APOLOGETICS
​SESSION 1

APOLOGETICS SESSION 1
Is Being a Christian Intellectually Reasonable?

Summary Answer:
Yes! Being a Christian is intellectually reasonable. In fact, the Christian worldview is more intellectually reasonable than atheism or any other worldview.

Opening Discussion Questions
  1. What is apologetics?
  2. Why should we study apologetics?

Discussion Questions
  1. What is a worldview? 
  2. What are the main questions that a worldview answers?
  3. Does everyone have a worldview?  Explain.
  4. In the video, Sam says: “You shouldn’t think anything is true unless it is scientifically proven.” What is the problem with this statement?

"One who claims to be a skeptic of one set of beliefs is actually a true believer in another set of beliefs." -Phillip E Johnson

Discussion Question
  • Do you agree with this quote? Explain.

"While religion certainly requires faith, religion is not only about faith. Facts are also central to all religions because all religious worldview - including atheism - make truth claims, and many of those truth claims can be evaluated through scientific and historical investigation." -Geisler and Turek, I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (page 23)

More Discussion Questions
  1. Would you agree that historical and scientific facts are relevant to religious faith?  Explain.
  2. What is 'faith'? How would you define it?
  3. Would you agree that every worldview requires faith? Explain.
Discussion Questions​
  1. What is the different between ‘possible doubt’ and ‘reasonable doubt’? Why is this important when considering religious truth?
  2. “You don’t know anything beyond possible doubt.” Do you agree? Explain.
  3. “I won’t believe in Christianity unless all of my questions are answered.”  Is this a good approach?  Explain.​
​There are basically three kinds of objections to Christianity:
  • Intellectual Objections
  • Emotional Objections
  • Volitional Objections (moral restrictions)
Discussion Questions:
  1. How would you define each of these above objections?
  2. What are some examples?
  3. Should we respond differently to people who have different objections? Explain.

The Key Question: What worldview makes the most sense of the world around me?

Discussion Questions​
  1. What does it mean that Christianity is a ‘testable’ faith? Explain.
  2. Would you say that Christianity is a reasonable faith? Explain.
Keller gives us three ways that Christianity needs to satisfy us in order for our faith to remain and to grow: 
  • Intellectual
  • Personal
  • Social.

Discussion Questions​
  1. What do each of these mean?
  2. Which of these are you experiencing most strongly these days? Explain.
In this video, Frank Turek gives us a very brief outline of how to show that Christianity is true: 
  1. Truth exists and can be known.
  2. God exists.
  3. Miracles are possible.
  4. The New Testament is historically reliable.

Discussion Questions​
  1. Why is each of these statements above important?
  2. What else can you remember Frank Turek saying about each of these?
  3. What else stood out to you from this video?
Closing Questions​
  1. What stood out to you most from this session/discussion?
  2. Closing thoughts/comments?