Page 3 - Apologetics Student Textbook (3 Credits)

Apologetics
By Dr. Kris Bjorgen

Study Section 1: What is Apologetics?

1.1 Connect

There is a high percentage of students who graduate from high school and go on to a state
operated university or college. According to Ratio Christi, 75% of Christian teens leave their
faith when they attend college (https://ratiochristi.org/ministries/college-apologetics). College
students are bombarded with competing worldviews. Professors are challenging their faith.
Most students entering college have never had to defend the faith of their parents or what faith they
have. They really don’t know why they believe something to be true or false, and when challenged, they
have no defense.

This course is all about apologetics. It is designed to teach you a Biblical worldview and how to defend
that worldview against skeptics who may challenge you. A Biblical worldview is reasonable and
defendable. You need to be able to learn why it is so. So let’s begin our course on a defense of the
Word of God.

1.2 Objectives

1. The student should be able to give the definition of what an apologist is.

2. The student should be able to site the verse in Scripture that demand that they become an
apologist, along with its cautions.

3. The student should be able to give the theological argument for the existence of God.

1.3 What is an apologist?

The Scripture demand that every believer become an apologist. There is a great difference
between the word, “apologize” and an “apologist”. An apologist does not apologize to
others for his faith; he rather defends why He believes what He believes with gentleness
and respect. The Greek word apologia means “defense” and is a legal term which relates to
the defense of a person who is being prosecuted in a court of law. The defense attorney
declares the truth of the case before the judge.

The very first apologists in the Christian faith were the disciples and Apostle Paul, along with others in
the first century who were spreading the Gospel in the Roman world. Here is what is said of them:

Acts 9:22 – Paul is described as “confounding” and “proving”
Acts 17:22 – Paul is “reasoning” and “disputing”
Acts 17:17 – Paul is “reasoning” and “arguing”
Acts 19:9 – Paul is “dialoguing” and “persuading”
Phil. 1:1 – Paul describes his ministry as the defense and confirmation of the gospel

2