Apologetics at the Cross: An Introduction for Christian Witness

no longer in America or in the rest of the Western world does there exist one dominant religious culture that is given “overwhelming credibility” or is seen as being “beyond challenge.”6 And as a result, religious belief has become far more fragile.

while we do use our intellect when we make commitments and decisions, we never make them on a purely intellectual basis.

if we are to be “true to ourselves,” why should I give of myself selflessly for the sake of others?

Jesus taught that true Christian leadership is about service, not lording power over others.

The Christian God is eternally loving; Allah is not.

Intellectual questions can often mask the emotional and experiential struggles that people face, and the wise will seek to get to the heart of the issue.

When people really, truly consider what it means that they will die, they cannot help but be deeply disturbed by the question. Thus, by sympathetically getting someone to seriously consider what will happen to them after they die, an apologist can place an existential weight on their shoulders that is difficult for them to bear, let alone shrug off

“finding yourself ” is typically just code for finding what new group you will join. Notice how when someone “expresses their individuality” with a certain style of music, automobile, or set of beliefs, there are normally an awful lot of other people expressing their “individuality” in the same way.

most apologetic deniers end up practicing some form of apologetics anyway, even if they avoid the A-word.

If the shifting winds of culture are what ultimately steer an apologist, then the standards of Christianity will always be changing, from year to year and culture to culture.