Evidentialist Apologetics: Just the Facts

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Evidentialist Apologetics: Just the Facts Gordon R. Lewis 1926-2016 1 According to Gordon Lewis: Testing Christianity's Truth Claims Pure Empiricism Rational Empiricism Rationalism Biblical Authoritarianism Mysticism Verificational Approach J. Oliver Buswell 1895-1977 2 Norman L. Geisler According to Norman Geisler: Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics Classical Evidential Experiential Historical Presuppositional 3 Bernard Ramm Josh McDowell 1916-1992 Steven B. Cowan 4 According to Steven B. Cowan: Five Views on Apologetics Classical Method Evidential Method Cumulative Case Method Presuppositional Method Reformed Epistemological Method Wolfhart Pannenberg Clark Pinnock 1928-2014 1937-2010 John Warwick Montgomery Gary Habermas 5 Historical Roots of Evidentialist Apologetics Defending Against Deism: William Paley and Natural Theology 6 William Paley 1743-1805 The Rise of the Legal Witness Model 7 John Locke Thomas Sherlock 1632-1704 1678-1761 Simon Greenleaf Richard Whately 1783-1853 1786-1863 Key Evidentialists 8 Joseph Butler James Orr Clark H. Pinnock John Warwick 1692-1752 1844(6)-1913 1937-2010 Montgomery Richard Swinburne Josh McDowell Gary Habermas Methods of Discovering Truth 9 Two Kinds of Evidentialism Two Kinds of Evidentialism Epistemological Evidentialism 10 "It is wrong, everywhere, always, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence." [W. K. Clifford, Lectures and Essay, 1979, reprinted in Louis P. Pojman, The Theory of Knowledge: Classical and Contemporary Readings, 2nd ed. (Belmont: W. K. Clifford Wadsworth, 1999), 551] 1845-1879 Two Kinds of Evidentialism Apologetical Evidentialism 11 Apologetical Evidentialism "It is wrong, everywhere, always, and for anyone, to tell someone else to believe something other than on the basis of evidence." 12 Priority of Fact and Induction Probable Character of Evidentialist Arguments 13 The Postmodern Challenge to Evidentialism Critical Use of Philosophy 14 Christianity Vindicated by Science Miracles as Evidence for God 15 Strengths and Weaknesses of Evidentialism [Strengths] Recognizes that probability is unavoidable Appealing methods of inquiry Stresses the factual evidence 16 [Weaknesses] Assumes the theistic worldview Uses hidden presuppositions Underestimates the human factor 17.

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Modern Theology and Contemporary Legal Theory: a Tale of Ideological Collapse John Warwick Montgomery
Liberty University Law Review Volume 2 | Issue 3 Article 10 2008 Modern Theology and Contemporary Legal Theory: A Tale of Ideological Collapse John Warwick Montgomery Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/lu_law_review Recommended Citation Montgomery, John Warwick (2008) "Modern Theology and Contemporary Legal Theory: A Tale of Ideological Collapse," Liberty University Law Review: Vol. 2: Iss. 3, Article 10. Available at: http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/lu_law_review/vol2/iss3/10 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Liberty University School of Law at DigitalCommons@Liberty University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Liberty University Law Review by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Liberty University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. MODERN THEOLOGY AND CONTEMPORARY LEGAL THEORY: A TALE OF IDEOLOGICAL COLLAPSE t John Warwick Montgomery Abstract This paper bridges an intellectual chasm often regarded as impassable, that between modern jurisprudence (philosophy of law) and contemporary theology. Ourthesis is that remarkablysimilar developmental patterns exist in these two areas of the history of ideas and that lessons learned in the one are of the greatestpotential value to the other. It will be shown that the fivefold movement in the history of modern theology (classical liberalism, neo- orthodoxy, Bultmannianexistentialism, Tillichianontology, andsecular/death- of-God viewpoints) has been remarkably paralled in legal theory (realism/positivism,the jurisprudence ofH.L.A. Hart,the philosophyofRonald Dworkin, the neo-Kantian political theorists, and Critical Legal Studies' deconstructionism). From this comparative analysis the theologian and the legal theorist can learn vitally important lessons for their own professional endeavors.
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