Apologetics Toolkit: Tips for Lifelong Learning #05

This continues the Apologetics Toolkit series on: Tips for Lifelong Learning. The goal here is to provide a sort of "apologetics toolkit" -- habits, tips, and tools the Christian apologist can use to continue to grow, learn, and develop.

Tool #05: Learn Through Teaching

The Problem: You think you know the subject. Your study it. You are familiar with it. You are immersed in it. But only when you attempt to teach the subject will you realize where you fall short. Everything changes when it is time to teach what you think you know. The fact is that deeper learning requires elements of teaching what you are learning.

Sunday Quote: Adler & VanDoren on Mental Exercise

"The mind can atrophy, like the muscles, if it is not used. Atrophy of the mental muscles is the penalty that we pay for not taking mental exercise. And this is a terrible penalty, for there is evidence that atrophy of the mind is a mortal disease."

- Mortimer J. Adler
& Charles Van Doren

Mortimer J. Adler & Charles Van Doren, How to Read a Book (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1972), p. 345.

[HT: Ken Samples]

Tony Lane on Understanding History

"We need to read about the past in order to understand the present. People without a grasp of history are like a person without a memory. Many of the current beliefs in our society are properly grasped only when we see how they have emerged. A knowledge of history will help us to understand better both ourselves and those with whom we might disagree."

—Tony Lane, A Concise History of Christian Thought (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006), 1.

[HT: Ken Samples]

Online Apologetics Academy: Athanatos

The Fall 2009 apologetics course at Athanatos is starting in November. Sharpen your knowledge in the following classes:
• Christ Promised in the Old Testament
• Reliability of the New Testament Documents
• Study in Alleged Bible Contradictions
• Basic New Testament Greek Part 1 &2
• Origins: A Survey
• The Death of Christianity (Free)
• Jesus According to...
• Studies in Atheism
• Hitler and Christianity (Free)

Check them out here.

Enjoy.

What was last year's post? See here.

Learning Skills 101: Series by Kenneth Samples MP3 Audio

Philosopher and apologist Kenneth Samples is doing a series of lectures on the topic of Learning Skills. This is a tremendous series. This is based upon Adler's "How to Read a Book," but Samples adds lots of personal insights and challenges. RSS Feed here.

• Learning Skills 101: Introduction (Part 1)
• Learning Skills 101: The Academic 10 Commandments (Part 2)

• Learning Skills 101: The Renaissance Christian (Part 3)

• Learning Skills 101: Ideas (Part 4)
• Learning Skills 101: Introduction to Logic 1 (Part 5)
• Learning Skills 101: Introduction to Logic 2 (Part 6)
• Learning Skills 101: Three Types of Arguments (Part 7)
• Learning Skills 101: Logical Fallacies (Part 8)

Enjoy.