January 25, 2026

Apologetics and Irenics then seem to have good Biblical support with the understanding that immorality is not on the table as a viable option for Christian debate. Polemics is slightly more controversial. There are several reasons for this which we will outline and then address. The first reason polemics may be problematic is that it has a reputation for being contest driven. That is, polemicists are not interested in seeking truth but rather winning an argument by any means necessary. This Machiavellian approach is clearly not consistent with Christian morality as Christian’s are called to speak the truth in love. Second polemics is closely associated with character attacks on the opponent. We call this an ad homonym argument, and it is a well-known fallacy. We can however understand how this fits with wining an argument at any cost. Finally, polemics are typically associated with a highly aggressive approach. This is problematic for a few reasons. First biblically we are commanded that when defending faith or answering an opponent we must do so with gentleness and respect, with a view toward their conversion 1 Pet 3:16 and 2 Tim 2:25-26. Second an aggressive approach is likely not only to put off your opponent but also make you appear mean or hurtful thus pushing anyone who hears your attack to defend the position you mean to diminish. 

Given all of this it’s easy to see why polemics is not always popular in debate or discussion in general and especially in discussions of religious truth. That said there are some passages and principles which we may want to consider before we dismiss a polemical approach completely. 

First of all there are times and places in scripture where inspired authors and even Jesus himself seem to not just share the truth but to specifically attack a wrong idea and sometimes even those who hold it. Probably the most famous is the book of 2 Corinthians in which Paul specifically takes aim in chapters ten through twelve at certain opponents of his and God’s in Corinth. Another similar example is found in Galatians where again Paul specifically goes on the attack against those who are insisting that to be a Christian one must observe Jewish practices like circumcision. In chapter five verse twelve Paul expresses his wish that these false teachers would emasculate themselves. These are not that only places. The book of Jude comes to mind as does Elijah and the prophets of Baal along with a few other examples from the Prophets. Many readers are probably already thinking of Jesus as well who in Mathew 23 calls the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, whitewashed tombs and even sons of hell. Similarly, He responds to the Sadducees saying they know neither the scriptures nor the power of God in Matthew twenty-two verse twenty-nine. What can we take from these clear examples of polemics? We will consider this next time.

~ Kevin Cleary