The Evangelical Lutheran Synod’s Center for Apologetics and Worldview Studies presents evidence for the truth of Christianity, critiques worldviews that oppose Christianity, fortifies believers with a proper interpretation of Holy Scripture, and engages unbelievers in conversations leading toward the Gospel proclamation of forgiveness in Christ.
“Apologetics” comes from a Greek term meaning “make a defense,” for example, to prove something in a court of law by presenting evidence. The New Testament applies the term to the apostles’ proclamation of the Gospel (Luke 12:11, 1 Peter 3:15). The apostles provided eyewitness testimony (Acts 1:8,21–22) concerning the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They also demonstrated with well-reasoned arguments (Acts 17:2,17; 18:4) that Jesus of Nazareth was the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament.
Christian apologetics began with the apostles, and it has continued throughout church history. In the second century, Justin Martyr prepared two “Apologies” for defending the Christian faith before the Roman emperor. He provided both historical and philosophical arguments to protect Christians from false charges of impiety and to affirm the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians today continue to demonstrate the truth of Christianity through apologetics.
Distinctive approaches to apologetics seek to winsomely communicate with varied audiences. For example, the ELS Doctrine Committee has outlined both a “broad” and a “narrow” definition of apologetics. “It is used in a narrow sense when referring to the presentation of rational arguments and historical evidence in defense of the truthfulness of Scripture against attacks, including the historicity of the events of the Old and New Testaments, especially the events of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In its broad sense, ‘apologetics’ includes the use of the law to show the folly of unbelief, and also the use of the gospel in giving the reason for Christian hope.”
Learn more about the center’s approach to apologetics and worldview studies here.
For video archives of previous conferences and information concerning forthcoming conferences, visit the events page of the Center for Apologetics and Worldview Studies.
ELS Apologetics Conferences:
- “Making the Case for the Truth of the Bible: Bringing Jesus to My Unbelieving Neighbor,” 2019 (Click here for PDF handouts and Video Archives.)
- “A Reliable and Defensible Christianity for Today’s World: Equipping Christians to Defend and Share the Gospel,” 2018 (Click here for PDF handouts and Video Archives.)
ELS Resources:
- Bethany Lutheran College Apologetics Webpage
- Doctrine Committee Apologetics Study Document, “Confess and Defend: ὁµολογία and ἀπολογία”
- 6-Part Bible Study on Christian Apologetics:
- Lutheran Sentinel Articles:
- Allen Quist “What Is Christian Apologetics?” (January-February 2017)
- David Thompson, “Jesus’ Outrageous Claims and Apologetics: Who Do People Say that I Am?” (March-April 2017)
- Thomas Heyn, “Dead or Alive? The Apologetics for a Resurrected Jesus” (May-June 2017)
- David Thompson, “Reliability of the New Testament” (July-August 2017)
- Allen Quist, “Answering Objections from Darwinian Evolution” (September-October 2017)
- Aaron Hamilton, “Confronting the Problem of Evil” (Nov./Dec. 2017)
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Lutheran Synod Quarterly articles:
- John Warwick Montgomery, “Should Christianity Be Defended?,” Lutheran Synod Quarterly, 11, no. 1 (1970): 1–15.
- John Warwick Montgomery, “The Apologetic Thrust of Lutheran Theology,” Lutheran Synod Quarterly, 11, no. 1 (1970): 16–39.
- John Warwick Montgomery, “How to Validate Gospel Truth in Our Time: An Illustration,” Lutheran Synod Quarterly, 11, no. 1 (1970): 40–57.
- Steven P. Petersen, “The Role of Apologetics in Lutheran Theology,” Lutheran Synod Quarterly 24, no. 4 (1984): 31–45.
- Lyle Lange, “Lutheran Apologetics: From Our Classrooms and into the World,” Lutheran Synod Quarterly 51, no. 4 (Dec. 2011): 331-374.
- Allen J. Quist, “The Doctrine of Creation in Lutheran Apologetics,” Lutheran Synod Quarterly 55, no. 1 (2015): 9–43.
- Daniel van Voorhis, “Lutherans and the Defense of the Faith,” Lutheran Synod Quarterly 55, no. 1 (2015): 45–46.
- Allen Quist, “Defending the Christian Faith,” Lutheran Synod Quarterly 55 (Dec. 2015): 345-367.
- Allen J. Quist, “The Evidence for Easter,” Lutheran Synod Quarterly, 58, no. 4 (2018): 377–97.
- Reformation Lectures, Hosted by Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary
- Daniel van Voorhis, “Lutherans and the Defense of the Faith” (2014)
- Allen Quist, “The Doctrine of Creation in Lutheran Apologetics” (2014)
Related Events and Resources:
- Allen Quist, “Evidence for Easter,” 2018 (Click here for PDF and Video Archives.)
- Ryan MacPherson, “Easter Evidence: What Do the ‘Autopsies” of Jesus Reveal?” (2018)
- San Antonio Biblical Worldview Conferences:
- Allen Quist, Salem Lutheran Church Men’s Retreat (2018)
