Introduction

     Welcome to the CARM Online school Christian Apologetics.  If you want to learn how to defend your faith against various groups and philosophies, then this is the place to start.  The purpose of this online school is to... 

• help you understand false religious and secular systems,
• help you refute the false teachings of those systems,
• help you wouldn't develop confidence in dialogue and with those who are not Christians,
• and help you present a competent and rational defense of the Christian faith.

     The best foundation for doing this work of apologetics, is knowing Christian theology.  If you have not already done so, I strongly recommend that you go through the online school of Christian theology.  It is Christian theology that gives us the basis of truth by which we can then compare other systems of thought.  That truth is found in the Bible.
     Christianity is under attack over the world.  In secular school, on television, on radio, in literature, etc., Christianity is increasingly insulted and dismissed as an antiquated philosophy.  add to this the rise of such cult says Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses, not to mention the increase in popularity of Islam, and you can see that is necessary that we learned to defend the Christian faith.

A good foundation in Christian theology can help you in every area of your life.  A good foundation in biblical theology is a very valuable thing to have.  With it, you can offer better counsel, refute error, teach the truth, and improve your relationship with God.  Biblical theology is for every Christian, not just for pastors, teachers, and elders.
     Christianity can be understood by the young as well as the old. It can address very simple areas of your life as well as shed light on the deeper emotional and spiritual needs that you might have.  You do not need an advanced degree to understand this course. It is arranged logically so that you learn one principal after another.  The lessons build into a grand picture of Christian faith.
     Also, throughout this course are interspersed not only doctrinal truths, but also the applications of those truths to different topics such as counseling, refuting cults, answering biblically questions, etc.  What you will learn is not merely academic.  It is also practical.

Why use this instead of just reading CARM?

     This school has material in it is not on the CARM web site. In particular, the evolution section has new information and research. Eventually, I will include this on the CARM site as a whole, but it will not appear for quite a while. Also, this school allows you to go through the major issues in a more logical manner. You can certainly read the CARM web site and gain the same information. But what I've done here is extract particular information and arrange it in order that I think is important and relevant. Also, I have added commentary to various sections, provided focus points, and added dialogues, some new and some taken from CARM, with those dialogues interspersed with commentary and analysis. The goal is to equip you. Apologetics is something we are commanded to do by God's word. If you try and be obedient to God's word regarding this, He will bless you. Whether you enroll in this school or read CARM on your own or invest time and effort in other avenues of learning, God will bless your effort. Be blessed.

     in Him,

     Rev. Matthew Slick, M. Div.
     CARM President