HGA Episode 7. Book Review On Van TIl’s Apologetic by Greg Bahnsen

Apologetics is the vindication of the Christian philosophy of life against the various forms of the non-Christian philosophy of life.

To interpret a fact of history involves a philosophy of history. But a philosophy of history is at the same time a philosophy of reality as a whole.

Thus we are driven to philosophical discussion all the time and everywhere. Yet in defending the theistic foundation of Christianity we, in the nature of the case, deal almost exclusively with philosophical argument. In apologetics we shoot the big guns under the protection of which the definite advances in the historical field must be made. In short, there is an historical and there is a philosophical aspect to the defense of Christian theism. Evidences deals largely with the historical while apologetics deals largely with the philosophical aspect. Each has its own work to do but they should constantly be in touch with one another.

Bahnsen, Greg L. Van Til’s Apologetic : Readings and Analysis. Phillipsburg, P. & R. Publ, 1998.
‌

Listen to our podcast as we discuss and review (Taglish) Greg Banhsen’s Van Til’s Apologetics on the following heading:

2.1 The Nature and Necessity of Apologetics

APOLOGETICS DEFENDS CHRISTIANITY TAKEN AS A WHOLE

"It is impossible and useless to seek to vindicate Christianity as a historical religion by a discussion of facts only. Suppose we assert that Christ arose from the grave. We assert further that his resurrection proves his divinity. This is the nerve of the "historical argument" for Christianity. Yet a pragmatic philosopher will refuse to follow this line of reasoning. Granted he allows that Christ actually arose from the grave, he will say that this proves nothing more than that something very unusual took place in the case of that man Jesus. The philosophy of the pragmatist is to the effect that everything in this universe is unrelated and that such a fact as the resurrection of Jesus, granted it were a fact, would have no significance for us who live two thousand years after him. It is apparent from this that if we would really defend Christianity as an historical religion we must at the same time defend the theism upon which Christianity is based. This involves us in philosophical discussion."

In this podcast, we also explained some concepts in layman’s terms.

To God be the glory!