The Ethics of Apologetics

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David Cook considers the ethics of apologetics. He looks at why people reject the use of apologetics and whether they have a good case or not.

Context

a) The nature of apologetics

Criticism of alternatives
Response to objections and questions from culture and philosophies of the day
Search for common ground / shared criteria
Present own case - mission and evangelism

b) Rejection of apologetics

In theory - Barth - undermines divine revelation
In practice - Church omits
The Morality of Apologetics

1. The Morality of Concerns

1 Corinthians 9:16. "Woe to me, if I do not preach the gospel"

Concern for the lost - the reality of a lost eternity
Concern because we shall answer before the judgement seat of God. Romans 14:11-12
Concern to obey Christ. Matthew 28:18-20
Concern to imitate Christ. 1 John 2:6, Philippians 2:5-6
Concern to imitate NT methods 1 Corinthians 11:1
Concern to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading Acts 8:26-29, 16:7

2. The Morality of Truth

a) Concern to rebut the lies of Relativism

It is self-contradictory
It is inaccurate
It absolutises one view of truth

b) Concern for proper tests of truth

Coherence theory of truth
Correspondence with reality
Pragmatic test of truth - transforming.

c) Concern to resist subjecting Christian truth to false standards

d) Concern to reject control of theological thought by some current philosophy / ideology

e) Concern to have confidence in Truth - It shall make you free John 8:32

3. The Morality of Persons and Relationships

a) Concern for the integrity of ourselves

What we believe and why

b) Concern for the integrity of others

Give respect
Rationality
Holistic
Not paternalistic

c) Concern for the freedom and autonomy of others

The rich young ruler. Luke 18:18

d) Concern for the culture of others

Human identity v. inhuman division

e) Concern for the destiny of others.

4. The Morality of Methodology

a) Concern to do justice to the nature of Gospel Truth

b) Concern to avoid commercialisation of the Gospel

The success motif
Selling not sharing / proclaiming
Quantity of fruit rather than quality
Faithfulness

c) Concern for the wrong kind of consensus

Lowest common denominator

d) Concern for holism

Not separate personal from communal
Not separate private from social.

e) Concern for plurality

Variety is God’s gift and human reality

f) Concern for faith

Not absolute certainty
N.B. early Church

Content / context

g) Concern for a proper understanding of tolerance

Not intolerance nor extremism
Open minded beware of
Empty minds

h) Concern for appropriate methods

No force or violence
No manipulation of the truth
No conscious omission
No false emphasis or cheap grace
Whole truth - cross and crown
No blurring of the differences / distinctives
No surrender or false modification
No over-simplification
No false accommodation
No ghetto retreat

5. The Morality of Distinctiveness

Beliefs
Life Style
Authority of Scripture - Inspiration, Interpretation and Application
Authority in the Church
Authority of Transformed lives and communities
Authority of Transforming lives and communities
Integration of public and private
A disciplined and disciplining community