# 01 Foundations What apologetics is, what Scripture commands, who has done this work before, and what the apologist's life is meant to look like. ## Learning objectives By the end of this module the student should be able to: - Define *apologetics* and *apologia* without notes; explain why "apology" in the modern English sense is the wrong frame - State [1 Peter 3.15](/codex/1-peter-3-15/) from memory and explain Peter's three components: *be ready*, *with reason*, *with gentleness and reverence* - Walk a friend through what Paul does in [Acts 17](/codex/acts-17/), who he engages, what he quotes, where he starts, where he lands - Name at least four major historical apologists across patristic, medieval, and modern eras with one substantive thing about each - Distinguish the major apologetic methods (classical, evidential, presuppositional, Reformed epistemology, cumulative case) at survey level - Recognize when a conversation is calling for apologetic work versus pastoral care versus straightforward evangelism ## Lessons Work them in order. Each lesson contains its own required reading, key takeaways, reflection questions, and practice exercise. - **[Lesson 1.1, What is Apologetics](/codex/lesson-1-1-what-is-apologetics/)**, the word *apologia*, the courtroom shape, the modern-English "apology" trap, defense vs. attack, the universal-believer charge - **[Lesson 1.2, The Biblical Charge](/codex/lesson-1-2-the-biblical-charge/)**, close reading of [1 Peter 3.15](/codex/1-peter-3-15/), Paul's *apologia* speeches in [Acts 22](/codex/acts-22/), [Acts 24](/codex/acts-24/), [Acts 25](/codex/acts-25/), [Acts 26](/codex/acts-26/), and the Areopagus model from [Acts 17](/codex/acts-17/) - **[Lesson 1.3, A Brief History of Apologetics](/codex/lesson-1-3-a-brief-history-of-apologetics/)**, the line from [Justin Martyr](/codex/justin-martyr/) through [Augustine](/codex/augustine/), [Anselm](/codex/anselm/), Aquinas, Pascal, Lewis to the present - **[Lesson 1.4, The Apologist's Life](/codex/lesson-1-4-the-apologists-life/)**, gentleness and reverence, argument-addiction as the discipline's specific pathology, prayer, humility, submission to the local church - **[Lesson 1.5, The Methods of Apologetics](/codex/lesson-1-5-the-methods-of-apologetics/)**, the five major methods, their strengths, weaknesses, and when to deploy each ## Key passages Memorize the first one. Know the others well enough to find them without help. These recur across every module. - **[1 Peter 3.15](/codex/1-peter-3-15/)**, the charge to every believer to be ready with a reasoned defense, in gentleness and reverence - **[Acts 17:16-34](/codex/acts-17-16-34/)**, Paul at the Areopagus; the New Testament's longest apologetic case study (see [Acts 17](/codex/acts-17/)) - **[Jude 3](/codex/jude-3/)**, "contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" - **[Titus 1:9](/codex/titus-1-6-9/)**, the elder must give instruction in sound doctrine and rebuke those who contradict - **[2 Cor 10:5](/codex/2-corinthians-10-5/)**, destroying arguments and taking thoughts captive - **[Col 4:6](/codex/colossians-4-6/)**, "speech always gracious, seasoned with salt" ## Next module When you can state without notes what apologetics is, what *apologia* means, what [1 Peter 3.15](/codex/1-peter-3-15/) commands, who four major historical apologists were, and the spread of apologetic methods, you are ready. → Continue to [02 Faith and Worldview](/codex/02-faith-and-worldview/). ## See also - [Course](/codex/course/), the master course page - [Apologetics](/codex/apologetics/), the discipline master hub - [Apologist](/codex/apologist/), the role this course trains for - [Fivefold Ministry](/codex/ephesians-4-11/), where the apologist fits among the [Eph 4:11](/codex/ephesians-4-11/) offices - [Apologetic Method Comparison](/codex/apologetic-method-comparison/), the five methods compared - [G627 - apologia](/codex/g627-apologia/), the foundational Greek word - [Cumulative Case for Christian Theism](/codex/cumulative-case-for-christian-theism/), the synthesis the course builds toward
## Common questions this page answers **Q: What is Module 1 of the apologetics course about?** Module 1 is the foundations: what apologetics is, what Scripture commands, who has done this work before, and what the apologist's life is meant to look like. Five lessons cover the word *apologia*, the biblical charge in [1 Peter 3:15](/codex/1-peter-3-15/), the history from [Justin Martyr](/codex/justin-martyr/) to today, the apologist's character, and the five major apologetic methods. **Q: What should I learn first if I'm new to apologetics?** Start with [Lesson 1.1, What is Apologetics](/codex/lesson-1-1-what-is-apologetics/) to understand the word *apologia* (a reasoned defense, not an apology in the modern sense), then move to [Lesson 1.2, The Biblical Charge](/codex/lesson-1-2-the-biblical-charge/) to learn [1 Peter 3:15](/codex/1-peter-3-15/) and Paul's Areopagus speech in [Acts 17](/codex/acts-17/). The foundational verse and the biblical models come before everything else. **Q: Do I need to memorize Bible verses to do apologetics?** [1 Peter 3:15](/codex/1-peter-3-15/) should be memorized cold. Know [Acts 17:16-34](/codex/acts-17-16-34/) (Paul's Areopagus speech), [Jude 3](/codex/jude-3/), [Titus 1:9](/codex/titus-1-6-9/), [2 Corinthians 10:5](/codex/2-corinthians-10-5/), and [Colossians 4:6](/codex/colossians-4-6/) well enough to find them quickly. These recur across every course module. **Q: How long does it take to finish Module 1?** Move at your own pace; the module is built for ownership, not speed. You are ready for Module 2 when you can state without notes what apologetics is, what *apologia* means, what [1 Peter 3:15](/codex/1-peter-3-15/) commands, who four major historical apologists were, and the spread of apologetic methods.