Thus we need to ask concerning Christian apologetics not only, “Who needs it?” but also “What is it good for?”Ĭhristian apologetics may be defined as that branch of Christian theology which seeks to provide rational warrant for Christianity’s truth claims. In the same way Christian apologetics can be of great utility even if it’s not necessary for some end. Or again, it’s not necessary to maintain your bicycle in order to go cycling, but it can be a real benefit to maintain a well-oiled machine.
For example, it’s not necessary to know how to type in order to use a computer-you can hunt and peck, as I do-, but nevertheless typing skills are very useful in using a computer. For even if apologetics should turn out not to be absolutely necessary, it doesn’t follow that it is therefore useless. To begin with, I think we ought to distinguish between apologetics’ necessity and utility. Tonight we ask ourselves the fundamental question: Christian apologetics-who needs it? He encouraged me to draw upon my years of experience as a Christian apologist to share some very practical thoughts on this discipline. But President Plantinga encouraged me instead to address the question of Christian apologetics, a topic apparently dear to the heart of Henry Stob but somewhat neglected in recent years. I had thought to speak on some key topics in Christian philosophical theology. But a phone call from President Plantinga made it quite clear to me that such was consistent with neither the intended purpose nor the audience of these lectures.
There’s a temptation to try to justify one’s selection as the Stob lecturer by giving some hopefully impressive, scholarly pair of lectures. Indeed, I’m a bit embarrassed by all the fuss you’ve made. I am honored and deeply humbled by the privilege of being invited to give the Stob Lectures this year.
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