Who was Norman Geisler?
Norman Geisler (1932-2019) was an influential American Christian systematic theologian, philosopher, and apologist. He was a prolific author, writing over 90 books defending orthodox Christian beliefs and doctrines. Some key facts about Geisler’s life and ministry:
– Born in 1932 in Michigan, Geisler committed his life to Christ as a teenager. He felt called to defend the Bible and historic Christian faith against skepticism and false teachings.
– Earned a Ph.D. in philosophy from Loyola University in 1970, after studying at Wheaton College and Wayne State University. His doctoral dissertation was on the topic of ethics.
– Taught theology and philosophy for many years at top evangelical schools like Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Dallas Theological Seminary, and Southern Evangelical Seminary. He co-founded two seminaries as well.
– Had expertise in many areas of systematic theology, including the doctrine of God, Christ, salvation, ethics, and biblical inerrancy. He skillfully articulated and defended orthodox views on these topics.
– Was one of the key figures in the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy, which affirmed the total truthfulness and reliability of Scripture. This was important for rebutting liberal theological trends that denied inerrancy.
– Publicly debated prominent atheists like Antony Flew over the evidence for God’s existence and other apologetics issues. Geisler had mastered the arguments for God’s reality and Christianity’s rationality.
– Wrote a comprehensive four-volume Systematic Theology set, widely used in evangelical colleges and seminaries. This summarized Christian teachings on all major doctrines, from the Word of God to the End Times.
– Published other influential books like When Critics Ask, Christian Apologetics, and I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist. These equipped countless believers in defending their faith with wisdom, logic, and biblical truth.
– Cofounded the National Religious Broadcasters’ Ethics & Integrity Committee, which promoted biblically-based moral standards in Christian media. Geisler cared deeply about cultural engagement and real-world ethical issues.
– Was highly active even beyond retirement age, continuing to author books, speak at conferences, and teach seminars defending the reliability of the Bible until his death in 2019 at age 86.
– Was respected even by theological opponents as a sincere, fair, and formidable defender of evangelical beliefs. Both Christians and skeptics learned much from interacting with his writings and arguments.
In summary, Norman Geisler was a leading evangelical Christian thinker and apologist of the late 20th century. His scholarly work strengthened the rational and biblical foundations for core doctrines about God, Christ, salvation, ethics, and the Scriptures. Geisler impacted many for the gospel through his teaching, writing, public debating, and training of apologists over six decades. His legacy continues to equip Christians in articulating and defending orthodox theology intelligently and effectively.
The Bible provides some principles relevant to Geisler’s example:
1 Timothy 6:11-12 – “Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith.” Geisler fought the good fight as an apologist for biblical truth his whole career.
Jude 3 – “Contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” Like Jude, Geisler contended for orthodox theology about Christ in an unbelieving culture.
2 Timothy 2:2 – “Entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” By teaching future generations of pastors and apologists, Geisler entrusted the deposit of sound doctrine to them.
Acts 17:2-3 – Paul reasoned with people from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise again. Similarly, Geisler provided well-reasoned explanations of Christian doctrines like the resurrection.
1 Peter 3:15 – “Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” Geisler exemplified what it means to be prepared to give an apologetic defense for the hope we have in Christ.
Proverbs 25:9 – “Argue your case with your neighbor himself.” Like Paul in Acts 17:17, Geisler went directly to unbelievers to make a case for God and the Bible.
In his decades of ministry, Norman Geisler carried out these biblical principles with dedication and distinction. His legacy as a philosopher, theologian, and apologist continues to further the cause of Christ long after his death. Geisler set an example of faithfully studying, systematizing, defending, and transmitting orthodox biblical truths and doctrines for future generations.
The Man Behind the Ministry
While Norman Geisler was best known for his theological and apologetic works, it’s also helpful to understand who he was as a person. What motivated and characterized him as an individual? Here are some key personal traits that led Geisler to have such an influential career defending the orthodox Christian faith:
Passionate Commitment to Christ
Even as a young convert in his teens, Geisler felt a zeal for serving the Lord that never diminished throughout his long life. He was ready to go wherever God called, saying, “The Lord gets me up early every morning so I can get a ‘running start’ on the day.” This enthusiasm fueled his tireless ministry.
Relentless Work Ethic
Geisler was incredibly diligent and prolific as a writer and speaker. He often worked 18 hours per day, writing over 90 books and hundreds of articles, preaching countless messages, and teaching packed seminars. Biographer Ron Rhodes said of him, “I’ve never known anyone with a greater work ethic.” Even into his 70s and 80s, Geisler labored abundantly for the gospel cause.
Combative Personality
Theologically conservative, Geisler was eager to confront and rebut any ideas that compromised orthodoxy. His fundamentalist upbringing gave him a fighting spirit ready to wage intellectual war for biblical truth. Geisler was a controversial figure, considered brilliant but abraisive by friends and foes alike.
Broad Intellectual Interests
Beyond just theology and apologetics, Geisler had wide-ranging academic interests in fields like philosophy, ethics, history, science, and more. His doctoral studies focused on ethical philosophy. He learned from the outside world to better engage it as an apologist. As one tribute said, “No idea was outside his field of interest.”
Commitment to Scripture
Geisler’s most foundational conviction was the complete truthfulness and authority of the Bible. All his apologetic work flowed from this starting point. He painstakingly defended biblical inerrancy against liberal critics. Geisler once declared, “So long as Christ was the authority for St. Paul, the apostle Paul is the authority for me.”
Visionary Leader
Not just an academic, Geisler was a founder of seminaries and apologetics ministries that continue today. He dreamed big and worked hard to accomplish strategic goals like starting evangelical schools and spreading Christian apologetics. Organizations were platforms to further his conservative theological cause.
Mentor to Many
Both formally as a professor and informally through his writings, Geisler impacted generations of students including many future ministers, theologians, and apologists like Lee Strobel, Jerry Walls, and J.P. Moreland. He helped launch the careers of countless Christians who now influence others for the gospel.
Family Man
Though absorbed in ministry, Geisler always made time for his wife and six children. His marriage to Hope lasted for over 60 years until his death. He passed on his passion for the Lord to his family. Geisler exemplified the biblical priority of shepherding one’s own household even amid other vital work.
So in his personality, passions, and pursuits, Norman Geisler was single-mindedly devoted to defending and propagating the orthodox Christian faith he treasured. This led him to labor tirelessly as one of the outstanding theological contributors and apologists of his generation.
Geisler’s Core Theological Beliefs
Since Geisler was devoted to articulating and defending orthodox evangelical theology, what were the key doctrines and positions he taught and fought for throughout his career? Here is an overview of Geisler’s core theological beliefs:
Biblical Inerrancy
Geisler’s foundational conviction was that the Bible is fully inspired by God and completely without error in its original manuscripts. He called this “the watershed issue that divides liberals and evangelicals.” Geisler dedicated much effort to developing and defending a rigorous doctrine of inerrancy.
Theism and Classical Apologetics
Geisler used philosophical reasoning and scientific evidence to defend the existence of the God of classical theism, promoting approaches from Thomas Aquinas. He favored classical apologetic arguments for God’s reality like the cosmological, ontological, and teleological arguments.
Creedal Orthodoxy
In theology, Geisler defended the major creeds and doctrines of historic orthodoxy, like Christ’s virgin birth, deity, miracles, substitutionary atonement, bodily resurrection, and second coming. He produced systematic theologies and books summarizing and defending these core teachings.
Biblical Authority on Ethics
Geisler believed the Bible should be the final authority for moral behavior and contemporary ethical issues. He upheld traditional positions rooted in Scripture against abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, and premarital sex.
Free Will Defense of Theism
A major portion of Geisler’s scholarship aimed to reconcile God’s goodness and power with the existence of evil. He argued that free will is necessary for genuine love, and humans abuse free will to commit evil, not God.
Fiery Eschatology
Geisler defended premillennial dispensationalism and a pretribulational rapture of the church. He thought amillennialism and postmillennialism were unfaithful to the Bible. Geisler also believed all unsaved people will experience eternal conscious torment in hell.
Old Earth Creationism
Regarding the age of the earth, Geisler disagreed with young earth creationists and said God didn’t inspire the Bible to give scientific details. He accepted geological evidence the earth is billions of years old while still holding to supernatural creation.
Evangelism and Apologetics
Geisler believed both faith proclamation and logical argumentation play vital roles in bringing unbelievers to Christ. He systematized various classical proofs for Christianity and trained generations of apologists to persuade skeptics.
Cessationism
Against charismatic views, Geisler argued that the miraculous sign gifts like tongues and prophecy ceased after the apostolic age. He appealed to 1 Corinthians 13 and church history for evidence God no longer works miracles through individuals.
Biblical Separation
With his roots in fundamentalism, Geisler advocated strict separation from theological liberalism and worldliness. He left denominations and schools he viewed as compromising orthodoxy. Geisler also boycotted movies, alcohol, tobacco, and gambling.
Overall, Norman Geisler’s stalwart defense of these doctrines and positions helped establish him as a leading champion of evangelical orthodoxy against perceived outside threats from liberal and secular thinkers. He cared deeply about fidelity to God’s Word.
Geisler’s Influence as an Apologist
Beyond his own scholarship and teaching, Geisler greatly advanced the cause of Christian apologetics through launching ministries, training students, and providing resources to equip believers in defending their faith rationally:
Founding Apologist Schools
Seeing a need for accredited apologetics training, Geisler cofounded Southern Evangelical Seminary, Veritas Evangelical Seminary, and Phoenix Seminary. These institutions continue developing skilled Christian apologists and scholars today.
Training Up Apologists
At the schools he founded plus Dallas Seminary, Trinity Evangelical, and other evangelical institutions, Geisler molded generations of students like Lee Strobel into strengthtened apologists through his classes, mentoring, and example.
Lay Apologetics Resources
Through bestselling books like I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, When Skeptics Ask, and When Critics Ask, Geisler enabled countless lay believers to grasp apologetics arguments for sharing their faith knowledgeably.
Public Debates
By publicly debating well-known atheists like Antony Flew, Geisler modeled apologetics engagement with unbelievers. These forums, often broadcast widely, helped many Christians witness the rational defense of their beliefs.
Inerrancy Initiatives
As part of the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy, Geisler’s defense of Scripture’s total reliability directly opposed liberal trends and strengthened the apologetics argument that the Bible speaks with divine authority.
Engaging Ethical Issues
Through books like Christian Ethics and Contemporary Issues, Geisler equipped believers to apply consistent biblical principles to complex modern questions like abortion, euthanasia, and genetic engineering.
Overall, Norman Geisler made an indelible impact on the field of Christian apologetics through his teaching, public debates, lay books, ethical thought, seminary founding, and training of numerous present-day apologists. He devoted his gifts to strengthening the church’s ability to defend orthodox theology.
Critiques and Controversies
While greatly influential, Norman Geisler was also a polarizing figure. Some of the major critiques leveled against him included:
Argumentativeness
Many found Geisler brilliant but overly combative in defending orthodoxy. He frequently clashed with other believers over even minor doctrinal differences. Geisler’s pugnacious stance troubled peers who shared his devotion to biblical authority.
Extreme Separatism
Geisler’s strict personal and ecclesial separation from anything remotely unorthodox or worldly seemed extreme and unwise to some evangelicals. They felt he went beyond biblical teaching in boycotting movies, alcohol, denominations allowing female pastors, and more.
Hyper-Cessationism
Some thought Geisler defined miracles too narrowly and absolutely rejected modern charismatic claims in an unreasonable way. They felt he should have been more open to reported miraculous works of God based on the Bible.
Inadequate Old Earth Arguments
Old earth creationists faulted the scientific case Geisler presented for an ancient earth as weak in books like Origin Science. They argued he wrongly synchronized secular geological estimates to the Bible by appealing to days-age and gap theories.
Calvinist Critiques
Reformed critics like John MacArthur considered Geisler’s defense of free will theism incompatible with the Bible’s strong predestination teachings. His Arminian-leaning views clashed with their Calvinist theology.
Overreliance on Reason
Some said Geisler depended too much on philosophical arguments versus revelation, not keeping reason subject to Scripture. They saw rational proofs for God and the Bible as secondary to God’s Word.
Despite these criticisms from various corners, most respected Geisler’s sincere devotion to biblical fidelity. While his uncompromising combativeness made him controversial at times, few questioned his commitment to defending and proclaiming what he understood as orthodox Christianity.
Geisler’s Legacy
In assessing his lasting impact, Norman Geisler leaves behind a tremendous legacy as an influential Christian philosopher, theologian, ethicist, and apologist:
– He provided an articulate, rationally substantive defense of key evangelical doctrines about God, Christ, salvation, and the Bible through many books addressing theology and apologetics.
– His exhaustive, four-volume Systematic Theology set remains a definitive modern statement of traditional evangelical beliefs on all major biblical teachings. It will continue to instruct students for generations.
– He contributed significantly to upholding biblical inerrancy as a core tenet of American evangelicalism through his scholarly advocacy and leadership role in the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy.
– He cofounded several leading evangelical seminaries that carry on his passion for training students in theology, apologetics, ethics, and ministry.
– His clear, accessible apologetics writings like I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist equipped countless lay Christians to better understand, defend, and share their faith with non-believers.
– He mentored and molded many influential evangelical apologists, scholars, and leaders who continue his work today at churches, universities, and seminaries around the world.
– His rational arguments for Christianity and books like When Critics Ask strengthened believers against destructive liberal theological trends and skepticism of the Bible’s reliability.
– He modeled Christian scholarship and apologetics rooted in absolute confidence in God’s Word rather than conforming biblical teachings to secular culture.
– He engaged thoughtfully with ethical issues in bioethics, sexual morality, and more by applying timeless scriptural principles to contemporary questions.
For his tireless labors as an author, educator, founder, and defender of orthodox evangelical theology over six decades, Norman Geisler leaves an enduring legacy that continues to provide resources, training, and inspiration for those who share his passion for the Word of God and the historic Christian faith. Geisler fought the good fight to his final days doing what he loved: equipping saints with truth.