The Future of Reformed Apologetics: Collected Essays on Applying Van Tils Apologetic Method to a New Generation

Over his entire career, Cornelius Van Til urged the church to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Van Tils approach to a defense of Christianity was grounded and founded in the rich soil of Scripture. He was convinced that only Reformed theology was adequate to provide the weapons that are needed to accomplish the task of a Christian defense.

• How can we destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God in the twenty-first century?
• How do Van Tils biblical and Reformed insights apply to the issues that are now confronting the church?
• Is Reformed theology still the best weapon for the churchs biblical defense?

The Future of Reformed Apologetics features a collection of essays by James Anderson, Brian Mattson, Dan Strange, Scott Oliphint, Christopher Watkin, and more.

Originally delivered at Westminster Theological Seminary during the 2023 Conference on Reformed Apologetics, this collection is written to encourage and equip you to defend the Christian faith, as it was once for all delivered to the saints.

Contents

Foreword: WTS Van Til Conference: The Legacy of Van Til William Edgar

IntroductionK. Scott Oliphint

1. Van Til and the Sensus DivinitatisK. Scott Oliphint

2. Van Til Goes Pop: Desire, Diff-enchantment, and the Point of ContactDaniel Strange

3. Van Til’s Apologetic: Attributes, Roots, and FruitsBrian G. Mattson

4. The Robust Role of General Revelation in Van Til’s Apologetic: Reasserting the Relationship between God’s Word and God’s WorldW. Rob Edwards

5. Van Til’s Two-Handed Apologetics: Lessons for the Future of Christian ThoughtChristopher Watkin

6. Van Til Versus The Matrix: A Van Tilian Response to the Simulation HypothesisJames N. Anderson

7. Implications of Van Til’s Thought for Redeeming Academic DisciplinesVern Poythress

8. Van Til on God as Absolute Person: Origin, Meaning, and FunctionNathan D. Shannon

9. Old Things Made New? The Buswellian Vintage of Van Tillian CriticismDavid O. Filson