Cornerstone Series Teaches Students to Defend Faith

September 18, 2019 Grace Sosa, Staff Writer

(ABILENE, Texas)–Each fall, the Baptist Student Ministries holds the Cornerstone Lecture Series, to emphasize the Christian ideals upon which the school was founded. This year’s speaker was Eric Hernandez, apologetics lead & millennial specialist for Texas Baptists.

Understanding the Christian Faith

Eric Hernandez is a licensed minister and certified formation therapist. He holds an associate degree in social science, a bachelor’s degree in theology, and a certificate in apologetics from Biola University. He is currently enrolled as a Ph.D. student with Trinity Seminary. He is the founder of Eric Hernandez Ministries, which encompasses speaking engagements, apologetic seminars, weekend training courses, and debates.

“I chose Eric because of what he does,” said Tanner Clarke, director of HSU’s Baptist Student Ministry. “Apologetics often has a negative connotation of arguments, but it is really important for us to have an understanding of our faith, especially when we are sharing our faith with someone.”

Clarke hopes Hernandez will challenge students to not only defend their faith with scripture, but also with philosophy, science, and history. He says the study of apologetics is important for college students who are beginning to make their faith their own.

“In college, a lot of students are asking why they believe what they believe. They’re asking things like, ‘how can a good God let there be evil and suffering in the world?’ These are valid questions. I hope he sparks an interest in students to have a deeper understanding of what they believe,” Clarke said.

Session 1

At Tuesday’s chapel, Hernandez emphasized the importance of apologetics, especially in evangelism. While personal testimonies can be a powerful illustration of a person’s faith, Hernandez argued that a logical defense of one’s faith is equally as important.

He emphasized Mark 12:30 in which Jesus says that the greatest commandment is “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’” Hernandez argued that Christians know how to love God with their heart and strength, but they often forget to love him with their minds.

“Whether you are picking up a book or picking up your hands, you are fulfilling the greatest commandment and loving God with your heart, mind, soul, and strength,” he said.

Hernandez encouraged Christians to make their churches a place where people can ask questions about the Christian faith. When people feel that they need to hide their doubts, they often leave the church instead of learning from those around them.

Session 2

The second session addressed three examples of strongholds in today’s culture: relativism, scientism, and naturalism. Hernandez defined relativism as a belief that truth is relative and that there is no right or wrong. He defined scientism as an idea that the only way to gain knowledge is through science, and he defined naturalism as believing that only the physical world exists. Hernandez then refuted each concept using examples of people with whom he has debated.

Hernandez also held a question and answer lunch session for students in the Connally Missions Center on Wednesday. The third and final Cornerstone session was held Thursday at 9:30 a.m. in Behrens Auditorium.

About Cornerstone

The Cornerstone Series, a sequence of Bible lectures, is presented to help perpetuate the ideas set forth in the foundation agreement of Simmons College, now Hardin-Simmons University. These ideals are commensurate with the New Testament revelation of Christ, the cornerstone of our Christian faith. The series was endowed in 1966 by the late Dr. and Mrs. Lee Hemphill, in honor of his parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Hemphill of Coleman, Texas.

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