Most people read the word apologetics and think, "a rational defense of the gospel". Although apologetics can mean that, I want to reflect on its broader meaning.
Apologetics for sure has to do with the plausibility and "attractiveness" of the Christian faith. Usually when we think about apologetics, are minds are drawn to philosophical and theological arguments that seek to preserve some of the core propositional teachings of historic Christianity.
As a church, we need winsome philosophical and theological answers to all the various questions that outsiders have about our faith. Although I believe propositional answers to the various cultural objections to Christianity are necessary, our final apologetic (our strongest argument) cannot be propositional arguments. Why? Because we no longer live in a society that believes ultimate truth can be "contacted" via rational argumentation.
In our postmodern environment, truth is "contacted" through submersion in a particular environment or culture. Although propositional statements are not entirely jettisoned in the postmodern world-view, they are no longer considered the primary ways to receive truth. The main idea here is that being submersed into a particular culture/environment will shape and guide the ways we view the world and the ways we live within the world.
This said, in our postmodern* society, evangelism and discipleship must occur in a particular environment/culture. Throughout the history of Christianity, the local church has been the environment where people have been submersed in and thus shaped and formed by the narrative of the gospel.
Robert Webber puts it like this,
"The church communicates through an immersion into its reality. The church lives by a different story and vision. When a new disciple is submerged in the communal life of the church- in its story, its values, its perspective- the countercultural nature of the faith is caught and the disciple begins to be formed by immersion in the ways of the community"
(Ancient-Future Evangelism, pg 75).
I believe that Christianity is both intelligible and "attractive". But I know that many people who are outside the circle of faith would disagree. How can I communicate with those who disagree with me? Although I think I can present reasonable arguments to people, it is going to take an authentic community of faith, the bride of Jesus Christ, embracing those who are opposed to the faith and submersing them in a radical love and performing the beautiful narrative of the gospel in their midst.
*Postmodernism is a philosophical movement after "modernism". Whereas modernism was interested in traditional views of authority/power and the supremacy of human reason- postmodernism has a basic suspicion of human reason and challenges traditional views of authority/power.
Apologetics for sure has to do with the plausibility and "attractiveness" of the Christian faith. Usually when we think about apologetics, are minds are drawn to philosophical and theological arguments that seek to preserve some of the core propositional teachings of historic Christianity.
As a church, we need winsome philosophical and theological answers to all the various questions that outsiders have about our faith. Although I believe propositional answers to the various cultural objections to Christianity are necessary, our final apologetic (our strongest argument) cannot be propositional arguments. Why? Because we no longer live in a society that believes ultimate truth can be "contacted" via rational argumentation.
In our postmodern environment, truth is "contacted" through submersion in a particular environment or culture. Although propositional statements are not entirely jettisoned in the postmodern world-view, they are no longer considered the primary ways to receive truth. The main idea here is that being submersed into a particular culture/environment will shape and guide the ways we view the world and the ways we live within the world.
This said, in our postmodern* society, evangelism and discipleship must occur in a particular environment/culture. Throughout the history of Christianity, the local church has been the environment where people have been submersed in and thus shaped and formed by the narrative of the gospel.
Robert Webber puts it like this,
"The church communicates through an immersion into its reality. The church lives by a different story and vision. When a new disciple is submerged in the communal life of the church- in its story, its values, its perspective- the countercultural nature of the faith is caught and the disciple begins to be formed by immersion in the ways of the community"
(Ancient-Future Evangelism, pg 75).
I believe that Christianity is both intelligible and "attractive". But I know that many people who are outside the circle of faith would disagree. How can I communicate with those who disagree with me? Although I think I can present reasonable arguments to people, it is going to take an authentic community of faith, the bride of Jesus Christ, embracing those who are opposed to the faith and submersing them in a radical love and performing the beautiful narrative of the gospel in their midst.
*Postmodernism is a philosophical movement after "modernism". Whereas modernism was interested in traditional views of authority/power and the supremacy of human reason- postmodernism has a basic suspicion of human reason and challenges traditional views of authority/power.
1 comment:
I remember having a conversation with Pastor Brad from the Lutheran Campus Ministry here at U of H. We talked about evangelism, and how some Christians need to change the way they reach out to people.
Some Christians are satisfied with simply handing out tracts and giving a five minute presentation on why they need to say "The Prayer" that will save thier souls from eternal damnation (or being left behind in the upcoming Rapture).
We both agreed that spirituality is a personal matter and that asking people on a street if they want to be saved is not effective. Evangelism happens as the Church reaches out to people and offers them relationships. Just sitting down with someone and getting to know them better will open people up to Christians. And Christians can offer the Gospel in a respectable and loving manner.
So yeah, I can agree with you. When we offer people a community that they can belong in, they can become aware of what Chrisitianity is all about. :)
Love and blessings,
Magdiel
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