Saturday, May 31, 2014

Review: Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi

In a culture where elders are to be obeyed, not questioned, and where abandonment of one’s religion can be punished by death, it is a significant challenge for a Muslim to walk away from his or her faith. Nabeel Qureshi outlines the long and often painful process that led him to do just that in Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus.

He begins by describing a rather lonely childhood. He was born in Pakistan, but his family immigrated to the United States when he was still very young. His father was in the U.S. navy and was stationed in a variety of American cities as well as in Scotland for awhile. Wherever they went, Muslims were in the minority. Qureshi notes that he was always aware of being different and that his Muslim heritage was a deterrent for many would-be friends and their families (32).

The author notes that Muslims believe Christians are an immoral and promiscuous lot. For this reason, immigrants like his parents are fearful of their offspring being Americanized. Therefore, the Qureshis would not allow their son to spend time with non-Islamic children outside of school. It also meant that they spent a great deal of time and energy indoctrinating Nabeel and his older sister in the ways of Islam.

Friday, May 30, 2014

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (05/23 - 05/30)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
• 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.
Canada here. UK here.

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Friday, May 23, 2014

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (05/16 - 05/23)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
• 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.
Canada here. UK here.

• Would you like to help with interview transcriptionIf so, contact Ap315 here.

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Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Terminology Tuesday: Divine Foreknowledge

Divine Foreknowledge: God's knowledge of future events, including future free human choices. Some philosophers argue that since God's knowledge cannot be mistaken, and since the past cannot be changed, God's knowing future events before they occur implies that no other events could possibly occur and that free will is an illusion (the determinism viewpoint). A variety of responses to this problem have been given, including holding that since God is timeless he has no knowledge before an event but knows all things in a timeless now. Others accept Molinism, the view that God's foreknowledge and providence are linked to his middle knowledge, which is a knowledge of how free creatures would act in different circumstances. Still others limit God's foreknowledge by holding that, while omniscience includes knowing all true or false propositions, some propositions about the future are as of yet neither true nor false. And similarly, others limit divine foreknowledge by holding that, while God knows all that it is logically possible to know, it is logically impossible to have infallible prior knowledge of free decisions.1

1. C.Stephen Evans, Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics & Philosophy of Religion (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002), p. 45.

Friday, May 16, 2014

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (05/09 - 05/16)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
• 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.
Canada here. UK here.

• Would you like to help with interview transcriptionIf so, contact Ap315 here.

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Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Terminology Tuesday: Fatalism

Fatalism: The view that whatever happens does so necessarily and that therefore human choice and effort make no difference. Critics of determinism allege that fatalism is a logical consequence of determinism, but most determinists (particularly so-called "soft determinists") reject this on the grounds that human choices do make a difference as part of the causal order. Some "hard determinists" accept the idea that whatever happens does so necessarily and claim that recognizing this truth frees a person from anxiety and leads to peace of mind.1

1. C.Stephen Evans, Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics & Philosophy of Religion (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002), p. 44.

Friday, May 09, 2014

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (05/02 - 05/09)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
• 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.
Canada here. UK here.

• Would you like to help with interview transcriptionIf so, contact Ap315 here.

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Tuesday, May 06, 2014

Terminology Tuesday: Universalism

Universalism: The belief that all persons will eventually be saved and thus that no one will be eternally lost. Some universalists hold that all will be saved because of the work of Christ, but some deny the unique deity of Christ and necessity of his work for salvation in favor of a pluralistic view that sees the world's religions as equally valid. Universalism should not be confused with the view that it is possible that some who do not have conscious faith in Christ in this life may be saved. It also should be distinguished from annihilationism, which holds that those who are eternally lost cease to exist altogether.1

1. C.Stephen Evans, Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics & Philosophy of Religion (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002), p. 119.

Monday, May 05, 2014

Apologist Interview: Tom Gilson of Ratio Christi

Today’s interview is with Tom Gilson, the National Field Director for Ratio Christi, and blogger at ThinkingChristian.net. He talks about Ratio Christi and its growth, Ratio Christi College Prep and Ratio Christ Chapters. He also discusses the print publication of the book True Reason: Confronting the Irrationality of the New Atheism, responding to the new atheism, the book A Manual for Creating Atheists (Peter Boghossian: Atheist Tactician), the approach of Peter Boghossian, and an an argument in favor of the historicity of the Gospel accounts (found at Touchstone magazine here).

Enjoy.

Sunday, May 04, 2014

R. T. France on the Historicity of the Gospels

"At the level of their literary and historical character we have good reason to treat the gospels seriously as a source of information on the life and teaching of Jesus, and thus on the historical origins of Christianity. Ancient historians have sometimes commented that the degree of scepticism with which New Testament scholars approach their sources is far greater than would be thought justified in any other branch of ancient history. Indeed many ancient historians would count themselves fortunate to have four such responsible accounts, written within a generation or two of the events, and preserved in such a wealth of early manuscript evidence. . . . Beyond that point, the decision as to how far a scholar is willing to accept the record they offer is likely to be influenced more by his openness to a ‘supernaturalist’ world-view than by strictly historical considerations."

—R. T. France
“The Gospels as Historical Sources for Jesus, the Founder of Christianity,” Truth 1 (1985): 86. (link)

Friday, May 02, 2014

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (04/25 - 05/02)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
KINDLE DEALS:
Alive: A Cold-Case Approach to the Resurrection - 1.99
Did Jesus Rise From The Dead? by WLC - FREE
If God Is Good: Why Do We Hurt? 1.99
Hijacking the Historical Jesus by Phil Fernandes - 3.99
What's Your Worldview?: An Interactive Approach to Life's Big Questions - .99

WEEKLY LINKS:
Atheism of the gaps
The Gospel Truth of Jesus
Just a Sabbath Day's Journey
Alvin Plantinga on Apologetics
Was Jesus a real person? - Video
Video: Is God a Moral Monster? by Paul Copan
Belief in God is the motor that drove science
Is Jesus Simply a Retelling of the Horus Myth?
Abdu Murray and Grand Central Questions, Part 1
Abdu Murray and Grand Central Questions, Part 2
Is There Any Evidence for Jesus Outside the Bible?
Is the Old Testament Ethical? Peter Williams MP3 Audio
Detroit Pastor Envisions an ‘Urban Turn’ in Christian Apologetics
William Lane Craig discusses reason and faith with university students
Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions Audiobook
Tim McGrew explains how undesigned coincidences affect textual reliability
J. P. Moreland explains the meaning of happiness in the Christian worldview
Debate Video: Karl Giberson vs. Stephen Meyer- Should Christians Embrace Darwin?
Free: Dr. Craig answers tough questions On the Trinity and The Problem of Evil
Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels Audiobook

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.
Canada here. UK here.

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