Summer 1967

Page 56

APOLOGETICS SURVEY

_Academic Jreedom and

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No single area of Roman Catholic systematic theology has undergone such dramatic changes as has that of Apolo路 getics or Fundamental Theology. This first paper of the current series surveys major problems confronted in both practical and scientific apolo路 getics.

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PRACTICAL

APOLOGETICS DEAD?

There has always been con路 A survey of fusion about the precise scope problems in both of Apologetics, a great deal practical and of which bas been of a semanscientific apologetics tic nature. Thus, apologetics, and the most pressing fundamental theology, and problem of polemics have often been used academic freedom. interchangeably. In their Theological Dictionary Karl Rah路 ner and Herbert Vorgrimler + tend to equivalate the terms apologetics and fundamental GEORGE K. MALONE theology, distinguishing two different senses or usages. + In their first sense, apologetics deals with the "pre- , ambles of faith," attempting to "make the fact of Christian revelation logically and morally credible for free, responsible spiritual man without forcing or attempting to force his assent." The Rahner-Vorgrimler distinction of apologetics in this sense follows the traditional division of subject matter into Revela169


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