Saturday, June 30, 2012

Book Review: Atheism's New Clothes: Exploring and Exposing the Claims of the New Atheists by David Glass

Everyone seems to be talking about atheism. The so-called “New Atheists” are out and proud. Their books are in every bookstore, waiting to perpetuate ideas about religion: that it is evil and causes violence, that its adherents are positively irrational or even delusional, and more. Dressed to impress, atheism is sporting “new clothes,” and David Glass, in his Atheism’s New Clothes, seeks to expose them. Glass explores the primary works of the “New Atheism”: Dennett’s Breaking the Spell, Hitchens’ God is Not Great, Harris’ The End of Faith, and Dawkins’ The God Delusion.

Glass starts Atheism’s New Clothes by outlining the claims of the new atheism. One problem with this movement is that it rejects theistic belief simply because it is, according to them, simply obvious that theism is false and so they do not bother to interact on a scholarly level with theistic discussions.[1] In particular, the new atheists define faith in a way which is most helpful to their own case and refuse to interact with theologians on the topic. Harris goes so far as to argue that they can ignore what theologians say because they are allegedly irrelevant to the faith of the faithful.[2] However, Harris’ argument is based upon reading Hebrews 11 in “the right way,” which is of course his own reading that is not based upon the Greek or even exegesis of any sort.[3] Glass counters the contentions of the New Atheists’ by exploring a number of Christian responses to faith throughout history.[4] He notes that the consensus is that “within Christianity it is entirely appropriate to provide arguments and evidence for the existence of God and the truth of Christianity… note that the New Atheists fail to engage with any [view of faith outlined by Glass] or any other well-thought out view on the subject.”[5]

Friday, June 29, 2012

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (06/22 - 06/29)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
On Virtue in Apologetics
Doing Apologetics = Love
Leaving Jehovah’s Witnesses
Therapeutic Apologetics: Dr. John Coe
The F.A.C.T. of the Resurrection of Jesus
The Conquest of Canaan and the Yuck Factor
When Did John Write His Gospel?
Book Review – Foolishness to the Greeks
Are There Reliable Non-Christian Sources for Jesus? (video)
Do Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence?
Do Biological Clocks Revive William Paley's Design Argument?
Four Lectures on the Canon by Michael J. Kruger (Free MP3s)
"Unpacking Atheism" event with Lee Strobel and Mark Mittelberg
Is the Bible’s definition of faith opposed to logic and evidence?
Francis Chan: The Life of the Mind and the Peril of Pride (video)   
Eight Points of Encouragement for Those Who Are Doubting Their Faith
Are the Gospels Based on Eyewitness Testimony? The Test of Personal Names
Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature Is Almost Certainly False
William Lane Craig vs atheist Daniel Dennett on cosmology and fine-tuning

• Would you like to help with interview transcription through volunteering or donation?
If so, contact Ap315 here.

Apologetics 315 is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your support is appreciated.
• Shopping via Amazon? If you use this link, a bit of your purchase goes to fund Apologetics 315. Thanks for those of you using the link, as it helps Ap315.

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Read Along: Chapter 14—Is Christianity the Cause of Dangerous Sexual Repression?

Today we continue with Chapter Fourteen in the Read Along with Apologetics 315 project. This is a chapter-by-chapter study through the book Is God Just a Human Invention? And Seventeen Other Questions Raised by the New Atheists by Sean McDowell and Jonathan Morrow. (Hear an interview about the book here.) Below you will find an audio intro for Chapter Fourteen, a brief summary of the chapter, a PDF workbook with questions for the chapter, and some notable quotes. You're also encouraged to share your comments and feedback for each chapter in the comment section below. Feel free to interact!  Index page here.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

How to Get Apologetics in Your Church 2: Kicking Off The Truth Project

Kicking Off The Truth Project by Patrick Collins

The following is a summary of how I started an apologetics ministry at West Huntsville Baptist Church. Instead of including advice and lessons learned at the end, I included them as they fit in the story. I’ve also included extra details to show that things don’t always go as planned and the need to be flexible.

I approached my pastor in the fall of 2010 about offering “The Truth Project” to small groups at the church. The Truth Project (TTP) is a systematic study of the Christian Worldview that shows the Bible applies to all areas of life. It helps Christians know why they believe what they believe, both for basic doctrine (who is God, inerrancy of Scripture, sin, the trinity, etc) and practical worldview (role of government, family structure, ethics, employer-employee relations, etc). It was developed by Focus on the Family and is a 13-week, DVD-based, small group curriculum.

[MP3 | RSS | iTunes Index]

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Alleged Historical Errors in the Gospels (Luke & John) by Tim McGrew

In this lecture, entitled Alleged Historical Errors in the Gospels, Dr. Timothy McGrew critiques the strongest objections to the historical reliability of the Gospels of Luke and John. This is about 55 minutes of content followed by thirty minutes of Q&A. PowerPoint file is here. Handout PDF here. Visit the Library of Historical Apologetics. This is part 4b of the series—part 1 here; part 2 here; part 3 here, part 4a herepart 6 here.

Full MP3 Audio here. (1hr 12min)
Video on YouTube here.
Enjoy.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Terminology Tuesday: Metaphor

Metaphor: A term or phrase that normally refers to one thing but is used in an unusual way, so that it now has a different referent and may have an unusual sense as well. Metaphors thus are used to suggest some kind of likeness or similarity between two things that might not immediately be seen as alike. There is much argument about the nature of metaphor, but increasingly philosophers agree that metaphors are essential to cognitive advances in science as well as religion and are not merely adornment that can be replaced by literal language.1

1. C.Stephen Evans, Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics & Philosophy of Religion (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002), p. 74.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Intelligent Design Interview: Thomas E. Woodward

Today's interview is with Thomas E. Woodward, professor at Trinity College of Florida, and founder and director of the C.S. Lewis Society. Woodward is an historian of the intelligent design movement. He talks about his work and background, the intelligent design movement (its definition, origin, and goals), anti-ID objections and rhetoric, the direction of the ID movement today, the Dover trial, the question of "is ID science?", the approaches of Michael Behe,  William Dembski, and Stephen Meyer, The Mysterious Epigenome: What Lies Beyond DNA, the future of ID research, resources for people learning and teaching ID, and more.

Full Interview MP3 Audio here (47 min)

Books by Thomas Woodward include:
Doubts About Darwin
Darwin Strikes Back
The Mysterious Epigenome: What Lies Beyond DNA

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

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Alister McGrath on Giving Answers

“Apologists cannot be content to depend on borrowed answers. They need to develop answers for themselves. In short, they need to own their answers. Never give an answer to a question that doesn’t satisfy you in the first place.”

 - Alister McGrath

Mere Apologetics (Kindle Locations 2883-2885). Baker Book Group. Kindle Edition. 

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Book Review: Creating Life In The Lab: How New Discoveries in Synthetic Biology Make A Case For The Creator by Dr. Fazale Rana

Creating Life In The Lab: How New Discoveries in Synthetic Biology Make A Case For The Creator is Dr. Fazale Rana's latest contribution to Christian apologetic literature. The goal of the book is to provide a case for God's existence from the controversial efforts of scientists to "play God" by creating life. He has written the book with the backdrop of Franenstein to provide some cultural connection. The book has thirteen chapters plus an appendix that includes a short refresher on biochemistry. The book, though not officially, is divided into two parts: the first examining the quest to create artificial life and the second investigates scientists research behind the origin of life.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (06/15 - 06/22)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
The Nativity Defended
The Evidence for God
Youth Need Apologetics
Some Great Pascal Quotes
Miracles and the Modern Worldview
The Projection Theory Cuts Both Ways
reTHINK Student Apologetics Conference
Jesus and Mithras Myth - Lee Strobel Video
Do Christians Bear the Burden of Proof? (video)
MP3 Podcasts on Presuppositional Apologetics
New Testament Scholar Interview: Daniel B. Wallace
I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, Curriculum
Recommended Reading: Mere Apologetics by Alister McGrath
A Vision for Christian Apologetics to World Religions
Text-to-speech iPhone app for reading blogs. Real time-saver.
Alleged Historical Errors in the Gospels by Tim McGrew - YouTube
The Moral Argument that Christians don't use, but atheists always rebut
William Lane Craig lectures on the moral argument at Georgia Tech (2008)
An Animated Tour of the Cell: Revealing the Majestic Beauty of Biology
On the Shoulders of Giants: Rediscovering the lost defenses of Christianity
"Things Which Ought to Be Better Known about the Resurrection of Jesus" notes
Design in nature? CONFERENCE July 14, Cambridge
• New Intelligent Design book: "Science and Human Origins"
Tim Challies is giving away a $500 gift certificate from Monergism Books

• Would you like to help with interview transcription through volunteering or donation?
If so, contact Ap315 here.

Apologetics 315 is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your support is appreciated.
• Shopping via Amazon? If you use this link, a bit of your purchase goes to fund Apologetics 315. Thanks for those of you using the link, as it helps Ap315.

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Read Along: 13—Is God a Genocidal Bully?

Today we continue with Chapter Thirteen in the Read Along with Apologetics 315 project. This is a chapter-by-chapter study through the book Is God Just a Human Invention? And Seventeen Other Questions Raised by the New Atheists by Sean McDowell and Jonathan Morrow. (Hear an interview about the book here.) Below you will find an audio intro for Chapter Thirteen, a brief summary of the chapter, a PDF workbook with questions for the chapter, and some notable quotes. You're also encouraged to share your comments and feedback for each chapter in the comment section below. Feel free to interact!  Index page here.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

How to Get Apologetics in Your Church 2: A Call to Action

A Call to ACTION by Chad A. Gross

I recently had the opportunity to meet with an atheist relative and share with him some of the reasons that I had decided to become a follower of Christ 10 years ago. [1] The conversation was enjoyable and thought-provoking. Upon reflection, one particularly interesting part of the conversation was when I shared my conviction that the Bible encourages and models critical thinking and defending one’s beliefs with reason and argument. I shared the biblical directive for the Christian to “…always be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you…” [1 Peter 3:15]. Moreover, the Bible models the Christian “destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God” [2 Cor. 10:5] and instructs us to “…examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good” [1 Thess. 5:21]. Further, throughout the Old and New Testament, we see apologetics used and modeled by various figures; most notably Jesus and His apostles. You the reader may not be surprised by these facts; however, my atheist friend surely was! He seemed to marvel at the idea that the Bible actually taught some of the things I mentioned. He seemed to have been under the false, but widely believed, impression that "faith is the great cop-out, the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence. Faith is belief in spite of, even perhaps because of, the lack of evidence." [2] He said at one point, “Most of my friends who are Christians haven’t even looked into what they believe as much as I have.” He is not alone.

[MP3 | RSS | iTunes Index]

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Lenny Esposito vs Richard Carrier Debate: Does God Exist?

In this debate, which took place at the University of California, Riverside on May 23, 2012, Lenny Esposito and Richard Carrier debate the topic: Does God Exist? This audio is 75 minutes debate and 75 minutes audience Q&A. In addition to the debate, Lenny has released a point-by-point response to Richard Carrier's arguments. Find it here: Answering Richard Carrier's Arguments MP3. Visit Lenny's homepage at ComeReason.org, and sign up for his newsletter for updates on the video of the debate.

Full Debate MP3 Audio here (2hr 22min)
Enjoy.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Terminology Tuesday: Category Mistake

Category Mistake / Category Error: the error of assigning to something a quality or action which can only properly be assigned to things of another category, for example treating abstract concepts as though they had a physical location. A semantic or ontological error in which "things of one kind are presented as if they belonged to another", or, alternatively, a property is ascribed to a thing that could not possibly have that property. For example, "how much does the number six weigh?"1

1. Various online dictionaries as well as wikipedia and the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Philosopher Interview: Victor Reppert

Today's interview is with Christian philosopher Victor Reppert, author of C. S. Lewis's Dangerous Idea: In Defense of the Argument from Reason. He talks about his background and the development of the argument from reason, C.S. Lewis's formulation of the argument, the  difficulties for naturalism to account for thought, objections to the argument, and more. Victor's blog is here.

Full Interview MP3 Audio here. (1hr 6min)

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

Sunday, June 17, 2012

John Tukey on Giving Answers

“An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question.”

 - John Tukey

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Book Review: Galileo Goes to Jail and Other Myths about Science and Religion by Ronald L. Numbers

In the second half of the nineteenth century, Andrew Dickson White and John William Draper wrongly proposed that science and religion exist in a perpetual state of conflict. (One is reminded of Stephen Gould’s famous demarcation between science and religion as two non-overlapping magisterium.) Historians and scientists who adopted the White-Draper thesis consequently misread several famous episodes in western history in their attempt to confirm the thesis. Although White and Draper’s credibility as researchers has long been discounted, their thesis has proved resilient, filtering down into the popular conception through constant textbook repetition and oft-cited historical “myths” proposing a clash between church and science.

Historian Ronald Numbers (author of The Creationists) has gathered an impressive list of scholars to set the record straight through their exploration of twenty-five “myths” concerning the relationship between science and religion. Interestingly, twelve of the twenty-five contributing authors are atheists or agnostics; one is a Jew, one a Muslim, one a Buddhist, and one a Spinozist. The book can hardly be dismissed as creationist propaganda. The twenty-five myths discussed are as follows:

Friday, June 15, 2012

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (06/08 - 06/15)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
Facing Suffering
Origins Straw Men
Finding God in Fairy Tales
The Redefinition of Nothing
Scaling the Planets and Stars
Is the Qur'an the Word of God?
Book Review: Popologetics
Can The Gospels Be Trusted?
Brigham Young Was a False Prophet
'Prometheus' raises big questions
Philosophy and Apologetics at HBU
On Guard Conference 2012 - video
Cornelius Van Til PDFs for Download
Polygamy in the Bible: A sordid tale
The Closing of The New Atheist Mind
Review: Erasing Hell by Francis Chan
C.S. Lewis on Rationality and Materialism
So You Want to Be an Atheist Apologist?
Young Earth Creationist Arguments Examined
A Different Jesus? - Mormonism Investigated
Video: Frank Turek Speaks on Same-Sex Marriage
MP3 Podcasts on Presuppositional Apologetics
How were the books of the New Testament chosen?
Three Essential Elements of Everyday Apologetics
Do Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence?
Resources For Investigating Today's Competing Religious Claims
Ehrman’s Problem 11: It’s Hard to Argue with the Consequences of Sin
Neil Shenvi lectures on the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus
Shooting Themselves in the Foot: Why Atheistic Evolution is Self-Defeating
• FREE Kindle eBook by Dinesh D'Souza: Godforsaken
Douglas Groothuis doubts that commentator Dinesh D’Souza solves problem of evil
New Rosetta Stone discovered: Translations from science journalese into English! (fun)

• Would you like to help with interview transcription through volunteering or donation?
If so, contact Ap315 here.

Apologetics 315 is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your support is appreciated.
• Shopping via Amazon? If you use this link, a bit of your purchase goes to fund Apologetics 315. Thanks for those of you using the link, as it helps Ap315.

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Read Along: 12—Is Hell a Divine Torture Chamber?

Today we continue with Chapter Twelve in the Read Along with Apologetics 315 project. This is a chapter-by-chapter study through the book Is God Just a Human Invention? And Seventeen Other Questions Raised by the New Atheists by Sean McDowell and Jonathan Morrow. (Hear an interview about the book here.) Below you will find an audio intro for Chapter Twelve, a brief summary of the chapter, a PDF workbook with questions for the chapter, and some notable quotes. You're also encouraged to share your comments and feedback for each chapter in the comment section below. Feel free to interact!  Index page here.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

How to Get Apologetics in Your Church 2: Five Tips for Starting an Apologetics Group

Five Tips for Starting an Apologetics Group
by Ron Pantalena

Our apologetics ministry has been in existence for 11 years. I was a seminary students studying for an MA in Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary and felt that there needed to be application in the local church. So I approached the person who oversaw the ministries in our church with the idea of starting an apologetics ministry. After several meetings where other like-minded people were identified, we wrote an interim mission statement.

[MP3 | RSS | iTunes Index]

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

10 Myths About God Video Series

In this series of 10 brief videos, C. Michael Patton and Tim Kimberley of Credo House Ministries talk about the 10 most common myths about God. If you subscribe to their newsletter, they will send one to your inbox every day. Check out the Credo House Vimeo Channel for videos of ten myths and more.

• Myth 1: Christianity is Blind Faith
• Myth 2: The Bible is a Magic Book
• Myth 3: God Wants Us Healthy and Wealthy
• Myth 4: Jesus is Not God
• Myth 5: The Trinity Was Invented
• Myth 6: Good Works Get Us to Heaven
• Myth 7: People Are Basically Good
• Myth 8: All Paths Lead to God
• Myth 9: I Go to Church So I'm a Christian
• Myth 10: Satan is the Opposite of God

Enjoy.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Terminology Tuesday: Mind-Body Problem

Mind-Body Problem: The difficulty of explaining how the mental activities of human beings relate to their living physical organisms. Historically, the most commonly accepted solutions have included mind-body dualism (Descartes), reductive materialism (Hobbes) or idealism (Berkeley), and the double aspect theory (Spinoza).

Although many contemporary philosophers accept some form of identity theory, they often rely on behavioral or functional methods of analyzing mental events and upon the achievements of neuroscience.1

1. Philosophical Dictionary at philosophypages.com.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Apologist Interview: Bobby Gilpin on Mormonism

Today's interview is with Bobby Gilpin. He talks about his ministry to educate the Church on how to respond to Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses. This interview focuses on Mormonism; a sort of mini-crash course. Aren't Mormons just Christians?, differences between Mormonism and Christianity, the use of the term "cult," a brief history of Mormonism, the authority of the Book of Mormon and other books, the importance of dialogue with Mormons, strategies for engagement and primary topics, common mistakes when speaking with Mormons,
the biggest challenges, the significance of Utah, the size and growth of Mormonism, evangelism trips, and more.

Full Interview MP3 Audio here (36 min)

Main ministry site here.
Mormonism Investigated blog.
Watchtower Investigated blog.
Enjoy.
Subscribe to the Apologetics 315 Interviews podcast here or in iTunes.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

C.S. Lewis on Reasoning to Atheism

‎"Supposing there was no intelligence behind the universe, no creative mind. In that case, nobody designed my brain for the purpose of thinking. It is merely that when the atoms inside my skull happen, for physical or chemical reasons, to arrange themselves in a certain way, this gives me, as a by-product, the sensation I call thought. But, if so, how can I trust my own thinking to be true? It's like upsetting a milk jug and hoping that the way it splashes itself will give you a map of London. But if I can't trust my own thinking, of course I can't trust the arguments leading to Atheism, and therefore have no reason to be an Atheist, or anything else. Unless I believe in God, I cannot believe in thought: so I can never use thought to disbelieve in God."

—C.S. Lewis
The Case for Christianity, p. 32.

Saturday, June 09, 2012

Book Review: The Believing Brain by Michael Shermer

A Review Essay of Michael Shermer’s The Believing Brain
by Eugene A. Curry

Introduction


Michael Shermer is an interesting man. He is a former professional cyclist, a professor at Claremont Graduate University in California, and the Executive Director of the Skeptics Society. It is in this last role as a professional unbeliever that Shermer has really made a name for himself. Raised within a household largely apathetic to religious issues, Shermer embraced Christianity as a teenager and pursued his new spirituality with gusto. But after some time Shermer’s faith began to wane and ultimately guttered out. Now, armed with an education in experimental psychology and history, Shermer opposes belief in all things supernatural and paranormal by writing books on these issues, publishing a magazine entitled Skeptic, debating prominent believers, and standing in as the designated doubter in various media appearances.

Shermer’s latest book, The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies—How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths, pursues this very track, sketching out the various dynamics that undergird human thought and then analyzing a range of beliefs he finds incredible with reference to that theoretical framework. Unsurprisingly, given Shermer’s own religious skepticism, he dedicates a fairly sizable chunk of his book to debunking religious notions like life after death and the existence of God. 

Friday, June 08, 2012

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (06/01 - 06/08)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
The Fear of Atheism
The Fine-Tuning Argument
Did Ray Bradbury exist?
Facing Up To the Porn Plague
What Really Happened at Nicea?
Becoming a “Seasoned” Apologist
C.S. Lewis on Reading Old Books
The Evidence for the Resurrection
Tim Keller’s top 10 evangelism tips
The Bible Is One Story (infographic)
How to Test a Worldview in 3 Easy Steps
The Moral Argument - video and commentary
VIDEO: VA Tech Debate on the Existence of God
Theories Concerning the Resurrection of Jesus
The cosmological argument and the new BGV theorem
Is God Just a Psychological Crutch for the Weak?
God and Agent Explanations: A Guide for the Perplexed
Like the Library of Historical Apologetics on Facebook
Why Should We Not Believe Those Who Claim Jesus Never Existed?
Free Apologetics Book: Inerrancy and Worldview by Vern Poythress
Ancient Non-Christian Sources for the Historical Jesus by Gary Habermas
Professor Gary Habermas on the difference the resurrection makes to him - video
News from the Cutting Edge of Cultural Apologetics — at Houston Baptist University
Dr Peter J. Williams - Things Which Ought To Be Better Known About The Resurrection Of Jesus - Video

• Would you like to help with interview transcription through volunteering or donation?
If so, contact Ap315 here.

Apologetics 315 is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your support is appreciated.
• Shopping via Amazon? If you use this link, a bit of your purchase goes to fund Apologetics 315. Thanks for those of you using the link, as it helps Ap315.

Get these sorts of links and more by following on Twitter.
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For daily post links, please follow on Facebook.

Read Along: 11—Does God Intend for Us to Keep Slaves?

Today we continue with Chapter Eleven in the Read Along with Apologetics 315 project. This is a chapter-by-chapter study through the book Is God Just a Human Invention? And Seventeen Other Questions Raised by the New Atheists by Sean McDowell and Jonathan Morrow. (Hear an interview about the book here.) Below you will find an audio intro for Chapter Eleven, a brief summary of the chapter, a PDF workbook with questions for the chapter, and some notable quotes. You're also encouraged to share your comments and feedback for each chapter in the comment section below. Feel free to interact!  Index page here.

Thursday, June 07, 2012

How to Get Apologetics in Your Church 2: Four Lessons for the Apologetics Small Group

Four Lessons for the Apologetics Small Group
by Randall Chase

When I speak on the topic of Apologetics and designing an apologetics program I always try to implement a few key foundations that the student can take away with them. The four keys that I have seen to be most successful are:

1. Relationship building
2. Don’t speak beyond your knowledge base
3. Always be willing to learn
4. Listen first, respond second

Point One: Remember true relationship building is going to have the greatest lasting impact. This means that it's not about how well you argue a point if the person that you're speaking to doesn't respect you as an individual enough to receive what you're saying. While you may get the point across, chances are he will not develop a lasting, life-altering outcome. The old saying “they don't care how much you know until they know how much you care” holds true even in the world of apologetics. This is the case too in the event of large debates, where two speakers are standing in front of an audience. The two speakers must have enough respect for one another to remain calm and collected, otherwise it simply becomes an argument. Not much is usually gained through simple argument..

[MP3 | RSS | iTunes | Index]

Wednesday, June 06, 2012

C.S. Lewis Original Audio Recording

Here is part of the only surviving audio recording of C.S. Lewis's broadcast talks. The New Men is the last episode in Beyond Personality, the third series. It was broadcast on BBC radio on 21st March 1944. The transcripts of all three series were published as the classic apologetic work Mere Christianity. Original audio and more info found at the BBC website here. Book by C.S. Lewis here.

Find it and share it on YouTube here.
Full MP3 audio here (15 min)

Enjoy.

Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Terminology Tuesday: Purgatory

Purgatory: In Catholic theology, the place of purification and maturation that one may need to enter after death before the perfected soul attains the "beatific vision"—that is, perfectly "seeing" and "knowing" the triune God. Protestants have generally rejected the concept as having no basis in Scripture and as denying the significance and finality of mortal life on earth.1

1. Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki & Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), p. 97.

Monday, June 04, 2012

Apologist Interview: John Mark Reynolds

Today's interview is with Christian philosopher and apologist John Mark Reynolds, incoming provost at Houston Baptist University. He talks about his background and work, the biggest apologetic challenges today, cultural apologetics, the developing apologetics program and philosophy programs at HBU, advice for future apologists, asking the right questions in conversation, do's and don'ts, tips for interacting with people online, advice for those wanting to read the great books, reading, movies and cultural awareness, and more.

Full Interview MP3 Audio here (40 min)

Books by John Mark Reynolds include:
When Athens Met Jerusalem: An Introduction to Classical and Christian Thought
Against All Gods: What's Right and Wrong About the New Atheism
• Great Books Reader, The: Excerpts and Essays on the Most Influential Books in Western Civilization

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

Sunday, June 03, 2012

Alister McGrath on Defending Christianity

“The best defense of Christianity is its explanation. In other words, if you want to defend or commend Christianity, it is best to begin by telling people what it is really all about.”

 - Alister McGrath

Mere Apologetics (Kindle Locations 2326-2328). Baker Book Group. Kindle Edition. 

Saturday, June 02, 2012

Book Review: Jesus and His World: The Archaeological Evidence by Craig Evans

In a recent review of Craig A. Evans’ Jesus and His World: The Archaeological Evidence, a blogger condemned the book for not proving that Jesus existed. However, if the critic had read the first page of the work, he would have noted that Evans himself never posited that it would achieve that goal. The author writes that, while archaeology sometimes proves things, “often what archaeologists uncover is not so much proof but clarification” (1).

This is what Evans, Payzant Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Acadia Divinity College, Nova Scotia, Canada, offers in his book. He discusses a variety of discoveries that provide the backdrop for a number of first-century New Testament locations, practices and events including Christ’s death and burial. In doing so, he heightens our understanding of the culture of that era and, consequently, our understanding of the Bible.

Friday, June 01, 2012

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (05/25 - 06/01)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
No Earthly Good?
Free Book GiveAway
Jesus Myth: Refuted
Showing People Your Faults
Interview with a Former Atheist
Can We Trust the Old Testament?
Cosmological Argument PowerPoint
The seven fatal flaws of moral relativism
The Moral Argument - video and commentary
What About the Apocrypha & Pseudepigrapha?
Thinking about Suffering and Death, Part 2
Are There Objective Morals? Lecture PowerPoint
Hugh Ross vs Lewis Wolpert on Evidence for God
Do We Need To Prove All Other Religions False?
2012 National Conference on Christian Apologetics
Interview with Author & Apologist Arthur Khachatryan
What to Say When Someone Says, “The Bible Has Errors”
The use of apologetics in preaching and teaching the Gospel
How to Prepare Teenagers for College and Beyond - New Podcast
The Argument from Religious Experience: A look at its strength
Richard Dawkins Attacks Agnostic Philosopher Sir Anthony Kenny
Contending With Christianity's Critics Conference: September 2012
Why Is Paul So Important to Historians Studying the Resurrection of Jesus?
Atheism's New Clothes: Exploring and Exposing the Claims of the New Atheists
Miracles: Is Belief in the Supernatural Irrational? by John Lennox
Design in nature? Scientific and philosophical perspectives. Cambridge conf. July 14th

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Read Along: Chapter 10—Is Religion Dangerous?

Today we continue with Chapter Ten in the Read Along with Apologetics 315 project. This is a chapter-by-chapter study through the book Is God Just a Human Invention? And Seventeen Other Questions Raised by the New Atheists by Sean McDowell and Jonathan Morrow. (Hear an interview about the book here.) Below you will find an audio intro for Chapter Ten, a brief summary of the chapter, a PDF workbook with questions for the chapter, and some notable quotes. You're also encouraged to share your comments and feedback for each chapter in the comment section below. Feel free to interact!  Index page here.

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