Apologetics
Defending religious doctrine
Apologetics is the systematic defense of a belief system, especially religious doctrine.
Christian apologetics offers arguments for God's existence, the reliability of scripture, or the reasonableness of faith.
The term applies beyond religion to any formal justification of a position: His book reads more like apologetics than scholarship.
Despite sharing a root with apology, apologetics involves no admission of fault—it defends rather than regrets.
Protection against harm
- faithTrust without proof
- ChristianityFaith based on Jesus
- doctrineEstablished body of teachings
- reasoningDrawing logical conclusions
evidence · belief · truth · gospel · worldview · evidential · classical · salvation
Quranic monotheistic religion
- BuddhismEnlightenment-seeking Eastern religion
- HinduismAncient Indian spiritual tradition
- atheismRejection of deities
- agnosticismDoubt about divine existence
pluralism · relativism · syncretism · interfaith · worldview · exclusivism · inclusivism · particularism
First-century Christian communities
- patristicOf church fathers
- AugustineFourth-century church father
- AquinasScholastic philosopher-theologian surname
- PascalFrench male name
Lewis · Chesterton · Schaeffer · Craig · martyrdom · persecution · heresy · councils
Systematic reasoning process
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
- rationalitySound judgment quality
- proofDemonstration of truth
- existenceState of being real
cosmological · teleological · ontological · theodicy · morality · naturalism · skepticism · materialism
Disproving a statement
- counterargumentPoint challenging another's position
- objectionExpression of disapproval
- rebuttalFormal response disputing claims
- critiqueDetailed evaluative analysis
response · challenge · polemic · interlocutor · opponent · persuasion · rhetoric · discourse
defense
Protection against harm
- faithTrust without proof
- ChristianityFaith based on Jesus
- doctrineEstablished body of teachings
reasoning · evidence · belief · truth · gospel · worldview · evidential · classical · salvation · revelation
Islam
Quranic monotheistic religion
- BuddhismEnlightenment-seeking Eastern religion
- HinduismAncient Indian spiritual tradition
- atheismRejection of deities
agnosticism · pluralism · relativism · syncretism · interfaith · worldview · exclusivism · inclusivism · particularism · universalism
early church
First-century Christian communities
- patristicOf church fathers
- AugustineFourth-century church father
- AquinasScholastic philosopher-theologian surname
Pascal · Lewis · Chesterton · Schaeffer · Craig · martyrdom · persecution · heresy · councils · tradition
argumentation
Systematic reasoning process
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
- rationalitySound judgment quality
- proofDemonstration of truth
existence · cosmological · teleological · ontological · theodicy · morality · naturalism · skepticism · materialism · first cause
refutation
Disproving a statement
- counterargumentPoint challenging another's position
- objectionExpression of disapproval
- rebuttalFormal response disputing claims
critique · response · challenge · polemic · interlocutor · opponent · persuasion · rhetoric · discourse · dispute
Apologeticspolemics
Art of controversial argument
critique · refutation · antitheism · debunking · freethought
Apologeticsheresy
Belief opposing official doctrine
blasphemy · sacrilege · apostasy · heterodoxy · dissent
Apologeticsskepticism
Disposition toward doubt
doubt · agnosticism · incredulity · critical inquiry · questioning