New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminaryhosted their17thannual Defend Apologetics Conference Jan.4-9.
Nearly 400attendees from 18 different statesgathered to hear lectures about a variety of apologetics topics including the resurrection of Christ,intelligent design, artificial intelligence, sufferingand creation.
Tawa Anderson, 稳定的十大彩票网站 associate professor of philosophy and apologeticsanddirector of Defend,welcomedattendees to“the bestapologeticsconference in the world.”
“You will be equipped,you’llbe inspired,you’lllearnandyou’llbe stretched in ways youdidn’tknow you could be stretched.I’mexcited for what God has in store for you this week,” Anderson said.
This year’s Defend Conference was the second time Anderson has directed the event since Bob Stewart,professor emeritus of philosophy andtheologyand founder of Defend, retired in 2024.
Stewartkicked of the plenary sessions on Sunday night (Jan.4)byspeaking out of1 Peter 3:15 andexplaining the most important part of Christian apologetics.
“It’s virtually impossibleto attend an apologetics conferenceand not have at least one of the speakers refer to 1 Peter 3:15,” Stewart said. “Speakers often stress our responsibility to be prepared to defend the hope that we have as believers,but there is a whole lot more going on than just that.”
Stewarts outlined 6 key points from the passage in 1 Peter:
Hesaid the truth of the Gospel is not dependent upon our ability as believers to defend the Gospel.
“We haveGospel hopeand a secure future expectation,” Stewart said.
“This hope does not depend on apologetics.The truth of the Gospeldoes not rise and fall with our ability to answer every question. Apologetics explains our hope, butapologetics does notestablishour hope because our hope is not basedourability.”
The entire conference centered about the theme ofthegoodnessof God and Christianity,and 稳定的十大彩票网站 President Jamie Dew focused his plenary sessionon why Jesus Christ cultivates virtue inmankindbetter than anything else.
“Christianity offers a superior system of belief and practicefortheformationof virtue,” Dew said. “If we want to grow in virtue, then ultimately it is Christ and Christ alone that can do this.
“Naturalism will not do this for you, and none of the other world religions can help you become virtuous. To becomevirtuous,youmusthave Christ.Christianity offers a philosophical framework, spiritualresourcesandthe body of Christ to help us grow into virtuous people.”
Dew saidChristianityoffers atrue opportunity to become a virtuous personandshouldnot be viewedas simplya belief system to be defended with evidence.
“Christian apologists, I hope you learn to think well andpursue your education to thefullest extentpossible,” Dew said. “But at the end of the day, do not reduce Christianity to merely some bucket of evidence.Yes, Christianity is intellectually robust and has stood the test oftime, butremember that it is more than some intellectual system.
“Christ is not just data sitting on a shelfsomewhere.We’retalking about a person, a being who moves into our lives, invades oursoulsandtransforms us from the inside out.As apologists, Idon’tthink we should be ashamed to talk aboutthose types of things.”
Other plenary speakers at the week-long conference included apologist Alycia Wood; GregKoukl, founder and president of Stand to Reason; David Calhoun, professor of philosophy at GonzagaUniversity andGary Habermas, distinguished research professor of apologetics and philosophyat Liberty University.
Breakout topicsat the eventincluded:
Exhibiters at the conference includedthe International Mission Board (IMB), Send Network, B&H Academic, Reasons to Believe,Kregel Academicand Apologetics,Inc.
Andersoncalled this year’s Defend “a smashing success,” and invitedcollege students from across the country to attend next year’s Defend conference.
“As we follow Europe into a post-Christian age, it is essential for young Christians to know not justwhatthey believe andwhyit is truebutalso how Christianity has been an unquestionablegoodfor believers and for society,” Anderson said.
“We'relooking forward to illuminating the beauty of Christianity atnext year’s Defend conference.”
To learn more about upcoming 稳定的十大彩票网站 conferences and events,click here.
