History of the
International Academy of Apologetics
International Academy of Apologetics
The roots of the Academy go back over 30 years to when founder Dr. John Warwick Montgomery headed an Institute for Jurisprudence in Strasbourg, France each July. Strasbourg was the natural choice for two reasons: (1) It is the center of human rights activities in the world with both the European Parliament and the International Court of Human Rights located there; and (2) Dr. Montgomery resided in Strasbourg and obtained a Ph.D. in Theology from the University of Strasbourg.
Craig Parton taught with Dr. Montgomery for the last 5 years of the Institute and at each session of the Academy of Apologetics for its existence. The Academy of Apologetics held its first session in July of 1996 with a particular focus on evidential apologetics and equipping the saints for handling the serious questions posed by unbelief. There were 5 students in that 1996 class. Since then, the Academy fills up remarkably fast (often by Christmas) to its 20 person limit even though the Academy has never paid for advertising.
This is now the 27th consecutive edition of the Academy (save for Covid taking out the 2020-2021 sessions). We have had students from over 20 countries including the United States, Malta, Ukraine, England, France, Moldova, Singapore, Romania, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Barbados, Brazil, Finland, Hungary, Malysia, Ghana, Nigeria and Pakistan. Likewise, faculty have come from the United States, of course, but also from England, France, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, Cambodia, and The Netherlands. It is not unusual to have a class where a housewife from Jamaica is sitting next to a brain surgeon from Singapore sitting next to a university undergrad sitting next to a software engineer sitting next to a pastor sitting next to a lawyer from Malaysia!
This is a testament to the unifying force of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of centering on the defense of the “mere Christianity” which has united Christian believers over the centuries. Soli Gloria Deo . . .
Craig Parton taught with Dr. Montgomery for the last 5 years of the Institute and at each session of the Academy of Apologetics for its existence. The Academy of Apologetics held its first session in July of 1996 with a particular focus on evidential apologetics and equipping the saints for handling the serious questions posed by unbelief. There were 5 students in that 1996 class. Since then, the Academy fills up remarkably fast (often by Christmas) to its 20 person limit even though the Academy has never paid for advertising.
This is now the 27th consecutive edition of the Academy (save for Covid taking out the 2020-2021 sessions). We have had students from over 20 countries including the United States, Malta, Ukraine, England, France, Moldova, Singapore, Romania, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Barbados, Brazil, Finland, Hungary, Malysia, Ghana, Nigeria and Pakistan. Likewise, faculty have come from the United States, of course, but also from England, France, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, Cambodia, and The Netherlands. It is not unusual to have a class where a housewife from Jamaica is sitting next to a brain surgeon from Singapore sitting next to a university undergrad sitting next to a software engineer sitting next to a pastor sitting next to a lawyer from Malaysia!
This is a testament to the unifying force of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of centering on the defense of the “mere Christianity” which has united Christian believers over the centuries. Soli Gloria Deo . . .