Apologetics:
Explaining & Defending the faith

The term Apologetics refers to the structured discipline of defending religious doctrines through systematic argumentation and discourse.  The original Greek word apologia (ἀπολογία) meant to defend oneself by a formal verbal defense in response to an accusation.  In the Classical Greek legal system, the prosecution delivered the kategoria (κατηγορία), the accusation or charge, and the defendant replied with an apologia, the defense.  In the 2nd century, Christians were severely persecuted by the Roman Empire and many charges were brought against them.  The ancient Roman historian Tacitus wrote that Emperor Nero fabricated charges that Christians started the burning of Rome (Tacitus, Annals 15:44).  Other charges included cannibalism (due to a literal interpretation of the Eucharist) and incest (due to early Christians’ practice of addressing each other as “brother” and “sister”).  Early Christian writers such as Justin Martyr, Theophilus of Antioch, Irenaeus of Lyons, Tertullian, and Origen of Alexandria began developing and writing systematic defenses of their beliefs against the authorities and critics of their time.  These writers became known as Apologists.