Apologetics

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Colin Bernreuter
9/9/13
Dr. Menuge
Christian Apologetics
In his Galatians commentary, Martin Luther expresses his views regarding the proper use and improper abuse of apologetics. He states: “When you are to dispute with Jews, Turks, Papists, Heretics, etc., concerning the power, wisdom and majesty of God, employ all your intelligence and industry to that end, and be as profound and as subtle a disputer as you can…Such arguments [for divine truth based on human and earthly analogy] are good when they are grounded upon the ordinance of God. But when they are taken from man’s corrupt affections, they are naught.” (Luther's comments on Gal. 1:3 and 3:15). This mirrors the opening of Paul’s letter to the Colossians. “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)
Critics of apologetics within the Lutheran church expound on the idea that reason has no place in the Five Solae: Grace Alone (Sola Gratia), Faith Alone (Sola Fide), Christ Alone (Solus Christus), Scripture Alone (Sola Scriptura), Glory to God Alone (Soli Deo Gloria). There is no Reason Alone (sed solum rationis) to which the Lutheran faith professes. The prominent idea is that apologetics are simply not necessary or effective in the evangelizing office. Faith comes from the Holy Spirit and not from any reasoning of the human mind. There is also the fear that apologists, when delving into natural theology and other purely Theistic philosophies, find gaps in the personality or attributes of God, that they would then assign their own personal attributes to God, thereby turning natural theology into a form of idolatry.
The objective nature of the Christian faith is just that, evidence-based. Belief in and of itself doesn’t give value to it, what is believed in does. As John Warwick Montgomery states: “The facts of God's existence and of his incarnate revelation in Jesus Christ stand as objectively true and evidentially compelling wholly apart from belief in them. Faith in no sense creates their facticity.”
These arguments only focus on the improper abuse of apologetics. They do not show how useful effective apologetics can be. When we, as Paul and Luther do, recognize Christ as the cornerstone of our message, then apologetics can be used to spread the Gospel.
Luther and Montgomery distinguish between two kingdoms, The Spiritual Kingdom and The Earthly Kingdom. One of the criticisms of this approach is that is very dualistic. By separating the earthly and the spiritual, one would also separate faith and belief (spiritual) and evidence (earthly). The Christocentric variable introduced in this approach changes everything. It is no longer faith and belief on one side and evidence on the other. When Christ came into the world, He bridged the gap and left historical evidence in the earthly kingdom while still being part of the spiritual kingdom.
We are given the historical fact of Christ being Man. This is the Notitia dimension of faith. In order to believe in something, we need to know something to believe in. While it is “faith”, it is not saving faith. Even demons know of Christ. (James 2:19) Assensus is a step higher. It is a faith with a conviction of its truth. This is what separates us from demons, the fact that we believe the Notitia is true. The final level is Fiducia. After knowing that Christ came to Earth as a man, and truly believing His message, we now seek a personal and trusting relationship with Him. Faith is only effectual if one personally trusts Him alone for salvation.

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