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A Little Primer on Humble Apologetics

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A Little Primer of Humble Apologetics is just that: a beginner's instruction book on the subject of Christian apologetics; a subject many of us find frightening. As the author, James Sire, points out, we Christians are all called to some extent to be arguers or contenders for our faith, to be prepared at all times to be able to give a reason for the hope that we have found in Jesus Christ. (I Peter 3: 15-16) This primer tells how to defend the faith intelligently, with integrity and humility.

Sire contends, in six short but tightly-packed chapters, that Christians can and should learn apologetic arguments through reading the Gospels and through the example and instruction of the early apostles Peter, Stephen, and Paul. Chapter one looks at what nine key Scripture passages say about presenting the gospel, and arrives at a guiding definition for those who hope to defend their faith.

Each of the chapters is preceded by a short recounting of a situation when the author practiced apologetics. Chapters two and three discuss the values and the limits of apologetic argument. In the third chapter, Sire makes the startling statement that the first and most important value of apologetics is to establish Christians in their faith.

Chapter four examines the audiences a Christian may address when using apologetics. Chapter five delineates five positive arguments for Christianity and five objections to the Christian faith commonly encountered. This chapter suggests many books for further study which flesh out these arguments. In chapter six, Sire discusses how a person can discern God's call on his life to become an apologist. I find the book healthy instruction--especially the author's advice as to how to prepare for such a calling spiritually, vocationally, and intellectually.

"More arguments are lost by arrogance than are ever lost by poor reasoning." This quote explains the humble part of the title. I recommend this book to people who want to understand exactly what apologetics are and how to serve God through apologetics. I also believe it could be used well by parents, to strengthen the faith of their young teenagers and prepare them to confidently defend that faith through knowledge well mixed with the important ingredient of humility. - Elece Hollis, Christian Book [...]

*** What is Christian apologetics and why would anyone need to know about it? It is not an apology for being Christian, despite the name. Rather, it is a defense of the faith. However, though the best defense is a good offense, it is critical that one not be offensive while practicing the art. It is also critical that one know what one is doing. To help the reader begin to learn how to achieve these goals and practice this form of evangelism in a highly skeptical age, the author concisely sets forth a mini-course on the subject. For someone new to the art, this is a good place to begin their education. ***