Die rol van voorveronderstellings in die denke van Van Til en Stoker toegepas op vertrekpunte in die Apologetiek

Abstract

The purpose of reformed apologetics is to defend the Christian faith against heresy.However, this is not all. Reformed apologetics also wants to give a convincing answer why the Christian view is the real hope for mankind (see 1 Peter 3:15).Other that differ from this life and world view, do it mostly based on a different starting point. Although finer points are debated between parties, the starting point, including presuppositions, are always somewhere in the background. Van Til4 and Stoker5, two famous Reformed thinkersof the last century (respectively theological and philosophical), in contact with other made their presuppositions part of their apologetic discussions. This agreement in approach and method emerges in the Festschrift for Van Til, when Stoker (1971:28-71) proposes a connection between his and Van Til’s methods, and when Van Til in turn responds positively. This study will focus on what role these two thinkers’ presuppositions play in their apologetic conversation. It eventually comes to important guidelines regarding the place and role of presuppositions in conversations of Christians across a broad scientific front with those who hold other points of departure.