Intro To Apologetics 2015 Module

SOUTHERN EVANGELICAL SEMINARY

3000 TILLEY MORRIS RD MATTHEWS, NC 28105 COURSE SYLLABUS Winter 2014 3 credit hours

AP 501 Introduction to Apologetics

Norman Geisler, Ph.D. Daniel Janosik, Ph.D.

[email protected] (704) 8475600 x. 207

I. DESCRIPTION OF THE COURSE This course is a study of the principles involved in the science of apologetics. The course examines the reasonableness of the evidence for Christian Faith, with emphasis placed on the 12-step approach taken in apologetics and basic considerations of each.

II. FORMAT OF THE COURSE

This course has been designed as a Modular/Hybrid course, which will run from January 6th through March 1st, 2014. The first week of class (January 6-10) will meet face-to-face on campus, Monday through Friday evenings from 7-9:30 pm. Distance students will be able to participate during these sessions through online live-streaming. (Students who will not be able to be present at these live sessions will still be able to sign up for the course and watch the recorded streaming sessions as part of the online portion of the class). During the face-to-face portion of the course (Jan. 6-10), Dr. Geisler will teach and lead discussions. During the remaining portion of the course (Jan. 20-March 8), Dr. Janosik will act as the facilitator in the hybrid format. During these weeks, there will be weekly online videos/lectures by Dr. Geisler and Dr. Janosik, reading assignments, online forums, live web sessions (Q&A), quizzes, assignments, a final exam based on the 12 Step approach and a final paper. All of these things will be done online through our Moodle course management system. (Note that there is an extra week between the time of the module (Jan. 6-10) and the beginning of the online portion, which begins on Jan. 20. You may want to use this week to begin your reading for your book critique).

III. OBJECTIVES After completing the course, the student should be able to:

1. Explain the 12-Step Approach to apologetics to a thinking and concerned

unbeliever. 2. Present a logical, systematic approach to Apologetics. 3. Answer some of the major questions that non-Christians ask concerning the

existence of God, miracles, the deity of Christ, and inspiration of the Bible.

AP501: Introduction to Apologetics Page 2

4. Present historical, scientific and archaeological evidence for the authenticity of the Bible and the resurrection of Christ.

5. Give credible reasons for rejecting macro-evolution as an explanation of origins and present evidence that supports the views of Intelligent Design.

6. Develop critical thinking skills through evaluation and analysis of opposing viewpoints.

7. Develop a personal apologetic for Biblical Christianity that will stimulate a deeper walk with the Lord and a life-long study in these areas.

IV. RESOURCES FOR THE COURSE

Required Books for the course: Geisler, Norman and Frank Turek. I Dont Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist.

Wheaton, Ill: Crossway, 2004. [ISBN: 1-58134-561-5] Suggested Books for the course and Book List for the Book Review: Craig, William Lane. A Reasonable Response: Answers to Tough Questions on God,

Christianity, and the Bible. Chicago: Moody, 2013. [ISBN: 978-0802405999] Feser, Edward. The Last Superstition: A Refutation of the New Atheism. South Bend: St.

Augustine's Press, 2008. [ISBN: 9781587314520] Geisler, Norm. Christian Apologetics. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1988. [ISBN:

978-0801038228] Geisler, Norman. Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics. Grand Rapids: Baker,

1998. [ISBN: 978-0801021510] Geisler, Norman. A Handbook of Worldviews (www.BastionBooks.com). Geisler, Norman. Miracles and the Modern Mind (www.BastionBooks.com). Groothuis, Douglas. Truth Decay: Defending Christianity Against the Challenges of

Postmodernism. Downers Grove, InterVarsity Press, 2000. [ISBN: 9780851115245]

Habermas, Gary R. The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ. Joplin:

College Press Publishing, 1996. [ISBN: 9780899007328] Keller, Timothy. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. Riverhead/Penguin,

2008. [ISBN: 978-1-59448-349-3] Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity. San Francisco: Harper, 2009. [ISBN: 978-0060652920]


Lewis, C.S. Miracles. Nashville: B&H, 2000. [ISBN: 9780805493948] McGrath, Alister. Mere Apologetics: How to Help Seekers & Skeptics Find Faith. Grand

Rapids: Baker Books, 2012. [ISBN: 978-0-8010-1416-1] Moreland, J. P. Scaling the Secular City: A Defense of Christianity. Grand Rapids: Baker

Books, 1987. [ISBN: 9780801062223] Nash, Ronald. The Gospel and the Greeks: Did the New Testament Borrow from Pagan

Thought? Phillipsburg: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 2003. [ISBN: 9780875525594]

Strobel, Lee. The Case for Faith. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000. [ISBN: 978-

0310234692] V. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE

1. Reading. Read carefully the assigned portions of the text for each weeks assignments. There will be a weekly online assessment to keep track of all reading.

2. Attendance. Since this is primarily an online course, it is very important that you make every effort to keep up with your weekly assignments and reading. Each student should plan to put at least 12-15 hours a week into the course over the 8-week period (135 hours total for a 3 credit hour course). Please see the breakdown on the Assignments and Time chart located in your Documents folder online.

3. Quizzes. There will be on-line quizzes given as appropriate. These quizzes will be comprised of objective questions based on the reading and the lectures. The lowest quiz will be dropped.

4. Examinations. There will be a Final Exam focusing on the material covered by the reading, lectures and quizzes. This will be comprised of both objective questions and essay questions. This will include a knowledge of the 12-Point Approach to Apologetics.

5. Projects. There will be two projects (see Guidelines below, Part IX). (Project #1): Research Paper (Project #2): Book Critique

6. Forum discussions: These will cover various topics in apologetics and will help you formulate ways to reach out to others using apologetics. Instructions for each discussion will be online.


VI. GRADING

Grading Scale

A = 97-100% B- = 86-87% D+ = 75-77%

A- = 94-96% C+ = 83-85% D = 72-74%

B+ = 91-93% C = 80-82% D- = 70-71%

B = 88-90% C- = 78-79% F = below 70% Grade Percentages:

Assessments Percentage Approximate time

Reading (texts, articles, web links) 5% 40 hours (20 pgs/hr)

Completion of Lectures, Online Participation 5% 15 hours for the module, 20 hours for the remaining time

Forum Discussions 15% 10 hours

Quizzes 15% 10 hours

Final Exam 20% 5 hours (3-hour exam)

Project #1: Research Paper 25% 20 hours

Project #2: Book Critique 15% 15 hours

Total Time: 100% 135 hours


VII. OUTLINE OF THE COURSE

The 12-Step Approach to Apologetics. The overall argument in defense of the Christian Faith can be put in twelve basic propositions. They flow logically one from another:

1. Truth about reality is knowable.

2. Opposites cannot both be true.

3. The theistic God exists.

4. Miracles are possible.

5. Miracles performed in connection with a truth claim are acts of God to confirm the truth

of God through a messenger of God.

6. The New Testament documents are reliable.

7. As witnessed in the New Testament, Jesus claimed to be God.

8. Jesus claim to divinity was proven by a unique convergence of miracles.

9. Therefore, Jesus was God in human flesh.

10. Whatever Jesus (who is God) affirmed as true, is true.

11. Jesus affirmed that the Bible is the Word of God.

12. Therefore, it is true that the Bible is the Word of God and whatever is opposed to any

biblical truth is false.


VIII. 2014 SCHEDULE FOR INTRODUCTION TO APOLOGETICS

Week 1

Date Class Topic Text Reading Assignments/ Quizzes

Day 1

1/6 Syllabus and Overview of Class 1. Truth about reality is knowable. 2. Opposites cannot both be true.

Geisler, N. L. Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (BECA):

Nature of Truth Agnosticism Logic First Principles

Forum #1: Getting Acquainted

Day 2 1/7 3. The theistic God exists. 4. Miracles are possible. 5. Miracles performed in connection with a truth claim are acts of God to confirm the truth of God through a messenger of God.

BECA: Evidence for God Miracle

Day 3 1/8 Science and Christianity: Is Evolution Science? Is Evolution Supported by the Evidence? Are Problems with Evolution Real?

BECA: Cosmological

Argument Teleological

Argument Moral Argument Janosik, Intelligent

Design

Day 4 1/9 6. The New Testament documents are reliable. 7. As witnessed in the New Testament, Jesus claimed to be God. 8. Jesus claim to divinity was proven by a unique convergence of miracles. 9. Therefore, Jesus was God in human flesh.

BECA: Historicity of New

Testament New Testament

Manuscripts Deity of Christ


Day 5 1/10 10. Whatever Jesus (who is God) affirmed as true, is true. 11. Jesus affirmed that the Bible is the Word of God. 12. Therefore, it is true that the Bible is the Word of God and whatever is opposed to any biblical truth is false.

BECA: Miracles in the

Bible Trinity Jesus View of the

Bible

Quiz #1

Week Date Class Topic Text Reading Assignments/ Quizzes

2 1/20-25 (1,2) Epistemology: Is Truth knowable? Geisler video Lecture: Worldviews Lecture: Traditional

Christian Apologetics Lecture: Always be

Prepared Online Video: Ravi

Zacharias on Toward an Evangelical Understanding of Postmodernism and Mission

I Dont Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist (NG/FT): 7-32; 35-67 BECA: Types of Apolotetics; Daniel Janosik, Apologetics

Quiz #2 Forum #2

3 1/27-2/1 (3) Theology: Does God exist? Geisler video Lecture: 20 Arguments

for the Existence of God Lecture: Faith and

Reason Lecture: Problem of Evil Online Debate: William

Lane Craig Does God Exist?

NG/FT: 73-112; 389-401

Quiz #3 Forum #3


4 2/3-8 Ontology: How did we get here? Geisler video Lecture: Fossil record of

man Online video: PBS

special on Evolution

NG/FT: 113-193; Janosik, How to Think about Evolution and the Fossil Record of Man

Quiz #4 Forum #4

5 2/10-15 (4,5) Are miracles possible? Geisler video Lecture: Miracles

NG/FT: 197-217 Quiz #5 Forum #5

6 2/17-22 (6) Historicity: Are the New Testament Documents reliable? Geisler video Lecture: the authenticity

of the Scriptures

NG/FT: 221-324 Quiz #6 Forum #6

7 2/24-3/1 (7-12) Christology: Is Jesus really God? Geisler video Lecture: The Uniqueness

of Christ Lecture: Objections to the

Resurrection Online interview: Gary

Habermas on the Resurrection

NG/FT: 327-388; Uniqueness of Christ Janosik; Gary Habermas, Resurrection

Quiz #7 Forum #7


8 3/3-3/8 (12) Christianity and other religions: Is Christianity true? Lecture: Origin of

Religions Lecture: How to Explain

the Trinity to a Muslim Online Video: Ravi

Zacharias on Toward an Evangelical Understanding of Postmodernism and Mission

NG/FT: 402-408; Janosik, Explaining the Trinity to a Muslim

Final Exam Due: Project #1 Due: Project #2 Course Evaluation

IX GUIDELINES FOR PROJECTS AND DISCUSSIONS:

A. Guidelines for Forum Discussions: 1. Forum discussions will provide opportunities to explore the material covered on a

more student oriented interactive level. The student will usually first post his own response to the assigned questions and then later return to the forum area and provide responses to other posts. The general format will be to submit the first post by Thursday night and then respond to at least two other posts by the Saturday midnight deadline.

2. To submit a post, the student should log into the Moodle site and either access the appropriate forum discussion through the weekly venue or under the Forums tab at the top of the web page. The student should then click into the discussion link provided by the professor. After reading the directions, the student should submit their response by clicking on the reply link in the lower right-hand corner of the instructors post and then typing the response in the box that appears (or pasting the response from Word).

3. In replying to another students post, first click into the appropriate students post and then click on the reply link within that post. This will keep the threads together in an organized fashion. You may note that there are four views by which to view the posts.

4. The first post generally should be at least 300 words and proper grammar and literary style should be employed. The students grade will be reduced for inadequate responses or poor writing. Remember, others will read your posts, so do your best.

B. Guidelines for the Research Paper:

Each student must submit a research paper on an apologetics topic of his choice. You may choose from the following broad categories, or on any other topic directly related


to the course material. You may seek guidance if you are not certain of the category or topic you have selected. Please focus your topics and avoid merely duplicating or summarizing the material from the class. Your approach should further clarify an issue or add something new to what has been taught. Area of Topic: 1. On the nature and knowability of Truth 2. On the existence and nature of God 3. On the creation/evolution controversy 4. On the nature and possibility of miracles 5. On the historicity of the New Testament 6. On the deity of Christ 7. On the Trinity 8. On Apologetic systems 9. On the problem of evil 10. On one of the objections against Christianity brought up by non-Christians. (For example, Muslims will say that God cannot be a Trinity, Jesus was not God, the Bible is corrupt and untrustworthy, and that Jesus did not die on the cross and therefore could not have risen from the dead). Your argument should be couched in the context of that religion or viewpoint.

Guidelines for Writing: 1. The paper must be written from an apologetic point of view. 2. Make sure that you have a strong thesis, well-developed ideas with good, specific support, and a conclusion that not only brings resolution to the issue, but also fulfills the directives of your thesis. You should review the rubric used for this paper (posted on Moodle) in order to better understand how these elements contribute to the paper and to the grading of the paper. 3. Use appropriate research format (Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers, 7th edition), especially for footnotes and the bibliography. (Please do not use endnotes). 4. Include your full name, course name, project name, and date, all at the top left side of your first page. Center your title underneath your heading (flush left is also fine to use). Do not worry about paginating the title page. Begin your numbering on the second page and keep the format consistent throughout the paper, including the bibliography (top right or bottom right are preferable). Example: Alexander Student AP501: Introduction to Apologetics Project #2: Research Paper May 2, 2014


5. Write your paper using double-spacing, at least a 12-pitch font and include a separate page for your bibliography. 6. The body of your paper should be between 12-15 pages in length (approximately 4,000 words). 7. You should use at least 6 different sources (and your internet sources should not make up more than 50% of your sources). Be sure to list these sources appropriately in your bibliography. 8. Remember to utilize footnotes whenever quoting or citing a source. 9. Format your final paper as a Word document. (If you use a different word processor, then save your final version as a Word document). 10. Upload your paper digitally on Moodle in the appropriate drop box area. 11. Use an appropriate form for your documents file name that includes all pertinent information. (For example, proj1.ResearchPaper.your name). C. Guidelines for the Book Critique:

Use the following criteria adapted from the Oxford Journal submission standards in order to write a book critique on one of the books listed under that suggested resources in your syllabus. Standard Book Reviews should be no longer than 2,000 words (5-6 pages), although depending on the book being reviewed they may be shorter or longer. All book reviews should be prepared and submitted following the general Instructions to Authors of this journal. The following information should be given about the book being reviewed at the start of each review: Author / Editor Name, Book Title, Publisher, Year of Publication, ISBN: 000-0-00-000000-0, Number of Pages, Price Book reviews should consider the following: Author background, education and apologetic orientation (apologetic

methodology) The intended audience for the book and who would find it useful The main ideas and major objectives of the book and how effectively these are

accomplished Constructive comments about the strength and weaknesses of the book (be sure to

use examples, quotes and specific evidence to back up your critique)


Explain how the book would be a valuable resource for lay people involved in apologetics and be sure to give examples Your critique should be double-spaced and use a 12-point Times Roman font (or

similar font type). Use Turabian format and save your document as a Word file. Upload your

completed book critique on Moodle in the appropriate drop box.

X. BIBLIOGRAPHY (a bibliography will be placed online)

Intro To Apologetics 2015 Module

Documents

Transcript of Intro To Apologetics 2015 Module