APOL 500 INTRODUCTION TO APOLOGETICS Homework: APOLOGETICS APPLICATION PAPER- Liberty University
Part 1
INSTRUCTIONS
Choose a non-Christian worldview (see page 2 of these instructions for the worldviews you may choose from). Write a paper that evaluates the worldview using the method described in the Groothuis text, that defends Christianity, and that demonstrates a working knowledge of the assigned course readings and accomplishes the following goals:
I. Summarize the worldview by using the main categories of belief discussed in the assigned course reading (see Groothuis Chapter 4 for some of the main categories of belief: ultimate reality, source of authority, human beings, source of morality, etc.). This section of the paper must be approximately 600 words.
II. Use Groothuis's criteria for evaluating worldviews (see Groothuis Chapter 3) in order to reveal the significant ways in which the selected worldview fails in providing a rational, livable, comprehensive system. This section of the paper must be 600-750 words.
III. Evaluate Christianity by the same criteria. Show that Christianity is a better (both intellectually and existentially), more reasonable alternative to the worldview selected, and that Christianity is more likely to be true. By using the same evaluation criteria as given in the previous section, this will show that Christianity does not suffer from the same flaws as the worldview you evaluated. This section of the paper must be 600-750 words.
IV. Defend key aspects of the Christian worldview. The defense must take into consideration the beliefs and perspective of the worldview you have selected; and must demonstrate a good working knowledge of the standard arguments as presented in the course materials. This section must include significant discussion on at least 2 of the following subjects: the problem of evil, several arguments for the existence of God, defense of the resurrection of Jesus, defense of objective truth and/or moral values. This section of the paper must be 750-1000 words.
These four requirements will form the basis of the structure of your paper and must be treated as four separate sections in the body of the paper. In addition to these requirements, the paper must have a proper introduction, conclusion, and follow the structure of a standard academic essay. The introduction must include a clear thesis statement-a main claim about the worldview that provides unity to the overall presentation. Including both the introduction and conclusion but not the title and bibliography pages, the total length of the paper must be 2800 - 3300 words (including the main text only, not footnotes, front matter, or the bibliography).
Given these instructions, the basic outline for your paper should be as follows:
1) Introduction
2) Summary of the Worldview
3) Evaluation of the Worldview
4) Evaluation of Christianity
5) Defense of Christianity
6) Conclusion
Instructions continued next page
Worldview Choices - Choose one of these three worldviews to write about in this paper:
• Scientific Naturalism
• Secular Humanism
• Postmodernism
Part 2
APOLOGETICS APPLICATION PAPER - PART 2 SUBMISSION FORM
Make sure you read and understand the Apologetics Application Paper Instructions document (available in Blackboard) before you attempt to complete any part of this form.
Do not change any aspect of this form; and do not delete anything from this form. Instead, just type your content in the spaces provided, below. Before typing your content, you should review the entire document to be sure you understand what is required.
Type your name here:
Type the submission date here:
Instructions for this submission.
The purpose of Part 2 is to provide you the opportunity to solidify the structure and content of what will become your paper, as well as revise and refine the material you submitted in Part 1.
Recall that, based on the requirements listed in the Apologetics Application Paper instructions, the basic outline for your paper will follow this structure:
1) Introduction
2) Summary of the Worldview
3) Evaluation of the Worldview
4) Evaluation of Christianity
5) Defense of Christianity
6) Conclusion
In this submission, you will provide the introduction paragraph for the paper, detailed content for each of the four major sections in the body of the paper, and a complete bibliography.
Section A. Introduction Paragraph for the Paper:
In the space below, type a draft of the introduction paragraph for your paper. The introduction will include only the following required elements:
a) Identify the topic of the paper, the purpose of the paper, and the worldview you are writing about.
b) State clearly in 1 sentence your main claim about the worldview you have selected. This is your thesis sentence. This sentence will be evaluative in nature and must be consistent with the instructions and goals of the assignment. (Example thesis: "This paper will show that secular humanism fails when evaluated by objective criteria and that Christianity provides a superior belief system.")
c) Give a concise overview of what you will present in the paper that supports the thesis.
Type your draft introduction paragraph here:
Section B: Summary of the Worldview
Restate and build on what you submitted for Part 1. In the space below, type the major categories of belief, and for each one describe the beliefs of the worldview you are writing about. As with Part 1, each item listed below must be one of the main categories of belief named in Chapter 4 of the Groothuis text. This section will reflect your progress in correcting, refining, restating, and expanding what you submitted in Part 1.
Section C: Evaluation of the Worldview
Restate and build on what you submitted for Part 1. In the space below, type the evaluation criteria you will use to evaluate the worldview. As with Part 1, each item must be one of the main evaluation criteria named in Groothuis Chapter 3. This section will reflect your progress in correcting, refining, restating, and expanding what you submitted in Part 1.
Section D: Evaluation of Christianity
This is new material, not previously submitted with Part 1. While you have already used Groothuis's criteria for worldview evaluation to evaluate the worldview you are writing about, here you will use those same criteria to evaluate Christianity. In the space below, list the exact same evaluation criteria you listed in Section III, and give a brief explanation of how Christianity passes each test and comes out better than the other worldview.
Section E: Defense of Christianity
This is new material, not previously submitted with Part 1. In this section, you will build a defense of Christianity. As you think specifically about the worldview you are addressing in this paper, use the various arguments and evidences presented in the course materials to develop a defense of Christianity. The instructions indicate that this section of the paper must include at least 2 of the following items:
• Christianity's answer to the problem of evil
• several arguments for God's existence
• defense of the resurrection of Jesus
• defense of objective truth and moral values.
In the space below, list at least two of these items, and provide a brief explanation of how you will use them to support and defend
Christianity in the paper.
Section F: Conclusion
Your paper must have a proper conclusion, but you are not required to write your conclusion paragraph for this Part 2 submission. When you do write it for your paper, keep in mind that the conclusion must give a very brief summary of your paper. It should give an overview of the main points you used in your paper to defend your thesis. In many ways, the conclusion will parallel the introduction.
Format your homework according to the give formatting requirements:
1. The answer must be double spaced, typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the homework, the course title, the student's name, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The references and Citations should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.