The Relevance Of Christianity An Apologetic - 1064 Words

How is one persuaded to belief in God? Social influences certainly play a role in accepting or rejecting Christianity. Many people raised in a Christian environment receive positive classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning. However, numerous individuals do not grow up in a positive Christian environment or have had negative experiences related to Christianity. How are they persuaded to belief in God? Rick Wade (1998) in his article â€Å"The Relevance of Christianity: An Apologetic,† offers one dimension to persuading non-Christians to believe. Wade’s perspective, however, had little relevance to my own conversion. I was not raised in a Christian environment and did not become a Christian until age 20 or so. Therefore, I cannot say that the four sources mentioned Kenrick, Neuberg, Cialdini (2015) mention, classical conditioning, operant conditioning, observational learning, and heredity (p. 141) played a large role in my belief in Christianity. There were not people that I liked who were Christian, nor did I know any Christians (at least that I was aware of) so classical conditioning did not pay a role. Nor did I receive rewards or punishment for being or not being a Christian so operant conditioning exerted little influence. Additionally, I did not associate with Christians so I never observed Christians, at least not in a positive way. What I did see seemed peculiar, at best, to me so observational learning was negative. Perhaps heredity hasShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Book God On The Dock 1184 Words   |  5 Pagesreligions continue to spark the interest of scholars today, especially t hose in the Christian community. C.S. Lewis, in the book God In The Dock, recognizes and fully accepts the similarities, but offers a new approach to the situation: The heart of Christianity is a myth which is also a fact. The old myth of the Dying God, without ceasing to be myth, comes down from the heaven of legend and imagination to the earth of history. It happens—at a particular date, in a particular place, followed by definableRead MoreTaking a Look at Emerging Churches890 Words   |  4 Pagesconversation (as they like to put it) about Christian faith, mission and praxis in the context of the core classical Christian creeds. In true post-modernist style, they are willing to discuss the relevance, veracity and need for contextualization of the heretofore taken-for-granted pre-suppositions that Christianity-at-large has adopted over the past two-thousand years. As post-moderns, they have no discomfort with deconstructing the belief-systems, traditions, assumptions, and rituals of their forefathersRead MoreA Disconnect Between The Pew And The Mundo1102 Words   |  5 Pagessolver. When we are preaching to the non-believers to the congregation, they ll hear the gospel and use it to solve the issues of our life. In our sermons, the gospel should be used to endorse resolve that is needed in our life. * Dive into apologetics. In the secular culture we live in, it is crucial that we engage the non-believers in our sermon points. In our sermon, we should find something in the text that can help the non-believers become spiritual. Discuss the issues that those in the worldRead MoreThe Theory Of Progressive Evolution1726 Words   |  7 Pagesstating that â€Å"Darwin and (Alfred Russell) Wallace solved it...although we shall continue to add footnotes for a while yet†7. Dawkins left no room in his base historical narrative for opposing or augmented viewpoints, in particular earlier Christian apologetics focusing on the complexity of nature as evidence for God such as that of William Paley s analogy of the supposedly irreducible complexity of nature. Micheal Shermer similarly outlined the emphasis Neo-Darwinism placed on constant reiteration ofRead MoreComparing Religion And Science From A Sociological Viewpoint1478 Words   |  6 Pagesminorities psychologists displayed relig ious faith is the most critical affection in their lives. â€Å"Religion and religious belief are basically neglected in psychology textbooks†, (Daryl H, Stevenson, Brian E and Eck, Peter C. Hill. â€Å"Psychology Christianity Integration: Seminal Works that Shaped the Movement† ) the textbook is valid, in another word say that faith does not on a basis of science. In additional, many of scientists do not involve too much of religion in academic research. Because thereRead MoreAn Examination of â€Å"Minimal Fact† Argument for the Resurrection of Christ as Proposed by Gary Habermas4048 Words   |  17 PagesMichael Haggard Advanced Topics in Contemporary Apologetics - Course Number: AP 661 IS R2 03 Trinity Theological Seminary AN EXAMINATION OF â€Å"MINIMAL FACT† ARGUMENT FOR THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST AS PROPOSED BY GARY HABERMAS Gary Robert Habermas is distinguished Professor of Apologetics and Philosophy as well as department chairman of Philosophy and Theology at Liberty University in Virginia.[1] He has devoted a large part of his career to the topic of the resurrection of Jesus Christ,Read MoreThe Major Contributions Of Dissenting Minority Religions And The Collective Efforts Of Non Elite Followers1497 Words   |  6 Pagesrevisionist work was apologetic in nature. John Frederick Wolverton’s Colonial Anglicanism in North America is one such example. Wolverton attended an Episcopal secondary school and received his M.A. from the Episcopal Theological Seminar. He was the editor of the Historical Magazine of the Protestant Episcopal Church and a rector of the Trinity Church in Portland Maine. Wolverton’s work reads as a strong defense of the Anglican Church in the colonies. He argued that the relevance of a religion to societyRead More An Understanding of the Teaching Called the New Age. E ssay1891 Words   |  8 Pagesin problem. With this attempt to equalize the core teachings of all religions became apparent in the book A New Earth. The Secret, a New Earth and the New Age Movement The book The Secret and A New Earth in the discourse of Christian apologetics is often referred to as part of the New Age Movement. New Age Movement itself is basically a widespread phenomenon in the Western world (even though it clearly has penetrated Indonesia). (Tolle, A new earth: Awekening to your lifes PurposeRead MoreChallenges Facing Modern Christians5546 Words   |  23 PagesDefinition of terms B. Background of Christianity C. Thesis statement II. CHALLENGES FACING MODERN CHRISTIANS A. Competition of power among churches 1. Division of churches 2. Scandals in churches B. Sexual immorality 1. Sex before marriage 2. Sex outside of marriage 3. Homosexuality C. Misinterpretation of doctrines 1. Christianity and other religions 2Read MoreThe Greek Mythology : A Normative Critique1754 Words   |  8 Pages arts, and literature of Western civilization and remains part of Western heritage and language. Poets and artists from ancient times to the present have derived inspiration from Greek mythology and have discovered contemporary significance and relevance in the themes. Sources Greek mythology is known today primarily from Greek literature and representations on visual media dating from the Geometric period from c. 900–800 BC onward. In fact, literary and archaeological sources integrate, sometimes