What exactly is faith? Throughout Christianity, its adherents have veered between a comfortable faith and an anxious one. When Christianity is the dominant religion, the majority of Christians accept their faith as a certainty. They are not threatened by other religions or contrary movements, and the culture around them breathes the Christian world view. Such was the case for American Christians throughout most of the twentieth century until the last decades.

But when Christianity is a minority religion, it is more likely to develop apologists, those who apply reasoning to persuade others of their faith. During the early centuries of the church, leaders like Augustine wrote “apologies” for the Christian faith. Apology in this sense doesn’t mean sorrow for a mistake, but a defense of a particular belief or way of life. The apologists of the early church did not assume a common acceptance of their faith. They understood that the Christian’s God was not universally acknowledged. They attempted to persuade, not to revive.

During the earlier days of our country, Christianity appeared a more emotional religion, with revivals and calls for repentance. Recently, however, Western Christians have become a minority faith. Thus, people like G.K. Chesterton and C.S. Lewis created defenses of the Christian faith. In more recent times, other apologists have joined them. It is a time of ferment.