apologetics 2011 syllabus

This course will discuss the development of Christian apologetics from the first century through the present. It will focus on the way in which Christian thinkers responded to challenges ranging from the persecutions of the early centuries to the rise of rationalism during the Enlightenment to the rise of materialism during the 20th century.

The main text for this course, Dulles' A History of Apologetics, will give you a different perspective on the figures and events discussed in class and serve as an excellent supplement to the materials I present in class and online. The Dulles readings correspond to the three parts of the course as follows:

The other readings (those from the Bush anthology and the online readings) will serve as the basis for our in-class and online discussions. You'll find reading assignments and prompts for each days class on the class blog http://willtotruth2014.blogspot.com/. Please read the prompt before starting the reading assignment. I’ll be giving you specific instructions on what I want you to look for and exactly how much reading I want you to do. In general, I am looking for quality reading rather than quantity.

The online schedule ( http://www3.northern.edu/marmorsa/apologeticsreadingsandblogs.htm) should help you know exactly what blog posts to do and when.

I will post transcripts of my lectures on my website (www3.northern.edu). The other online materials will be available on Desire to Learn (https://d2l.sdbor.edu). You may not be able to access the D2L materials until June 30, the first day of class.

Please let me know if you have any problems logging in. Your grade for this course will be based primarily on two papers/ take-home exams of which will count approximately 35% when I determine your final grade. In addition, I will take into consideration class participation as part of the “live” classroom and/or the online-discussion boards. We will not have formal face-to-face class meetings on Fridays or on Thursday, July 3. I’ll be monitoring the D2L discussion forums at those times, and (I hope) we have some great “synchronous” online interactions. “Asynchronous” contributions are ok too if you need flexibility here.

6/30   Introduction: Quo vadis?
7/1     Gospel Truth (selections from Matthew, Luke, John, and Acts)
7/2     Though its portion be the scaffold (Socrates, Justin Martyr)
7/3     Beyond this material world (online discussion)
7/4         *** Independence Day: No Class***

7/7     Athens and Jerusalem (Athenagoras, Tertullian, Origen)
7/8     Teach your children well (Clement of Alexandria/Eusebius)
7/9      I believe I understand (Augustine and Anselm)
7/10    Smart as an ox (Aquinas)/Getting it write (paper suggestions)
7/11    Beyond this material world (online discussion)

7/14    Summing up (Wycliffe)
7/15    Evident reason (Calvin, Luther)
7/16    Got it write (or at least written)! (papers due/discussed in class)
7/17    The heart has its reasons (Pascal/Locke)
7/18    Beyond this material world (online discussion)

7/21    Who gets it? Naturally! (Butler and Paley)
7/22    One ugly ditch (Kierkegaard)
7/23    I have an inkling (Chesterton, Lewis, Tolkien)
7/24    Getting it write: this time for sure! (final paper suggestions)
7/25    Beyond this material world (online discussion)

7/27    What I did during summer vacation (presentations of student papers)
7/28    What I did during summer vacation (presentation of student papers)
7/29    What I did during summer vacation (presentation of student papers)
7/30    The Day of Judgment (Class evaluation and return of student papers)
7/31    Beyond this material world (online discussion)

The exams for this class are essentially take-home papers asking for your reflections on the readings and the material presented during each week of class. Writing these papers can be a dreadful chore--or it can be one of the most valuable learning experiences you'll ever have. It might be both!

In my own undergraduate days, I learned more from writing papers than from anything else my professors asked me to do. The assignments forced me to read closely some of the greatest works of all time. Often enough when I began my work, I didn't see any point in struggling through the difficult and sometimes lengthy works assigned. But as I read and reread the texts, struggling to find something to say, quite often a light would come on. All of a sudden I would see what the writer was up to, or at least part of what the writer was up to--and I'd get excited about writing. I hope that you have the same kind of experience as you write your papers for me.

I will evaluate your papers using the rubric attached to this syllabus. As you are writing and revising, use the rubric to evaluate your own work.

Be sure to follow proper MLA form for citing classical and Biblical sources. One cites classical sources differently from other works! Cite by title and book/chapter/line/verse number, not by page number (e.g., Justin Martyr, First Apology, 19 or Mark 3:4). For this paper, you may cite any of the selections in the Burns anthology by a parenthetic reference to Burns himself (e.g., Burns, pp. 35). If you want to give credit to a fellow student or to me, just credit your source in the text: no need for a parenthetic citation.

Be sure your paper has a clear thesis. It's almost impossible to get credit for logic or analysis if your thesis isn't clear.

Be sure to proofread your work before you turn it in. It would be a good idea to have someone else proofread your paper as well.

e sure to give your paper an interesting title. A good title reinforces your thesis and will often help the reader see the logic/organization of your paper.

The first third of the course focuses on apologetic works written during the age when Christianity was illegal and in which Christians, on occasion, were persecuted without mercy. The apologists of this period were both defending Christianity against pagan accusations and trying to convince others to share their faith.

The second third of this class focuses on apologetics during the Middle Ages and the Reformation. The Middle Ages is often called the Age of Faith: certainly a good description. However, it was anything but an era of blind faith. Medieval thinkers were willing to question every aspect of their faith, trying (for the most part) to combine faith and reason. The great Reformation thinkers (both Catholic and Protestant) likewise looked to reason in defense of their various versions of the Christian faith.

Please demonstrate your understanding of important class themes by writing an essay of 1000-1500 words that addresses one (1) of the following prompts.

1. “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” asked Tertullian, suggesting that the opinions of the philosophers are nothing compared with the wisdom of sacred scripture. But the works of the apologists of the first few Christian centuries (including the works of Tertullian himself) reflect an impressive mastery of pagan philosophy. Discuss the ways in which the apologists of this period use the works/ideas of the philosophers to defend their faith. Which seems most successful in blending philosophy and faith?

2. Some early Christians regarded Socrates as a “Christian before Christ.” Compare Socrates’ Apology with one or more of the early Christian apologetic works. How is Socrates’s defense similar to the arguments made by people like Justin, Athenagoras, Theophilus, Tertullian, Origen or Eusebius? How is it different?

3. “I believe that I might understand” said St. Anselm, implying that, in order to use reason/philosophy effectively, one had to have the right heart-attitudes. Discuss the ways in which the apologists of the ancient and/or medieval periods tried to balance head and heart. Which, if any, seems to you most successful?

4. “Philosophy is the handmaiden of theology” said Thomas Aquinas. To what extent did the medieval apologists find philosophy a useful handmaiden? To what extent did the handmaiden threaten to usurp the position of the legitimate “wife”?

5. Some literary works are valuable only within a limited historical context. Others (like Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War) are “works for the ages.” Of the apologetic works we have read so far, which would seem most relevant to today’s readers? Which seem more of purely historic interest? Which, if any, are “works for the ages”?

As the “one holy catholic and apostolic church” gave way to the myriad Christian sects of today’s world, the task of the apologists changed greatly. In addition to defending the Christian faith, modern apologists have had to try to define exactly what Christianity is, sometimes appealing to scripture, sometimes to reason. Further, more recent apologists have had to confront objections to Christian teaching considerably different from the challenges faced by earlier apologists. Please demonstrate your understanding of these themes by writing an essay of 1000-1500 words that addresses one (1) of the following prompts:

1. The apologists of the Renaissance, Reformation and post-Reformation periods faced objections to Christian ideas that were often considerably different from earlier challenges to Christianity. How did the apologists of modern period address these objections to Christian faith? Which of them seems to you the most successful? What challenges to faith proved the most difficult to answer?

2. John Locke insisted on what he called the “reasonableness of Christianity.” To what extent do the works of modern Christian apologists show that Christianity is in fact a reasonable faith? To what extent (and at what point) do they abandon reason?

3. Some literary works are valuable only within a limited historical context. Others (like Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War) are “works for the ages.” Of the modern apologetic works we read, which would seem most relevant to today’s readers? Which seem more of purely historic interest? Which, if any, are “works for the ages”?

4. Imagine a trial involving this REL 492 class in one way or another, with charges brought against someone or something connected to the court. Present the case of either the prosecution or the defense (or perhaps both) would make at that trial. Possible "trials" would include:

A case for or against REL 492 itself. Should the course be taught at all?
A case for or against the way the course was taught and structured.
A case for your own role in REL 492: reasons you should get an A (or shouldn't get an F).

5. From the Matthew's Gospel to Josh McDowell's Evidence that Demands a Verdict, fulfilled prophecy has been a dominant theme in Christian apologetics. Compare and contrast the ways in which some of the Christian apologists used fulfilled scripture as part of their argument for Christianity.

6. From the time of the Mark's Gospel to Josh McDowell's Evidence that Demands a Verdict, alleged miracles have been a dominant theme in Christian apologetics. Compare and contrast the ways in which some of the Christian apologists used miracles as part of their argument for Christianity.

Paper/Take-home Exam Rubric:

Criterion

Point Total

Comments

Introduction:

The introduction should gain the readers’ interest, identify the central issue of the essay, and create the tone for the essay.

Main point or thesis:

The essay should have a strong sense of purpose throughout. A good title, good topic sentences, and a solid thesis statement really help here.

Logic/organization:

The essay should have logical organization

Transitions:

The essay should move coherently from one idea to the next and the logical connections between ideas should be clear.

Support/evidence:

The essay should use specific evidence and details to support its claims, and this evidence should be sufficiently developed.

Analysis:

The essay should demonstrate the originality, reflective ability, analytical ability of the writer.

Diction/ voice:

The essay should employ a consistent voice, consistent diction, and precise/vivid language

Conclusion:

The conclusion should make one last effort to convince the reader, suggest larger implications of the thesis, and provide a sense of closure to the essay.

Final presentation:

The essay should demonstrate proper use of standard edited American English and use proper citations.

Comprehension:

The essay will demonstrate the writer’s comprehension of the material presented in this portion of the class.

Total Score/Overall Comments

Ten total points possible for each of the 10 categories, 100 points total.

Criterion	Point Total	Comments
Introduction: The introduction should gain the readers’ interest, identify the central issue of the essay, and create the tone for the essay.
Main point or thesis: The essay should have a strong sense of purpose throughout. A good title, good topic sentences, and a solid thesis statement really help here.
Logic/organization: The essay should have logical organization
Transitions: The essay should move coherently from one idea to the next and the logical connections between ideas should be clear.
Support/evidence: The essay should use specific evidence and details to support its claims, and this evidence should be sufficiently developed.
Analysis: The essay should demonstrate the originality, reflective ability, analytical ability of the writer.
Diction/ voice: The essay should employ a consistent voice, consistent diction, and precise/vivid language
Conclusion: The conclusion should make one last effort to convince the reader, suggest larger implications of the thesis, and provide a sense of closure to the essay.
Final presentation: The essay should demonstrate proper use of standard edited American English and use proper citations.
Comprehension: The essay will demonstrate the writer’s comprehension of the material presented in this portion of the class.
Total Score/Overall Comments