Catechesis and Apologetics: The Ancient Apologies as Intentional Vehicles of Christian Instruction

a workshop featuring

Dr. D.H. Williams (Baylor University)

Saturday March 11, 2023 | 10:30 AM-4:00 PM

Topic Summary

From the beginning, Christians have been compelled to give an account of their faith. As 1 Peter puts it: “In your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you.” But who were these defenses for, how did they shape Christian identity, and how can we learn from them today?

In his recent book, Defending and Defining the Faith (Oxford University Press, 2020), Dr. D.H. Williams argues that early Christian apologetics was not primarily directed at a non-Christian audience. Rather, ancient apologetics was about providing sound instruction for new Christians and those still weak in the faith. Apologetics, in other words, was similar to catechesis: it was about establishing a firm foundations for those in the liminal space between non-Christian and fully committed members.

Today, the Church faces a similar situation. Many Christians, whether new or old, are unrooted in the faith and liable to be “carried away by all kinds of strange teachings” (Heb. 13:9). What can we learn from early Christian catechesis about the task of apologetics today?

In this workshop, Dr. D.H. Williams, one of North America’s foremost patristics scholars and a leading advocate for evangelical retrieval theology, will guide us in thinking about how understanding early Christian apologetics can bolster a robust catechetical practice today. Dr. Williams has a unique ability to communicate a deep learning in patristics in ways that non-specialists can understand. In addition, responding to Dr. Williams will be Rev. Dr. Dustin Messer and Rev. Dr. Jonathan Bailes, who are priests and catechists in the Anglican Church. They will discuss how Dr. Williams’ presentations can be applied in contemporary church life. We will also have time time for Q&A and discussion.

This workshop is open to all, and will be especially beneficial for pastors, catechists, educators, and parents who want to understand how to ground mature believers in the faith amid in light of the cultural challenges Christians face today.

Speakers

Rev. Dr. D. H. Williams is (retired) Professor of Patristics and Historical Theology at Baylor University, where he taught from 2002 to 2022. He specializes in patristic theology, early Christian scriptural interpretation, and retrieval theology for evangelicals. Williams has also been active in teaching in China since 2006, lecturing at five major universities in mainland China, serving as a plenary speaker at People’s University of China’s Summer Institute conferences, and having articles published in the Chinese-based Journal for the Study of Christian Culture. He is the author or editor of numerous books, including Defending and Defining the Faith: An Introduction to Early Christian Apologetic Literature (Oxford University Press, 2020); The Gospel of Matthew in The Church’s Bible series (Eerdmans Publishing, 2017); Hilary of Poitiers: Commentary on Matthew, Fathers of the Church 125 (Catholic University of America Press, 2012); Tradition, Scripture and Interpretation: A Sourcebook of the Ancient Church (Baker Academic Books, 2006); Evangelicals and Tradition: The Formative Influence of the Early Church (Baker Academic Books, 2005); Retrieving the Tradition and Renewing Evangelicalism: A Primer for Suspicious Protestants (Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999); Ambrose of Milan and the End of the Nicene Arian Conflicts (Oxford University Press, 1995).

Williams is also an ordained Baptist minister, having served in several churches in New York and Pennsylvania. You can read his article, “Retrieving Catechism for Suspicious Protestants,” here.

Respondents

Rev. Dr. Dustin Messer serves as vicar of All Saints Dallas in downtown Dallas, TX. A graduate of Boyce College and Covenant Theological Seminary, Dustin earned a doctorate at La Salle University and went on to complete a fellowship at the Center for the Study of Statesmanship at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Along with his work in local parish ministry, Dustin has served in positions of leadership for a number renewal organizations within the broader Anglican church, including the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) and the Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Communion (EFAC). Dustin teaches in the area of theology and apologetics at both Reformed Theological Seminary-Dallas and The King’s College in New York, NY. Dustin’s wife, Whitney, helps lead a classical Christian school near their church and together they have one daughter, Pennilyn Grace.

Rev. Dr. Jonathan Bailes is Cathedral Theologian at Christ Church Cathedral in Plano, TX. Jonathan has a passion for learning, thinking, and speaking about the revelation of the gospel and its revolutionary impact on the Christian faith and life. He draws upon that passion in his current work overseeing teaching and curriculum development as the Cathedral Theologian for Christ Church Plano. After earning a B.A. at Bryan College and an M.Div. at Beeson Divinity School, he completed a Ph.D. in theology at Boston College, where he wrote a dissertation on the fourth-century church father, Gregory of Nyssa. Since moving to Plano in the summer of 2018, he and his wife, Rachael, have enjoyed their acculturation to life in Texas. They have four children: Elizabeth, Charlie, Lucy, and Maggie.

Event Highlights

*Photos courtesy of the amazing Eric Guel Photography