"Good" Protestant Apologists

catholica · #1 Feb 13, '07, 8:11 am

Granting that none of them could be called "great" from our perspective, many of them have an approach to and/or explanation of things we agree on that can be helpful to us.

And to boot, when we know their take on the things we disagree on, we can learn how to better answer to those issues ourselves, right?

As a fairly strict Historical Apologist myself, I like Josh McDowell.

Can any of you share the names of the Protestant Apologists that you like, admire, find worthy opponents, etc.?

Thanks!

**Contarini** · #2 Feb 13, '07, 11:21 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by catholica

Granting that none of them could be called "great" from our perspective

I think you're wrong. Most Catholics I have talked to would consider C.S. Lewis a great apologist. He's certainly in a league far above any of the "Catholic apologists" currently active in the U.S. of whom I'm aware.

Most apologists are propagandistic hacks. It's an intrinsically demoralizing pursuit. It wasn't even very good for Lewis, as he recognized in his great poem "The Apologist's Evening Prayer." An apologist is like a lawyer in the U.S. adversarial system--he (or she) sets out to make the best case possible for one side. That means that it's possible for an apologist or a lawyer to be honest, but it's very, very difficult, and in practice almost none are.

Edwin

scylla · #3 Feb 13, '07, 11:29 am

Amen,
Most Catholics would count C.S. Lewis as a great apologist.

I believe Ravi Zacharias is one of the best Protestant Apologists alive these days.

God Bless
Scylla

rr1213 · #4 Feb 13, '07, 11:40 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Contarini

An apologist is like a lawyer in the U.S. adversarial system--he (or she) sets out to make the best case possible for one side. That means that it's possible for an apologist or a lawyer to be honest, but it's very, very difficult, and in practice almost none are.

Edwin

I can't speak for apologists, but I'll disagree with you as to lawyers. In practice most are.

catholica · #5 Feb 13, '07, 11:51 am

Excellent points. C.S. Lewis is more than great, he's awesome. Of course, though, he's a rare breed. I think if he'd have lived longer, he would have converted.

My mindset while posting the question was such that I was not thinking of CS Lewis.

...is there another non-Catholic apologist that we'd call great?

I've not read Ravi Zacharias. I'll check him out.

aurora77 · #6 Feb 13, '07, 12:56 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by scylla

.

I believe Ravi Zacharias is one of the best Protestant Apologists alive these days.

I second Zacharias--I always get something from his talks and books. I really like how he takes on secularism.

I've also become a big fan of Hank Hanegraff. He has some mistaken notions about Catholicism, but he's fair and not anti-Catholic.

I've never read C.S. Lewis, I'm going to have to!

**lak611** · #7 Feb 14, '07, 12:57 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by scylla

Amen,
Most Catholics would count C.S. Lewis as a great apologist.

I believe Ravi Zacharias is one of the best Protestant Apologists alive these days.

God Bless
Scylla

C.S. Lewis was great. Ravi Zacharias is one of my favourite current apologists, Catholic or Protestant. His show is about the only non-music program that I listen to on Moody Broadcasting Network.

catholica · #8 Feb 14, '07, 5:50 am

FYI, I'd add D. James Kennedy to my list...but I have a hard time with "great" so I'll call him "almost great"

J.R. · #9 Mar 25, '07, 6:09 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by catholica

FYI, I'd add D. James Kennedy to my list...but I have a hard time with "great" so I'll call him "almost great"

Beware of Dr. Kennedy I have listened to him for years. Yes, he's a great orator but I have heard him misrepresent the Catholic faith a couple of times (St. Patrick not being a Catholic or a saint and his explaination of our belief in the Communion of Saints). I have come to the conclusion that he is either ignorant or prejudice of Catholics. You decide. If you think he is ignorant on certain Catholic issues then even more shame on him for not doing proper research before passing it on to his many listeners.

tdgesq · #10 Mar 25, '07, 7:02 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Contarini

That means that it's possible for an apologist or a lawyer to be honest, but it's very, very difficult, and in practice almost none are.

Edwin

My best friend is an attorney and is one of the most honest men I know. And he's an Episcopalian!

Add Alvin Plantinga to the list. In my opinion, the most intelligent and reasonable Reformed thinker alive today.

Cat · #11 Mar 26, '07, 6:29 am

R.C. Sproul.

He is against Catholicism, but he has never, at least that we have seen, misrepresented Catholicism. In fact, he corrects a lot of Protestant misconceptions about Catholicism. It's really cool to read or hear how he blasts some of the anti-Catholic lies that some of his own Reformed teachers have propagated.

He has a wonderful logical mind and argues very effectively for belief in God as opposed to atheism. He's also a good communicator.

Cat · #12 Mar 26, '07, 6:32 am

My HERO, and one of the reasons I converted to Catholicism: CHARLES COLSON!!!!!

This is the man who co-started Evangelicals and Catholics Together. He has the absolute best mind and deepest insights of any Protestant today. I would go so far as to call him the Protestant Pope, except that many Protestants don't accept him because of his support of Catholicism.

Read Being the Body by Chuck Colson. It is in this book that he outlines the importance of Christians coming together and working against Satan and his evil. His description of the fall of communism is the best I've seen, even from Catholics--Mr. Colson gives so much credit to Pope John Paul II.

And there is a very touching part in the book where he comes to realize that there is nothing "wrong" with the Sign of the Cross. Very neat stuff to read.

Unfortunately, like I said, a lot of Protestants accuse him of "poping out."

I pray that he will eventually become Catholic!

**lak611** · #13 Mar 26, '07, 8:23 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cat

My HERO, and one of the reasons I converted to Catholicism: CHARLES COLSON!!!!!

This is the man who co-started Evangelicals and Catholics Together. He has the absolute best mind and deepest insights of any Protestant today. I would go so far as to call him the Protestant Pope, except that many Protestants don't accept him because of his support of Catholicism.

Read Being the Body by Chuck Colson. It is in this book that he outlines the importance of Christians coming together and working against Satan and his evil. His description of the fall of communism is the best I've seen, even from Catholics--Mr. Colson gives so much credit to Pope John Paul II.

And there is a very touching part in the book where he comes to realize that there is nothing "wrong" with the Sign of the Cross. Very neat stuff to read.

Unfortunately, like I said, a lot of Protestants accuse him of "poping out."

I pray that he will eventually become Catholic!

He's great too, because he reformed his life when he was in prison and now does prison ministry.

aurora77 · #14 Mar 26, '07, 10:48 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cat

My HERO, and one of the reasons I converted to Catholicism: CHARLES COLSON!!!!!

This is the man who co-started Evangelicals and Catholics Together. He has the absolute best mind and deepest insights of any Protestant today. I would go so far as to call him the Protestant Pope, except that many Protestants don't accept him because of his support of Catholicism.

Read Being the Body by Chuck Colson. It is in this book that he outlines the importance of Christians coming together and working against Satan and his evil. His description of the fall of communism is the best I've seen, even from Catholics--Mr. Colson gives so much credit to Pope John Paul II.

And there is a very touching part in the book where he comes to realize that there is nothing "wrong" with the Sign of the Cross. Very neat stuff to read.

Unfortunately, like I said, a lot of Protestants accuse him of "poping out."

I pray that he will eventually become Catholic!

I can't believe I forgot about him. I thought Being the Body was one of the best books I've read. His story is inspirational and the good work he does truly amazing!

RNRobert · #15 Mar 26, '07, 11:12 am

C.S. Lewis is one of my favorite writers, Catholic or non-Catholic. I would second the vote on Ravi Zacharias- I've heard his radio program a few times, and it was good.
I read one of Chuck Colson's books- Loving God, and enjoyed it. One of my favorite parts in the book is where he debunked those who claim that the disciples hid the body of Jesus to make a case for the resurrection by comparing it to the Watergate scandal. With the Watergate scandal, many involved had wealth, power and prestige, and had a vested interest in covering it up, yet almost all broke and tried to make a deal to stay out of jail. OTOH, the apostles were poor, and the only thing they got was death, torture and imprisonment, If the Resurrection was simply a conspiracy, then why would they undergo torture and execution when they would be welcomed with open arms (and open purses) by the authorities for spilling the beans?