The Apostles’ Creed was used in two distinct ways by the early Christian church: first, as a tool to teach new disciples the essentials of the faith, and second, as a defense for the faith from unbelievers and skeptics alike. In the world today, many are engaged in apologetics but with their presuppositions and subjective reasoning, they offer the world nothing different than their own subjective beliefs. Using the Apostles’ Creed as a guide enables the Christian to give a hope for the faith within using objective truths based on eyewitness testimony. This book teaches you how to use the Creed to stay on topic and bring out the essentials of the faith in a concise and graceful manner. Dr. Almodovar gives a rubber-hits-the-road approach to apologetics, offering various scenarios to show how Creedal apologetics is accomplished. This simple tool (the Apostles’ Creed), once used for defense, is dusted off, polished up, and sharpened so that today’s Christians can defend and proclaim the great gospel of Jesus Christ to a world in desperate need of the forgiveness of sins and new life in his name.

Apologetics? What is that? Isn't that for theologians and pastors? These are the rebuttals one might receive when encouraging Christians to learn and engage in apologetics, the defense of the Christian faith. This book isn't about apologetics per se. Instead, it reviews the many benefits for Christians engaging in apologetics and learning about it. Dr. Almodovar reviews what aspects of the field helped strengthen her own faith and brought excitement in bringing the good news of the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ as she spoke with those who aren't Christians. Over the past years, Dr. Almodovar has actively engaged in encouraging Christians to actually do apologetics and many have come back to her saying it not only helped them answer the questions of non-believers but strengthened their own faith knowing now the great amount of evidence there is for the Christian religion. If you've never engaged in defending the faith, now is the time to learn how it will benefit you in your walk with Christ and perhaps excite you to dig a little deeper so you too can answer their questions about Jesus, his life, death, and resurrection for the forgiveness of all our sins.

In this fifth book of the logos apologetics series, we will examine practical insights for continuous development of the apologist’s ministry. In addition, we will revisit the foundational creeds which should fortify the apologist’s ministry. We will also explore modern considerations for engaging in apologetic ministry presently.

A comprehensive guide to Christian Apologetics, this book explores the evidence and arguments for God's existence, the Bible's reliability, and the truth of Christianity. From the historical evidence for Jesus' life, death, and resurrection to the moral and cosmological arguments for God's existence, this book thoroughly examines the key issues and topics in apologetics. It also delves into the scientific evidence for intelligent design and the origin and diversity of life and discusses the evidence for the human soul and the afterlife. With chapters on the concept of miracles, the historical evidence for miracles, and the reality of the Christian experience, this book provides a robust defense of the Christian faith and its relevance in contemporary culture. The author has strived to write in a clear and accessible style and to use clear and concise language to convey complex ideas and arguments. Using examples, illustrations, and case studies can help make the material more engaging and accessible to a broader audience.

ECPA Christian Book Award 2021 Finalist: Biography & Memoir Explore Apologetics through the Lives of History's Great Apologists The History of Apologetics follows the great apologists in the history of the church to understand how they approached the task of apologetics in their own cultural and theological context. Each chapter looks at the life of a well-known apologist from history, unpacks their methodology, and details how they approached the task of defending the faith. By better understanding how apologetics has been done, readers will be better able to grasp the contextualized nature of apologetics and apply those insights to today's context. The History of Apologetics covers forty-four apologists including: Part One: Patristic Apologists Part Two: Medieval Apologists Part Three: Early Modern Apologists Part Four: 19th C. Apologists Part Five: 20th C. American Apologists Part Six: 20th C. European Apologists Part Seven: Contemporary Apologists

Since the late 1970s, theologians have been attempting to integrate mimetic theory into different fields of theology, yet a distrust of mimetic theory persists in some theological camps. In René Girard, Unlikely Apologist: Mimetic Theory and Fundamental Theology, Grant Kaplan brings mimetic theory into conversation with theology both to elucidate the relevance of mimetic theory for the discipline of fundamental theology and to understand the work of René Girard within a theological framework. Rather than focus on Christology or atonement theory as the locus of interaction between Girard and theology, Kaplan centers his discussion on the apologetic quality of mimetic theory and the impact of mimetic theory on fundamental theology, the subdiscipline that grew to replace apologetics. His book explores the relation between Girard and fundamental theology in several keys. In one, it understands mimetic theory as a heuristic device that allows theological narratives and positions to become more intelligible and, by so doing, makes theology more persuasive. In another key, Kaplan shows how mimetic theory, when placed in dialogue with particular theologians, can advance theological discussion in areas where mimetic theory has seldom been invoked. On this level the book performs a dialogue with theology that both revisits earlier theological efforts and also demonstrates how mimetic theory brings valuable dimensions to questions of fundamental theology.

Although it would appear in studies of late antique ecclesiastical authority and power that scholars have covered everything, an important aspect of the urban bishop has long been neglected: his role as demonologist and exorcist. When the emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the realm, bishops and priests everywhere struggledÊ to ÒChristianizeÓ the urban spaces still dominated by Greco-Roman monuments and festivals. During this period of upheaval, when congregants seemingly attended everything but their own ÒorthodoxÓ church, many ecclesiastical leaders began simultaneously to promote aggressive and insidious depictions of the demonic. In City of Demons, Dayna S. Kalleres investigates this developing discourse and the church-sponsored rituals that went along with it, showing how shifting ecclesiastical demonologies and evolving practices of exorcism profoundly shaped Christian life in the fourth century.

Much of the world today is convulsed in an epic struggle between the Christian West and Islam. Scholars seeking to understand the issues look back in history to unearth the roots of this conflict. Of great value in this effort are the writings of an eyewitness, a devoted Christian who served as chief financial officer of the Umayyad Empire and wrote at the time Islam was developing. John of Damascus (675-750) authored two major works, the Heresy of the Ishmaelites and the Disputation between a Christian and a Saracen, to provide an apologetic response to Islam from a Christian perspective. His writings shed light on many questions that are pertinent today: When was the Qur'an actually written? What was the role of the powerful caliph Abd al-Malik in the making of Muhammad? How did the theological issues related to the deity of Christ and the Trinity develop in the early days of Islam? This book delves into the life of John and studies his apologetic writings in detail, utilizing the first English translation from the critical text. It seeks to address these questions thoughtfully, provide valuable insights from the past, and then equip today's church as it engages with Islam.

In this book--the first in a series of short, accessible guides--noted author Alister McGrath examines the nature of faith. Offering an extended reflection on the opening words of the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed--"I believe"--McGrath provides a compelling defense of core Christian beliefs. In his usual learned yet accessible style, McGrath demonstrates how these enduring Christian beliefs help explain God's world and our place in it. With future volumes to examine other core Christian principles, McGrath's new series will define "mere Christianity" to a new generation for years to come. Ideal for group study and personal devotion.