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Apologetics Basics

  1. Lesson One
    Introduction to Christian Apologetics
    8 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  2. Lesson Two
    The Question of God’s Existence
    7 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  3. Lesson Three
    The Question of the Reliability of the Bible
    7 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  4. Lesson Four
    The Question of the Resurrection of Christ
    7 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  5. Lesson Five
    The Question of Hypocrisy in the Church
    7 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  6. Lesson Six
    The Question of the Fine-Tuning of the Universe
    7 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  7. Lesson Seven
    The Question of Evil and Suffering in the World
    7 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  8. Course Wrap-Up
    Course Completion
    2 Activities
Lesson Progress
0% Complete

In this course you will gain a foundational understanding of Christian apologetics and learn basic answers to some of the major objections raised against the Christian faith. You will gain confidence in what you believe and in your ability to share it with others.

Watch this short video highlighting some of the topics this course will address.

Learning outcomes

By completing this course, you will be able to:

  1. Explain why it is important for Christians to be able to answer common objections to the faith.
  2. Formulate a foundational answer to the most common questions asked of the Christian faith related to core Christian beliefs.
  3. Develop confidence in your own understanding of core Christian beliefs and in your ability to explain them to others.

Lesson Overview

Select the headings of each lesson to read about the specific learning outcomes that you will achieve by working through the content of each lesson.

Lesson One: Introduction to Christian Apologetics

In this lesson you will gain an understanding of, and appreciation for, Christian apologetics as the responsibility of all Christians to be prepared to explain their faith and their reasons for hope.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

  • Describe the nature and purpose of Christian apologetics.
  • Identify the scriptural foundation for the practice of Christian apologetics.
  • Articulate reasons for hope and the proper attitude for Christians.
Lesson Two: The Question of God’s Existence

In this lesson you will learn some of the most compelling arguments that support belief in the existence of God and why this question is so important.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

  • Identify some of the most common arguments for and against the existence of God.
  • Articulate the scriptural foundation for the existence of God.
  • Clarify your own reasons for believing in God.
Lesson Three: The Question of the Reliability of the Bible

In this lesson you will examine the reliability of the Bible—as a historical document and as the inspired Word of God.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

  • Identify the common objections to the Bible’s reliability.
  • Describe three arguments that support the historical and textual validity of the Bible.
  • Consider your own reasons for believing the Bible is God’s revelation to humanity.
Lesson Four: The Question of the Resurrection of Christ

In this lesson you will examine the claims for Jesus’ resurrection from the dead and the evidence for its historical and theological validity.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

  • Identify the common objections to the historical validity of the resurrection.
  • Describe the historical and textual evidence that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead.
  • Reflect on reasons why you believe that the miracle of the resurrection happened and why this is important for the Christian faith.
Lesson Five: The Question of Hypocrisy in the Church

In this lesson you will consider the seeming contradiction between what Scripture says about the church and the reality of how some Christians behave.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

  • Describe what people mean by hypocrisy among Christians.
  • Identify what the church can do to address this, sometimes true, opposition to Christian belief.
  • Reflect on your own experience with hypocrisy and how you can address this.
Lesson Six: The Question of the Fine-Tuning of the Universe

In this lesson you will examine the relationship between faith and science by investigating the fine-tuning of the universe and how it speaks to the reality of a Creator.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

  • Explain the scientific theory of fine-tuning of the universe and how it supports intelligent design.
  • Describe some of the cosmological constants and conditions that suggest the world was uniquely designed to support human life.
  • Reflect on the reasons you believe that the universe is created rather than random.
Lesson Seven: The Question of Evil and Suffering in the World

In this lesson you will consider the problem of evil and suffering in a faith that believes in an all-powerful and merciful God.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

  • Recognize the existence of evil and suffering as common objections to the existence of God.
  • Describe two arguments that refute these objections.
  • Reflect on your own experience with evil and suffering.
Lesson Eight: Course Completion

This lesson will offer additional study opportunities for students to grow in their understanding of the field of Christian Apologetics.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

  • Develop a plan of where to turn one’s attention in order to grow deeper in the practice and understanding of Christian Apologetics
Note

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

How to Maximize Your Learning from This Course

In order to maximize your learning through this online course, you are encouraged to make use of all the learning opportunities presented to you. To take full advantage of the wealth of knowledge presented in the course content, we recommend that you:

  • Watch, listen to, or read all the lectures.
  • Reflect on the content and questions in your journal.
  • Complete all learning activities.
  • Share your ideas with your fellow learners in the discussion.
  • Implement what you have learned in your action plan.
  • Enrich your learning by reading the bonus material.

Online learning is an excellent way to bring large numbers of participants together to learn and share about God’s Word. Although this course is asynchronous and therefore other participants may not complete the course at the same time as you, there are interactive opportunities to share your learning and to gain valuable, unique insights from individuals with a diverse range of backgrounds and life experiences.

What online course engagement means

Full engagement in this course further means:

  • Working through the lessons in the suggested order—they’ve been arranged for a reason and each course has been designed with a logical sequence. Jumping ahead without completing the previous lesson may give you a disjointed learning experience.
  • Reading and listening across a variety of learning activities—some of which are text-based, some with video. (Transcripts are provided with audio-visual resources for those learners who require or prefer the written format.)
  • Sharing your learnings with other course participants in discussion opportunities.
Note

When engaging in social learning activities, such as sharing ideas or commenting on other learners’ ideas in discussions, be mindful of how you express yourself in writing. In written communication, we do not have the advantages of interpersonal cues (e.g., facial expressions, voice tone, and gestures), so it can be difficult to express intended meaning. Remember that other course participants may have different perspectives, opinions, and life experiences than you. Therefore, when communicating online, it’s important to assume the best intentions of others and use polite and respectful language.

Technology requirements

Engaging with the materials in this course requires minimal technological skills or equipment:

  • An electronic device such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone capable of running a web browser and playing video and audio.
  • Internet access capable of streaming videos, loading webpages, and downloading files.
  • A PDF reader (optional) for working with downloadable PDF files. Though most browsers allow PDFs to be viewed within the browser, we recommend downloading and saving them to your device so that you can save your work.

For premium subscribers, the ODBU app is available in Google Play and the App Store. In addition to providing full functionality of all course features, the app also allows you to download courses for offline study.

Have a question?

We have made every effort to make this course accessible for all learning styles and abilities. If you have a question or need assistance, please contact us.

What Activities to Expect

Each lesson will guide you through a series of activities. Select the headings below to read a brief description and instructions for completing each activity. Activities with a “lock” symbol 🔒 are available to premium subscribers only.

Overview and Objectives

This activity offers a brief introduction to the lesson and informs you of the lesson’s objectives.

Lecture

This activity provides the main teaching content for the lesson. You may choose to watch the video, listen to the audio, or read the transcript. Closed captioning is also provided for any video segments. In each case the content is the same.

This activity is required for course completion.

Check Your Understanding 🔒

This quiz activity checks your understanding of the concepts learned so far. It is not a timed activity, and the quiz can be attempted as many times as needed.

Earning a quiz score of 70% or better is required for course completion.

Scripture Meditation 🔒

This activity allows you to spend time in Scripture and connect it to the topic of each lesson. Spend some time carefully reading the passage provided in the activity, utilizing the simple three-step method of Receive, Reflect, and Respond.

  • Receive simply involves reading the text and asking, “What does the text say?”
  • Reflect challenges you to ask, “What does the text mean?”
  • Respond invites you to apply the meaning of the text to your life.

Instructions for reflection

  1. Get and use a hard copy journal or an e-note-taking tool such as Notion, OneNote, or Apple Notes. You can also complete these activities in the course workbook, which can be downloaded in lesson one.
  2. Spend time reflecting on the questions provided in the activity. Make it a time of prayer by sharing your thoughts and reflections with God.
  3. Write down your answers, thoughts, and other revelatory ideas in your journal that God reveals during your time of prayerful reflection.

For reflective journaling activities such as this one, find a quiet place in which you will not be disturbed by other people, noises, or other distractions. Silence e-devices and quiet your mind by reading Bible passages or praying before attempting the activity.

Share Your Thoughts 🔒

This discussion activity is designed to help you articulate what you have learned in each lesson. It may also help you collect ideas from other course participants about their understanding of Christian apologetics. Since this course is asynchronous (i.e., other learners complete the course at different times), you may not see many discussion submissions or receive replies to your posts. Therefore, consider your submissions to this discussion forum as a way to share your insights about what you have learned to inspire or challenge others in their learning journey, and to enable others to do the same for you.

While other learners may not see or respond to your comments in the short term, encouraging others and engaging with others enhances your learning experience.

This activity is required for course completion.

Make a Plan 🔒

These application activities are designed to help you consider how to put your learning to use in your own context. When you finish this course you will have an action plan that will help you deepen your understanding of the Christian faith!

Complete these activities digitally in the downloadable workbook, or write them in your own journal. Find the link to download the digital workbook in lesson one.

Further Study 🔒

At the end of each lesson there are links to additional Our Daily Bread Ministries resources you can watch, listen to, or read that will enhance your understanding of the course content. This material is optional and not required for course completion.

Lesson Summary

This activity sums up the concepts learned in each lesson and looks ahead to what comes next.

Summative Activity 🔒

This activity appears in the course wrap-up section at the end of the course. It allows you to review what you have learned in the course and identify actions you will commit to in order to implement the course concepts.

Course Completion Requirements

To successfully earn a Completion Award for this course you will need to engage with all of the pages in every lesson, view all of the lectures, earn 70% or higher on each quiz activity, contribute towards the discussion boards, and complete the Course Evaluation. All other activities are recommended but not required for course completion.