Re: [asa] ASA Newsletter

Agreed that general apologetics is not a distinctive ASA task - i.e., one in which it has special competence - & thus shouldn't be our primary focus. But today a lot of the obstacles that keep people from coming to Christian faith have to do with science - some real & some not. & eliminating those obstacles is a task that ASA ought to be able to help with. That doesn't mean that it should be our main emphasis but we should at least be able to be a resource for others engaged in competent apologetics - with stress on "competent."

Shalom,
George

---- David Clounch <david.clounch@gmail.com> wrote:
> ASA members,
>
> Regarding the issues raised pertaining to Africa, my feeling is those sorts
> of matters really are of concern to ASA members only.
> Probably many members will disagree with me. Its just that when it comes to
> strategies for outreach and mission it seems to me you have to get you
> ducks in a row before starting to catch grenades.
>
> As far as the ASA doing basic apologetics for Christianity in general, I'm
> not against the ASA doing that. I'm just surprised the ASA has to do it at
> all. It just seems slightly misplaced. (So if I am wrong here, please
> tell me so.) Is it not true there are many many other venues that perform
> that function? Would it not be more appropriate for someone with questions
> or challenges to Christianity itself to go to a more appropriate venue? I
> am ambivalent about that. I never had the expectation that it is the ASA
> that had the answers in this area. Or the charter to develop those
> answers. I suspect the enemies of Christianity do not really want answers.
> Are they really trying to understand, or are they are just making trouble
> and trying to distract?
>
> My personal opinion is it is far more important for us to dialog with
> Muslims, for example, than it is to dialog with atheists. We have something
> in common with Muslims, and Muslims are far more likely to ask a question
> that gives them insight into Christianity than is any westernized atheist.
> In fact I would suspect the entire population of China and the old Soviet
> Union makes for better dialog than do western atheists. The same goes for
> non-believing Africa.
>
> So, if we are going to have to regurgitate CS Lewis's moral argument for
> God's existence, and that sort of thing, etc,
> ad nauseum, perhaps we should do it in a form that is more likely to be
> digested by those who are really trying to understand?
>
> Dave C (ASA member)

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Received on Sun Sep 6 12:17:50 2009