Apologetics Class
Week 1 Notes:


What is Apologetics?

Webster defines it as follows:
   a branch of theology devoted to the defense of the divine origin and authority of Christianity

1Pet 3:15 “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”

The goal and purpose for the class is to help each of us be able to better articulate our beliefs to our non-Christian friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances.

We are going to start by defending the reasonableness of a basic belief in God and proceed through the defense of Biblical Christianity as the Truth of God.


Each week we will cover a topic or two for approximately 30 minutes, from 9:45 to 10:15. Then, we will have a period of discussion until approximately 10:30. Discussion, however, is always welcomed and desired.

First Topic: Is Atheism Credible?

• Who am I?
• Why am I here?
• Where did I come from?
• What happens when I die?

People have been asking these questions since the beginning of time. These questions are religious questions, and the various answers throughout the ages form the history of religion.

Today, we want to begin to examine the concept of Atheism.

Webster defines atheism as:
  The doctrine that there is no God.

Sir Isaac Newton, one of the greatest scientists in History said this:

  “He must be blind who from the most wise and excellent contrivances of things cannot see the Infinite Wisdom and Goodness of their Almighty Creator, and he must be mad and senseless who refuses to acknowledge them”.

C.B. Anfinsen, Ph.D., Nobel Prize winner in chemistry was more blunt:
  “I think only an idiot can be an atheist”.

So the question is, if many of the most intelligent people in history believed in God, doesn’t it seem presumptuous for anyone to claim with absolute assurance that there is no God?

Atheists need to prove that there is no God. But, to prove such a thing, one would need omniscience – one would have to know everything - one would have to had searched the whole universe and concluded that there is no God.

French genius, Blaise Pascal, said:
 nbsp;“What reason have they for saying that we cannot rise from the dead? What is more difficult, to be born or to rise again; that what has never been should be, or that what has been should be again?”

The majority of men and women throughout history have believed in God. It is also true that the majority of the greatest thinkers among humanity, including scientists, have believed in God. In light of this, is the persuasive intellectual force that atheists claim?

Even people who don’t subscribe to any religion at all believe in God. They do so because it is difficult not to believe in God. The evidence is everywhere. Just because you cannot see something does not mean it does not exist. Someone who lives at the North Pole, where it is daylight 24 hours a day, will never see the stars. That doesn’t mean the stars don’t exist.

Everyone believes in God, no matter what they say.

The most eminent atheist of the 20^th century, Jean Paul Sartre said this just before his death:

“Even if one does not believe in God, there are elements of the idea of God that remain in us”

Even though Sartre was a convinced atheist from age 8, he goes on to say:

“As for me, I don’t see myself as so much dust that has appeared in the world but as a being that was expected, prefigured, called forth. In short, as a being that could, it seems, come only from a creator; and this idea of a creating hand that created me refers me back to God. Naturally this is not a clear, exact idea that I set in motion every time I think of myself. It contradicts many of my other ideas; but it is there, floating vaguely. And when I think of myself I often think rather in this way, for wont of being able to think otherwise”.

Sartre knew God existed, but refused to acknowledge him. Sounds like Romans 1:20-21:
   since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

The Bible doesn’t attempt to prove God’s existence because it doesn’t have to. God has placed knowledge of himself in everyone’s heart. Atheists are simply choosing to pay no attention to God.