apologetics

Apologetics is the discipline of providing a reasoned defense of a belief, especially a religious doctrine, to believers and skeptics. The term comes from the Greek apologia, meaning a defense. In religious use, apologetics seeks to explain, defend, and justify faith, address objections, and present a coherent case for its tenets.

Historically, Christian apologetics began in the early Church with Justin Martyr and Tertullian, continued through Augustine and Aquinas, and remains active in contemporary philosophy and theology (e.g., C. S. Lewis, William Lane Craig). Other traditions—Islamic, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist—also maintain apologetic discourses.

Approaches include evidential apologetics (historical facts and miracles), presuppositional apologetics (starting from a worldview), and experiential or philosophical apologetics (personal experience and rational coherence). Textual apologetics defends doctrines by scriptural and historical analysis.

Apologetics is distinct from polemics, which aim to refute opponents, and from evangelism, which aims to persuade belief. It often accompanies pastoral teaching, missions, and dialogue with culture.

Reception and criticism vary. Proponents argue that reasoned argument clarifies beliefs and facilitates dialogue; critics contend that faith cannot be settled by argument alone and warn against biased use of evidence.