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Post by Cully the Swamp Walker on Aug 26, 2009 22:08:58 GMT -5
I have to cast my vote for C.S. Lewis. I'd love to know if others have differing opinions. I have not read a ton of apologetics. Aside from Lewis, I've read Strobel and a little MacDonald. Name some other master defenders of the faith.
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Post by beckyminor on Aug 26, 2009 22:17:55 GMT -5
You've hit a "big three" for me as well.
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Post by torainfor on Aug 27, 2009 9:24:28 GMT -5
My former chaplain (wicked-smart guy) said Lewis was top at apologetics, but not theology. Even he admitted that when you got to the nitty-gritty about Christianity, he was not an expert.
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Post by beckyminor on Aug 27, 2009 9:33:29 GMT -5
torainfor, I think I'd be inclined to agree with your wicked-smart chaplain on that one. I can't remember, but I think it was in The Problem of Pain, where Lewis started getting into the concept of paradisal man, and things got theologically sketchy. I wish I could remember the exact example. But yeah, while Lewis could argue better than the best of 'em, I think people would be able to find moments when his theology was controversial.
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Post by JenLenaMom on Aug 27, 2009 10:05:12 GMT -5
"The Last Battle" in the Narnia series is a agood example of this. When Aslan comes back to end the world, several dwarves have decided to stop believing in anything and sit with their eyes closed, they are on the "other side of the door" (paradise I suppose) also one of the characters that served the false god in the story is allowed in because "good things even done in false god's name are like they were done for me [and vice versa]. He never acknowledged Aslan until he was face to face with him returning yet he is brought into the after life based on his "good works".
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Post by themantheycallcris on Sept 1, 2009 23:22:44 GMT -5
Chesterton has become a favorite of mine.
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Post by Cully the Swamp Walker on Sept 2, 2009 9:36:15 GMT -5
Chesterton has become a favorite of mine. I've never read anything of his. What would you recommend?
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Post by waldenwriter on Sept 2, 2009 22:37:34 GMT -5
I definitely like Lewis, though I haven't read much of his nonfiction because just Mere Christianity seemed too complicated for me to understand. Strobel is good too.
As for others, Josh McDowell is a good apologetics guy, I think. I haven't read anything by him though. His main work on this idea is Evidence that Demands a Verdict. James W. Sire is good too; I read an apologetics book by him called A Little Primer on Humble Apologetics. His main well-known work is a book called The Universe Next Door, which explores various different worldviews. I had to read it for Bible class in high school.
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catofninetales
Junior Member
People are the only thing you can take with you to heaven.
Posts: 66
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Post by catofninetales on Sept 4, 2009 1:01:32 GMT -5
There's a Canadian guy, name of Dr. Emil Silvestru, whom I really like. Sharp critical thinker. A speaker, not a writer. He's on YouTube.
John MacArthur's pretty good.
An Israeli guy named Meno Kalisher. That dude ROCKS.
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Post by fluke on Sept 4, 2009 10:46:05 GMT -5
Lewis for the top slot.
Norm Geisler for #2.
J. P. Moreland, GK Chesterton, Alister McGrath.
If you want to explore different apologetics styles, I suggest "Five Views on Apologetics" from the Counterpoints series. Each view is presented by a proponent and critiqued by the other 4. One of the best in that series.
Cully, for Chesterton, I recommend starting with "Orthodoxy." O is a smaller apologetic work, but will let you cut your teeth on GKC. His apologetic magnum opus is "The Everlasting Man." And if you like mysteries, GKC's Father Brown was more popular in England than Sherlock Holmes for a time.
Frank
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Post by themantheycallcris on Sept 5, 2009 15:36:30 GMT -5
Orthodoxy was good, and it will help you get a grasp on how he writes. Get used to re-reading paragraphs to understand his overall statements. The Everlasting man was good too. Although I didn't agree with a number of things he had to say in it, I think the overall principle was probably sound. It provides some great stepping stones for writing Christian spec-fic. My wife started reading the Father Brown stories and said they're good. You can find many of his works online for free at www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/c#a80
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Post by Resha Caner on Nov 2, 2009 20:07:19 GMT -5
Oooh, I think I'm gonna have fun in here.
C.S. Lewis is an expert with words, and can turn a persuasive phrase like no other. As others have said, though, his theology wanders a bit here and there.
I saw Josh McDowell mentioned as well. I found him very disappointing. He depends too much on "fact" and not enough on faith. As a student of the philosophy of science, I try to warn all my Christian brothers and sisters not to fall into the trap of accepting science as the fountain of truth.
I only had brief encounters with Chesterton and basically none at all with the others. So, it looks like I can learn from you guys.
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Post by Alopex on Nov 4, 2009 17:17:36 GMT -5
First, as far as Lewis goes, pretty much agree with all the other posts.
Second, has anyone considered Walter Martin, author of Kingdom of the Cults?
Third, when you ask which is the top dog, I think it only fair to point out that there are different branches of apologetics: Cultic, Cultural, etc. So when you guys vote for Lewis, which slot dos he fit into? Martin would fit into the, "cultic" category...
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Post by pixydust on Nov 6, 2009 13:06:58 GMT -5
I think it's always good to say you're sorry. And the master is ALWAYS the human. Don't let those wookie's get the upper hand. *sorry, couldn't resist...
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Post by tris on Nov 12, 2009 9:30:32 GMT -5
also one of the characters that served the false god in the story is allowed in because "good things even done in false god's name are like they were done for me [and vice versa]. He never acknowledged Aslan until he was face to face with him returning yet he is brought into the after life based on his "good works". Here's another take on that particular passage in The Last Battle by Lewis....the problem of does God hold people accountable that have never heard about Christ, but who are constantly searching for the truth. At least that was my take on the passage when I read it. But I'm coming from the perspective of a missionary who saw lots of unexplainable things as God worked in lives of unbelievers around the globe that had no access to the truth. ( Eternity in their Hearts is a great collection of those type of things). Anyway, I thought Lewis left it open for God to use any method He chose for those situations. That being said, that doesn't excuse us from evangelizing everyone world-wide. He gave us specific instructions to "Go and make disciples." Personally I think the greatest apologist was the apostle Paul. He was always using people's own cultural handles to convince them of the truth.
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