"Apologetics is a discipline that deals with the rational argumentation of the Christian faith. The name of it comes from a Greek word "apologia" that means "to defend, to give reason for". (Geissler, Encyclopedia of Christian apologetics)

The following topics will be discussed during this course:
1. The case for God - reason and freedom.
2. The case for God - science.
3. The case for God - human nature.
4. God and men's suffering.
5. In defense of Christ.
6. In defense of Christ's Resurrection.

In August 1992, Jim was awarded his doctorate in philosophy from Oxford. His dissertation was a new argument confirming the existence of God based on some newly discovered limits on the ability of science to explain human thinking. Dr. Baird joined the College of Biblical Studies at Oklahoma Christian University in January 1992. His areas of specialization are Christian evidences and philosophy of religion. He has present lectures on Christian evidences at many churches in the U.S., as well as in England, Poland, and Austria. He has also written articles on Christian evidences in various books and journals and served as editor of the Oklahoma Christian's journal, Christianity and Contemporary Culture (while the money lasted). In addition to teaching apologetics at Oklahoma Christian University, Dr. Baird has been used as an adjunct in this subject by Austin Graduate School of Religion, Abilene Christian University, and Harding Graduate School of Religion. In 1999, Jim and Len Feuerhelm won a $10,000 prize from the Templeton Foundations for developing a new course dealing with the relationship between science and religion. Dr. Baird currently serves as the preaching minister for Wilshire Church of Christ in Oklahoma City.

Course Description:
This course will prepare students to be able to defend their faith in some of the more challenging or technical areas that sometimes come up in ministry, both in helping unbelievers who are struggling with the intellectual aspects of faith and with believers who want to understand what they believe more deeply and joyfully In the process, we will work our way through twenty-five questions generated by ITCM students, including questions about faith, doubt, evidence for God, evidence for Jesus and reasons to commit to Christianity.

Students' requirements:

• to write essays and comment on the works of other course participants;
  
• to pass a final test;
  
• to write a practical work.