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Apologetics

Explore the nature of apologetics and the importance of reason and rationality in discussing religion. Discover the objective and subjective aspects of truth and the role of faith and reason as allies. This text highlights the significance of logical arguments and the purpose of apologetics in convincing non-believers and instructing believers.

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Apologetics

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  1. Apologetics

  2. Argue logically and rationally about religion We respect scientific order Clarity Rationality Structure Assumptions Religion is irrational To state clearly is to ignore mystery Modern Philosophy is neither clear nor profound The Nature of apologetics

  3. DEFINITIONS • Reason - To use sound thought or judgement in order to systematically develop an argument in support of an idea or fact. • Subjective - Ideas or facts produced by the mind or a particular state of mind, or feelings of the subject or person thinking rather than the via attributes of the object. • Objective - Ideas or facts determined by and emphasizing the features and characteristics of the thing being dealt with independent of the mind and feelings of the subject or person thinking.

  4. See our subjective, psychological, human process of reasoning as a participant in and reflection of an objective rational order, a logos, a Reason See reason not as confined to reasoning and calculating but rather as including apprehension, intellectual intuition, understanding, insight, contemplation. APOLOGETICSThe Notion of Reason

  5. APOLOGETICSOBJECTIVE versus SUBJECTIVE Truth is objective The rational and valid truth often meet • prejudice - passion • ignorance - misunderstanding • incomprehension - ideology • rationalize personal feelings - ignore the evidence Subjective Truth must be based on Objective Truth

  6. Aristotelian logic (LOGOS) The use of (linguistic) terms, to express (mental) concepts, which represent (real) essences, or natures of things. Assumptions Either Metaphysical realism - essences are real or Metaphysical nominalism - essences are only human labels APOLOGETICSThe hope is that all arguing will begin and end with seeing and insight.We begin with defining of terms and end with seeing objective reality.

  7. FAITH AND REASON ARE ALLIES Faith, Hope and Love hold primacy St. Basil The Great • fides quarens intellectum - Faith seeking understanding • credo ut intelligam - I believe in order that I may understand When faith comes first understanding follows BUT St. Thomas Aquinas Much of what God has revealed can be reasoned to. We should be ready to make a defense of our faith.

  8. Divine authority, which can neither deceive nor be deceived Faith in this divine authority Hope Love “agape” Complement to imagery, symbol and myth which reveal truth Not human authority or fad Not naivete Not wishful thinking Not “eros” selfish passion Not impossible fantasies REASON AS FRIEND

  9. Manifests itself in three acts Understanding (Concepts) Judging Reasoning These acts are expressed in Terms (clear or unclear) Propositions (true or untrue) Arguments (logically valid or invalid) LOGIC (The rules of reality)The inherent structure of human reason

  10. We write in terms, propositions, arguments We think in concepts, judgements, reasoning Because reality includes essences, facts, causes “ARGUMENTS ARE LIKE EYES THEY SEE REALITY”

  11. Arguments can be • Significant and Converging Clues • Probable or Reasonable Conclusions • Psychologically Certain • certitude: a feeling of certainty • Demonstratively Certain • Known truth

  12. THESE ARGUMENTS Combined purpose is to demonstrate Christian doctrines are true with certitude A FEELING OF CERTAINTY To disagree the argument must be shown to be false If the conclusion is true and you can not prove otherwise but choose to ignore it. You are living a lie!

  13. WHY DO APOLOGETICS The head is like the navigator The heart is like the captain • Obedience to God’s will. “Go” • To convince non-believers • To instruct and build up believers • Apologetics get at the heart through the head • Faith for a Christian is faith in a God who is himself love, our lover and our beloved • The more our hearts love someone, the more our minds want to no about our beloved. • Faith naturally leads to reason through the agency of love One of the few things in life that cannot possibly do harm, in the end, is the honest pursuit of truth

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