Faith Has Its Reasons Integrative Approaches to Defending the Christian Faith PDF
Preview Faith Has Its Reasons Integrative Approaches to Defending the Christian Faith
“Ken Boa is one of the most gifted writers and scholars in the Christian world. This is a brilliantly done apologetics reference. The title tells it all—our faith is not an unreasonable faith.” Charles W. Colson, Prison Fellowship, Washington, DC “I know of no better analysis of Christian apologetic systems than Faith Has Its Reasons. It is comprehensive and rigorous, yet eminently readable. However, the book’s greatest virtue is its ability to locate the importance of apologetics in the life of the church as well as in the personal faith of the individual believer.” Francis J. Beckwith, author of David Hume’s Arguments against Miracles “Applying the principle of ‘unity in diversity’ to apologetic systems, this book integrates the best insights of each approach. In challenging readers to maximize the stunning reasons for faith in concert with the magnetic power of transformed hearts, Faith Has Its Reasons charts the right course for the future of apologetics.” David K. Clark, author of Dialogical Apologetics “An excellent, thorough survey of apologetic approaches.” John M. Frame, author of Apologetics to the Glory of God “This volume is an excellent overview of the field of apologetics. It gives not only a superb historical survey but also a look at the different types and approaches to the subject. The book makes for a good starter into an understanding of a biblical defense of the faith. It could be used with high school and college Sunday school classes, and it has value as a perfect textbook for college or seminary use. . . . This reviewer is so inspired with this volume he plans to go back through and study the text in more detail. In some ways it may be said that the book has in it almost everything you want to know about this important field of study.” Mal Couch, Tyndale Seminary “Exceedingly useful.” John Warwick Montgomery, author of Faith Founded on Fact “A massive work of scholarship . . . provides a wealth of information for those wishing to deepen their understanding of a difficult area of study—Christian apologetics.” Westminster Bookstore Online Reviews “Extensively researched, and offering countless other resources for further study with regard to each theological challenge, Faith Has Its Reasons is a ‘must-read’ for anyone seeking a powerfully argued case for faith in God and Christianity.” James A. Cox, Midwest Book Review “An excellent new book which helps clarify the various approaches to apologetics. . . . A must read—and one of the best contributions to the field of Christian apologetics we have seen in quite a while.” The Discerning Reader Faith Has Its Reasons Integrative Approaches to Defending the Christian Faith Kenneth D. Boa & Robert M. Bowman, Jr. Second Edition InterVarsity Press P.O. Box 1400 Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426 World Wide Web: www.ivpress.com E-mail: [email protected] All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from InterVarsity Press. InterVarsity Press® is the book-publishing division of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA®, a movement of students and faculty active on campus at hundreds of universities, colleges and schools of nursing in the United States of America, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. For information about local and regional activities, write Public Relations Dept. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, 6400 Schroeder Rd., P.O. Box 7895, Madison, WI 53707-7895, or visit the IVCF website at www.intervarsity.org. ISBN: 978-0-8308-5891-0 Copyright © 2001, 2005 by Kenneth D. Boa & Robert M. Bowman, Jr. Contents PREFACE Part One: What Is Apologetics? 1 DEFINING APOLOGETICS From Apologia to Apologetics Apologetics and Related Terms The Functions of Apologetics 2 A BRIEF HISTORY OF APOLOGETICS Apologetics in the New Testament The Early Church Fathers Augustine Anselm Thomas Aquinas The Reformation Apologetics Faces Skepticism The Rise of Modern Apologetics 3 ISSUES AND METHODS IN APOLOGETICS Four Types of Apologetic Systems Issues in Apologetics Part Two: Classical Apologetics: It Stands to Reason 4 APOLOGISTS WHO EMPHASIZE REASON Historical Roots of Classical Apologetics B. B. Warfield C. S. Lewis Norman Geisler Peter Kreeft William Lane Craig 5 CLASSICAL APOLOGETICS: A REASONABLE FAITH 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 6 THE RATIONALITY OF THE CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW Scripture as Conclusion Disproving Other Worldviews Proving God’s Existence The Deductive Problem of Evil Miracles as the Credentials of Revelation Jesus: The Alternatives 7 APOLOGETICS AND THE LIMITS OF REASON The Classical Apologetics Model Classical Apologetics Illustrated The Strengths of Classical Apologetics The Weaknesses of Classical Apologetics Part Three: Evidentialist Apologetics: Just the Facts 8 APOLOGISTS WHO EMPHASIZE FACT Historical Roots of Evidentialism Joseph Butler James Orr Clark H. Pinnock John Warwick Montgomery Richard Swinburne 9 EVIDENTIALIST APOLOGETICS: FAITH FOUNDED ON FACT 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 10 PRESENTING EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT Scripture as Source The Uniqueness of Christianity The Case for God The Inductive Problem of Evil Miracles as Evidence for God Jesus: The Evidence 11 APOLOGETICS AND THE INTERPRETATION OF FACT The Evidentialist Model Evidentialism Illustrated The Strengths of Evidentialist Apologetics The Weaknesses of Evidentialist Apologetics Part Four: Reformed Apologetics: God Said It 12 APOLOGISTS WHO EMPHASIZE REVELATION John Calvin Modern Roots of the Reformed Approach Herman Dooyeweerd Cornelius Van Til Gordon H. Clark Alvin Plantinga 13 REFORMED APOLOGETICS: CHRISTIANITY IN CONFLICT 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 14 TAKING EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE 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 15 APOLOGETICS AND THE AUTHORITY OF REVELATION The Reformed Apologetics Model Reformed Apologetics Illustrated The Strengths of Reformed Apologetics The Weaknesses of Reformed Apologetics Part Five: Fideist Apologetics: By Faith Alone 16 APOLOGISTS WHO EMPHASIZE FAITH Historical Roots of Fideism Martin Luther Blaise Pascal Søren Kierkegaard Karl Barth Donald G. Bloesch 17 FIDEIST APOLOGETICS: REASONS OF THE HEART 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 18 CALLING PEOPLE TO ENCOUNTER GOD IN JESUS CHRIST Scripture as Witness Christianity: 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 19 APOLOGETICS AND THE SUBJECTIVITY OF FAITH The Fideist Model Fideism Illustrated The Strengths of Fideism The Weaknesses of Fideism Part Six: Integrative Approaches to Apologetics 20 APOLOGISTS WHO FAVOR INTEGRATION Precursors of Integrative Approaches Edward John Carnell Francis A. Schaeffer David K. Clark C. Stephen Evans
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