Introduction
The word apologetics is derived from the Greek, apologia, which means
“to defend.” Apologetics as a branch of Catholic theology is therefore
aimed at establishing and defending the reasonableness of the Catholic
Faith. Specifically, it has a threefold aim: (i) to strengthen the faith of
believers by illustrating that the articles of the Catholic Faith are in full
harmony with reason; (ii) to persuade unbelievers, inquirers and those in
good faith that the articles of the Catholic Faith are in full harmony with
reason; (iii) to refute the arguments and objections of those who reject the
Catholic Faith.
An apologist is strictly speaking a theologian. In defending the Catholic
Faith, he draws his arguments principally from Sacred Scripture and
Apostolic Tradition. Nevertheless, the apologist is free to utilize and
develop arguments from philosophy and history. Divine revelation and
natural reason are consequently combined to prove that God exists, that He
has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, that Christ established a visible
Church on earth to teach truths infallibly, and that this Church is the Holy,
Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church.
Apologetics has been an integral part of the life of the Church since
Apostolic times. Our Lord Himself was the first apologist, when after His
resurrection He instructed the two disciples on the way to Emmaus: “Then
beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the
things about himself in all the scriptures” (St. Luke 24:27). St. Luke in
writing his Gospel did so with an apologetical purpose: “I too decided, after
investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly
account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth
concerning the things about which you have been instructed” (St. Luke 1:3-
4). In fact, it can be argued that all four Gospels are apologetical in nature,
having been written to show the faithful that their belief in Jesus Christ was
well grounded, and to lead Jews and pagans to belief in Christ. St. Paul was
no less of an apologist. St. Luke records that when in Rome “they came to
him at his lodgings in great numbers. From morning until evening he
explained the matter to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying
to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the
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