Rusty Benson

AFA Journal associate editor

July 2007 – Their appearance on the cultural stage is being termed a “coming out,” suggesting that the faithless faithful are about to kick open the door of unbelief and demand mainstream acceptance.

For they are the New Atheists or self-proclaimed “brights,” and unlike their unbelieving forefathers who remained respectful in their rejection of religion, the new breed is assertive and dogmatic.

“I am attacking God, all gods, anything and everything supernatural, wherever and whenever they have been or will be invented,” declares atheist biologist Richard Dawkins, author of the best-selling book, The God Delusion.

Dawkins is among several atheist authors whose best-selling books paint religion not as simply misguided or obsolete, but harmful to the human race.

Other best-sellers of the atheistic doctrine include Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris and Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon by Daniel Dennett.

How Christians meet the philosophical challenge of the New Atheists will largely depend on how seriously believers take their call to share the Gospel with a skeptical and sometimes hostile culture.

Jeff Spencer, graduate of Southern Evangelical Seminary and principal of Faith Christian school near Tupelo, Mississippi, is among those Christian voices encouraging believers to meet the Biblical mandate to defend the faith.

In the interview below Spencer explains the necessity, the goal and the limits of Christian apologetics, a term which means a defense of the Christian faith.

AFA Journal: How can Christians respond to the claims of the New Atheists?
Jeff Spencer: I would encourage believers to read the books of the atheists and, more importantly, read the books by Christian philosophers such as Norman Geisler, J. P. Morgan, C.S. Lewis, William Lane Craig and Winfried Corduan.

I must defend the faith for two reasons: 1) the Bible commands it. For example, Jude 3 tells us to defend the faith that was delivered once-for-all to the saints. 2) The world demands it. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that Christianity is being attacked on every front. We must stand up for Christ and give an answer to the false teachings. 

AFAJ: Can the average Christian become an effective apologist? If so, how?
JS: Not only “can,” but “must.” If we care about lost people and want them to meet Christ, then we have two choices. We can either prepare ourselves by learning how to defend the faith, or we can quit witnessing.

First, a Christian must spend quality time reading the Bible and familiarizing himself with the most important concepts in it such as the Trinity, the deity of Christ, salvation by faith alone and the resurrection from the dead. Second, he can read books on apologetics.

Third, he can take classes in apologetics through distance learning. Southern Evangelical Seminary (www.ses.edu or 1-800-77TRUTH), a school whose very purpose is to equip the saints to defend the faith, offers many online apologetics classes.

This will certainly take time and effort for the Christian. However, we are children of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Shouldn’t we be willing to do for the truth what the atheist and the cultist do for a lie? 

AFAJ: Is there a difference in evangelism and apologetics?
JS: Yes. Evangelism is confronting the lost person with the specifics of the Gospel – Jesus’ death and resurrection and His offer of eternal life to those who will simply believe.

We cannot immediately extend this offer to every person because some people have philosophical and theological barriers that need to be removed before they can accept the Gospel as truth. This is the job of the Christian apologist. For instance, an atheist will not accept the Gospel because he does not believe in God.

Apologetics cannot save someone. Only Christ and His Gospel can save. However, we see people in the Bible such as Jesus, Peter, and Paul all using apologetics to bring a person to the point where he or she can see the truth of the Gospel.  

Jeff Spencer has had several articles published in apologetics journals and is currently working on a doctorate in apologetics. He also worked with Josh McDowell on The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict. He and his wife Sherry have two children.

1. Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics by Norman Geisler
2. The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell
3. When Critics Ask by Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe
4. When Skeptics Ask by Norman Geisler and Ronald Brooks
5. The Challenge of Cults and New Religions by Ron Rhodes

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Christians, atheists in national debate – On May 1 Christians Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort debated members of the Rational Response Squad, an atheist group. The debate took place in a New York City church. It was aired on ABC Nightline and streamed on the Internet. It is available on several Internet sites including http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=3148940&page=1