Help with Field-Based Activity

APOL 500

Apologetics Field-Based Activity: Jesus and the Reliability of the New Testament Assignment Instructions

Overview

Christian apologetics is not just a defense of the existence of God as a concept but of Jesus as God. This second of four apologetics activities, in which you will communicate a simple apologetics argument to a person in a conversation, provides you with an opportunity to construct a short argument for the reliability of the New Testament account of Jesus while anticipating possible objections to that argument and then sharing that argument “in the field.” Afterwards you will reflect on that activity and what you learned during the planning of your argument and from your conversation.

Instructions

A template will be used for this assignment. The Apologetics Field-Based Activity: Jesus and the Reliability of the New Testament Template is in three sections. A minimum of two pages is required for the completed assignment. No title page is necessary since this is a template.

The template has three sections:

1. Argument Construction:

a. You will select one of the lines of argumentation provided and indicate that you are using that argument for this assignment.

b. Plan how you hope to use the line of argumentation in a conversation.

c. Anticipate two to three possible objections and how you would address them.

After this, you are now ready to have your conversation.

2. The Conversation: This is simply a report on the context of the conversation. Simply insert the appropriate information.

3. The Reflection:

a. You will describe details about how the conversation went.

b. You will describe the reaction of your conversation partner both during and after the presentation of the argument.

c. You will describe what you might have done differently.

d. You will describe what you feel after the presentation about the strength of the argument.

While you should do research in planning your argument, a formal citation system is not required. Do, however, use quotation marks for any direct quotes with a footnote that follows current Turabian format indicating the source of the quote. The following textbook sources are provided to help you as you select and construct the argument for the reliability of the New Testament account of Jesus.

· Jesus and the Eyewitnesses (Gould, p. 71-81; See also for some in this section Sweis, p. 288-294)

· The NT Claims to Be Eyewitness Testimony (Gould, p. 72-73)

· It’s Early, REALLY Early (Gould, p. 73-74)

· Dating the New Testament (Gould, p. 74-76)

· Paul (Gould, p. 76-77)

· Creeds (Gould, p. 77-78)

· Marks of Authenticity (Gould, p. 78-80)

· The Value of Eyewitnesses (Gould, p. 80-81)

· The Preservation of the New Testament (Gould, p. 81-88)

· The New Testament Manuscript Tradition (Gould, p. 82-84)

· How Early? (Gould, p. 84)

· Manuscript Variant (Gould, p. 84-86)

· So What? (Gould, p. 86-88)

· Did Jesus Exist? (Gould, p. 93-101)

· Did Jesus Claim to Be God? (Gould, p. 101-103)

· Was Jesus God? (Gould, 103-106; Sweis 239-270 may be helpful, depending on your approach)

Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.

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