Thinker Profile: David Hume

David Hume (1711-1776): Scottish philosopher who was one of the preeminent thinkers of the Enlightenment. Hume as an empiricist who claimed that all knowledge of "matters of fact" (any knowledge not grounded in the meanings of terms) is based on sense experience. Hume developed powerful arguments that our knowledge of cause and effect and reliance on inductive reasoning are not in themselves rationally justifiable but are based on "custom." In philosophy of religion, Hume is famous, first, for his argument that belief in miracles is irrational because the evidence of past experience will always outweigh the testimony in favor of miracles, and second, for a powerful critique of natural theology in his Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion.1

1. C.Stephen Evans, Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics & Philosophy of Religion (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002), p. 56.

Apologist Interview: Dave Sterrett

Today's interview is with author and apologist Dave Sterrett. He talks about his background and work in apologetics, the relationship between apologetics and evangelism, the centrality of evangelism, why we should trust Jesus, defining faith and trust, the Coffeehouse Chronicles, why young people fall walk away from their faith in college, I Am Second, the impact of personal transformation, his advice for other Christian apologists, and more.

Full Interview MP3 Audio here. (45 min)

Books by Dave include:
• I Am Second
• Why Trust Jesus?
• Is the Bible True...Really?
• Did the Resurrection Happen...Really?
• Who Is Jesus...Really?

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

Antony Flew on Multiverse Theory

"Some have said that the laws of nature are simply accidental results of the way the universe cooled after the big bang. But, as Rees has pointed out, even such accidents can be regarded as secondary manifestations of deeper laws governing the ensemble of universes. Again, even the evolution of the laws of nature and changes to the constants follow certain laws. 'We’re still left with the question of how these "deeper" laws originated. No matter how far you push back the properties of the universe as somehow "emergent," their very emergence has to follow certain prior laws.'¹ So multiverse or not, we still have to come to terms with the origin of the laws of nature. And the only viable explanation here is the divine Mind.”

—Antony Flew (There is a God, pp. 121-122.)
1. Martin Rees, “Exploring Our Universe and Others,” in The Frontiers of Space (New York: Scientific American, 2000), 87.

Book Review: Heresy: A History of Defending the Truth by Alister McGrath

There is a trend today to see heresy as a forbidden fruit. What is heresy?; Who says these views are wrong?; Aren’t heresies just the losers in a power struggle?–these are but a few examples of the questions being asked about heresy. Alister McGrath’s book, Heresy: A History of Defending the Truth [1] seeks to explore many of these issues while providing a historical background for those looking into the topic.

“A heresy,” states McGrath, “is a doctrine that ultimately destroys, destabilizes, or distorts a mystery rather than preserving it… A heresy is a failed attempt at orthodoxy, whose fault lies not in its willingness to explore possibilities or press conceptual boundaries, but in its unwillingness to accept that it has in fact failed.”[2]

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (07/20 - 07/27)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
• Where Was God?
• Like Apologetics315 on Facebook
• The Gospel and Persuasion
• How Did Mormonism Originate? Part 1
• A short version of Plantinga's EAAN
• Printing and binding your own books
• How to Suck at Criticizing Religion
• Happy 80th BDay to Norman Geisler
• God and the Flying Spaghetti Monster
• Ehrman’s Problem 15: He Failed to See Eternity
• 10 Misconceptions about the New Testament Canon
• Lee Strobels The Case For Christ Film on YouTube
• “It’s Just a Theory” — What’s a Scientific Theory?
• Hope’s Reason: A Journal of Apologetics Vol. 1 No. 1
• Who Were The First Apologists? A Look At The Apostles
• Gospel Centred Apologetics: What’s the Point? (Part 2)
• The Problemless Problem of Evil (MP3 by Alan Shlemon)
• Should abortion be legal? Scott Klusendorf vs Nadine Strossen
• William Lane Craig lectures on failure in the Christian life
• 3 Things The Gospel Authors Would Have Never Invented About Jesus
• Suffering - "How can there possibly be a God in a world full of pain?"
• Online Course, "Darwinism and Intelligent Design," Being Offered by Dr. Tom Woodward at Trinity College

Apologetics 315 is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit. Would you support us monthly?

• 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.

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

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Read Along: Chapter 18— Why Jesus Instead of the Flying Spaghetti Monster?

Today we conclude our Read Along project with Chapter Eighteen of 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 Eighteen, 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.

How to Get Apologetics in Your Church 2: When Apologetics is Not Welcome in Your Church

When Apologetics is Not Welcome in Your Church
by Anthony Horvath

I receive a handful of emails a year from people who are interested in apologetics, recognize its importance, but struggle to have it seen the same way in their local congregations. Many of these people find me through my ministry's online apologetics academy, which is specifically geared towards 'lay' apologists. It is very often the case that apologetics is a recent discovery of theirs that has profoundly helped them, and they are shocked that others do not have the same perspective. This is, of course, after they ponder why it took them this long to hear about apologetics in the first place.

Most of the time, the obstacle is simply a lack of enthusiasm. Occasionally, it is outright hostility. Sometimes a lack of enthusiasm, especially among the staff and clergy, is a mask for deeper opposition. It would be wise to have some deliberate conversations to determine what the real hindrance to apologetics within the congregation really is.

[MP3 | RSS | iTunes | Index]

Why Does God Allow Tragedy and Suffering?

Why Does God Allow Tragedy and Suffering?
by Lee Strobel

A message delivered Sunday, July 22, at Cherry Hills Community Church, Highlands Ranch, Colorado

MP3 Audio here. Video can be found here. PDF here.

It was the worst mass shooting in American history – 70 people shot by a gunman, 12 of them killed, while they were watching the midnight showing of a new movie just 21 miles from where we’re sitting. There are no words to describe the anguish being felt by those who are suffering today; our heart and prayers have – and will – go out to them. There are so many tragic stories, so much pain. And many people are asking the question, “Why? Why did God allow this?”

This has been a heart-rending summer for Colorado. First came the wildfires, which ravaged the houses of hundreds of our neighbors – and prompted many of them to ask the question, “Why?” And those two tragic events are on top of the everyday pain and suffering being experienced in individual lives – maybe including yours. There’s illness, abuse, broken relationships, betrayal, sorrow, injuries, disappointment, heartache, crime and death. And perhaps you’ve been asking the question, “Why? Why me? Why now?”

Terminology Tuesday: Sin

Sin: The fundamental unbelief, distrust and rejection of God and human displacement of God as the center of reality. The Bible presents sin as both fallen humanity's state of separation and alienation from God and as a person's purposeful disobedience to God's will as evidenced in concrete thought or act. As an inherent part of the human condition sin is universal, and it is both corporate and individual.1

1. Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki & Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), p. 107.

Apologist Interview: Alex McFarland (part 2)

Today is part TWO of a two-part interview with Alex McFarland, Director of Worldview Studies at North Greenville University. He is an author, apologist, and speaker on religion and culture, talk show host of the "Explore the Word" Radio Program, the Sound Rezn radio program, and more. He talks about his most recent book, 10 Answers for Skeptics, the various kinds of skepticism, discerning the difference between searchers and skeptics, the most common objections people have, generalizing and specializing in apologetics, advice for apologists, and more. For conference info, see www.truthforanewgeneration.com.

Full Part 2 Interview MP3 Audio here (47min)

Books by Alex include:
• 10 Answers for Skeptics 
• 10 Most Common Objections to Christianity 
• 10 Questions Every Christian Must Answer 
• Stand Strong: In College 

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

C.S. Lewis on the Question of Truth

‎"One of the greatest difficulties is to keep before the audience's mind the question of Truth. They always think you are recommending Christianity not because it is true, but because it is good. And in the discussion they will at every moment try to escape from the issue ‘True-or False’ into stuff about a good society, or morals, or incomes of Bishops, or the Spanish inquisition, or France, or Poland—or anything whatever. You have to keep forcing them back, and again back, to the real point. Only thus you will be able to undermine...their belief that a certain amount of ‘religion’ is desirable but one mustn't carry it too far. One must keep on pointing out that Christianity is a statement which, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important."

—C.S. Lewis
God in the Dock, 1945, p. 101. [HT: Arthur K]

Book Review: Come Let Us Reason: New Essays in Christian Apologetics

Come Let Us Reason accomplishes what editors Copan and Craig hoped it would as stated in the preface of the book. It raises classical questions in the philosophy of religion and apologetics, but does so in a fresh way, while addressing current topics not typically covered in standard apologetics books (iv).

Divided into five parts, the book’s first section, entitled Apologetics, Culture and the Kingdom of God, offers essays by Gregory Ganssle, J. P. Moreland and Toni Allen. Ganssle’s practical chapter on applied apologetics kicks off the book. His purpose, he says, is to “help (readers) think better about how to make the gospel connection with those who are not yet believers” (5). He begins by suggesting that apologists are diagnosticians of the human condition. Noting that “shallow diagnosis results in shallow and short-sighted recommendations and anemic articulations of gospel solutions” (7), the author says we need to cultivate our ability to discern the real problems of individuals and meet their crucial needs. He offers three useful tools to help us do so.

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (07/13 - 07/20)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
• Q&A with Lee Strobel
• The Trilemma Dilemma
• New Testament iWitness
• The Healing Of Amputees
• Two Rules For Witnessing
• Antitheism and Krauss' Wager
• Columbia Evangelical Seminary
• How to Share Your Faith Apologetically
• Is Intelligent Design a Circular Argument?
• How Should the Church Respond to Doubt?
• The Moral Argument for the Existence of God
• Denver Seminary Christian Apologetics and Ethics Program
• Video: The Problem of Suffering and Evil - William Lane Craig
• Douglas Groothuis lectures on the kalam cosmological argument
• International Academy of Apologetics, Evangelism & Human Rights
• Miracles: Do Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence?
• Book Review The Jesus Scandals Why He Shocked His Contemporaries

• Would you like to help with interview transcription? 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 17— What Good Is Christianity?

Today we continue with Chapter Seventeen 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 Seventeen, 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.

How to Get Apologetics in Your Church 2: Implementing Apologetics Ministry

Implementing Apologetics Ministry 
by Max L. E. Andrews

Incorporating apologetics as a seminal role in the ministry of your church may not be the easiest task. I had a teaching pastor internship in the summer of 2008 with my hometown Independent Baptist church in Richmond, VA. I entered my internship during my junior year as an undergraduate with the support of the two pastors I was working with, the senior pastor and the youth pastor. I was given the task of starting a college ministry from scratch and doing what I could to ensure that the ministry would persevere when I left. Most of the students were coming out of the senior high youth group; so what better way to deepen and strengthen their faith than through apologetics?

[MP3 | RSS | iTunes | Index]

Lectures on the Canon by Michael J. Kruger

Michael J. Kruger, author of Canon Revisited: Establishing the Origins and Authority of the New Testament Books, and professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary, Charlotte, NC presents four lectures on the origins and development of the Canon. These are part of the Kistemaker Lecture Series, RTS-Orlando, March 2012.

• The Definition of ‘Canon’: Exclusive or Multi-Dimensional?
• The Origins of Canon: Was the Idea of a New Testament a Late Ecclesiastical Development?
• The Artifacts of Canon: Manuscripts as a Window into the Development of the New Testament
• The Messiness of the Canon: Do Disagreements Amongst Early Christians Pose a Threat to Our Belief in the New Testament?

Enjoy.

Terminology: Reconciliation

Reconciliation: A change in relationship or attitude from enmity to peace; the cessation of hostility in attitude or action. Reconciliation is a central doctrine of Christianity. Specifically, in Christ God reconciled the sinful, hostile world to himself by Christ's taking upon himself the cost of our hostility and enmity, thereby setting the world free to restored union with God (2 Cor 5:19). The foundational assumption of the gospel is that only God can bear and remove the consequences of human enmity toward God and the resulting separation from God; therefore God alone can effect this change in relationship.1

1. Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki & Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), p. 100.

Apologist Interview: Alex McFarland (part 1)

Today is part ONE of a two-part interview with Alex McFarland, Director of Worldview Studies at North Greenville University. He is an author, apologist, and speaker on religion and culture, talk show host of the "Explore the Word" Radio Program, the Sound Rezn radio program, and more. He talks about his background and how he got into apologetics, the importance of apologetics in youth ministry, the Truth for a New Generation Apologetics Conference, defining apologetics and its role in the local church, opening doors in the local church, how to get better educated formally in apologetics, schools with apologetics programs, and more. For conference info, see www.truthforanewgeneration.com.

Full Part 1 Interview MP3 Audio here (47min)

Books by Alex include:
• 10 Answers for Skeptics 
• 10 Most Common Objections to Christianity 
• 10 Questions Every Christian Must Answer 
• Stand Strong: In College 

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

Charles Spurgeon on the Gospel

“Never does a man hear the gospel but he either rises or falls under that hearing. There is never a proclamation of Jesus Christ (and this is the spiritual coming forth of Christ himself) which leaves men precisely where they were; the gospel is sure to have some effect upon those who hear it.”

—C.H. Spurgeon

Book Review: Reading God's World: The Scientific Vocation by Angus Menuge

Educators are dependent upon the work of others who establish models, theories, and axioms for our classroom teaching. As Christian educators, it is a joy to discover the seminal thinking of scholars who point us toward the order and Orderer of creation. Such is the case in Reading God’s World: The Scientific Vocation. A series of lectures given beginning on that world-changing day, September 11th, focused on the wedding of science and vocation for the Christian. Five presentations were amplified to ten for this volume whose purpose is not unlike its original intent—demonstrating the biblical worldview of science through the eyes of Christians holding the office of scientist.

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (07/06 - 07/13)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
• Higgs Boson Discovered
• The Multiverse Directory
• A Landmark Study Of Miracles
• Do Objective Moral Values Exist?
• Craig Keener on the Existence of Jesus
• Can Historians Use Anonymous Sources?
• A Review of "Free Will" by Sam Harris
• William Lane Craig on the Jesus Myth
• Philosopher Interview: Richard Swinburne
• Has the God particle made God redundant?
• Has The "God Particle" Finally Been Discovered?
• Book Review: “Thinking About Christian Apologetics”
• Book Review The God Who is There by Francis Schaeffer
• The Presuppositional Apologetic of Cornelius Van Til
• A Universe From Someone: Against Lawrence Krauss (Article)
• “See to it that No One Takes You Captive through Philosophy”
• William Lane Craig comments on the Higgs Boson “God” particle
• Is the accelerating universe compatible with Hinduism and atheism?
• Will There Ever Be a Historical Consensus that Jesus Was Resurrected?

• 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: Ch 16—Is Evil Only a Problem for Christians?

Today we continue with Chapter Sixteen 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 Sixteen, 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.

How to Get Apologetics in Your Church 2: Questions are a Good Thing

Questions are a Good Thing by Luke McKinnon

“Introducing a strong and aggressive apologetics program at our church was one of the single best decisions I have made in my ministry.”

That is a pretty strong statement for a pastor to make about any ministry or program his church has implemented, but I made the statement and I wholeheartedly stand by it. By creating an “atmosphere of apologetics,” we have challenged people within the church to dig deep into their faith and to question if what they believe is really true or not. One of the mottos that has become a mainstay in our church is “Questions are a good thing.” What we have found is there are many people that feel churches and/or pastors really do not like people to question the things they are teaching. We have created a culture in which people are comfortable knowing that questions can be asked and our faith will stand firm against any question.

[MP3 | RSS | iTunes | Index]

Douglas Jacoby vs Richard Carrier Debate: Jesus—Son of God or Apocalyptic Prophet?

On January 14, 2012 Douglas Jacoby debated Richard Carrier on the topic: Jesus—Son of God or Apocalyptic Prophet? The debate took place at the Amador Christian Center in Sacramento California. Video on YouTube here. This is a long debate, with a lot of interaction and plenty of Q&A.

Full Debate MP3 Audio here (2hr 51min)

Enjoy.

Terminology Tuesday: Propitiation

Propitiation: An offering that turns away the wrath of God directed against sin. According to the New Testament, God has provided the offering that removes the divine wrath, for in love the Father sent the Son to be the propitiation (or atoning sacrifice) for human sin (1 Jn 4:10).1

1. Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki & Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), p. 96.

Philosopher Interview: Richard Swinburne

Today's interview is with Christian philosopher of religion Richard Swinburne. He is an Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford. Over the last 50 years Swinburne has been a proponent of philosophical arguments for the existence of God. He talks about his background, the changes in Christian philosophy in the past decades, the goal for the Christian philosopher, defending and advocating Christianity, his approach to arguing for the existence of God, challenges to Christianity, answering the problem of evil & suffering, his advice to Christian defenders, and more.

Full Interview MP3 Audio here (48 min)

Books by Richard Swinburne include:
• The Coherence of Theism

• The Existence of God

• Faith and Reason

• Providence and the Problem of Evil

• The Resurrection of God Incarnate

• Was Jesus God?

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

Daniel B. Wallace on the New Testament Documents

"The wealth of material that is available for determining the wording of the original New Testament is staggering: more than fifty-seven hundred Greek New Testament manuscripts, as many as twenty thousand versions, and more than one million quotations by patristic writers. In comparison with the average ancient Greek author, the New Testament copies are well over a thousand times more plentiful. If the average-sized manuscript were two and one-half inches thick, all the copies of the works of an average Greek author would stack up four feet high, while the copies of the New Testament would stack up to over a mile high! This is indeed an embarrassment of riches."

—Dan Wallace

HT: Jonathan Morrow

Book Review: On the Meaning of Sex by J. Budziszewski

J. Budziszewski, author of Written on the Heart: The Case for Natural Law, What We Can’t Not Know, and The Line Through the Heart: Natural Law as Fact, Theory, and Sign of Contradiction, takes on one of the most important, yet most confused issues of our culture: sex. We live in a culture in which sex is inescapably everywhere. From innuendos to full blown ads, it’s hard to not see or hear something sexual. Worst of all is the fact that more and more people seem to misunderstand the real meaning and purpose of sex as they engage in sex for mere fun or hook up overnight to forget about problems with the boyfriend/girlfriend. Is the purpose of sex merely pleasure? Or is it something else? In his powerful and timely book On the Meaning of Sex, Budziszewski explores not only the meaning of sex, but he investigates human nature, masculinity, femininity, and the ultimate transcending power of sex.

The first chapter title is taken from a discussion Budziszewski had with one of his students who remarked that “sex doesn’t have to always mean something” (Budziszewski’s emphasis 2). In other words, Budziszewski takes his student’s statement to mean that one could “separate our meaning for sex from the meaning for sex” (6). But if this is the case, then, according to Budziszewski, there cannot be any meaning to anything since we can just arbitrarily assign and separate meanings. “Language,” as Budziszewski puts it, “would be pointless” (7). Another issue is that sex is an intrinsic part of our human nature and we’re only free to the extent that we fulfill our nature. It’s not something that we can just throw away.

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (06/29 - 07/06)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
• Who Created God?
• Collision - The Movie
• Losing it in School
• The Apologetics of Jesus
• Can Evil Exist Without God?
• Confessions of a Ministry Snob
• Is Jesus a Copy of Pagan Gods?
• Misusing Darwin – Prof Keith Ward
• The Inherent Value of Human Life
• Joyce Meyer doctrines and teachings
• Why Intellectual Virtues Are Important
• Alleged Historical Errors in the Gospels
• J.P. Moreland: The disciples had nothing to gain
• The Wintery Knight’s favorite apologetics lectures
• “That’s Just What You Think”: Responding to Relativism
• Is Atheism Transmitted from One Generation to the Next?
• On Guard Conference in Oklahoma: July 27th and 28th, 2012
• The History of the Multiverse and the Philosophy of Science
• Journal of the International Society of Christian Apologetics
• William Lane Craig vs Walter Sinnott-Armstrong: evil, suffering and God’s existence
• Responding to Arguments for Same Sex Marriage: An Interview with Dr. Michael Brown
• Literary Apologetics & C.S. Lewis: Exploring the Chronicles of Narnia with Michael Ward

• 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.

• 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.

Get these sorts of links and more by following on Twitter.
Or just add this feed to your RSS reader.
For daily post links, please follow on Facebook.

Read Along: Ch 15—Can People Be Good Without God?

Today we continue with Chapter Fifteen 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 Fifteen, 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.

How to Get Apologetics in Your Church 2: Evangelism, Apologetics, and Cultural Impact

Evangelism, Apologetics, and Cultural Impact by Adrian Urias

There is a difficulty in implementing apologetics into our churches. This difficulty arises from the notion that apologetics has no real practical value; that apologetics is employed only by scholars in their ivory towers—who think themselves wise—which is warned against multiple times in the Bible (e.g., Proverbs 26:12). This attitude is a serious problem and it must be dealt with. The best way to debunk this myth is for Christians to get out (literally) and show that this is not true. Some may argue from the Bible the necessity of apologetics in our church, but as James says, “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do” (James 2:18b). Therefore, we must go out to the frontlines of this spiritual war and show that the proof is in the pudding.

I started an apologetics discussion group on my college campus to extinguish this problem. This was a weekly event where I took my group to evangelize for an hour or so, and then had everyone rendezvous, with visitors, at a specific place where I would give a brief ten to fifteen-minute lesson where we would get into the Word and talk about an issue such as the existence of an afterlife, the existence of God, the problem of evil, religious pluralism, a difficult passage in the Old Testament, and a variety of apologetically themed topics.

[MP3 | RSS | iTunes | Index]

Do the Gospels Contradict? by Michael Licona

Here is a talk by New Testament scholar Michael Licona in which he deals with the issue of apparent contradictions in the Gospels. (Video of this talk here at his Vimeo channel.) This is about one hour of honest assessment of the difficulties and possible approaches to the texts, followed by question and answer. More resources by Michael Licona here. His massive book on the resurrection here.


Full MP3 Audio here (90 min)
Enjoy.

Terminology Tuesday: Retribution

Retribution: Receiving what one deserves; in particular, the punishment of evil. Christianity has traditionally held a doctrine of final judgment in which God will judge all people on the basis of their actions on earth. The church also holds that God has judged sin through the sufferings and death of Jesus (understood as making propitiation for human sins, thus making it possible for humans to face God's judgment without terror). A retributive theory of punishment is one that views punishment not merely as a deterrent or an incentive to reform but as something that a wrongdoer deserves.1

1. C.Stephen Evans, Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics & Philosophy of Religion (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002), p. 102.

Author Interview: David Glass

Today's interview is with David Glass, author of Atheism's New Clothes: Exploring and Exposing the Claims of the New Atheists. David has a Ph. D. in theoretical physics and an MA in Philosophy from Queen's University, Belfast and teaches at the University of Ulster. He talks about the relationship between faith and science, the new atheism and its popular influence, the case for Christian belief, Dawkins and Dennett's evolutionary account of religious belief, Plantinga's evolutionary argument against naturalism and its alternative versions, Dawkins' argument that there is almost certainly no God, advice for Christians interacting with atheists, the Saints & Sceptics website, and more.

Full Interview MP3 Audio here (45 min)

Check out: Atheism's New Clothes: Exploring and Exposing the Claims of the New Atheists

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

William Dembski on Chance

"Scientists rightly resist invoking the supernatural in scientific explanations for fear of committing a god-of-the-gaps fallacy (the fallacy of using God as a stop-gap for ignorance). Yet without some restriction on the use of chance, scientists are in danger of committing a logically equivalent fallacy-one we may call the 'chance-of-the-gaps fallacy.' Chance, like God, can become a stop-gap for ignorance."

—William Dembski

HT: Christian Apologetics UK