The TikTokization of Apologetics

I recently returned to the writings of Justin Martyr, a Church Father from the second century BC. He’s famous for being one of the first apologists for the Christian faith.

As I was reading the introductory material about his life and writings, I came across this quote:

"It is the mission of Justin to be a star in the West, leading its Wise Men to the cradle of Bethlehem."

I think this is a beautiful quote, but something about it resonates in my ears like a minor chord.

Picturing Justin like a “star in the West” obviously recalls the star that led the wise men to Jesus as a baby. The image suggests that Justin spent his life pointing others towards the Lord, which is every believer’s primary goal.

The wise men who followed the first star originated somewhere in the East. The author suggests that Justin drew these new wise men from the West, whose long philosophical tradition is best exemplified by Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

Justin spent his early years wrestling with different philosophical schools, hoping to discover the truth. He eventually encountered the teachings of Christianity and became convinced he had finally found what he was looking for.

Justin wrote to the political and intellectual elite in Rome during his day in defense of the Christian faith. He endeavored to show that Christianity was actually virtuous and the ultimate truth.

While all of these facts about Justin are admirable, something about this quote puts me in a melancholy mood.

Apologetics has gotten a bad reputation in recent years. With the advent of social media, a lot of apologetics content is more focused on gotcha moments predicated on slick rhetoric than substantive defenses of the Christian faith.

The audience seldom consists of the political and intellectual elite of society.

To be sure, our defense of the Christian faith should be presented to any and all who ask.

Yet the popularity of short-form content has often led to a decreased interest in rigorous engagement with the deepest philosophical questions.

This TikTokization of apologetics has cheapened the defense of the faith and led to many people being persuaded by ill-founded Christian arguments or even anti-Christian critiques.

We need more men and women who, like Justin Martyr, shine like a star designed to guide the Wise Men and Women of our cultures to the Cradle of Bethlehem.

We need rigorous and faithful explanations of the Christian faith directed towards those in power. We need men and women who will articulate the faith in a way that contradicts and confronts any and all who would pervert the truth.