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Preparing a Blog for IDC16 Apologetics Class

This coming week, the IDC16 Apologetics class of PTS College & Advanced Studies will officially start. Online learning in the new normal is very challenging. The instructor has to model creativity to his students. And so in preparing for my class syllabus, I revised my previous syllabus for this course for that was designed prior to the pandemic. 

One major struggles that we encountered in online learning is the way to assess learning outcomes. After the last semester concluded, the administration conducted a survey among the faculty and the student body. Unfortunately, the number of those who responded to that survey was so small, and therefore in terms of reliability, we could not really get the actual picture of what is going on in the mind of our stakeholders.

It's very difficult to proceed in online learning without precisely identifying the obstacles. Someone said that it is only now that people have begun to realize the impact of both the pandemic and the lockdown. And so many households are short of both cash and time, not to mention problems related to mental and psychological stress caused by this new situation. These are serious problems, but as an educational institution, if we aim not to follow the path of those private schools who stopped operation, we need to really identify the obstacles so that we can appropriately address them.

To my mind, one area that needs careful attention is students' learning. How can you really determine that students are really learning through online classes? Yes, output is the best way to assess if students really learned something from the courses offered by the school. And so I think of another way for students to demonstrate their output besides maintaining an electronic portfolio and posting and commenting on forums. I think blogging is one way to do it. 

Part of the course requirements in our class is to write reflective essays based on reading assignment and class discussion. Students are also encouraged to further research on specific topics that interest them. They can start posting on their own blogs their reflective essays. And then even after the semester ends, they can continue this project on their own and by doing this, they can monitor their progress on the specific topics they selected. This is an ideal goal in the age of information, and that is to train, self-motivated lifelong learners.

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Apologetics: Brief History, Issues, Definition, and Message

In this article, we will discuss four things related to apologetics: a brief historical background, issues, definition, and message. Brief History Bernard Ramm, in the 1st chapter of his book,  Varieties of Christian Apologetics (1962, pp. 11-27), gave us an overview about the  three systems of apologetics and enumeration of problems or issues in this academic discipline. Before introducing his twin subjects, he first narrated a brief historical background of apologetics. He traced it first from ancient Athenian legal proceedings where the accused had to defend himself. In the New Testament, he saw this apologetical activity both in the ministry of Christ and the apostles (Matthew 22; Acts 22:1ff; 23:1ff; 24:1ff; 26:1ff; Galatians 1 -2; 1 Corinthians 9; 2 Corinthians 13; 1 Peter 3:15; 2 Timothy 4:16). And then in the early church, the practice had been continued and Origen’s Against Celsus was recognized as the greatest work of apologetics of the early church. However, it was ...
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The Problem of Evil and Suffering

In this article, I just want to present a summary of both Tim Keller and Greg Bahnsen’s responses to the problem of evil and suffering as an objection against Christianity. I want to share first Tim Keller’s response taken from the 2nd chapter of The Reason for God. Tim Keller’s Response Keller’s response to the problem of evil and suffering can be divided into four sections. First, his introduction of the problem by citing the statements of a couple. Second, by sharing his experience as to the response of his listeners in preaching from the life of Joseph. Third, by giving a more philosophical response relying on the studies of both C. S. Lewis and Alvin Plantinga. And finally, by directing our thoughts to Christianity as observed in Peter Kreeft’s study. Here, Keller gave us a more elaborate explanation of the character of Jesus’ suffering and a brief explanation of the importance of the doctrine of resurrection. Introducing the Problem and Preaching from the Life of Joseph Keller in...
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Five Views on Apologetics: An Introduction

  In writing the Introduction to the Five Views on Apologetics , Stephen B. Cowan, the General Editor of the book focused on what he thought to be the best way to classify various schools of apologetic methodology. He acknowledged that contributors to this book would not agree with him using “argumentative strategy” as the way to answer the question on taxonomy. After sharing his brief journey in apologetics from being an evidentialist to classical and giving a concise definition of apologetics and description of its twofold tasks, he then proceeded to discuss his “tentative taxonomy of apologetic methods” (p. 14).     Personal Journey, Definition and Description of Apologetic Tasks His journey in apologetics started with “Paul Little’s little book, Know Why You Believe , and Josh McDowell’s Evidence That Demands a Verdict ” (p. 8). From these two books, he jumped “into Sproul, Gerstner, and Lindsley’s Classical Apologetics” (ibid.). He said that this latter boo...
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