Apologetics: What is it and Why do it?

                Apologetics might seem like a strange word for someone reading it for the first time. One can define apologetics from the Greek word meaning “speaking in defense”. So to expand it out; apologetics is the discipline of defending a position through a systematic means. Some people, such as myself reading, the word apologetics for the first time might associate the word with apology. So if you hold that position, a Christian Apologist is someone who is apologizing for their faith. That doesn’t make much sense does it? Normally in my dialogue and watching debates between atheists and Christians, if the Christian isn’t a pastor or a priest, then they are introduced as Christian Apologists.

                Now because these people are not ordained ministers does not take away from their credibility in any way. We are all called to have a defense of our faith ready for those who ask questions regarding the Christian faith (1 Peter 3:15-17). So in a sense anyone who claims to be a Christian is also called to be a Christian apologist in a sense. Now you don’t have to go writing out your thoughts in a blog or get up and speak to thousands of people, but be aware of your faith and know it well enough so that you might be able to share it with your neighbor and give your reasons as to why you believe. This also ties in with the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20). We are called to preach and make disciples of men who do not yet call Jesus as their savior, but sometimes we must convince these men and women that there is even a God to begin with before we get to the Gospel of Christ. Since God is the creator of everything, there are multitudes of ways to show that He is there, and I choose to show his existence through the evidence presented to us through the study of His creation, otherwise known as science.