Date

6-26-2025

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Chair

Ramon Moran

Keywords

apologetics, secularism, Christian education, presuppositional apologetics, curriculum design, Hong Kong, Tim Keller

Disciplines

Missions and World Christianity | Practical Theology

Abstract

Christian schools face the challenge of engaging students whose biblical views are being secularized by a culture that is individualistic and materialistic. At International Christian School Hong Kong, in response to such secular challenges, the overreliance on classical and evidential apologetics in the Bible curriculum has led to student disengagement, as these methods often fail to address the presuppositions of secular youth. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a presuppositional apologetics curriculum, grounded in Tim Keller’s Making Sense of God, compared to the traditional classical approach grounded in Keller’s The Reason for God, to determine which method better fosters student engagement and shifts affinity toward Christianity. Using a mixed-method action research design, the study involved fifty-eight senior-year students at ICS. Data were collected through pre and post intervention affinity surveys, unit-specific questionnaires, and researcher field notes. Quantitative analysis measured shifts in student attitudes, while qualitative analysis identified thematic preferences in open-ended responses and classroom observations. Results indicated a statistically significant increase in positive affinity toward Christianity (p value < 0.05), with presuppositional apologetics preferred for foundational topics like secularism and identity, and classical methods for existential issues like suffering. Triangulated data revealed that presuppositional approaches resonated by challenging secular assumptions, though some students found them abstract. The study suggests that Christian schools should adopt a blended apologetics curriculum, tailored to student’s cultural and epistemological contexts, to effectively counter secular narratives. These findings contribute to broader discussions in Christian education, missiology, and youth discipleship, advocating for methodological flexibility in an increasingly secular world.

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