Humble Apologetics
Defending the Faith Today
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Is it still possible, in an age of religious and cultural pluralism, to engage in Christian apologetics? How can one urge one's faith on others when such a gesture is typically regarded with suspicion, if not outright resentment?
In Humble Apologetics John G. Stackhouse brings his wide experience as a historian, philosopher, journalist, and theologian to these important questions and offers surprising--and reassuring--answers. Stackhouse begins by acknowledging the real impediments to Christian testimony in North America today and to other faiths in modern societies around the world. He shows how pluralism, postmodernism, skepticism, and a host of other factors create a cultural milieu resistant to the Christian message. And he shows how the arrogance or dogmatism of apologists themselves can alienate rather than attract potential converts. Indeed, Stackhouse argues that the crucial experience of conversion cannot be compelled; all the apologist can do is lead another to the point where an actual encounter with Jesus can take place. Finally, he shows how displaying an attitude of humility, instead of merely trying to win religious arguments, will help believers offer their neighbors the gift of Christ's love.
Drawing on the author's personal experience and written with an engaging directness and an unassuming nature, Humble Apologetics provides sound guidance on how to share Christian faith in a postmodern world.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Classic Christian apologetics involved a defense (apologia) of the faith, often in the face of questions generated by non-Christians. Generally, the practice of apologetics has gone out of fashion in an era of ecumenical dialogue and religious pluralism, leaving mostly fundamentalists to engage in the hard-nosed form of apologetics that is more a condemnation of other religions than a defense of Christianity. Stackhouse, who teaches theology and culture at Regent College in Vancouver, rather shakily attempts to restore the dignity of apologetics in the contemporary world. He examines several of the challenges that today's apologists face, including the relativism of postmodernism and pluralism as well as the self-centered nature of consumerism. He argues that apologetics involves more than a defense of the faith; its goal is conversion, though this should be achieved by competently defending the Christian faith, not unduly condemning other religions. Finally, Stackhouse offers helpful guidelines for apologetic conversations, such as "teach first, preach second," "clarify the most important questions," "focus on Jesus" and "read the Bible." Stackhouse's examination of postmodernism and pluralism depends too heavily on second-hand evangelical sources for definitions of these phenomena, and sets up a false picture of the challenges facing Christian apologetics. At the same time, his emphasis on conversion misses the point of apologetics, and it is perhaps more proper to say that Stackhouse has here offered a humble theory of proselytizing rather than a humble apologetics. Unfortunately, Stackhouse's simplistic guidelines will not go very far toward reviving apologetics from disuse.
