| Unit name | Apologetics and Evangelism (Trinity and Baptist College) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | THRS30148 |
| Credit points | 10 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Reverend Dr. Corrie |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
E11001 Continuing the Mission of Jesus. |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Religion and Theology |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
The unit will include a historical review of how major Christian thinkers have sought to defend the Christian faith by philosophical and moral argument, exploring how the early Fathers sought to use reason in arguing for the faith. Traditional arguments for the existence of God will be reviewed and critiqued and there will be a discussion of how the Bible resources defence of Christian truth in the face of philosophical alternatives. Contemporary intellectual and ethical objections to Christian faith will be examined, including the challenges relating to science and evolution, the nature of truth, the problem of suffering, moral objections, pluralism and the postmodern context. The varied ways Christians defend faith in the light of rival truth claims will be explored leading to discussion of the relationship between apologetics and evangelism and what constitutes an appropriate commendation of faith to our culture.
This unit aims to equip students with the intellectual tools to explore and critique ways of defending Christian truth in the light of philosophical, cultural and moral objections, and to consider appropriate ways to commend faith to a secular world.
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
The unit will consist mainly of lectures and seminars. There will be at least one opportunity for students to hear and interact with a reasoned and thoughtful atheistic presentation. Interaction with film and the visual arts will form one way of engaging with contemporary culture. Emphasis will be placed on developing skills of reasoned argument and thoughtful debate. Students will be encouraged to examine their own presuppositions and critique the weaknesses of their own arguments for faith. Models of evangelism will be examined and critiqued through the discussion of case studies and historical examples.
10 contact hours equating to 2 contact hours per week for 5 weeks
Formative assessment will be through preparation for classes and participation in class discussions and seminars.
Summative assessment will be through an essay of 3,000 words.
