Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (09/23 - 09/30)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
• The Best Pro-Life Question Ever
• Thoughts About 180 by Scott Klusendorf
• A Conversation With Gary Habermas
• Apologetics Primary Source Reader
• Apologetics Ministries in Maryland?
• Penn is "Telling" you There is No God
• Pocket Casts App lets you listen at 2x speed
• What Makes a Good Deductive Argument? Video
• A Case For The Resurrection: The Empty Tomb
• What does the Bible say about the death penalty?
• The Relationship Between Science and Philosophy
• You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving Church
• Oxford Physicist: Information Is Irreducible to Physics
• A Review of Richard Dawkins’ “The Greatest Show on Earth”
• Mark's Gospel: Does it Contain Peter's Eyewitness Testimony?
• From the desert to the web: bringing the Dead Sea Scrolls online
• The Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology in Paperback for Cheap!
• Interview: Douglas Groothuis on Good Apologetics in Christianity Today
• Reasonable Faith UK Tour with William Lane Craig (and Dawkins?) The Trailer
• The Reasonable Faith Tour 2011: Are you going to the day conference?

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Read Along: Christian Apologetics Ch04

Today we continue with chapter four of Read Along with Apologetics315, a weekly chapter-by-chapter study through Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Christianity by Douglas Groothuis. Each week's post will provide a brief summary of the chapter, an audio introduction to the chapter by the author, as well as a PDF study guide suitable for printing and using for personal or group study. The audio is also available in a podcast feed for easier weekly listening. Here's everything you need this week:

Featured Ministry: Christian Thinkers Society

One of Apologetics315's goals is to help promote apologetics in the local church. Last month we featured Tactical Faith, which aims to get resources into churches -- but today's featured ministry is the Christian Thinkers Society, a great example of an apologetics-centered ministry within the local church. It is based on the concept of having a "Christian Thinkers Night" each week in order to "raise the spiritual aptitude of God’s people by taking deep, profound apologetic truth and explaining it in non-technical language so they will understand and be stimulated to communicate, spread and defend the Christian message." Jeremiah Johnson is leading this initiative at New Day Church Kansas City in Olathe, Kansas.

Christian Thinkers Nights also feature Skype interviews (vimeo videos can be found here) of some of today's leading Christian apologists. This is an excellent concept that could be adapted and customized for use in other churches. It's worth checking out and following.

How to Watch Youtube Videos Faster (2x speed)

If you are an avid watcher of lectures, teachings, and debates, then you know how time-consuming it is to watch them. At least when you listen to audio you can speed it up in your iPod or audio player. Maybe you avoid watching videos (especially on Youtube) because they just take too long to watch compared to listening to the same amount of content at a faster speed.

Well, here's a tip: you can watch Youtube videos at faster speeds. 1.5x speed and 2x speed! Yes, that means you can watch a 2-hour debate in 1 hour.

According to wikipedia, a comfortable rate of speech for an audiobook is 150-160 words per minute. However, many people can listen with full comprehension at 300 words per minute. So unless you have trouble processing material you may not be very familiar with, you may want to save yourself some time and listen at 1.5x or 2x with some material.

So here's how to watch youtube videos at a faster speed. Go to www.youtube.com/html5. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the link that says "Join the HTML5 trial." Once you have clicked that link, all videos you play in Youtube will not play with flash, but will play with HTML5. That will enable a speed setting on the video player control bar. Just click it to select your listening speed. Now you don't have to waste so much time on Youtube.

Why not try it out on the DrCraigVideos channel!

Enjoy.

Apologist Interview: Mark Mittelberg

Today's interview is with Mark Mittelberg, author, speaker, and evangelism strategist. He talks about his background and ministry work, the relationship between apologetics and evangelism, integrating apologetics into the local church, his book The Reason Why Faith Makes Sense, the goal and content of the book (it's a great apologetic evangelistic tool), the idea of spiritual seekers, advice for apologists, and more. Books by Mark here.

Full Interview MP3 Audio (50 min)

***Mark will be giving away three free copies of his book The Reason Why Faith Makes Sense. Just leave an email address and your name in this form to enter the drawing for the book. See the opening chapter here.

Enjoy.
Subscribe to the Apologetics 315 Interviews podcast here or in iTunes.

William Wilberforce on Defending the Faith

"In an age in which infidelity abounds, do we observe parents carefully instructing their children in the principles of faith which they profess? Or do they furnish their children with arguments for the defense of that faith? ...it is not surprising to see them abandon a position which they are unable to defend."

- William Wilberforce
Quoted by J.P. Moreland in Love Your God With All Your Mind, p. 134.
[HT: The Poached Egg]

Book Review: Faith, Hope and Poetry: Theology and the Poetic Imagination by Malcolm Guite

For as long as people have written, sung, and told stories about God, literature has been a means by which the Holy Spirit has moved individuals to draw closer to Christ. However, the role of the imagination in apologetics and theology has received, until lately, little attention from Christian scholars and apologists. Fortunately, this situation is now being remedied by a number of gifted scholars working on what is being called “imaginative apologetics” or “literary apologetics.” Malcolm Guite’s brilliant book Faith, Hope and Poetry: Theology and the Poetic Imagination is absolutely essential reading for anyone seriously interested in the subject.

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (09/16 - 09/23)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
• El Programa de Teología
• DVD Review: Metamorphosis
• Reclaiming Story for Christ?
• Philosophy Word of the Day – Turing Test
• William Lane Craig to Tour UK in October
• Theology Program in Spanish; spread the word
• The Wintery Knight’s favorite apologetics lectures
• Twelve Step Program to Theological Studies
• Peter J. Williams: The Reliability of the Gospels (video)
• What is The Euthyphro Dilemma? With William Lane Craig - Video
• Just booked tickets for the Conference. Check out the speakers...
• ACM Academy of Apologetics – Fall Semester Launch with Gary Habermas
• Gunning for God: A Critique of the New Atheism by John Lennox available for pre-order

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Read Along: Christian Apologetics Ch03

Today we continue with chapter three of Read Along with Apologetics315, a weekly chapter-by-chapter study through Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Christianity by Douglas Groothuis. Each week's post will provide a brief summary of the chapter, an audio introduction to the chapter by the author, as well as a PDF study guide suitable for printing and using for personal or group study. The audio is also available in a podcast feed for easier weekly listening. Here's everything you need this week:

Scott Klusendorf vs. Nadine Strossen Debate: Abortion: Is it Right or Wrong?

Scott Klusendorf, president of Life Training Institute. debates Nadine Strossen, former president of the ACLU, on the topic of Abortion: Is it Right or Wrong? Video of the debate Found on Randy Alcorn's video channel. For more resources, see Klusendorf's books: Pro-Life 101 and The Case for Life. Also check out this interview with Scott Klusendorf.

Full Debate MP3 Audio here (1hr 40min)
Listen.

Love God with All Your Mind MP3 by J.P. Moreland

Christian philosopher and apologist J.P. Moreland presents this talk: Love God with All Your Mind. He presents a logical case for the role of the mind in spiritual transformation, challenging us to develop a Christian mind and to use our intellect to further God's kingdom through evangelism, apologetics, worship and vocation. Video can be found here (presented at Twin Lakes Church, August 2011; check it out for additional talks by Hazen and Koukl.) Half lecture, half Q&A.

Full MP3 Audio here. (45min)
Enjoy.

You may also be interested in Love Your God with All Your Mind by J.P. Moreland.

Apologist Interview: Andrew Fellows

Today's interview is with Andrew Fellows, the Director of L’Abri Fellowship in the United Kingdom. L’Abri is a community dedicated to both demonstrating and explaining the truthfulness of Christianity. He talks about his work at L'Abri, the heritage of Francis Schaeffer, the contribution and unique impact of Schaeffer on apologetics, dealing with the "big questions" that people are exploring, the question behind questions, the greatest obstacles people have, the demeanor of the apologist, the importance of hands-on training and mentoring, the church's interaction and relationship with culture (cultural apologetics), Jesus the subversive apologist, following Jesus' example, speaking to the heart, the hiddenness of God, advice (and challenge) for apologists, and more.

For some good lectures from Andrew Fellows, see the Welforum. More about L'Abri here, as well as the ideas library.

Full Interview MP3 Audio here (52 min)
Enjoy.

Peter Kreeft on the Truth of the Gospels

"Here is a strong argument for the truth of the Gospels, for Christianity: Christ could not possibly be fictional, for if no one in the world even now, after 2,000 years of knowing Him, can write convincing fiction about Him, if no one can imagine ‘what would Jesus do’ in a convincing way, as they can imagine what Alexander or Buddha or Augustine or Lincoln or Churchill would do, then how could a few Jewish fisherman 2,000 years ago write such incredibly original, unprecedented creative fiction based on nothing? This character could not possibly have been invented because He still cannot be invented. He can only be real."

- Peter Kreeft
The Philosophy of Jesus, pp. 58-59

Book Review: Doing Philosophy as a Christian

Doing Philosophy as a Christian (hereafter called DPC) is the latest addition to the Christian Worldview Integration Series, edited by J.P. Moreland and Francis J. Beckwith. In DPC, Garrett J. DeWeese, professor of philosophy and philosophical theology at Talbot School of Theology, puts forward the claim that “there is a difference in the way Christians do, or should do, philosophy” (36). Thus, the purpose of this book, in keeping with the series’s theme of Christian worldview integration, is to show the reader how one’s Christian faith and worldview informs one’s philosophical endeavors. (The book is not an introduction to philosophy from a Christian perspective, nor a book about the Christian mind, nor about apologetics.)

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (09/09 - 09/16)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
• Why Does Science Work?
• Q & A with Lee Strobel
• Does Good come from God?
• How I Find Scholars I Can Trust
• Thinking About Moral Relativism
• Journey From Agnostic to Apologist
• Bill Craig vs A.C. Grayling - Debate Transcript
• The Importance of Christendom’s Historic Creeds
• Book Review: “Who Made God?” by Edgar Andrews

• Book Review: Hidden Treasures in the Book of Job by Hugh Ross

• William Lane Craig answers questions in advance of his UK tour (MP3)
• Can We Trust the Text of the New Testament? Daniel B. Wallace & Bart D. Ehrman

Some posts related to the problem of evil:
• If God, Why Evil?
• Did God Cause 9/11?
• Where Was God on 9/11?
• Resources on the Problem of Evil
• Atheism, Evil and Ultimate Justice
• Suffering and the Cross of Christ
• Ground Zero: Greatness and Despair
• America After 9/11: Is Religion Evil?
• Do all roads (and flights) lead to God?
• The Need for Moral Choices and Consequences
• Christianity and 9/11: Guilt by Association?
• 9/11: "Full Cognitive Meltdown" and Its Fallout
• The Problem of Evil: Whose problem is it? Is it a problem?

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Read Along: Christian Apologetics Ch02

Today we continue chapter two of Read Along with Apologetics315, a weekly chapter-by-chapter study through Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Christianity by Douglas Groothuis. Each week's post will provide a brief summary of the chapter, an audio introduction to the chapter by the author, as well as a PDF study guide suitable for printing and using for personal or group study. The audio is also available in a podcast feed for easier weekly listening. Here's everything you need this week:

Featured Website: BeSpeaking

If you are familiar with the excellent BeThinking website, consider visiting BeSpeaking. This is a site designed to equip those doing short apologetics talks. Their strategy revolves around hosting "Lunchbars," which offer a free lunch on a campus accompanied by a 20-minute talk and 15 minute Q&A. The site helps you write a talk, put on an event, and answer objections. This is a great model that other campus groups might benefit from. It is also a good starting point for those considering creating their own apologetics events.
Enjoy.

Online Academy of Apologetics 2011-12

Athanatos Ministries hosts an online apologetics academy. The fall session is coming up and Dr. Gary Habermas will be guest lecturing on the historical Jesus and the evidence for the Resurrection. (You can attend these lectures without being enrolled in the academy.) Here is the Fall 2011 course offering:

The Historical Jesus: A Survey of Evidence & Arguments – Anthony Horvath

Defending the Faith: The Accessible Apologetics Workshop – Mikel Del Rosario

Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking 1 – Brian Auten

The Truth of the Bible and Its Inerrancy – Jim Tofflemire

Survey of the Old Testament – Anthony Horvath

Studies in Atheism – Mariano Grinbank

Jesus According to… – Mariano Grinbank

Basic Christianity – Glenn Jones

Biblical Greek 1 – Glenn Jones

To find out more about the academy, see the Academy page. For an interview about the academy, go here. Check it out.

Apologist Interview: Anthony Horvath

Today's interview is with Anthony Horvath, the director of Athanatos Christian Ministries. This October, the Online Apologetics Academy fall  semester will commence. Anthony talks about the Academy, the upcoming semester, the speakers and courses, the Gary Habermas lectures, how the courses work and the workload, the optional certificate course available, and how to sign up. See the classes here.

Full Interview MP3 Audio here (20 min)

Check out the Online Apologetics Academy here.
Enjoy.

C.S. Lewis on Books by Christians

"We can make people (often) attend to the Christian point of view for half an hour or so; but the moment they have gone away from our lecture or laid down our article, they are plunged back into a world where the opposite position is taken for granted. As long as that situation exists, widespread success is simply impossible. We must attack the enemy's line of communication. What we want is not more little books about Christianity, but more little books by Christians on other subjects--with their Christianity latent. You can see this most easily if you look at it the other way round. Our Faith is not very likely to be shaken by any book on Hinduism. But if whenever we read an elementary book on Geology, Botany, Politics, or Astronomy, we found that its implications were Hindu, that would shake us. It is not the books written in direct defence of Materialism that make the modern man a materialist; it is the materialistic assumptions in all the other books. In the same way, it is not books on Christianity that will really trouble him. But he would be troubled if, whenever he wanted a cheap popular introduction to some science, the best work on the market was always by a Christian."

- C.S. Lewis
God in the Dock, p. 93. [HT:TM]

Resources on the Problem of Evil

Ten years after 9/11, many will be reminded of the problem of evil. People may define the problem of evil different ways. Some, like Bart Ehrman, would say that evil is God's Problem, while many point out the errors in such a view. Some theodicies attempt to explain God's reasons for allowing evil, but as Ravi Zacharias points out, every worldview must provide an explanation for evil. Clearly, evil and suffering present one of the biggest challenges to believing in a loving God. Here are a number of helpful resources for working through this issue:

This 18-minute video by Paul Copan gives a brief overview and answer to the problem of evil. Three problems of evil by Peter S. Williams outlines the various types of evil we experience. William Lane Craig discusses the issues and challenges of evil and suffering in this talk. Peter May wrestles with how one can believe in a loving God since evil exists. Doug Geivett discusses the problems of evil, and Mardi Keyes gives four categories of the problem.

For those considering the subject of theodicy, even deeper study is ahead. Check out Bruce Little's interview on theodicy and Clay Jones's interview on evil and suffering. Bruce Little also has a good lecture called Evil and the God Who Knows, as well as a series of lectures digging deeper.

Still think Bart Ehrman's got a good case against God with evil? Check out Michael Brown's debate with Bart Ehrman on the problem of suffering.

Reflect.

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (09/02 - 09/09)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
• Why Study Philosophy?
• Objections and Defeaters
• On Apologetics in the Church
• Four Myths about the Crusades
• God, science and evolution Part 3
• Philosophy Word of the Day – Entropy
• Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink Interviewed
• Are the Gospels Reliable Witnesses? (vid)
• Can The Cause Of The Universe Be Personal?
• Add your Apologetics Blog to the Directory
• The Facts of the Resurrection in 1,000 Words
• The Good News About the Gospels (Mp3)
• Why I Do Apologetics: video by Sean McDowell
• Christians are for Truth wherever it is found
• WLC talks about his upcoming UK debates (MP3)
• Videos: Dr. Gary Habermas on What Jesus Said...
• William Lane Craig in the UK - get tickets now
• Does Christianity's past prove it wrong? (video)
• Currently Reading: Critical Thinking: An Introduction
• Logic in an Age of Persuasive Imagery: Appeal to Pity
• How to Get Apologetics in Your Church: Podcast and eBook
• Imaginative Apologetics: A Reflective and Analytical Review
• Theism vs. Dawkins and Oppy: Defending the Kalam Cosmological Argument
• Q&A Videos with William Lane Craig, Ravi Zacharias, and John Stackhouse
• Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith now available on Kindle

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Read Along: Christian Apologetics Ch01

Today kicks off Read Along with Apologetics315, a weekly chapter-by-chapter study through Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Christianity by Douglas Groothuis. Each week's post will provide a brief summary of the chapter, an audio introduction to the chapter by the author, as well as a PDF study guide suitable for printing and using for personal or group study. The audio is also available in a podcast feed for easier weekly listening. Here's everything you need to get started:

William Lane Craig in the UK October 2011

In October 2011 William Lane Craig will visit the UK for a series of lectures and debates. Craig will  present the case for the truth of the Christian faith, responding both to Stephen Hawking's recent book The Grand Design as well as to Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion. [Richard Dawkins has thus far declined a debate, but the door is open to him defending his book The God Delusion on 25th Oct at the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford.]

For those based in the UK, the time for booking your place at the various events is now. Go to the Registration Page at Premier's website for more info and to sign up. For more information on William Lane Craig, the venues, and debate information, go to BeThinking's Reasonable Faith Tour page and itinerary. Go and like the Facebook Page.

Here's an audio file interviewing Craig about this upcoming tour.
Enjoy.

Slavery in the Bible: Articles & Audio

Many people wrongly assume that when the Bible speaks of slavery, it means the same thing as slavery in more modern times. Furthermore, many people assume that the descriptions of slavery in the Bible suggest that the Bible condones or encourages slavery. Because of these misconceptions, there is this blog post with 8 quick resources. Because these misconceptions continue, here are more helpful articles and a insightful audio interview:

• The Question of Slavery (Tom Gilson)
• Does the Old Testament Endorse Slavery? An Overview (Paul Copan)
• Does the Old Testament Endorse Slavery? Examining Difficult Texts (Paul Copan)
• Why Is the New Testament Silent on Slavery - or Is It? (Paul Copan)

Finally, listen to the following 19 minute audio by Peter J. Williams, answering tough questions about slavery in the Old Testament: Slavery in the Old Testament? (MP3)

[HT: Thinking Matters for the Copan posts]

Author Interview: Douglas Groothuis

Today's interview is with Dr. Doug Groothuis, professor of philosophy at Denver Seminary, and author of the newly-released apologetics textbook: Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith. He talks about the scope and purpose of this book, the overall structure, the uniqueness of this book as an apologetics textbook with a cumulative case, the spiritual discipline of study and the life of the mind, the benefits of study and intentional reading, and strategies for working through large books/material. This interview is the introduction to the Read Along with Apologetics315 project, which begins Friday, September 9th. Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith is released on Kindle today. Find out more about the Read Along project here. Visit Doug's blog.

Full Interview MP3 Audio here (25 min)

Enjoy.

Alister McGrath on Christianity Misunderstood

“Christianity is … rarely understood by those outside its bounds. In fact, this is probably one of the greatest tasks confronting the apologist -- to rescue Christianity from misunderstandings.”

 - Alister McGrath


Intellectuals Don’t Need God and Other Modern Myths

Book Review: On Jesus by Douglas Groothuis

On Jesus by Doug Groothuis is part of the Wadsworth Philosophers Series - a series of short books, each providing brief and accessible insight into the ideas of major philosophers throughout history. In On Jesus, Doug Groothuis explores the life of Jesus philosophically. Looking at the life and teachings of Jesus through this lens, the author explores the key philosophical categories and paints a powerful picture of Jesus, the philosopher.

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (08/26 - 09/02)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
• The Nature and Power of Worldview
• Do Our Prayers Make a Difference?
• Reasons to Believe August E-zine (PDF)
• The usual character of human testimony
• Read Along with Apologetics315
• What Claims Did Jesus Make Regarding Himself?
• Answering some silly objections to the fine-tuning argument
• Apologetics Makes a Comeback Among Youth
• Why should Christians study church history?
• The Apologetic Mandate: Biblical & Contemporary
• Book Review: A Queer Thing Happened To America
• Audio: Trent Dougherty on Faith and Reason in a Broken World
• Explaining the Cosmos’ Susceptibility to Rational Investigation
• Why Is the New Testament Silent on Slavery — or Is It? by Paul Copan
• Richard Dawkins New Book for Children and Why His Atheism is not Relevant
• CS Lewis Foundation Southwest Regional Retreat and Writers Conference 2011
• Bank of America fires Dr. Frank Turek for his religious and political views

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Read Along with Apologetics315

Next week we'll be launching a new weekly feature: Read Along with Apologetics315. The goal: group book study and discussion, one chapter at a time. This will be a Friday feature, starting on September 9, 2011. So you have one week to order your copy of the book. (The Kindle version is released on Sept 5)

Here's the book we'll be working through: Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith by Douglas Groothuis. This is a comprehensive apologetics book, suitable for use as a textbook in the field. Reading through it one chapter a week will expose the reader to a broad scope of apologetics content and will be quite rewarding.

Each week an audio intro for each chapter by Douglas Groothuis will be provided, along with a brief synopsis and study questions. Are you ready to take the Read Along challenge? Grab the book and get ready to start Chapter One next week!

Are the New Testament Gospels Reliable? MP3 Series

Does the New Testament tell us the truth? Does it give us accurate history? Dr. Peter J. Williams and Dr. Dirk Jongkind of Tyndale House and Dr. Simon Gathercole of Cambridge University took part in a day conference titled ‘True or False' at Charlotte Chapel, Edinburgh, on 29 January 2011. The audio files are good and a descriptions can be found at the conference page here. Here they are linked:

Peter J. Williams - Can We Trust the History? (MP3)
Dirk Jongkind - Why the Greek Texts are True (MP3)
Simon Gathercole - Differences Between Canonical and Non-Canonical Gospels, such as Thomas, Judas and Philip (MP3)
Q&A Session (MP3)

Enjoy.