To live unapologetically

‘The primary audience for Christian apologetics should be other Christians. The bulk of Christians in the world have not deeply, critically considered their reasons for believing…and they are not able to defend what beliefs they hold.’ — Joel Furches [1] Christian apologetics is a branch of theology that defends what Christianity claims. As such, it dates as far back as the early church, and is a hefty topic to tackle within the remit of Nucleus. However, this edition compiles a wide range of excellently and expertly written articles on apologetics, especially in relation to its relevance to the practice of medicine and allied professions. Can someone be both a scientist and a person of faith? We know that science lacks the ability to answer all of humanity’s questions. To quote Dr Francis Collins (American physician and Director of the Human Genome Project), ‘When does life begin? When does the soul enter? That’s a religious question. Science is not going to be able to help with that.’

As society secularises, we as believers find our faith increasingly under attack – at our workplace, on the news, even in our homes. It is of paramount importance, both for us and in terms of witnessing to non-Christians, that we take up the responsibility of scrutinising the objective historical and scientific evidence for the faith we possess. David Wilber writes that ‘apologetics is one of the biggest things that God has used to strengthen [Christians]…Like Jacob struggling with God and refusing to let go until God blessed him, apologetics allows us to struggle with God over the deep philosophical and theological questions of our time. There’s a blessing for us in that struggle!’ [2]

This edition is filled with fantastic and varied content. Zachary Arden, a researcher in microbial genomics in Munich, explores what SARS-CoV-2 research has to do with Christian truth claims. Dr Calum Miller of The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics writes about how his background in medicine has given him a unique perspective on the Christian faith. Mike Roberts explores the origin and ethics of Critical Theory in relation to Christianity. As always, we have a range of reviews of books, films, and webinars, which explore whether science and faith belong together, as well as our news review and just ask column.

Finally, we hear about David S Kim’s trip to Malamulo hospital in Malawi, and how it has taught him what true joy in and dependence upon Christ looks like. All this, and much more, makes this edition of Nucleus an edifying and stimulating read. It has been a privilege to work on, and it is my hope that the wisdom within these pages both equips you with answers to some key questions sceptics have about Christianity, and informs your conviction to live powerfully as salt and light during these uncertain times. Stay safe, and rest in a certain faith. ?