Selected Essays And Book Reviews

Fourteen people responded to my ten-question apologetic survey. A list of their answers is given in the table below where each question has been represented by the letter "Q" and followed by the question number. The respective answers for each question are summarized down the columns, and each individual's answers are shown across the rows. Incorrect answers appear in parentheses and are bolded. To protect anonymity and avoid embarrassment, each respondent has been identified in the table by a number rather than by their name.

Thirteen of the fourteen people in my survey answered questions 2, 4, 6, 7, and 9 correctly. Two people accounted for all the missed answers on those five questions. Person number 3 missed questions 7 and 9, and person number 13 missed questions 2, 4, and 6. Of the fourteen surveyed, person number 6 was the only respondent to answer all ten questions correctly. Person numbers 2, 5, and 10 only missed one question each. Amazingly, ten individuals missed question 8. After that, six people missed question 3, five people missed questions 5 and 10, and three people missed question 1. One respondent, person number 13, wrote their own answer for questions 6, 8, and 10 and selected all of the available answers for question 2. Another individual, person number 12, wrote in their own answer for question 5.

The questions in this survey can be grouped into three general categories. Questions 1, 4, 6, and 7 were specifically about Jesus. Question 2 was about the historicity of the New Testament, and questions 3, 5, 8, 9, and 10 were related to the respondent's knowledge of apologetic evidence and reasoning. On the four questions about Jesus, there were only a total of 6 wrong answers. On question 1, one person thought that Jesus was just a good teacher, and two people thought that He only lived a good life so that He could be a positive example. On the one question about the historicity of the New Testament, there was only one wrong answer, but this result may not be statistically significant because the answer might have been too obvious.

By far, the five questions that related to apologetic evidence and reasoning were the most difficult for the people I surveyed. But this result might not be unreasonable. Someone who regularly attends a New Testament church will probably know the answers to questions about Jesus, but most people are not often exposed to apologetic issues unless they pursue some kind of special study.

In conclusion, person numbers 2, 5, 6, and 10 are probably Christians who have done some independent, individual study outside of church. Person numbers 1, 4, 7, 9, 11, 12, and 14 may or may not be Christians. But either way, they are still good candidates for evangelical education and additional apologetic study. Person numbers 3, 8, and 13 probably are not Christians, so they would be good candidates for evangelism.