Noetic Apologetics

128 Pages·2014·0.63 MB·English

by  Enuel Hernandez

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Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary
NOETIC APOLOGETICS:
A CONTEMPORARY APPROACH IN COMPARISON TO HISTORICAL APOLOGETIC
METHODS
A Thesis Project Submitted to
The faculty of Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary
in Candidacy for the Degree of
Doctor of Ministry
By
Enuel Hernandez
Lynchburg, Virginia
2 March, 2012
Copyright © 2012 by Enuel Hernandez
All Rights Reserved
Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary
Thesis Project Approval Sheet
______________________________
GRADE
______________________________
DR. Charlie Davidson
Director, Doctor of Ministry Program
Associate Professor of Counseling
MENTOR
______________________________
DR. Kevin L. King
Director, Master of Divinity
Associate Professor of Homiletics and Historical Theology
READER
ABSTRACT
NOETIC APOLOGETICS: A CONTEMPORARY APPROACH IN COMPARISON TO
HISTORICAL APOLOGETIC METHODS
Enuel Hernandez
Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, 2012
Mentor: Dr. Charlie Davidson
Many people are intrigued by the fundamental questions of life. Questions of origin,
moral, and purpose are just a few of these. Throughout the centuries, Christians have endeavored
in the task of apologetics to give sound answers to these questions. The history of Christianity
has shown that apologists have consistently answered objections and inquires about their religion
and that many techniques have emerged to direct apologists in explaining their faith. However,
there seems to be no unifying process for doing apologetics. This study examines the different
apologetic methods and exposes their strong and weak points in order to develop more efficient
response strategies. The research method for this thesis project uses qualitative grounded theory.
The goal of this study is to evaluate the historical profile of past apologetic methods in order to
provide knowledge, direction, and guidance for engaging in more effective apologetics in the 21st
century.
Abstract Length: 147 words.
iv
Dedication
First, the writer would like to give praise to the Lord Jesus Christ for saving him. Next,
the writer would like to thank several persons for the completion of this work, with the first
being the prayers, patience and love of the writer’s wife, Damarys Hernandez. She has always
provided great encouragement to the author. The author’s children also deserve credit for lending
their dad to pursue intellectual growth.
A special thanks to the entire Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary faculty who shaped
the author's intellectual pursuits and commitment to the ministry. The author would like to
extend a special thanks to Dr. Elmer Towns, co-founder of Liberty University, who instructed
the writer in various courses and Dr. Gary Habermas for so often providing the author with
encouraging words.
v
TABLE OF CONTENT
ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………………. iii
DEDICATION……………………………………………………………………… vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS…………………………………………………………… vi
ILLUSTRATIONS…………………………………………………………………. ix
CHAPTER 1: Introduction…….……...………….………………………..….….. 1
Statement of Problem……………………………………………………….. 4
Statement of Methodology………………………………………………….. 4
Statement of Scope and Limitations………………………………………… 7
Theoretical Basis……………………………………………………………. 8
Biblical Basis……………………………………………………………….. 9
Review of Selected Literature ……………………………………………… 16
Summary…………………………………………………………………… 29
CHAPTER 2: Definition and purpose of apologetics…………………….……… 30
Definition of Apologetics…………………………………………………… 30
Reasons People Give for Rejecting Apologetics……………………………. 36
Purpose of Apologetics……………………………………………………… 40
CHAPTER 3: Historical survey of apologetic methods……………….........…… 48
Old Testament Apologetics………………………………………………..... 48
New Testament apologetics……………………………………………….... 53
Apologetics According to Jesus Christ……………………………………… 55
The Gospels as an Apologetic ………………………………………………. 59
The Apostle Paul as an Apologist…………………………………………… 62
vi
Patristic Era of Apologetics…………………………………………………. 64
Summary of Patristic apologists...… ………………………………………... 73
Medieval Apologetics……………………………………………………….. 75
Reformation Apologetics………………………………………………….... 76
The 17th and 18th Centuries………………………………………………... 77
Contemporary Apologetics…………………………………………………. 78
Summary……………………………………………………………………. 81
CHAPTER 4: Evaluation of contemporary apologetic methods……….……… 85
Classical Method……………………………………………………………. 86
Strong Points of the Classical Method of Apologetics……………… 88
Weak Points of the Classical Method of Apologetics………………. 89
Presuppositional Method……………………………………………………. 89
Strong Points of the Presuppositional Method of Apologetics….…... 93
Weak Points of the Presuppositional Method of Apologetics………… 94
Evidential Method………………………………………………………....... 95
Strong Points of the Evidential Method of Apologetics.……………. 97
Weak Points of the Evidential Method of Apologetics.…….……….. 97
Fideist Method…..……………………………………………………..…… 98
Strong Points of the Fideist Method of Apologetics.……………….. 99
Weak Points of the Fideist Method of Apologetics….……………… 100
CHAPTER 5: Noetic approach to apologetics methods……………,........……... 101
Definition of the Term……………………………………………………… 101
System of evaluation…………….………………………………………….. 105
vii
Application and principle of Noetic Apologetics…….…………………….. 107
Figure 1……………………………………………………………………… 108
Figure 2…………………………………………………………………….... 109
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….. 110
Recommendations for practitioners....………………………………………. 110
Recommendations for future research....……………………………………. 111
BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………………………………………………………… 113
VITA………………………………………………………………………………… 119
viii
Illustrations
Figures
1 Flowchart Noetic Method of Apologetic - Christian . . . 97
2 Flowchart Noetic Method of Apologetic - Non-Christian . . 98
ix
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Since the birth of Christianity, apologists were required to address issues with regards to
their religion. Many of those same issues are still being addressed today, but a comprehensive
range of new subjects is being answered or explained by apologists in an era where the
objectivity of truth is being attacked. As the Church faces many struggles in the midst of its
relevant position in the world, apologists shoulder much of the responsibility of helping give
answers for the faith. They endeavor in this task by using a plethora of methods, and many of
these methods have changed throughout the centuries, adapting as needs arose. As Dr. Elmer
Towns explained, quoting an unknown author: “Methods are many, principles are few; methods
may change, but principles never do.”1 At its most fundamental level, there is a mission that all
Christian apologists have, and it is to proclaim and be a faithful witness of the truth of the gospel
of Jesus Christ.2
With the advent of post-modernism the Church, once again, has had to defend and
elucidate its metanarratives. Some have defined the postmodernist movement as “incredulity
towards metanarratives.”3 Therefore, the job of the apologist is to confront this lack of belief by
providing coherent answers to defend the core elements of the Christian religion. Apologists
must understand these cultural trends in order to be effective in their message. They must
understand that there are many variables to address when proclaiming the Gospel. The correct
1
Dr. Elmer Tows, "Class lecture." (lecture, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, School of Religion,
Lynchburg, VA, June 23, 2011.
2 Steve Green, Partial Lyrics from The Song, "The Mission."
3
Jean-Francois Lyotard, The Postmodern Condition: a Report of Knowledge, trans. Geoff Bennington and
Brian Massumi (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1984), 48.
1