Author: David K. Clark
Pages: 245
Year 1993
ISBN 0801025737
“Rather, it (Apologetics) is a strategy for presenting, in the course of a unique discussion
with a particular audience, the sort of case that makes sense to those persons. In other words,
apologetics is the reasoned defence of the Christian faith in the context of personal
dialogue”(99)
In its’ two parts, part one is Foundations for Dialogical Apologetics. Part Two is Strategies
for Dialogical Apologetics. First theory, then practice. Chapter one deals with the subject of
faith and reason. Clark defines the terms, provides brief historical sketches of how the two
have traditionally been associated, and then offers a model for how the two should best be
linked. Chapter two deals with the foundations of epistemology. Clark presents outlines of
diverse epistemological alternatives, comparing evidentialism, rationalism, reformed
epistemology, and others. He settles on soft rationalism for his own view, which “lies
between classical foundationalism and Reformed epistemology on the range between
rationalism and fideism.
Chapter three, The Challenge of Science, investigates the philosophy of science. Clark looks
at a number of approaches to science: inductivism, confirmationism, falsificationism, among
others. He shows three main views of the association between faith and science: the conflict
view, the compartmental view, and the complementary view.
In chapter four, author sketch a middle-of-the-road view on how humans can prefer world
views. He settles on soft rationalism, as “it insists that humans can use rational procedures in
choosing world views.” So in this chapter the author explores how world views can be
evaluated, how rational principles can be used, and the use of a cumulative case to land at the
most excellent clarification.
In chapter five, Apologetics as Dialogue, Clark elaborates on the idea of dialogical
apologetics, expanding on his earlier descriptions to gain more clarity. He first outlines four
major approaches to apologetics (presuppositional, evidential, existential, classical) then
points out that dialogical apologetics is not a “fifth view.” Instead, he proposes that,
dialogical apologetics is person-oriented both in practice and in theory.
Part Two, Strategies for Dialogical Apologetics, focuses on the practical use of dialogical
apologetics, with each of the four chapters covering a diverse key element. Chapter six, The
Word on Words, examines the use of logical argument, fallacies, the meaning of words, and
the importance of understanding presuppositions. Chapter seven, The Man’s Got an Attitude,
looks at the crucial element of the one’s attitude in being receptive (or resistant) to change. In
essence, the author explores three types of persuasion: “attitude formation, reinforcement,
and change.”
Chapter eight, Conversation at the Cultural Crossroad, unpacks the issue of culture as it
relates to person encounters and persuasion dialogue. Here the author looks at stereotypes
and prejudice, cultural relativism, and cross-cultural communication. Clark ends by spelling
out a few strategies for communication across cultures.
The most important is the chapter nine, “Tipping the Scale”, brings together all the strands of
Clark’s book and weaves them together into a general outline for apologetic conversion. This
includes developing a proper set of attitudes, listening carefully, being emotionally sensitive,
using evidence, being patient, and inviting a response. Clark concludes the book with a short
chapter entitled Who You Are Counts Most, in which he notes that the character of the
apologist speaks volumes; often more than his/her arguments for Christianity.
In sum, it is an important book that goes beyond method and focuses on practice. While the
ideas are not necessarily new, their application in apologetics is often neglected, and today’s
Christian ambassador would do well to learn from Clark’s insights. This book is highly
recommended for those studying or active in apologetics and evangelism.
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