Francis J. Beckwith - To Everyone an Answer: A Case for the Christian Worldview: Essays in Honor of Norman L. Geisler

ESSAYS IN HONOR OF

EDITED BY

Norman L. Geisler

Francis J. Beckwith, William Lane Craig and J. P Moreland

.............. 9

Josh McDowell

............. 13

Francis f Beckwith

. 19

Introduction by William Lane Craig

CHAPTER 1: KNOWING CHRISTIANITY Is TRUE:

Thomas A. Howe and Richard G. Howe

CHAPTER 2:.... 37

Craig J. Hazen

CHAPTER 3: TACTICS:

...... 47

Gregory P. Koukl

........... 57

Introduction by Francis f Beckwith

CHAPTER 4:.... 61

R. Douglas Geivett

CHAPTER 5: AN INFORMATION-THEORETIC DESIGN

.............. 77

William A. Dembski

CHAPTER 6:... 95

W David Beck

CHAPTER 7:......... 108

Paul Copan

CHAPTER 8:...... 124

William Lane Craig

.......... 139

Introduction by William Lane Craig

CHAPTER 9:.... 145

Ben Witherington III

CHAPTER 10:........... 160

Wi n/n ed Corduan

CHAPTER 11:.... 180

Gary R. Habermas

............ 199

Introduction byJ. P. Moreland

CHAPTER 12:........ 203

Ronald H. Nash

CHAPTER 13: PHYSICALISM, NATURALISM

....... 224

J. P. Moreland

CHAPTER 14: .. 238

Douglas Groothuis

CHAPTER 15:........ 254

Michael Bauman

.. 266

Francis,J. Beckwith

.... 287

Introduction by Francis J. Beckwith

CHAPTER 17: RELIGIOUS PLURALISM

David K. Clark

CHAPTER 18: EASTERN THOUGHT:

Ravi Zacharias

CHAPTER 19:.......... 324

Carl Mosser and Paul Owen

CHAPTER 20:............ 350

Abdul Saleeb

.............. 372

J. P. Moreland

.......... 376

.......... 381

............. 385

............ 389

............. 395

"APOLOGETICS IS SIMPLY TO DEFEND THE FAITH, AND THEREBY DESTROY ARGUments and every proud obstacle against the knowledge of God (2 Cor 10:5). It is opening the door, clearing the rubble, and getting rid of the hurdles so that people can come to Christ."

This is how Dr. Norman L. Geisler described the main purpose of apologetics. And after fifty-three years of faithful ministry, there is no one who could speak with more authority on the subject. The apostle Paul wrote, "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one" (Col 4:6 NKJV). Norm says apologetics, then, is just an attempt to get answers to everybody's questions in order to tear down the obstacles keeping them from Christ.

Norm Geisler was raised in an antireligious home but came to Christ at the age of seventeen. The following day, he went door to door, sharing his newfound faith with those who had yet to hear about Christ. Evangelism was a passion from the beginning of his Christian life. But it didn't take long before he realized that in order to be more effective in sharing the gospel, he would need to be better equipped with knowledge of the Scripture and better prepared to answer difficult questions.

"One Friday evening," Norm remembers of his early days as a Christian, "we were witnessing at the city rescue mission in Detroit and a drunk staggered up to me. `I'm a graduate of Moody Insti-bible-tute,' the man slurred. Then he took the Bible out of my hand and said, `You're not supposed to be doing this.' He turned to the Gospels and pointed out a verse where Jesus said to go and tell no man. `Get out of here,' the inebriated man said with confidence. Jesus doesn't want you to be doing this.'

"This really threw me," Norm remembered. "I didn't have the foggiest idea what the verse meant. But I decided then after being twisted up by Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons and now this drunk, I had better get some answers or else stop witnessing. I'm convinced that most Christians stop witnessing because they don't want to take the time to get answers to all of these people. Instead, I've dedicated my life to getting answers."

Norman Geisler has been at the forefront of the study and teaching of Christian apologetics for decades. His conviction and passion for truth over the years have made a tremendous impact on the body of Christ. His work has provided countless skeptics with solid evidence for the truth of the gospel. And the resources he has faithfully labored over have equipped many believers with confidence to stand firm in the faith and share the truth with others.

Looking at today's cultural climate, we see that the need for apologetics is greater than ever. When Norm started out in ministry more than fifty years ago, most people in America believed that God existed. They believed there were miracles and that Christianity is the true religion; they just hadn't made a commitment to Christ. "Today," Norm said, "with cultural trends leaning toward naturalism, relativism and pluralism, along with all their subcategories, people no longer believe in God, miracles, truth or any of the prerequisites that help make sense out of the gospel."

"Nietzsche said that God is dead," Norm continued. "So for the last century, we've been living under the shadow of the death of God in the culture. And when God dies, all truth dies. If you don't have an absolute moral lawgiver, you can't have any moral laws. When God dies, all truth dies and all meaning dies. So in this culture, the church is faced with reestablishing that there is absolute truth, absolute meaning, absolute morals, and that the opposite of true is false. We have to do more apologetics today than ever before."

This book you hold in your hand is a powerful tool for young people who want to be better prepared to "make a defense to everyone who asks [them] to give an account for the hope that is in [them]" (1 Pet 3:15 NASB). The essays contained herein come from some of the greatest Christian minds of our time, many of whom have been trained and influenced by Dr. Norman L. Geisler. It is only appropriate, then, that the book is compiled in Dr. Geisler's honor.

Personally, Norm Geisler has had a major impact on my life and ministry. In the many years I have been able to call him my friend, Norm has consistently shown me the value of pursuing truth and apologetics. He has shown me the value of biblically based and Christ-centered ministry. And through it all, I have been inspired and challenged by his commitment to excellence.