Apologetics

Advanced Level Certificate

Course Benefits:
The Advanced Level Apologetics track is designed to provide the student with a thorough knowledge of issues in Christian apologetics.

Course Description:
The Advanced Level track consists of twenty-six courses that can be completed in a three-year period. Although students may take longer to complete the courses if they wish, the courses are designed so that the student may earn the Certificate in three years.

After registration, the student will be assigned a tutor to answer questions that may arise from the required reading and who will evaluate the student's coursework. An online forum will also be provided. The forum will provide a place for students in the Advanced Level Apologetics track to submit questions to the tutor and to discuss course related issues with other students registered for the same track.

Course Requirements:
Each of the twenty-six courses in the Advanced Level Apologetics track requires a large amount of reading. In order to benefit from the reading, the student is required to keep a reading journal, which is to be submitted to the tutor after completing the final course. The reading journal must be typed. For each required text, the student is to include the following information:

1. State the author and title of the book.

2. In no less than 25 and no more than 50 words, state what the book is about. In other words, what is the subject matter of the book, and how does the author present the material?

3. In no less than 300 and no more than 350 words, summarize how the book has contributed to your knowledge of apologetic principles and how it will help you answer specific questions and objections to the Christian faith.

4. In no less than 125 and no more than 150 words, state whether you agree or disagree with any aspect of the author's approach and why.

5. In no less than 25 and no more than 50 words, state what difference reading this book has made in your life.

In addition to the reading journal, the student is required to write and submit one research paper after completing the final course. The student may choose any subject covered in one or more of the required courses. The paper should be no less than 4,000 and no more than 5,000 words.

The research paper should adhere to the format outlined in Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (7th edition).

Students may also find the following work useful in the preparation of the research paper:  Robert Hudson, ed. The Christian Writer's Manual of Style (updated and expanded edition).

Required Courses:
Section 1 – Introduction to Apologetics
 1. Philosophical Foundations for the Apologetic Task
2. Introduction to Logic
3. History of Apologetics

Section 2 – Apologetics and Scripture
 4. Apologetics and Scripture I (The Reliability of Scripture)
5. Apologetics and Scripture II (Bible Difficulties)

Section 3 – Apologetic Issues
 6. Apologetic Issues I (Faith and Reason)
7. Apologetic Issues II (Natural Theology)
8. Apologetic Issues III (The Existence of God)
9. Apologetic Issues IV (Miracles)
10. Apologetic Issues V (Science)
11. Apologetic Issues VI (The Problem of Evil)
12. Apologetic Issues VII (Religious Language)
13. Apologetic Issues VIII (Religious Pluralism)

Section 4 – Apologetic Methods
 14. Apologetic Methods I (Evidentialism)
15. Apologetic Methods II (The Cumulative Case)
16. Apologetic Methods III (Presuppositionalism)
17. Apologetic Methods IV (Reformed Epistemology)
18. Apologetic Methods V (Classical Apologetics)

Section 5 – Apologetic Encounters
 19. Apologetic Encounters I (Atheism)
20. Apologetic Encounters II (World Religions)
21. Apologetic Encounters III (Judaism)
22. Apologetic Encounters IV (Islam)
23. Apologetic Encounters V (Cults)
24. Apologetic Encounters VI (Darwinism)
25. Apologetic Encounters VII (Relativism)
26. Apologetic Encounters VIII (Postmodernism)

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