Dr Timothy S Yoder

tyoder@dts.edu
Adjunct Professor

ST605A, Apologetics, 3 credits

Spring, 2016
Selected Friday eve & Saturdays

APOLOGETICS
SYLLABUS
I.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
A study of the defense of Christianity, with emphasis on the biblical and theological foundation,
methodology, and contemporary challenges to the truth of Christianity. 3 hours

II. COURSE OBJECTIVES - After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
A. Explain the biblical basis for the apologetic task.
B. Demonstrate reasons to be confident in the truth of Scripture and the Christian faith.
C. Identify and critique frequently-encountered objections and challenges, both historical and
contemporary, that have been brought against to the Christian faith.
D. Recognize and evaluate various apologetic methodologies.
E. Integrate biblical, theological, philosophical, historical, and scientific arguments for the truth
of the Christian faith.
F. Model the skills necessary to communicate the Christian faith in a respectful, persuasive,
intellectually-responsible, and culturally-relevant way.
III. COURSE TEXTBOOKS
Craig, William Lane. Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics (3rd edition). Wheaton:
Crossway, 2008.
Hume, David, edited by Richard Popkin (2nd edition). Dialogues concerning Natural Religion.
Indianapolis: Hackett, 1998.
Meister, Chad and Khaldoun Sweis (eds). Christian Apologetics: An Anthology of Primary
Sources. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012.
Other required readings will be made available electronically.
IV. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
A. Reading Assignments
Students will be expected to have carefully and thoughtfully read the assigned readings for
each weekend prior to our class meetings. Students should bring to class the books that
included reading assignments for that weekend. It will be expected that the student will be
prepared with questions and comments that arise from the readings.
B. Written Assignments
The following assignments are to made to enable the student to think through apologetics
issues and also to practice their responses to intellectual challenges.
Wallace Response Essay (3-4 pages, due at our first class meeting Friday, 1/29)
Wallaces commencement address at Kenyon College in 2005 is justly famous for its unusual
style and unexpected conclusions. Read the essay
(http://publicnoises.blogspot.com/2009/05/david-foster-wallace-kenyon.html) and write a
thoughtful and intellectual response, directed at Wallace, in which you engage him in an
apologetic conversation based on some of the things he says. You may imagine him
responding to you at some points, or you can simply address him, as in a letter or a blog.

Dont forget to the gentleness and respect injunctions of 1 Peter 3:15. This paper is due at
our first class, so be sure to prepare it before we meet for the first time.
Defense of Theism Essay (5-7 pages, due Friday, 2/26 - a week after our 2nd weekend)
Write an essay that defends theism in light of the classical challenges found in Humes
Dialogue, as well as those found in Bertrand Russell and Richard Dawkins. Be sure that your
essay represents both positive and negative apologetics. The resources of William Lane
Craig and other Christian apologetics should be used. The essay shouldnt just focus on the
existence of God, but a theistic worldview. The Bible should certainly be employed, the
focus of the paper should be towards those who dont accept the Bible as an authority.
Theodicy Essay (5-7 pages, due Friday, 4/8 - a week after our 3rd weekend)
Write an essay that articulates in a thoughtful and reflective way at least 3-4 solid responses
to the challenges posed by evil and suffering in the world. Your paper should be theological
and philosophical in nature. Be sure to employ to employ the resources of our two
apologetics texts.
Research Paper (12-15 pages, due Friday, 4/29)
Choose a valid apologetic topic (it does not have to be one that we addressed in class), and
write a well-researched and thoughtful paper which addresses the challenge of the issue
and provides for the defense of the faith. Be sure that you specifically discuss the apologetic
implications of your research in the conclusion of your paper. Here are some suggested
topics, although you can choose something not on this list.
Origins Issues Creation/Evolution/
Big Bang
Intelligent Design
Problem of Evil
Existence and Nature of God
Historical Jesus
Miracles
Other Religions
Those who have never heard the
Gospel
Inerrancy
Canonicity
Transmission of the Bible
Yahweh War

Hell or Heaven
Archaeology
Textual Criticism of the Bible
Sins of the Church
Inquisition/Crusades/Witch Trials
Historical Adam and Eve
Atheism and Morality
Evolution and Christianity
Tolerance or Postmodern Concerns
Exclusivism/Inclusivism/Universalism
An Issue in Cultural Apologetics
Life after Death experiences
The Challenge of Homosexuality

Journal (due Friday, 4/29)

During the course of the semester, you are required to keep a journal which will be
submitted at the end of the semester. The journal should summaries of apologetic
conversations that you have with a non-believers during the course of the semester. It is not
necessarily an evangelistic project, but an opportunity for you to engage apologetic issues
with individual(s) who are not Christian. You should journal about the questions or
objections that your friend has, his/her response to your answers, doubts or concerns that
you may have, etc. The goal is to have at least 3 conversations during the course of the
semester and a journal entry for each one. The grade for the journal will be determined
based on the level of your reflections and quality of your interactions, acknowledging that
the circumstances of these conversations will not always depend on the student.

V. COURSE POLICIES
A. Grading
The students grade will be based on the following percentages.
Wallace Response
5%
Defense of Theism Essay 20%
Theodicy Essay
20%
Research Paper
30%
Journal
10%
Participation
15%
B. Attendance and Participation
Attendance and active participation is expected at each class session. The attendance
policies of the Student Handbook will be enforced.
C. Use of Electronics
To promote class participation and thoughtful engagement of the issues, students are not
permitted to use electronic devices for activities that do not relate to the class. Students
may use laptops for taking notes, or e-readers to access readings. Failure to adhere to this
policy will have a detrimental impact on the students participation grade.
D. Letter/Numerical Grade Scale
[please insert the grade scale from Mike Svigels syllabus]
VI.

COURSE INFORMATION
A. Office Hours
As I am an adjunct professor, students who need to consult with me are encouraged to
email me with questions or to call my office phone (215/702-4353). On the weekends that
the class is held, I will most likely be available to meet on Friday afternoons. It is also
possible to meet over a meal on these weekends.
B. Disabilities
Dallas Theological Seminary does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the operation
of any of its programs or activities. To avoid discrimination, the student is responsible for
informing the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities and the course instructor
of any disabling condition that will require modifications.

VII.

COURSE SCHEDULE
Week
1

Date
1/2930

2/1920

Topics
Course Introduction
Introductory Issues in
Apologetics
History of Apologetics
Apologetic
Methodology
Religious Exclusivity and
Pluralism
Enlightenment Thinking
- David Hume
Contemporary Critics Bertrand Russell and

Assignments
Sweis/Meister, Part 1
Craig, chapter 1-2

Wallace Response due

Friday, 1/29

Hume, Dialogues
concerning Natural
Religion; Of the
Immortality of the Soul

Richard Dawkins
Natural Theology
Science and Christianity

4/1-2

4/2223

The Problem of Evil

Yahweh War
Sins of the Church
Hiddenness of God
The Nature of Faith
Miracles
Resurrection of Jesus
Heaven and Hell
Social Justice and
Apologetics
The Challenge of
Homosexuality

Sweis/Meister, Parts 2
and 10
Craig, chapters 3-4
Defense of Theism essay
due Friday, 2/26
Sweis/Meister, Part 9

Theodicy Essay due

Friday, 4/8
Hume, Of Miracles
Sweis/Meister, Parts 6-7
Craig, chapters 6 and 8
Research Paper due
Friday, 4/29
Journal due Friday, 4/29