Faith & RitualGreek → English
Apologetics
/əˌpɒləˈdʒɛtɪks/noun
Reasoned argument made in defence of a doctrine, usually a religious one.
The Greek roots
ἀπολογητικός
apologētikós
fit for defence
ἀπολογία
apologíā
speech in defence
Literally: “the art of speaking in one's defence”
The story of the word
An ἀπολογία was not an apology. It was a defence speech delivered in court, which is why Plato's account of Socrates on trial is called the Apology, and why Socrates spends it conceding nothing. Christian apologetics kept the courtroom sense exactly: argument on behalf of a position, never regret for it.
- How it travelled
- Ancient Greek → Latin → English
- First recorded
- 19th century
Same family
apologylogiceulogydialogue
In a sentence
She teaches apologetics to first-year seminarians on Tuesday evenings.
The lecture was less history than apologetics.