PE015-812 - Apologetics for Post-Christian Australia
-
2,976 Standard Tuition Fee
-
12Credit Points
-
0.125 EFT
-
8AQF level
-
Category advanced unitC
-
philosophy ethicsUnit Discipline
Prerequisites
24cps TH/CH/PE/EM
Exclusions
Prior to 2020, this unit content was delivered under the unit code PE703-4.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students willA. Know and understand
1. Demonstrate Advanced knowledge and understanding of, and the research underlying, post-Christian society and its implications for Christian believing in contemporary Australia
B. Be able to
1. Examine the features of post-Christian society and its stance towards the Christian faith
2. Demonstrate Advanced skill in Developing responses to objections and obstacles to Christian faith in contemporary Australia
3. Present Research-Aware evidence-based perspectives on Christian apologetics in contemporary Australia
C. Be in a position to
Applying Advanced perspectives and skills from ‘Apologetics for Post-Christian Australia’ to ministry practice and Christian living as a reflective practitioner
Content
1) Approaches to apologetics
- classical apologetics
- evidentialist apologetics
- covenantal apologetics
- some recent (post-modern) approaches
- public theology
2) A theology of apologetics
- apologia in Acts
- the New Testament church in its culture
- the covenantal context of human life and knowledge
- the gospel as the antithesis to culture
- a theological basis for contextualisation
- contextualisation as a perspective on apologetics
- developing biblical and theological responses to obstacles and objections
- the virtuous community as an apologetic
3) Understanding Australian post-Christian culture
- views of post-Christian culture — Charles Taylor, J.K.A. Smith, Bruce
- accounts of contemporary Australian culture
- Australian views of the Christian faith — social sciences, literature, film, music.
4) Apologetics projects/topics
- Christianity and Science
- Suffering and the problem of evil
- Homosexuality
- Centre for Public Christianity
- Centre for Apologetic Scholarship and Education
- Towards Belief
- City Bible Forum
Set Readings
Boa, K, R.M. Bowman Jr., Faith Has Its Reasons: Integrative Approaches to Defending the Christian Faith Downers Grove, InterVarsity Press, 2012
Clifford, Ross. Apologetic preaching and teaching for the church and the marketplace : a 'how to —' Macquarie Park: Morling Press, 2011.
Dickson, J. The Christ Files: How Historians Know What They Know about Jesus (2006, Blue Bottle Books)
Dickson, J. A Doubter’s Guide to the Bible, Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 2015
Edgar, W. Reasons of the Heart: Recovering Christian Persuasion Phillipsburg, Presbyterian & Reformed, 2003.
Faase, K. Towards Belief DVD & Discussion Guide
Frame, T. Losing My Religion: Unbelief in Australia, UNSW Press, Sydney, 2009.
Hart, David Bentley. The Experience of God: Being, Consciousness, Bliss. New Haven: Yale University Press: 2013.
Hilliard. D. ‘Australia: towards secularisation and one step back’ in Michael Snape and Callum Brown (eds.), Secularisation in the modern world, Farnham, Ashgate,, 2010.
Keller, T. The Reason for God, London, Hodder & Stoughton, 2009
Maddox, M., Taking God to School: The end of Australia's egalitarian education? (St Leonards: Allen & Unwin, 2014)
Morley, B.K. Mapping Apologetics: Comparing Contemporary Approaches Downers Grove, InterVarsity Press, 2015
Penner, Myron The End of Apologetics: Christian Witness in a Postmodern Context Grand Rapids: Baker, 2013. (6cp only)
Wells, David. The Courage to be Protestant: Truth-lovers, Marketers and Emergents in the Postmodern World. Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 2008.
Wells, David. Above All Earthly Pow’rs: Christ in a Postmodern World. Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 2008.
Williams, R. Post-God Nation: How Religion Fell Off The Radar in Australia - And What Might Be Done to Get It Back On Sydney: ABC/ Harper Collins Australia, 2015