Is Christianity True? FREE eBook

In April 2010, Apologetics 315 produced an essay series on the topic Is Christianity True? This was a series of 23 essays contributed by various apologetics bloggers from across the web. See the table of contents here. A podcast was also created with audio each of each essay. Now, the ebook version is available for download. Download below:

Is Christianity True? eBook
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Essay: The Wise Man Seeks God by Brian Auten

The Wise Man Seeks God by Brian Auten
Let us imagine that there is no God. Perhaps everything that is came into being out of nothing and for no real reason. The processes of matter coalesced to form chance patterns in an endless collision of atoms and particles. After a certain amount of time, some matter and energy formed self-replicating molecules. By something that cannot even be called luck, what we call life came into existence at the end of a process of materialistic chance. Conscious, self-reflective, thinking beings arose to contemplate, communicate, and populate. So-called morality, society, and humanity came to be.
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Essay: Showing Christianity is True by Matthew Flannagan

Showing Christianity is True by Matthew Flannagan
“Can you show that Christianity is true?” To help us focus our thinking as to how one should answer this question I will pose some other questions as follows. Can you show that other people exist or that there exists a world that endures independent of our senses, which continues to exist when we no longer perceive it? Can my belief that it is wrong to inflict pain on another person for no reason at all be shown as true? What about my belief that Russell’s sceptical hypothesis that the whole Universe came into existence six seconds ago, including all apparent memories and signs of age – is this false or true?  (MP3 Audio | RSS | iTunes)

Essay: Testing Christianity's Core Truth Claims by Kyle Deming

Testing Christianity's Core Truth Claims by Kyle Deming
Jesus of Nazareth once asked his disciples a simple but profound question: "Who do you say that I am?" That question is just as relevant for us today as it was for the ancients. If Christ were a mere good teacher, then Christianity amounts to little more than a curious and fascinating social movement - something for historians and scholars to ponder. But what if, as the Christian faith teaches, Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who died and rose for the atonement of our sins? Then our answer to his question takes on weighty significance, a significance with both worldly and eternal consequences.
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Essay: Atheism: A Falsified Hypothesis by Brian Colón

Atheism: A Falsified Hypothesis by Brian Colón
Several Atheists like to complain that Theism, unlike Atheism is unfalsifiable.  If this is true, then it means that Atheism can be proven false, Theism cannot.  Many Atheists consider this to be a strong point for Atheism and a weak point for Theism.  The problem is, since Atheism CAN be proven false, then IF it IS proven false, then Theism (its negation) would necessarily be proven true.  When there are only two possible answers for a proposition, and one of them is proven false, then the other is necessarily true.  Consider the question "Does God Exist?" There are only two possible answers, "yes" and "no".  If the answer "no" was proven false, then the only alternative answer remaining is "yes". (MP3 Audio | RSS | iTunes)

Essay: Christianity Explains Logic by Glenn Hendrickson

Christianity Explains Logic by Glenn Hendrickson
There have been many attempts to prove God's existence, the validity of Christianity, the resurrection or deity of Christ, etcetera. All of these fall under the broad heading of Christian Apologetics. Various methods and data have been employed in this enterprise, all aiming at justifying part of, or the entire, Christian worldview. I hope to demonstrate in my brief essay that the Christian worldview is justified over and against an atheistic worldview on the basis of humanity's everyday use of logic.
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Essay: The Gospels Tell Me So by Vocab Malone & Paul D. Adams

The Gospels Tell Me So by Vocab Malone & Paul D. Adams
Why believe Christianity is true? Because the Gospels tell me so. Although this may sound trite or dismissive, it is a reasonable response if the biblical content preserves the events as they really happened. And if Christianity is based in certain empirically verifiable events, then Christianity is true. This essay will speak to the general reliability of the New Testament Gospels.

Preliminary questions regarding ancient literature purporting to record accurate historical events include: “What is the author’s intent?” “Did the Gospel authors intend to capture a genuine portrayal of the life and works of Jesus of Nazareth?”  If not, then at least it is psychologically naïve and at most historically irresponsible to rely upon the Gospel accounts as accurate sources. If it can be demonstrated the Gospel authors intended to write biographies and accurately record the words and works of Jesus, then it becomes a small distance to travel in believing Christianity is true.  (MP3 Audio | RSS | iTunes)

Essay: Christianity is Objectively True by Marcus McElhaney

Christianity is Objectively True by Marcus McElhaney
I believe Christianity is objectively true. What I mean is that Biblical Christianity is true no matter if you or I believe it or not. Three main reasons have brought me to this conclusion:

1. The teleological argument says the observable design in the world suggests that there must be an intelligent designer – God.
2. The Bible has stood the test of time – historically, scientifically, and archaeologically.
3. Jesus really lived, was really crucified, and only his bodily resurrection is the best explanation for the historical data.
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Essay: The Euthyphro Dichotomy by Mariano Grinbank

The Euthyphro Dichotomy by Mariano Grinbank
Christianity is true because it splits the horns of the Euthyphro Dilemma.

In Plato’s Euthyphro, Socrates proposes a dilemma that calls into question the premise of theistic ethics:
1. Is something good because God proclaims it?
2. Or, does God proclaim it because it is good?

The points of the dilemma are:
1. Is something good merely because God proclaims it? In which case, goodness is arbitrary and God could interchange good and evil at a whim.
2. Is there something separate from God to which God adheres; does God have to act according to an ethical standard which is outside of Himself? In which case, God is not all sufficient and obeys a higher standard.
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Essay: Christianity Proved by the Nature of the Jewish Nation by Anthony Horvath

Christianity Proved by the Nature of the Jewish Nation by Anthony Horvath
Much ink has been spilled in defense of the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus, and I myself have spilled my fair share. Similarly, the stunning explosion of the Christian Church within the Roman Empire has been raised as a phenomenon that requires explanation and a dead man rising from the dead is the best one. These efforts are valid, but their weight cannot be appreciated without first knowing the context behind the arguments. We must understand the Jewish people, their history and religion.
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Essay: Christianity and Other Ancient Religions by Stephen J. Bedard

Christianity and Other Ancient Religions by Stephen J. Bedard
Why should Christianity be thought of as true?  The challenge is there were other religious movements in the first century Mediterranean that were just as popular. Why should Christianity have a better claim to truth than some of the mystery cults of the Greco-Roman world?  Some authors have even suggested that the story of Jesus was based on these mystery cults and that the Gospels simply put a Jewish garb on a universal myth found within the mystery cults. There are many ways to respond to such a Jesus myth hypothesis, but one can look at these religious movements from a historical perspective and conclude that Christianity has a better claim to truth.
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Essay: The Impossible Faith by James Patrick Holding

The Impossible Faith by James Patrick Holding
No doubt you’ll read here a lot of arguments that Christianity is true because Jesus rose from the dead, historically. I agree with those sentiments, and also know many of the standard critical responses (e.g, “the body of Jesus was stolen,” “the apostles hallucinated,” “aliens hoaxed the Resurrection”) and the answers to them.

But here I want to offer my unique perspective on why Christianity is true: I believe that the social world of the first century was, on a large number of counts, ideologically in opposition to Christianity. Response to Christian claims would have been so overwhelmingly negative that the only way anyone outside of an original, dedicated core of Jesus’ followers would have become Christians would have been if they had been able to present sufficient evidence to convince others that the Resurrection actually happened. What kind of evidence? I could discuss that in more words, but since my space is limited, I will only briefly note a few examples: The empty tomb; the miracles wrought by Jesus and the Apostles; the nature miracles at the time of the crucifixion; the testimony of those who guarded the tomb; the unwavering testimony under pressure of those who saw Jesus alive after death. (MP3 Audio | RSS | iTunes)

Our main subject, however: Why would they need this sure witness for people to believe?

Essay: The Historical Event of the Resurrection by Amy Hall

The Historical Event of the Resurrection by Amy Hall
When I say that Christianity is true, I am not merely saying that it's meaningful to me personally. I am saying that it accurately represents the truth about reality. And there is nothing more central to Christianity than the idea that Jesus died on the cross, removing the guilt that separated us from our perfect God by taking the punishment we deserved on Himself, and was resurrected, restoring us to a joyful relationship with God who is the very standard of goodness, truth, and beauty.

No resurrection, no Christianity.

Where does this leave the truth seeker? Fortunately, though miracles have a supernatural cause, the evidence of the effect is available for our scrutiny just as the evidence for any historical event in history is available to us, and so I offer this brief outline of an argument:
 (MP3 Audio | RSS | iTunes)

Essay: The Facts of the Resurrection by Aaron Brake

The Facts of the Resurrection by Aaron Brake
“The evidence for the resurrection is better than for claimed miracles in any other religion. It’s outstandingly different in quality and quantity.” — Antony Flew

The truth of Christianity stands or falls on the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. As Paul himself said, “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”1 Here the Apostle provides an objective criterion by which to judge the legitimacy of the Christian worldview. Show that Christ has not been raised from the dead and you will have successfully proven Christianity false. Consequently, it is entirely appropriate that a positive case for “Why Christianity is true” focus on the most central truth claim of the Christian faith: the Resurrection.
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Essay: Making Sense of the Resurrection by Luke Nix

Making Sense of the Resurrection by Luke Nix
Every person has a worldview. A person’s worldview consists of a web of beliefs, each with its own sub-web of evidences that support it. A worldview’s truth can be judged by how closely it reflects reality as we know it. The evidences for each belief should be tested. I believe that the Christian worldview is the one that most accurately reflects reality. I will focus on providing evidences for one of the foundational beliefs of Christianity – that Jesus Christ rose bodily from the dead and that the Christian worldview is the only one that can make sense of such an historical event. (MP3 Audio | RSS | iTunes)

Essay: Prophecy and Resurrection by Shelby Cade

Prophecy and Resurrection by Shelby Cade
A.W. Tozer once stated, “The unattended garden will soon be overrun with weeds; the heart that fails to cultivate truth and root out error will shortly be a theological wilderness.”1 Tozer recognized the importance of truth, especially theological truth.  What evidence can be given to show that Christianity is the religion that has truth as its foundation?

In looking at the Christian truth claims compared to other religions, the divisions are distinguished by way of the evidence.   Truth, by its very nature, is exclusive.  Truth can be defined as that which corresponds to reality or the way things really are.  If something is true, it is irrelevant if an individual believes it or not. All religions can be critiqued – including Christianity – to verify which one corresponds to the way things really are.  What evidence exists for Christianity? (MP3 Audio | RSS | iTunes)

Essay: Cumulative Reasons for Christianity by Chad Gross

Cumulative Reasons for Christianity by Chad Gross
In this essay, I will share some of the reasons that I follow Jesus Christ. 

If God does not exist, each of our thoughts are simply the product of a long series of random, unreasonable accidents. As C.S. Lewis once put it: “…if… thoughts…are merely accidental by-products, why should we believe that one accident should be able to give a correct account of all the other accidents.”1

The fact that we, as finite beings, can ponder such questions as “Does God Exist?” is powerful evidence for His existence.  For someone to reason about anything, God’s existence must be pre-supposed. I see no good basis for concluding that unreasonable, natural processes can produce reasoning beings. A supremely reasonable mind seems to be the most logical explanation of humanity’s reasoning abilities.  (MP3 Audio | RSS | iTunes)

Essay: Orthogonal Complexity by Peter Grice

Orthogonal Complexity by Peter Grice
Something resembling Christianity must be true, in my view, due to a pervasive phenomenon I'd like to call orthogonal complexity.  It is distinct from two related concepts, irreducible complexity and specified complexity, as elaborated below.

All three concepts fall under the general category of teleology.  Telos is a mode of explanation described by Aristotle,1  where a physical object or system has a purpose that exists in prior causal relation to its features of form and function.  In other words, its traits serve the interests of a goal. (MP3 Audio | RSS | iTunes)

Essay: Defrocking the Priests of Scientism by Bob Perry

Defrocking the Priests of Scientism by Bob Perry
The “skeptical” materialist, Michael Shermer recently offered the following as a description of his atheism: “There’s no, like, central set of tenets that we adhere to or believe in, or anything like … a Christian or a Jew or whatever. We don’t have anything like that, because there is nothing. It’s just simply we just don’t believe.”1

Shermer’s denial of any adherence to religious belief is instructive in light of the widely heralded claims he and others make about the legitimacy of Christian input to the marketplace of ideas. A “religion,” let us remember, is nothing more than a template by which one understands and responds to the world. Everybody has one. Shermer’s religion is simply informed by a belief that God does not exist. But that assertion does not allow him to escape the fact that he holds to a systematic view of the world. He has simply tried to construct his understanding of ethics, truth and ultimate reality on the non-existence of God. The question is not about who holds religious views. The question is which of those views correspond best with reality. (MP3 Audio | RSS | iTunes)

Essay: The Failure of Naturalism by Richard Gerhardt

The Failure of Naturalism by Richard Gerhardt
Though I have come to the same recognition from each of several independent perspectives, today I’ll argue that science leads me to embrace Christianity. My arguments will address the leading alternative scientific view, scientific naturalism; my primary purpose, then, will not be to affirm Christianity vis à vis Islam, Hinduism, or other world religions.  The perceptive reader may apply some of these arguments against those other worldviews, but space dictates that I adhere to the primary task of debunking the ideas that (in the words of the late astronomer Carl Sagan) “the Cosmos is all there is, or was, or ever will be” and that modern science has somehow proved this metaphysical claim. (MP3 Audio | RSS | iTunes)