Apologetics: What Do You Really Believe: What Do You Really Believe

By Clifford Thompson

This long awaited book actually takes two distinct components
and combine them into one comprehensive guide. The dedicated
student, who wishes to concretize his or her belief or the inquisitive student, who simply wants to learn more concerning the biblical statutes of Christianity will find this an invaluable study aid.
The first part of this book gives a detailed account of the
structure of Christianity and its implications.
The second part of this book provides step-by-step lessons for delivering its contents in a communicative learning environment.
Each lesson is clearly laid out for ease of presentation. Also,
there are activities that accompany each lesson for independent study or group interaction. The lessons are sequenced in order to maximize
retention of content and understanding of certain historical events.
Words and their current definitions are given along with
several quotations from famous theologians and authors. Such a
structure is guaranteed to enhance the appreciation of learning, while serving as a ministry tool.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 5, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465374325

Clifford Thompson

Clifford Thompson’s work has appeared in publications including The Best American Essays 2018, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Threepenny Review, and Village Voice. He is the recipient of a Whiting Award for nonfiction and teaches at New York University, Sarah Lawrence College, and the Bennington Writing Seminars. He lives in Brooklyn, New York

Book preview

Apologetics:

What Do You Really Believe

front%20image.jpg

Clifford Thompson

Copyright © 2011 by Clifford Thompson.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

104497

CONTENTS

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

FORWARD

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A

APPENDIX B

APPENDIX C

APPENDIX D

APPENDIX E

APPENDIX F

APPENDIX G

APPENDIX H

APPENDIX I

APPENDIX J

APPENDIX K

APPENDIX L

APPENDIX M

APPENDIX N

APPENDIX O

APPENDIX P

APPENDIX Q

REFERENCES

DEDICATION

This work is dedicated posthumously to my father, James Thompson, and my mother, Melvia Thompson. They were the pastor and first lady respectively of No. 1 Church of God in Christ in Oroville, CA. I know they would be proud of me for accomplishing such a feat.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

My first publication has been truly a labor of love. Such an undertaking required that I commit many hours in order to produce such a work. I have poured my heart and soul in producing this piece of work because I want it to be a blessing to those who uphold the name of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. It is a continuation of what I started in Religions of the World. After reading Christ Among Other Gods I realized the need for everyone who names the name of Christ to be able to defend his or her belief predicated on the Word of God. Therefore, I must recognize Erwin W. Lutzer for providing the launching pad for me to delve into this work.

I want to express many thanks to the professors who so energetically taught classes each first and third Saturday of the month, while I was studying to earn my Th.D. The indefatigable love that each one exhibited for the Word of Truth is evident in the way in which they presented each class meeting.

I owe a special thanks to Dr. Barbara Williams for the care, guidance, and understanding she exhibited when I came seeking to pursue my doctorate in theology. Also, my colleagues must be acknowledged for their dedication, unwavering commitment, tenacity, and keen insight on various challenging debates.

I am indebted to Sister Angela Haynes for proof reading the lessons and helping to find all of the typos that I overlooked. It would be remiss of me not to offer a very special thanks to my Lily of the Valley church family, specifically Bishop Anthony L. Wills. You were so kind to allow me to teach a series of classes on apologetics. Because of your graciousness and Christ like Spirit, I have decided to seek publication of the manuscript that was used in teaching each of the classes.

FORWARD

The prevailing notion among scholars in regards to apologetics goes back to the first century. The concept that this phenomenon is most important occupies many pages of philosophical, theological, and epistemological treatises that have been published and share the space on many bookshelves in homes around the world. Despite the tacit assumption of many that Christian doctrine is outmoded and is supplanted with postmodern theologies, there are many who still believe that an exegetical knowledge of Scriptural text is imperative if one wishes to explicate its ramifications and proper appropriation.

This book begins with the identification of one of the prevailing problems with Christian thought within the context of the society at large. As a postmodern society, we tend to embrace concepts that relegate Christian thought to the outskirts of rationality. Therefore, the implications reveal that there are many who subjugate apologetics as an antiquated method of understanding the works of God, and as such, an antithesis to the mainstream American culture. However, I provide deductive and inductive steps to accomplish a critical analysis of the place of apologetics in theological arenas.

Additionally, in order to achieve the goal of sharing the transspacial and transtemperoral word of God, a practical guide in the form of a workbook has been developed for the convenience of systematically learning the word of God and applying it to all situations in one’s life. The Scripture as recorded in Proverbs 3: 5 and 6 states, Trust in the Lord with all of thine heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he will direct thy path. By following that scripture, one acknowledges that his or her understanding is predicated on what has been recorded as the actual words of God. Such a stance takes into consider not only the existential meaning that is implicated in the Word but also the metaphysical implications that drive the holistic approach to the Scripture.

As the reader takes each step toward appropriating the Word of God and hiding it in his or her heart as David states, there will be less of a propensity to deviate from the established order that God has stipulated. As such, there will be a greater