Glossary of Apologetics Terms

This glossary of terms is by no means exhaustive. We have attempted to define the terms that are used in our articles and will keep this list updated as we publish new articles.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Agnostic - One who believes that it is not possible to know if God exists. Either the evidence is insufficient, or our ability to analyze it objectively is impossible. It may also be defined as one who is undecided on the question of God.

Anthropic Principle - The observation that the universe and the world seems to be designed for human life.

Anthropomorphism - The act of ascribing human characteristics to non-humans (especially to God).

Antithesis - An idea in opposition to a particular proposition or thesis.

A Priori - Latin for "from before"; that which is known independently of sense perception and thus often held to be undeniable. Often used in the sense of one's presuppositions, which are brought to bare on a question before any data has even been evaluated.

Apologetics - The venture of defending the truth and rationality of a position, for example, Christianity.

Aseity - The property by which a being exists of and from itself - self-existence. This is a property belonging to God alone.

Atheist - Someone who asserts that there is no God.

Convergence - Evolutionary term to describe the phenomenon of multiple, unrelated lines of evolution 'converging' on the same design. ie. the wings of bats and birds.

Cosmological Argument - The philosophical argument (can also be argued from physics and astronomy) that the existence of the universe demands a theistic cause.

Deism - The idea that God is not personally involved with the material world after having created it. The imagery is of a clock maker who winds the clock and allows it to run according to its own design. Miracles have no place in the deistic worldview.

Determinism - The view that everything in the universe is controlled by previous conditions, and therefore could not be otherwise. On this view, free will is an illusion since all actions are ultimately driven by predetermining causes.

Empiricism - The belief that all knowledge is acquired through the experience of the five senses. Contrasted with Rationalism.

Epistemology - The branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of knowledge, i.e., What is knowledge? How do we come to know things? What is truth? How do we derive certainty? etc.

Fideism - The view that truth in religion is ultimately based on faith rather than on reasoning or evidence. Influenced by Kierkegaard's existentialism and presented most notably this century by neo-orthodox theologians. Recent forms of fideism are attempts to assert that the fundamental tenents of religion cannot be justified by rational argument or by empirical evidence.

General Revelation - God's revelation of himself through the created order. Spoken of in Romans 1 and Psalms 19. Also known as "Natural Revelation."

Hermeneutics - The art and science of textual interpretation. Formal biblical interpretation relies heavily on established practices of hermeneutics.

Humanism - The view that "mankind is the measure of all things." Something's value or significance is measured by its relationship to mankind. Humanism is essentially an attempt to construct a non-theistic system of beliefs and values.

Kalam Cosmological Argument - A form of the Cosmological Argument that divides the argument down into the following logical premises, which are then independently argued for.

The universe either had (a) a beginning or (b) no beginning.
If it had a beginning, the beginning was either (a) caused or (b) uncaused.
If it had a cause, the cause was either (a) personal or (b) non-personal.

Materialism - The philosophical perspective that nothing exists except the material, physical world. As Carl Sagan famously put it: "The Cosmos is all there is, or ever was, or ever will be." This view is also know as "Naturalism." Materialism tends to be one of the foundational tenets of atheism.

Metaphysics - The branch or field of philosophy concerned with the ultimate nature, structure, and characteristics of reality. A narrow usage of the term refers to the study of that which lies beyond the physical realm (i.e., the supernatural realm).

Moral Relativism - The idea that morality is arbitrary and either up to each individual to define separately or up to each society to define by concensus -- there is no objective good and evil.

Natural Theology - Doctrines concerning God which are attainable via nature and reason, as opposed to those that require special revelation (e.g., scripture).

Naturalism - See "Materialism."

Natural Revelation - See General Revelation.

Negative Apologetics - Defending Christianity against criticisms.

Ockham's Razor - The idea that the explanation for a problem or effect that fits the facts with the least number of assuptions is the best. Also known as the principle of parsimony.

Ontology - The study of "being," or existence.

Pantheism - The idea that god and the world are inseparable -- God is all, and all is god. The most important, and emphasized, implication of this is that we (being of the same substance) are gods as well. This view originates in the Eastern religious traditions and plays heavily into the New Age worldview as well.

Positive Apologetics - Advancing Christianity via arguments or evidence.

Postmodernism - A reaction to the optimistic modernist perspectives on truth, reason, and science. Postmodernism values subjectivity over objectivity, feeling over reasoning, creativity over conformity, defining meaning over seeking meaning, and tolerance over discernment. It especially supports such ideas as sexual and cultural diversity, religious pluralism, moral relativism, and an individualized view of "truth."

Rationalism - Broadly speaking, the epistemological view that stresses reason as the test of truth. In a strict sense, the belief that at least some knowledge is acquired independent of sense experience. Contrasted with Empiricism.

Religious Pluralism - The idea that all religious traditions should be given equal value in society. Behind this is the postmodern idea that none have a monopoly on truth, if "truth" even exists. Consequently, all religions should be valued and afforded equal status.

Special Revelation - Knowledge of God supplied directly to humanity. For modern Christians this generally refers to scripture.

Syncretism - The blending of different beliefs or practices.

Theistic Evolution - The idea that evolution is true, but that it proceeded under the direct guidance or subtle prodding of God.

Teleological Argument - An argument for God from the design/purpose (telos) seen in nature.

Worldview - The collection of all beliefs about the physical and metaphysical world that are held by an individual or social group. In its purest form, a worldview should be systematic in its attempt to answer the key concerns of life in a consistent, comprehensive fashion. Example worldviews would be Christianity, naturalism, and pantheism.