Thoughtful Reflections on Faith and Life
My teenage daughter approached me the other day because she had come across something called Operation Pridefall. I don’t know much about it other than it is a plan to disrupt Pride Month for the LGBTQ community. I don’t know who is behind it but it looks like it will be more bluster than action. … Read More “Christians and Pride Month” »
I am a Christian and a pastor and I am in the military. I have actually read in books that it is impossible to be both a Christian and be in the military. I think I am doing both. I have been having a conversation with someone on Twitter and the person makes some good … Read More “Can a Soldier Love Their Enemy?” »
An update on this post. This was written just after his death. At that point, we did not have all the details. Not only was RZ’s abuse more serious, there have been serious problem with RZIM. Search for my more recent posts. I was sad to hear about Ravi Zacharias’s death. He was loved by … Read More “The Complicated Legacy of Ravi Zacharias” »
One of the most common claims that I hear from skeptics is that history cannot speak to the existence of miracles. This is especially aimed at the resurrection of Jesus but is used toward miracles in general. I have addressed this in a peer reviewed journal but I want to talk about it here. You … Read More “Are Miracles Out of Bounds for History?” »
I often look at various beliefs and topics through the lens of my various church experiences. While I am a Baptist now, I was raised an Anglican and was later a Pentecostal. This is helpful when looking at the “sinner’s prayer.” In the Anglican church, I never heard of the sinner’s prayer. There were prayers … Read More “How Important is the Sinner’s Prayer?” »
Christians affirm that people today are saved by faith in Jesus. But what about people in the Old Testament? What about Isaiah or Jeremiah? What about the average Israelite? I recently did a Twitter poll on this: To be honest, I was surprised that the votes for Torah obedience and animal sacrifice were so low. … Read More “How Were People in the Old Testament Saved?” »
I recently had a conversation on Facebook. In response to a national call for prayer, I responded by saying: “Since we are not a Christian country, I can’t imagine why the government would.” The person who made the original statement then asked the important question: “Do you think countries can be Christian?” That question made … Read More “Can a Nation Be Christian?” »
I strongly believe that one of the most important skills for any Christian, whether pastor or layperson, is to be able to correctly interpret the Bible. It is in interpretation that we often stumble. A great resource that I have come across is Grasping God’s Word by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays. This … Read More “Grasping God’s Word – Review” »
Christian apologetics is not something that is going away any time soon. From time to time, you will hear that apologetics has had its day. Despite the major transformation of society by technology and the influence of postmodernism, there will always be a need for apologetics. Just as apologetics of the early church fathers was … Read More “The Future of Christian Apologetics” »
Christians believe that Jesus’ death was more than just a terrible miscarriage of justice. The death of Jesus is the means by which we receive salvation. But how exactly does that work? What does his death on the cross do? In theological terms, what is the correct atonement theory? There are those who would suggest … Read More “What Atonement Theory Should We Hold?” »
We are in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. It would not be surprising if people saw this as an indication that we are about to experience the end of the world. We get such predictions when everything is fine, so this time of pandemic is ripe for such claims. See Coronavirus is bringing a … Read More “Is COVID-19 a Sign of the End-Times?” »
I thought I would try something different and offer an online Bible study. The book I decided to go with was Philippians. If you are interested in the resource I used for this study, go here. In the study, I provide the text from the New English Translation, some brief comments and some discussion questions. … Read More “Online Bible Study: Philippians” »
I have read a lot of books on apologetics. It can be difficult to come up with something new. But when I saw that a book on apologetics by Dallas Willard was released, I was instantly interested. Dallas Willard is one of my favourite Christian writers and thinkers. He is able to bring fresh perspectives … Read More “The Allure of Gentleness – Review” »
We live in a world where it is essential for us to understand other religions. World religions are no longer across the ocean, they are across the street. I read World Faiths by S.A. Nigosian. I read the second edition and I believe that this book has been replaced by World Religions: A Historical Approach. … Read More “World Faiths – Review” »
Who wrote the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament) and how was it put together? There are two broad categories for the answer. Traditionally, and still among many evangelicals, it was believed that Moses wrote the entire Pentateuch. Some were willing to give that Moses didn’t write the account of his death, although … Read More “Mosaic Authorship and the Documentary Hypothesis” »
The interesting thing about apologetics is that it does not cover just one subject. It is theology and science and history and philosophy and so much more. In order to be effective apologists, we have to find the intersection of our areas of interest and those topics that are relevant to the people we speak … Read More “5 Important Areas For Apologetics” »
If there is a secular counterpart to Christian apologetics, it is the philosophy of religion. In fact many Christian apologists seek out degrees in the philosophy of religion. One of the best books I have read on this subject is Reason & Religious Belief. I have read a number of books on the philosophy of … Read More “Reason & Religious Belief – Review” »
I enjoy running Twitter polls and recently did one that was the closest one yet. It was about whether the immortality of the soul. It began with the affirmative far in the majority and then slowly the gap got smaller and smaller. Eventually it became a virtual tie. I need to clarify some terms. I … Read More “Is the Human Soul Intrinsically Immortal?” »
One of the difficulties of theism is explaining how a good and all-powerful God can allow suffering. The attempt to explain this is called a theodicy. There are many different theodicies and the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy provides a sample here. My purpose here is not to evaluate the different theories but to ask if … Read More “Is There a Role For a Theodicy?” »
I recently did two separate but related Twitter polls that provided some interesting results. They were designed to test a hypothesis I had about inerrancy. My interest was in a comparison between Jesus and the Bible. Most evangelicals see both as being both human and divine. The incarnation of Jesus can inform our doctrine of … Read More “The Bible, Jesus and Inerrancy” »
One of the areas of apologetics that none of us can avoid concerns the problem of suffering. If not ourselves, we all know someone who will suffer in a way that no easy answers are available. The common response to the problem of suffering by theologians is called theodicy. This is an attempt to explain … Read More “Raging With Compassion – Review” »
I recently did a Twitter poll asking about people’s attitudes toward capital punishment. It was a very close race, at some points 50-50. People tend to have strong attitudes toward capital punishment. People either see it as important for being tough on crime or they see it as completely unacceptable. There are those who argue … Read More “Should We Support Capital Punishment?” »
For many people, the problem of suffering is one of the greatest difficulties of Christianity. If God is all-powerful and all-loving, how can there be suffering? That is one of the questions that Harold Kushner wrote about in his classic from many years ago, When Bad Things Happen to Good People. Peter Kreeft, in his … Read More “Making Sense Out of Suffering – Review” »
The short answer is yes. As a pastor of a local church, I have a firm conviction that Christian apologetics should be closely tied to the church. One of the things that I appreciate about William Lane Craig is that in addition to his work with Reasonable Faith, he also teaches Christian doctrine in his … Read More “Does Apologetics Belong in the Church?” »
What role can women have in churches? Are women allowed to teach men about the Bible? Are they are able to be in positions of leadership? These questions have often split the church. I will say that at one point I would have identified as a complementarian, that is that men and women are equal … Read More “Discovering Biblical Equality – Review” »
How should we see this life? Is this life something to be endured or even hated? Is all that matters the life to come? I have been reading John Calvin’s Institutes of Christian Religion. In book three, chapter nine, Calvins says this: For we must hold, that our mind never rises seriously to aspire after … Read More “Should We Hate This Life?” »
For many people, the problem of evil is one of the most powerful arguments against theism. The existence of evil seems to be evidence against an all-good and all-powerful God. But what if there is another way to look at evil? I recently read the book Night by Elie Wiesel. It describes his experience in … Read More “The Argument From Evil” »
I heard it again. That some objection by atheists that always drives me crazy. Have they even thought through this? The objection goes like this: Christians disagree about creation. Christians disagree about non-violence. Christians disagree about issues concerning LGBTQ+. Christians disagree about the environment. Christians disagree about many things. Therefore Christianity is irrational. It is … Read More “A Frustrating Atheist Objection” »
We should expect Christians to disagree on a wide range of things. We are human and that means we can be mistaken and we can prefer our own way. Disagreements among Christians is NOT evidence for the falsity of Christianity. Scientists disagree on all sorts of things. Just take a look at the numerous theories … Read More “When Christians Disagree” »
A Canadian Baptist not just a Baptist who is Canadian, but someone who belongs to a family of Baptists called Canadian Baptists. I belong specifically to a group called the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec. (Note: Since first writing this post, I have joined the sister denomination Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada) The big … Read More “Why I Am a Canadian Baptist” »
Climate change is something that is very much on people’s minds. Some of the biggest names are speaking out on a potential global crisis. Meanwhile, many of my evangelical friends not only mock the idea, they mock the people who warn about the danger of climate change. Some who oppose these warnings do so based … Read More “What Non-Christians Hear When Evangelicals Disagree With Climate Change” »
Perhaps you feel the draw to theology. You want to be a theologian but you don’t have a PhD and don’t anticipate getting one. Is your desire beyond your grasp? I can anticipate some people saying that every Christian is a theologian or should be. There may be some truth in that but I’m not … Read More “Do You Need a PhD to be a Theologian?” »
As you may know, there are a number of Christian interpretations of the origins of the universe, earth and life. I was once a young earth creationist but am now convinced of the old age of the earth and universe. I get frustrated with many (but not all) young earth creationists but not because of … Read More “What Bothers Me Most About Young Earth Creationists” »
I love the Bible and have spent much of the last two decades studying it both inside and outside of school. I teach it and I preach it. But there are parts, especially in the Old Testament, that make me uncomfortable. It would be nice if it was all as beautiful as the 23rd Psalm … Read More “What If You Struggle With Parts of the Bible?” »
For decades I have heard people claim that a time is coming when the government will insert microchips in our hands and this will be the mark of the beast. What is the mark of the beast? It is based on this passage from the Bible. It also forced all people, great and small, rich … Read More “Are Microchips the Mark of the Beast?” »
Many of the Christian apologists that I talk to focus much of their thought on philosophy. Some of them almost equate philosophy and apologetics. I would like to suggest that Christian apologists need to focus more on history. Why? Here are a few reasons. Some attacks on Christianity are based on historical events, such as … Read More “Why is History Important For Christian Apologists?” »
I don’t know how many times I have heard a skeptic say to me, “How can you trust the Bible when it has been translated so many times. What they are claiming is that the Bible was written in Hebrew, translated to Greek, which was translated to Latin, which was translated to German, which was … Read More “The Skeptical Argument That Bugs Me The Most” »
We have been hearing a lot about people struggling with doubt and even walking away from the faith. I remember as a youth pastor having one of the youth, who had seemed strong in his faith, come out as an “apatheist.” It was tough. How we react when someone comes to us to us with … Read More “What Not to Do and What to Do When Someone Doubts” »
Are Christians allowed to swear? Is swearing a sin? I have been thinking about this for some time. I remember picking up Bono on Bono : Conversations With Michka Assayas at a Christian bookstore. In it, Bono is very explicit about his Christian faith, including his belief that Jesus is God. But Bono also drops the … Read More “Is Swearing a Sin?” »
There have been a number of recent stories about high profile Christians either announcing they have left the faith or that their faith is shaky. However, there are plenty of people that we have never heard of going through doubt all the time. What should we do if we experience doubt? I will admit that … Read More “What Should You Do If You Begin to Doubt?” »
Each generation is different and we need to be prepared to communicate with them on their terms. One of the values that have been identified is authenticity. This doesn’t mean that there is no longer a place for apologetics, it just means we have to do it with authenticity. Which we should anyway. What does … Read More “Apologetics With Authenticity” »
I have been interested in the Jehovah’s Witnesses for a long time. They have a lot of unique beliefs. But as I argue in my book, The Watchtower and the Word, we should focus our discussions on the most important doctrines. It doesn’t get anymore important than Jesus. Not surprisingly, they have some unorthodox beliefs … Read More “4 Things That the Jehovah’s Witnesses Get Wrong About Jesus” »
I believe that the most radical change I have seen in the past decade has been around attitudes toward homosexuality, both in society and the church. It was not long ago that being gay was a taboo subject and now it is seen in the same category as ethnic diversity. Churches are still struggling with … Read More “Generous Spaciousness – Review” »
One of the books that I had been looking forward to reading was Miracles by Craig Keener. My hesitance was that it was a two volume hardback and thought it would take a long time to get through. I was wrong. Much of the book is footnotes and bibliography, and so it doesn’t take near … Read More “Miracles – Review” »
I did it. I finally did it. I read the entire Church Dogmatics by Karl Barth. What’s the big deal? This is no simple systematic theology. It is the size of an encyclopedia set. And I read it as a part of my devotions, mostly reading two pages at a time. This is not a … Read More “Thoughts on Reading Barth’s Church Dogmatics” »
I have been doing a series on Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses. But it is a fair question to ask why I would bother. Growing up, my dad would make us pretend that we weren’t home when we saw Jehovah’s Witnesses on our street. Why would I voluntarily let them in my house to talk? I … Read More “Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Why Bother?” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts that you might find interesting. Origins of a Dictum – David Klinghoffer An Itsy Bitsy Spider Inspires Cosmic Musings – Ian McKerracher What is the Relationship Between Science and Christian Theology? – James Bishop Was the Deity of Christ a Legendary Development? – Ryan Leasure Max Planck: Father of Quantum Theory, Believer … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
I had another conversation with some Jehovah’s Witnesses, once again concerning the kingdom of God. I do consider the kingdom of God to be an essential topic (unlike attitudes toward birthdays or the shape of the cross). We had agreed to disagree about whether the kingdom began to appear during Jesus’ ministry. I know of … Read More “Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Part Six” »
I read Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules For Life. It is written as a self-help book, and it is fine within those limits. But some of his religious interpretation are a stretch. One is this statement for Rule 7: “the god Horus⏤often regarded as a precursor of Christ.” (p, 181) Often regarded? I was eager to … Read More “Jordan Peterson and the Jesus Myth” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts you might find interesting. So The Next Generation Will Know Review – Mark Goodnight A Response to Ben Bavar on Act and Potency, Part 1 – Harrison Jennings The Council of Nicea and the New Testament – Nick Peters The Five Worst Arguments (or Claims) Made By Internet Theists – … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
I once more had a conversation with a Jehovah’s Witness (and a new partner) focused largely (but not completely) on the kingdom of God. After numerous conversations on the kingdom of God, it is clear that we just don’t agree. I believe the kingdom has always been in heaven, began to appear on earth during … Read More “Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Part Five” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts I came across this week. What Every Apologist Needs to Know About 1 Peter 3:15 – Mikel Del Rosario Assessing Aquinas – Isaac Pain Concepts Create Idols – Nate Sala A Simple Detective Skill to Help You Determine If God Exists – J. Warner Wallace Did God Command Genocide in … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
My newsfeed has included a lot of posts about the recent arrest of David Lynn, a Christian evangelist. He had been preaching on the streets of a largely gay neighbourhood in Toronto during Pride Month. One article responding to this was titled, Yes, Canada Is Actually Arresting Christian Pastors And Banning Them From Preaching In Public. … Read More “Is Canada Arresting Christian Pastors and Banning Public Preaching?” »
As I write this, it is the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings at Normandy. I have great interest in this as a student of military history. But this is not my Second World War blog, so why am I talking about this here? I actually find a helpful image in this for understanding the … Read More “D-Day and the Kingdom of God” »
I recently came across an article titled Ontario Considers Legislation Criminalizing Public Displays of Faith for Christians by “Activist Mommy.” As a resident of Ontario and as a Christian pastor, this got my attention. I would assume, based on the title alone, that the Ontario Legislature was considering criminalizing public displays of faith for Christians. Sound … Read More “Is Ontario Considering Legislation Criminalizing Public Displays of Faith?” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts for you to take a look at. Who Created God? – Chad Gross Thinking practically about the gospel with an illustration from a war movie – Wintery Knight Book Review: So The Next Generation Will Know: Preparing Young Christians for a Challenging World by Sean McDowell and J. Warner Wallace … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
It has been quite a few weeks, but I finally had another opportunity to visit with a pair of Jehovah’s witnesses again. Once again, our conversation revolved around the nature of the kingdom of God. It is clear that we have a fundamentally different understanding of the kingdom. For example, they brought me to Daniel … Read More “Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Part Four” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts I came across this week. Coming to Terms with the Problem of Evil – Randal Rauser A Look at William Lane Craig’s Comment: “The Ultimate Apologetic is Your Life” – Eric Chabot Is Science Our Only Source of Knowledge? – Jonathan Morrow Is Jesus’ Death As A Punishment For Sins … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts I came across this week. Let Your Kids Ask ANY Question They Have – Travis Dickinson Is religious experience just brain activity? – Sharon Dirckx Competitive Endogenous RNA Hypothesis Supports the Case for Creation – Fazale Rana Some thoughts on New Zealand’s loss of faith – Glenn Peoples Staying Faithful … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
A recent Twitter poll by philosopher Stephen Law asked atheists about their belief in the existence of God. The results were interesting. Atheists only: do you believe Jesus was real, that Jesus is a myth, or are unsure either way? — Stephen Law (@stephenlaw60) May 13, 2019 Only 30% could say with any level of … Read More “Atheists and the Jesus Myth” »
Today I heard the criticisms of a pro-choice politician against a pro-life politician. The one politician had spoken at a pro-life rally and the other accused of him of being “anti-women and anti-choice.” The goal of this post is not to debate whether abortion is right or wrong (although I have opinions on that). What … Read More “What I Wish Pro-Choice People Understood” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts for you to check out. Progress in Defining “Being Alive” – Wesley J. Smith Convince Me There’s A God: The New Testament Part 8 – Mark McGee Friedrich Max Müller – The Father of the Scientific Study of Religion – James Bishop How Can God be Sovereign over Evil and … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
You meet a person who identifies as an atheist. But what does that mean? Obviously it means they don’t believe in God. But it is actually much more complicated than that. How do I know? Because I am a former atheist and I often meet atheists that are so different from the way I was. … Read More “Different Kinds of Atheists” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts for you to check out. Do Christian Parents Have to be Perfect? – Michael Kruger Biblical Archaeology with Dr. Ted Wright – Misty Callahan How Can We Instill a Faith that Endures? – J. Warner Wallace Book Review: So the Next Generation Will Know by Sean McDowell and J. Warner … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
I continue to hold onto the label ‘evangelical’ even though I know there is a lot of baggage that is accompanied with that. I consider myself to be a moderate, which can be lonely. I’m too conservative for my liberal friends and too liberal for my conservative friends. It is for this reason that I … Read More “Restless Faith – Review” »
I recently read George Eldon Ladd’s A Theology of the New Testament. This book has been on my shelf for quite a while but I was looking forward to reading it. I was not disappointed. There were many things I liked about it the biggest thing was that it is a model of evangelical biblical … Read More “A Theology of the New Testament – Review” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts that I came across this week. Book Review: So The Next Generation Will Know: Preparing Young Christians for a Challenging World by Sean McDowell and J. Warner Wallace – Alisa Childers Book Review: “Modern Technology and the Human Future: A Christian Appraisal” by Craig M. Gay – J.W. Wartick Surviving … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
Christians focus on the events of Good Friday and Easter Sunday: the death and resurrection of Jesus. But where was Jesus between those two events? The easy answer is the grave. However, when people ask this question, they are thinking more of his spirit/soul than his physical body. His body was in the tomb, but … Read More “Where Was Jesus Between Good Friday and Easter Sunday?” »
One of the most powerful moments in the passion narrative is when Jesus on the cross calls out to his Father. Matthew records it this way: About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lemasabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). (Matthew 27:46) The way this passage was … Read More “Did God Abandon Jesus on the Cross?” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts for you to check out. Hail Scientism! (But only when it’s convenient…) – Steve Schramm Apologetics and the Indoctrinated American Atheist – Randal Rauser A Hypothetical Discussion Between a Skeptic and a Christian about the Minimal Facts Argument – Eric Chabot Why Knowledge Matters for Christians – Jonathan Morrow New … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
The cross (along with the resurrection) is the central theme of Christianity. There is a reason that Christians use a cross as our symbol. But is the cross a good or bad thing? Some skeptics describe the gospel in this way: “God was so angry with humans that in his rage, he killed his own … Read More “The Cross and Cosmic Child Abuse” »
One of the things that I enjoy writing about is the practical application of apologetics. Knowing specific arguments is not effective if we don’t have a healthy model for apologetics. Thinking about apologetics, I came up with the acronym of POWER to explain how apologists should go about their activity. Prayer – It is amazing … Read More “POWER Apologetics” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts that you should check out. The women of the Bible have so much to teach us – why aren’t we listening? – Danielle Welch Life Requires Galactic and Supergalactic Habitable Zones – Hugh Ross Rushing to the Resurrection? Not So Fast. – Nathan Betts How Do We Make Theology Come Alive … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundip” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts that are worth checking out. Christianity’s Core Belief – Part 4 – Mark McGee The Waiting Time Problem Makes Darwinism Bunk, Here’s Why – Daniel Currier What is the ‘Language of Religion’ in Religious Studies? – James Bishop Marcion: The Notorious Heretic of the Early Church – Ryan Leasure Three … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
The two books that I have read and reread the most are the Bible and J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. Recently, a skeptic asked me why we should read the Bible any differently than Lord of the Rings. After all, both tell epic tales, reflect on the nature of good and evil, describe supernatural … Read More “What’s the Difference Between the Bible and Lord of the Rings?” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts for you to check out. What Does God Need With a Starship? – Mark Goodnight Book Plunge: Religious Epistemology – Nick Peters When Indifference to Sin is Sin – Doug Groothuis Abandon Hope Or Not – John Mark Reynolds How the Raven Said “Nevermore” – Discovery Institute
I was reading Consciousness: A Very Short Introduction and I came across this quote by Susan Blackmore: If each person has a spirit or soul, as well as a brain, then science ought to be able to detect it, but so far it has not. This is not to say that it never will, but … Read More “Science and the Soul” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts I came across this week. What Is Modal Realism? – Adrian Urias Don’t Assume Non-Christians are Atheists – Logan Judy How Can I Trust the Gospel Accounts When Some Are Missing Important Details? – J. Warner Wallace A Tunnel to Suicide: A Call to Those Standing at the Threshold – … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
This morning I had my third meeting with some Jehovah’s Witnesses. It has been the same lead person each of the three visits, but a different helper each time. I had mentioned last time that I was interested in how they got 1914 as the year of the establishment of the kingdom of God in … Read More “Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Part Three” »
Although the Kingdom of God is not often talked about in churches today, it was the main topic of Jesus’ preaching. I believe that an understanding of the Kingdom is essential for Christians. Some people think the kingdom just doing good things now or heaven when we die or something Jesus will start when he … Read More “What is the Kingdom of God?” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts I came across this week. What is Substitutionary Atonement? – Jonathan Morrow God Directed or Human Orchestrated? – Bob Eckhard Was Stalin an atheist? Is atheism or communism responsible for mass murders? – Wintery Knight I Never Expected to Doubt – Alisa Childers Family is Your First Ministry – Brian … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
One of the topics that I’m most interested in is discipleship and one of my favourite contemporary authors is Alister McGrath. So I was pretty happy when I received Alister McGrath’s Mere Discipleship. What did I think of it? I both loved it and was disappointed. It was a very enjoyable read. McGrath is a … Read More “Mere Discipleship – Review” »
The first part of our conversation was about the Tetragrammaton in the New Testament. While there is some rhetorical effect here, it is not an essential goal for my conversation with Jehovah’s Witnesses. That is why we switched directions to the kingdom of God. The Jehovah’s Witnesses wanted to focus on Old Testament mentions of … Read More “Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Part Two B” »
Go and check out these apologetics-related posts. Straight Thinking: St. Augustine on Three Aspects of Creation – Kenneth Samples How to Avoid Despair at Our Crumbling Culture – Sean McDowell An Apologetic for Apologetics with Alisa Childers – Tim Barnett Anti-intellectualism remains a serious problem in the atheist community – Randal Rauser “What Do You … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
Today I had my second conversation with a pair of Jehovah’s Witnesses who came to my house. The one change was that the senior witness didn’t bring his assistant but instead brought his wife. At the end of our last visit, we had talked a bit about God’s name (YHWH). I mentioned that I thought … Read More “Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Part Two A” »
Part of being good at Christian apologetics simply avoiding some unhealthy practices. Even if you don’t know the answer to every question, you can still be effective by avoiding these seven deadly sins. Being nasty in tone. Even if your content is accurate, being disrespectful can derail your apologetic. Attacking other Christians. I’m not talking … Read More “Seven Deadly Sins of Apologetics” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts I came across this week. Introverted Evangelism – not an oxymoron! – Laura Martin Question of the Week: Can Eternity have a Beginning? – Mentionables How Do We Explain Talking Donkeys And Burning Bushes? – Dan DeWitt The story behind the murder of 21 Christians – Martin Mosebach Was Jesus A … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
I have started meeting with some Jehovah’s Witnesses. My plan is to share how our conversations go after each meeting. Today we talked about two topics. Much of our conversation was about the kingdom of God. They began by discussing Old Testament statements of the kingdom. They tried to focus on the kingdom as a … Read More “Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Part One” »
It is good to have personal convictions. Whether religious or not, we all have certain beliefs or values that we hold tightly to. But what happens when they go beyond personal convictions? I’m speaking from a Christian perspective. I believe that there are certain core beliefs, such as the Trinity, death and resurrection of Jesus, … Read More “Going Beyond Personal Convictions” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts for you to check out. Mr. Spock’s Lessons in Logical Fallacies – Mark Goodnight Book Plunge: Christian Delusion Chapter 7 – Nick Peters Learning from Anthony Bradley While Reading His Liberating Black Theology – John Mark Reynolds Siddhārtha Gautama (The Buddha) – James Bishop Who Was Jesus? God? Man? Or Both? … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
Rudolf Bultmann was no friend of evangelicals. In fact during the mid-twentieth century, we would have been seen by many as the enemy. Bultmann believed that the New Testament was filled with myth. The virgin birth, miracles and the resurrection were all myths. But how does this fit with the Jesus myth? Bultmann was no … Read More “Rudolf Bultmann and the Jesus Myth” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts I recently came across. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century – a critical review – Marcus Paul Is Belief in God Falsifiable? – Zachary Arden How to Avoid Using “Christianese” in Your Conversations – Amanda Fischer Lessons in Evangelism (and Christian Case Making) from the Life of Roadies – J. … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
Critics of the Jesus Myth Theory often point out that by far the majority of historians and biblical scholars accept the historicity of Jesus. They also state that most Josephus scholars accept the Testamonium Flavianum as originally saying something about Jesus even if it was later tampered with. But is this just the fallacy of … Read More “The Jesus Myth and the Appeal to Authority” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts I came across this week. Does the Resurrection entail the deity of Christ? – Steve (Tribalogue) Reasonable Faith Animated Videos: Did Jesus Rise from the Dead? 1- The Facts 2- The Explanation – Chad Gross Dr. Walter Bradley lectures on scientific evidence for the creation and design of the universe … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
So you want to become an apologist. Good for you. There is more of a need for quality apologetics now than ever before. But the key is quality. The internet is a great means of proclaiming Christian church but anyone can publish anything. There are some well-meaning apologists out there who are putting out less … Read More “Letter to an Aspiring Apologist” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts for you to check out. What Is Science? Define Your Terms – Alan Shlemon God, Teach Me to be Less Indifferent – Steve Schramm Some Christians say the world is getting worse. Are they right? – Randal Rauser The Use and Abuse of Typology in Messianic Prophecy – Eric Chabot … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
This is not an attack on Roman Catholics. Baptists have had a reputation for being anti-Catholic but that is not where I’m coming from. I have friends and family who are Roman Catholic and never automatically assume a Catholic lacks a vibrant faith in Jesus. However, I have seen a trend of Evangelicals converting to … Read More “Why I Am Not Roman Catholic” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts I came across this week. Yes, Justin Welby speaks in tongues. So do half a billion other Christians – Justin Brierley Former Atheist & Philosophy Professor On How Studying Philosophy Convinced Him Of God – James Bishop Cosmic Creation Model Passes Another Test – Hugh Ross 3 Precious Words for … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
I chuckle when I hear Christians criticize apologetics because everyone is an apologist. I don’t mean everyone should be an apologist but everyone is an apologist. This is not limited to Christians. Apologetics was around long before Christianity. Apologetics simply means giving a reason for something that you value. Many atheists are very good at … Read More “Everyone is an Apologist” »
Many years ago, a couple of Roman Catholic ladies came to my parents’ door. They asked me if I knew the reason for most of the problems in the world. Their answer? “Too many people are reading the Bible.” Their answer was to let the pope interpret the Bible. I think a better solution is … Read More “Introduction to Biblical Interpretation – Review” »
