Do you do apologetics or theology

[Balance]

A friend of mine reckons that when challenged on aspects of the Christian faith we shouldn’t launch straight into apologetics - an explanation of why the Church teaches what it does - but rather into theology - talking about God.
He means that a response like, “Well, what’s your experience? Do you think God might be in there at all? What do you believe about God?” is a better one, to begin with, than, “Well, in 130 AD so and so said such and such and the Church defined that doctrine based on that and on this part of the Bible and then whne you take that teaching and apply it over here you see that it means this and so that relates to the other thing here and so there you go - do you see?”

he means maybe the “modern man” just doesn’t have the faculties to follow an apologetic discourse; that we need to be sensitive to that and save the apologetics for after we’ve touched base with a person, found out a bit about them and their beliefs, and how they think - engaged with them and their experience. We might find that there’s a better approach than launching straight into apologetics.
I’m an intelligent and thoughtful (and humble, I hasten to add - there’s no place for false modesty is there?) Catholic and sometimes I don’t want to hear apologetics when I have a question, I just want to talk about God and be reassured of his love for me - THEN I’m open to having the finer points of a topic explained to me, or reading them for myself. How much more so then someone without that level of faith - we need to spend more time getting to know them and sharing God and his love with them through that and then, maybe, there’ll be a time to go deeper.

This is not saying there aren’t times to jump straight in and challenge someone, baldly and abruptly, and just make a statement - but those times are rare and you need to know what you re doing there.

So “doing apologetics” or “doing theology” - which will you do next tiem you’re asked a question and why?

 

[awfulthings9]

I’m not sure I understand the difference. In my opinion, discussion of theology is a subcategory of apologetics. A good apologist meets the person where he is. If someone is having foundational issues, one should begin with theological issues. The mistake is in thinking that one size fits all in apologetics.

 

[Balance]

awfulthings9:

The mistake is in thinking that one size fits all in apologetics.

that’s basically what I’m saying.

what I’m seeingi s more and more Cathgolics getting interested in apologetics and it’s being presented to them as a way to “defend the faith” and so they end up, often, quite antagonistic in their approach. - which is what my friend was getting at.
his point is that when someon equestions our faith we shouldn’t slip into defence mode but rather conversation mode.

 

[Servant1]

awfulthings9:

I’m not sure I understand the difference. In my opinion, discussion of theology is a subcategory of apologetics. A good apologist meets the person where he is. If someone is having foundational issues, one should begin with theological issues. The mistake is in thinking that one size fits all in apologetics.

That’s right… It’s a matter of sub-categories, if you will.

There are lots of kinds of theologizing. “Doing” theology isn’t quite resonant… but what the hey!

Apologetics is a branch or type of theology, just as is systematic theology, pastoral theology, etc, etc. So - if you’re “doing” (shudder) apologetics, you’re “doing” theology. In the Christian context, all apologetics is within theology, but all theology is not apologetics.

 

[Donna_P]

I like your approach. I’ll do it next time. Thanks!

 

[Fidelis]

Balance:

A friend of mine reckons that when challenged on aspects of the Christian faith we shouldn’t launch straight into apologetics - an explanation of why the Church teaches what it does - but rather into theology - talking about God.
He means that a response like, “Well, what’s your experience? Do you think God might be in there at all? What do you believe about God?” is a better one, to begin with, than, “Well, in 130 AD so and so said such and such and the Church defined that doctrine based on that and on this part of the Bible and then whne you take that teaching and apply it over here you see that it means this and so that relates to the other thing here and so there you go - do you see?”

he means maybe the “modern man” just doesn’t have the faculties to follow an apologetic discourse; that we need to be sensitive to that and save the apologetics for after we’ve touched base with a person, found out a bit about them and their beliefs, and how they think - engaged with them and their experience. We might find that there’s a better approach than launching straight into apologetics.
I’m an intelligent and thoughtful (and humble, I hasten to add - there’s no place for false modesty is there?) Catholic and sometimes I don’t want to hear apologetics when I have a question, I just want to talk about God and be reassured of his love for me - THEN I’m open to having the finer points of a topic explained to me, or reading them for myself. How much more so then someone without that level of faith - we need to spend more time getting to know them and sharing God and his love with them through that and then, maybe, there’ll be a time to go deeper.

This is not saying there aren’t times to jump straight in and challenge someone, baldly and abruptly, and just make a statement - but those times are rare and you need to know what you re doing there.

So “doing apologetics” or “doing theology” - which will you do next tiem you’re asked a question and why?

 

[tjmiller]

When challenged on the Christian faith, we should launch neither into theology or apologetics - but into prayer and penance.

 

[Toni]

tjmiller:

When challenged on the Christian faith, we should launch neither into theology or apologetics - but into prayer and penance.

Agreed. Many times I am asked a question the I really need to pray to the Holy Spirit before I answer it. If I don’t I will fly into the defense of Apologetics. But sometimes people who know you want the apologetics and not the theological. So it really depends on the person that is where the need of prayer comes in.