Five Steps To Presuppositional Apologetics

James Hilston
27 Oct. 2005

Let me hasten to say it is rare for me to recommend any single author as primary source of research in an area of Bible study. I make an exception in this case for two reasons: First, our society and our learning have drifted so far from careful, self-conscious analysis of thought that biblical apologetics have become indistinguishable from unbiblical apologetics. People just cannot tell the difference. Even after you've bludgeoned about the face and neck with those differences, they just can't see it. Greg Bahnsen's debates and writings have helped me to see those differences. Second, Cornelius Van Til, who is often regarded as the spearhead of modern biblical apologetics, can be quite difficult to digest without a sufficient primer to ease one into it. In my opinion and experience, that primer is Greg Bahnsen.

I believe presuppositional thinking and reasoning is entirely and exclusively biblical. In fact, I often prefer the term, "biblical apologetics," and then ground my use of the term by showing how unbiblical evidentialism and all its variants are. Presuppositionalism seems to be so difficult because most people are not naturally careful and analytical about how or why they believe or assume the things they do. So here are my five steps to biblical apologetics.

The Five Steps

Step 1
My early exposure to biblical apologetics was through Greg Bahnsen's audio debates with Gordon Stein and Edward Tabash. I would recommend as the first step listening carefully to both debates, in this order:

First, "The Great Debate: Does God Exist?" between Greg Bahnsen and Gordon Stein (you can listen to it in its entirety online, here: http://www.straitgate.com/gbgs.ram. This debate is such a whitewash for the so-called atheist that it's almost embarrassing to listen to it. Note how Bahnsen never uses the "Classical" (unbiblical) apologetic approach; nor does he use any of the standard theistic proofs. He sticks to biblical principles and examples of argument, and it is devastating to the opposition.

Second, "The Great Debate: Does God Exist?" between Greg Bahnsen and Edward Tabash (see links below). This debate is a bit annoying at first, and that's a good thing. At first blush, it might appear that Bahnsen does not fare as well in this debate as he did against Gordon Stein. In actuality, he tears Tabash to shreds, but it isn't readily apparent. It wasn't until I started reading the following titles, and then went back to listening to the debate, that I realized how badly and decisively Tabash was defeated.

Step 2
Greg Bahnsenąs Always Ready: Directions For Defending the Faith provides a wonderfully readable and digestible primer on presuppositional apologetics. Normally I shy away from introductory types of books, thinking to myself: I'd rather just dive into the meat of this topic, so I'll skip the introductory stuff. In this case, however, I would highly recommend even an advanced apologetics student to read this book first. (It is available at www.cmfnow.com)

Step 3
After reading Always Ready, go back and listen to the debates again, equipped with an understanding of the principles that guide Bahnsen's debate strategy. It will be like listening to the debates with new ears. I am not exaggerating.

Step 4
Next, read Bahnsenąs Van Til's Apologetic: Readings & Analysis. (also available at www.cmfnow.com) If you find it a bit daunting, as I did (764 pages!), start with the index and look up subjects that Tabash or Stein raises in the audio debates and see how Bahnsen and Van Til answer them in detail. I've come to use this tome primarily as a reference. The index is thorough and terrifically detailed. You may attempt to use these methods in your own debates as I did. If you do, you will find it tremendously helpful to consult this book when you get stuck, which is inevitable. There were pitfalls that I needed to experience, and having these books enable me to learn a great deal from those experiences.

Step 5
Start reading Van Til. Defense of the Faith is probably the best place the start. If you're anything like me, getting a firm grasp on how the biblical apologetic answers, exposes and dismantles opposing worldviews, you'll start to devour everything related to philosophy, armed with the knowledge of how the scriptures teach us to debate and to answer and to shut the mouths of competing philosophies. The following are links to acquiring the Bahnsen-Tabash debate in various formats: