Why do people think they need to defend Christ?

[simpleas]

When they say we need to defend Christ/the church, are they thinking they are in someway protecting God, or ideas that they believe need to be defended.

God doesn’t need defending surely?

I understand we do need to protect life as best we can, but some people sound like crazy warriors out to defend the church from certain ‘evil’ people, when these ‘evil’ people believe they are helping others to live a life they believe they should be able to live in peace.

 

[Trishie]

You’ll find that people feel the need to defend God’s truths where these are overlooked or attacked.
Neither the Angels no humankind set out to defend God Himself,
only misinformation, or lack of information that prevents us from living as loving, obedient, precious children of God.

 

[edwest211]

People are usually defending Church teaching from error or distortion. The Church, and God, loves all people and does want us to live in peace but no one is required to listen to God or the Church. We are required to defend Church teaching by presenting it to others, even if they think it’s wrong. Reading the many encyclicals, I have found that the Church is observing the changes some people are making and want to make. It is offering its knowledge, which includes Divine Revelation, to all men of good will. People can accept it or reject it. When questions appear like “Why doesn’t the Church allow this or Why is the Church against that,” we are obligated to provide an answer.

 

[Spyridon]

Because Sacred Scripture commands us to.

1 Peter 3:5

“But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

The word translated defense in this translation (the ESV) in Greek is apologian - where we get our English word “apologetics”.

Apologetics is not about saying sorry or “apologizing” or making excuses for the Faith. It’s about the biblical concept of contending for and defending the Faith.

This entire website is an Apologetics apostolate.

 

[CatholicSpirit]

There are places in the world without the Holy Bible and places in the USA which used to have a Holy Bible and do not anymore. Thus, a social norm of bible sharing becoming harassment can begin as enforceable by prison and in a country with capital punishment can eventually lead to death.

The idea of “defending” in this instance is to ensure that one individual had to primarily suffer for what we have in text today and not incur a need for another, saving a life.

 

[simpleas]

Thanks all.