEA), based in Pasadena, California. He is the author of six other books, including Why You Should Believe in the Trinity (Baker Book House) and coauthor with Kenneth D. Boa of the Gold Medallion winner An Unchanging Faith in a Changing World (Thomas Nelson). Rob taught apologetics and biblical studies at Luther Rice Seminary for five years and is a Ph.D. candidate at Westminster Theological Seminary.

Table of Contents

Preface	9	(8)
Part One: What Is Apologetics?
Defining Apologetics	17	(8)
From Apologia to Apologetics
Apologetics and Related Terms
The Functions of Apologetics
A Brief History of Apologetics	25	(30)
Apologetics in the New Testament
The Early Church Fathers
The Reformation
Apologetics Faces Skepticism
The Rise of Modern Apologetics
Issues and Methods in Apologetics	55	(16)
Four Types of Apologetic Systems
Issues in Apologetics
Part Two: Apologetics as Proof
Apologists Who Emphasize Reason	71	(20)
Historical Roots of Classical Apologetics
B. B. Warfield
C. S. Lewis
Norman L. Geisler
Peter Kreeft
William Lane Craig
Classical Apologetics: A Reasonable Faith	91	(18)
Rational Tests for Determining Truth
The Foundation of Theology
The Constructive Use of Philosophy
Christianity Consistent with Science
Revelation Confirmed in History
Proof from Experience
Proving the Christian Worldview	109	(26)
Scripture as Conclusion
Disproving Other Worldviews
Proving God's Existence
The Deductive Problem of Evil
Miracles as the Credentials of Revelation
Jesus: The Alternatives
Apologetics and the Limits of Reason	135	(24)
The Classical Apologetics Model
Classical Apologetics Illustrated
The Strengths of Classical Apologetics
The Weaknesses of Classical Apologetics
Part Three: Apologetics as Defense
Apologists Who Emphasize Fact	159	(18)
Historical Roots of Evidentialism
Joseph Butler
James Orr
Clark H. Pinnock
John Warwick Montgomery
Richard Swinburne
Evidentialist Apologetics: Faith Founded on Fact	177	(26)
Methods for Discovering Truth
The Defense of Theology
Critical Use of Philosophy
Christianity Vindicated by Science
History as the Medium of Revelation
Experience Founded on Evidence
Presenting Evidence That Demands a Verdict	203	(24)
Scripture as Source
The Uniqueness of Christianity
The Case for God
The Inductive Problem of Evil
Miracles as Evidence for God
Jesus: The Evidence
Apologetics and the Interpretation of Fact	227	(22)
The Evidentialist Model
Evidentialism Illustrated
The Strengths of Evidentialist Apologetics
The Weaknesses of Evidentialist Apologetics
Part Four: Apologetics as Offense
Apologists Who Emphasize Revelation	249	(38)
John Calvin
Modern Roots of the Reformed Approach
Herman Dooyeweerd
Cornelius Van Til
Gordon H. Clark
Alvin Plantinga
Reformed Apologetics: Christianity in Conflict	287	(28)
Biblical Standard for Defining Truth
The Vindication of Reformed Theology
Toward a Christian Philosophy
Christianity Against False Science
Revelation as Interpreting History
The Problem with Experience
Taking Every Thought Captive	315	(26)
Scripture as Foundation
Antithesis Between Christian and Non-Christian Religion
Belief in God as Basic
The Theological Problem of Evil
Miracles as Revealed by God
Jesus: The Self-Attesting Christ of Scripture
Apologetics and the Authority of Revelation	341	(22)
The Reformed Apologetics Model
Reformed Apologetics Illustrated
The Strengths of Reformed Apologetics
The Weaknesses of Reformed Apologetics
Part Five: Apologetics as Persuasion
Apologists Who Emphasize Faith	363	(30)
Historical Roots of Fideism
Martin Luther
Blaise Pascal
Soren Kierkegaard
Karl Barth
Donald G. Bloesch
Fideist Apologetics: Reasons of the Heart	393	(24)
Divine Call to Obey the Truth
Making Theology Personal
Critiquing the God of the Philosophers
Christianity and the Reality Beyond Science
Revelation as Transcending History
Faith Is Experience
Calling People to Encounter God in Jesus Christ	417	(18)
Scripture as Witness
Christian Faith: Not Another Religion
To Know God Is to Know God Exists
The Personal Problem of Evil
Miracles as God Revealing Himself
Jesus: The Christ of Faith
Apologetics and the Subjectivity of Faith	435	(16)
The Fideist Model
Fideism Illustrated
The Strengths of Fideism
The Weaknesses of Fideism
Part Six: An Integrative Approach
Apologists Who Favor Integration	451	(58)
Precursors of Integrative Approaches
Edward John Carnell
Francis A. Schaeffer
David K. Clark
C. Stephen Evans
John M. Frame
Contending for the Faith: Apologetics and Human Knowledge	509	(14)
Perspectival Approaches to Defending Truth
Apologetics and Theology
Apologetics and Philosophy
Christianity and Science
Revelation and History
Apologetics and Experience
Reasons for Hope: Integrating Diverse Arguments in Apologetics	523	(12)
Scripture as Truth
Myth, Truth, and Religion
God Who Makes Himself Known
Solutions to the Problems of Evil
Miracles as Signs
Jesus: The Answer
Speaking the Truth in Love: Perspectives on Apologetics	535	(12)
One Body, Many Gifts: How Apologists Differ
One World, Many Individuals: How People Differ
One Process, Many Stages: How Apologetic Needs Differ
One Faith, Many Questions: How Apologetic Problems Differ
Metapologetics: Four Approaches
Apologetics: Four Approaches
Appendix A: Categorizing Apologetic Methods	547	(6)
Appendix B: Apologetics Web Sites	553	(2)
For Further Study	555	(38)
List of Tables and Charts	593	(1)
Name Index	594	(5)
Subject Index	599	(9)
Scripture Index	608