A B I B L I C A L LY S O U N D , P H I L O S O P H I C A L LY C O H E R E N T , A N D S C I E N T I F I C A L LY FA I T H F U L M E T H O D O L O G Y F O R

D E F E N D I N G C H R I S T I A N I T Y A N D T H E E X I S T E N C E O F G O D .

HOW TO ARGUE THE EXISTENCE OF GOD

WHY DO APOLOGETICS?

• What do you mean by ‘argument?’• What is your goal in apologetics?

1. Giving a rational defense for what you believe2. Win the person, not the argument3. Edification of the Saints

a. Know your faith to be true & Show your faith to be true4. Love, love, love

METHODOLOGY

• Fideism• Presuppositionalism• Classical Apologetics• Cumulative Case•Offensive Apologetics v. Defensive Apologetics

THE ARGUMENTSTHE COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT

1. What we observe and experience in our universe is contingent.

2. A network of causally dependent contingent things cannot be infinite.

3. A network of causally dependent contingent things must be finite.

4. Therefore, there must be a first cause in the network of contingent causes

THE ARGUMENTSTHE FINE-TUNING ARGUMENT

1. Given the fine-tuning evidence, a life permitting universe (LPU) is very, very unlikely under the non-existence of a fine-tuner (~FT)that is, P(LPM|~FT & k’) ≪ 1.

2. Given the fine-tuning evidence, LPU is not unlikely under FT (Fine-Tuner): that is, ~P(LPM|FT & k’) ≪ 1.

3. Therefore, LPU strongly supports FT over ~FT.

THE FINE-TUNING OF THELAWS OF NATURE

• Electromagnetic Force• Different atomic bonds and thus complex

molecules needed for life could not form.• No light, no life!

THE FINE-TUNING OF THELAWS OF NATURE

• Strong Nuclear Force• The force that holds the atomic nucleus together. After all,

protons are positively charged and like charges repel each other. Thus, shouldn’t the nucleus fly apart?

• If stronger, no hydrogen, an essential element of life.• If weaker, only hydrogen.

THE FINE-TUNING OF THELAWS OF NATURE

• Weak Nuclear Force• If stronger, insufficient helium to generate heavy elements

in stars.• If weaker, stars burn out too quickly and supernova

explosions could not scatter heavy elements across the universe.

THE FINE-TUNING OF THELAWS OF NATURE

• Principle of Quantization• Proposed by Niels Bohr in 1910• Without it, an electron would be sucked into the nucleus of

an atom.• No atoms, no life!• Pauli Exclusion Principle (Wolfgang Pauli, 1925), all

electrons would fall into lowest orbital (no complex chemistry).

THE FINE-TUNING OF THECONSTANTS OF NATURE

• Gravitational Constant• Determines the strength of gravity via Newton’s Law of

Gravity

F = Gm1m2/r2

• Actual value of G is 6.67 x 10-11 Nm2/kg2

m1

m2

r

THE FINE-TUNING OF THECONSTANTS OF NATURE

G0 = Current Strength of Gravity

Strength of Weak Force: 1031G0

Strength of Electromagnetism: 1037G0

Strength of Strong Force: 1040G0

1040G0 = ten thousand, billion, billion, billion, billion times the strength of gravity

THE ARGUMENTSTHE MORAL ARGUMENT

1. There are objective axiological/moral facts that obtain.

2. Either the world alone or the world and a perfectly moral person best explain these facts.

3. It is the case that the world and a perfectly moral person best explain these facts.

4. Therefore, the world and a perfectly moral person best explain these facts.

CONCLUDING THE CUMULATIVE CASE

1. Spaceless2. Timeless3. Transcendent4. Uncaused5. Very intelligent6. Morally Perfect Person

KNOW WHO/WHAT YOU’REARGUING AGAINST

• What’s the topic of the discussion?• Does God exist?• Semantic quibbles?• Science and Religion?• Evolution?• The Age of the Earth?• Inerrancy?

• Pick your battles• Stay on course, don’t fish for red herrings

WHAT TO AVOID

• Don’t get emotional• Go after the argument and not the person• Stay calm

• Dealing with “Internet Atheists”• You may offend them without even knowing it