Cornelius
Van Til was said to be the theologian
who was unlikely to accomplish something as great as being the main person
behind the reformed Christian Apologetics. But God is a great God who can use
anyone for His glory. God , as G. Bahnsen said, “is in a habit of utilizing unlikely
candidates to mount great victories for His Kingdom…” (p.7) A supposed to be
common man who wanted to be a farmer, Van Til made by God a great Christian
apologist of our time.
Van
Til’s proposed having transcendental, presuppositional method of argumentation
as we reason with non-believers with the goal of reducing non-Christin worldview. (p. 11) With the
advancement of knowledge today, many people tend to not believe in God perhaps
due to the power rendered by science or on the other hand, confusion over the
many religions that emerge from all corners of the world. People get so
detached from God and become more engaged to the pleasures and ever fast and
advancing knowledge of this world.
As
I would interpret Van Til’s approach, I thought that he was proposing that we
try to look through the lenses of the unbelievers so that we will know how and
where to start, even so, why to start. This is to recalibrate their thoughts in
order to change gear from disbelief to belief in God. Moreso, we are to be
prepared to call the pragmatists to conform to God’s plan instead of their
belief that the universe is over or created God.
As
the Greek word “Apologia” is defined as one’s defense of self against
accusations (in the court), I’d say that we Christians are always in the
position of being accused of having a foolish religion or belief. In this case,
I remember how Paul always reminded (and prayed about it) that the churches are
to grow in the “knowledge of God”, which we need in our defense of faith.
As
I was reading, I thought of some Christians who do apologetics and sound like
they are defending God before unbelievers. This I thought is foolishness
because God never needs a lawyer out of us. He is God and He can defend
Himself. Hence, in light of Van Til’s intentions as reformed Christian
apologetics is concerned, we ought to be ready to defend our faith and be able
to win others for Christ as well, not as superheroes who are able to defend
God.
Our
focus is to reinforce our helmet of salvation and be able to provide one for
our accuser/s as much as possible. We are worshipping the one true God and we
are to be able to present epistemological evidences that will present our faith
in Him that cannot be shaken.
Week 1
Digest, Aug 23-30, 2022
Lanilane Ocbina
WCTS, ThM program
