The Ethics of Apologetics David Cook
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The Ethics of Apologetics
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 Cor.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. Rom. 14.11-12
Concern to obey Christ. Matt. 28 .18-20
Concern to imitate Christ. 1 John 2. 6, Phil 2.5-6.
Concern to imitate NT methods 1 Cor.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
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
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 communit
Dr David Cook is a fellow of Green College, Oxford, founding director of the Whitefield Institute and teaches philosophy, theology and ethics. He is well known as an author and broadcaster. He is the Arthur F. Holmes Chair of Faith and Learning at Wheaton College. View all resources by David Cook
