Course Description

Welcome to ATP 303! This course is designed to equip you with the tools to provide a reasoned defense of the Christian faith. In a world of competing worldviews and increasing skepticism, the ability to articulate why we believe what we believe is more crucial than ever. This course will move beyond simple assertions of faith to build a robust, evidence-based case for Christianity. We will explore the classical arguments for the existence of God, analyze the historical and textual reliability of the Scriptures, and construct a rigorous legal-historical case for the resurrection of Jesus Christ—the cornerstone of our faith. You will learn not only what to say but how to say it with intellectual integrity, clarity, and confidence.

Course Structure

This course is composed of five chapters, each building upon the last to construct a comprehensive apologetic method. Each chapter includes a detailed summary, five in-depth lessons, a chapter test, and an optional “Deep Dive” for further study. The course culminates in a final course test.

• Course: Syllabus + Interactive Syllabus + 5 Chapters + Course Test
• Chapter: Summary + 5 Lessons + Chapter Test + Deep Dive

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Articulate Arguments for God’s Existence: Clearly explain the major philosophical and scientific arguments for the existence of a creator God.
• Defend Biblical Reliability: Present a compelling case for the historical reliability and textual integrity of the Old and New Testaments.
• Analyze Worldviews: Understand the basic components of a worldview and be able to identify and critique the foundational assumptions of competing belief systems.
• Construct a Case for the Resurrection: Build a cumulative, evidence-based argument for the death, burial, and bodily resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, using legal and historical reasoning.
• Address Key Objections: Respond thoughtfully and biblically to common objections to the Christian faith, such as the problem of evil and suffering.
• Develop an Apologetic Method: Integrate faith and reason to confidently, graciously, and effectively give a reason for the hope that is within you (1 Peter 3:15).

Course Outline

Chapter 1: The Foundation of Apologetics – Truth, Reason, and Worldviews

• Lesson 1: Why Apologetics? Understanding Our Mandate (1 Peter 3:15)
• Lesson 2: What is Truth? An Introduction to Epistemology
• Lesson 3: The Anatomy of a Worldview
• Lesson 4: Logic & Critical Thinking: The Tools of the Apologist
• Lesson 5: Faith and Reason: A Biblical Partnership

Chapter 2: The Case for a Creator – Arguments for God’s Existence

• Lesson 1: The Cosmological Argument: Whatever Begins to Exist Has a Cause
• Lesson 2: The Teleological Argument: The Evidence of Design in the Universe
• Lesson 3: The Fine-Tuning Argument: The Anthropic Principle
• Lesson 4: The Moral Argument: The Foundation of Objective Morality
• Lesson 5: The Ontological Argument & The Argument from Desire

Chapter 3: The Problem of Evil and Suffering

• Lesson 1: Defining the Problem: The Logical vs. The Emotional Problem of Evil
• Lesson 2: The Free Will Defense: The Moral Cost of Love
• Lesson 3: A Soul-Making Theodicy: God’s Purpose in Suffering
• Lesson 4: The Cross: God’s Ultimate Answer to Suffering
• Lesson 5: The Evidence of Evil as an Argument for God

Chapter 4: The Reliability of the Scriptures

• Lesson 1: Can We Trust the New Testament? A Test of Historical Reliability
• Lesson 2: The Manuscript Evidence: A Bibliographical Test
• Lesson 3: Corroborating Evidence: What Non-Christian Sources Say
• Lesson 4: The Reliability of the Old Testament: Archaeology and Prophecy
• Lesson 5: Responding to Alleged Contradictions and Difficulties

Chapter 5: The Case for Christ – The Resurrection

• Lesson 1: The Minimal Facts Approach: A Method for Arguing with Skeptics
• Lesson 2: Fact #1: Jesus Died by Roman Crucifixion
• Lesson 3: Fact #2: The Disciples’ Sincere Belief in His Resurrection
• Lesson 4: Fact #4: The Conversion of the Skeptic James and the Persecutor Paul
• Lesson 5: The Best Explanation: Weighing the Theories and Making the Case

Assessments & Grading

• Chapter Quizzes: Short quizzes will follow each lesson to assess comprehension.
• Chapter Tests: A test at the end of each of the five chapters will review the material covered.
• Final Course Test: A comprehensive final exam will cover the key ideas from all five chapters.
• Passing Requirement: To successfully complete this course, you must achieve a score of 80% or higher on each of the five Chapter Tests and the Final Course Test.