If you know me very well, you’ve probably heard that I just got back from the first on-campus course of my seminary experience.  Let me just say, it was fantastic!  I met a bunch of wonderful, new people for starters.  For an extrovert like me, that is particularly exciting.  I was also quite intrigued by the classroom material.  Top that off with my meetings with professors and time outside of class discussing ministry and theology with other students, and it was one heck of  an experience.  The icing on the cake was the weather in Charlotte, where it was in the 60′s for most of the week (while being in the 30′s in Cleveland).

The topic for my class was “Apologetics”, which may be defined as a reasoned defense of the faith.  The apostle Peter made a case for apologetics when he said to “always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).

All of us Christians have had to defend the faith at one time or another.  This would include defending against or trying to persuade a non-believer of the hope that is in you (the gospel).  It could also address any doubts that we face as believers.  Thus, apologetics is not just for theologians that want to “argue” with atheists, but it’s an integral part of evangelism on par with preaching.  Also, I should  make it clear that apologetics does not involve “apologizing”, as if we’re sorry for our Christian beliefs.  Quite the contrary!

There are essentially two components to my grade in the apologetics course.  The first, of course, is an exam… no surprise there.  The other major component is a “dialogue paper” in which I’ll have to present a real or fictitious interaction with a skeptic (non-believers or skeptical believers are equally good).  For this reason, I invite any of you that have questions, concerns, or doubts about the Christian God to share them here as comments on my blog.  I’d be more than happy to answer your questions, and it might just help me out for my course grade!

What are the two things you never talk about with family and friends?  A case may be made for money or sex, but most agree that you should never talk about politics or religion.  Those are the taboo topics.

First of all, let’s establish what’s wrong with discussing taboo topics with friends and family.  Clearly, there’s high potential that you won’t see eye to eye.  These discussions can often end in fights.  There’s also the fact that we take our views of politics and especially religion very seriously and very personally.  Some people define themselves by their religion and to a lesser extent, their politics.  Even people that are not religious may take their lack of faith seriously.

So why tread on such dangerous ground?  What could be worth the risk of alienating yourself from your friend of family member?

For starters, having a discussion about faith or political issues can give you some of the most meaningful insight into what makes a person tick.  Since we take these taboo topics so seriously, they can speak volumes about our character and our personality.  Discussing these issues with our loved ones can also strengthen our understanding of both our own positions as well as opposing positions.  Sometimes, we might even change our minds based on another’s input, although that should never be the goal.

That leads me to the point of this post.  I believe that discussing these taboo topics with our family and friends can be enjoyable and valuable, but only when done respectfully.  Expect to do a lot of listening and limited careful interjection if you mean to maintain a healthy discussion.  When expressing opinions turns into hurtful attacks, it’s time to call it quits.  If your intent is to persuade your loved one to change their mind about their position on an issue, you might as well forget it.  Furthermore, if the discussion turns into a debate, keep in mind that there will be no winner.  You win simply by maintaining a level of love and respect.

As you see your friends and family for the holidays and beyond, don’t rule out a conversation about God.  Jesus is the reason for the season, and it’d be a shame to spend quality holiday time with family and friends while neglecting to mention the joy of Christmas.  Imagine how wonderful it would be to discover that you can joyfully praise the Lord together with those that you love the most!