Sunday Quote: F.F. Bruce on the Christ Myth

“Some writers may toy with the fancy of a ‘Christ-myth,’ but they do not do so on the ground of historical evidence. The historicity of Christ is as axiomatic for an unbiased historian as the historicity of Julius Caesar. It is not historians who propagate the ‘Christ-myth’ theories.”

- F.F. Bruce (The New Testament Documents, p. 123)
[HT: Eric]

Apologetics Video Clips for Small Groups

Someone recently emailed asking for suggestions for apologetics videos that would be appropriate for use in a small group setting. These sorts of videos would relatively short clips, illustrating a particular topic, and useful for prompting further discussion. So here are some of the video resources that have been featured in the past that are suitable for small group use.

One-Minute Apologist
These are quick and short videos by well known apologists on a variety of topics.

200+ Apologetics Videos by AllAboutGod.com
More short form videos on lots of various topics. Good for sparking discussion.

William Lane Craig Q&A Videos
These are more scholarly, but still short and good. Excellent for Reasonable Faith Chapters.

Apologetics Videos, Curriculum and PDF downloads
These are handy adaptations from the Apologetics Study Bible, including PDF handouts.

The Inner Life of the Cell Video
This is a good video introduction to intelligent design.

All of the above resources are found online. But if you are looking for DVDs for small group use, some great first choices are The Lee Strobel Film Collection and DVDs by Illustra Media. What videos would you recommend for small group use?

Enjoy.

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (06/10 - 06/17)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
• If I were an atheist
• Allah is not Jehovah
• The Myth of Junk DNA
• Q&A with Lee Strobel
• Who Created the Creator?
• The Question of Slavery
• Kindle 3G Summer Giveaway!
• Alvin Plantinga's A/C is on the Fritz
• Philosophia Christi: Summer 2011 Issue
• Are There Contradictions in Bible? (vid)
• Sharing the gospel with Jehovah's Witnesses
• Atheists, Doubt, Reason and the Search for Truth
• Experts' Evidence for Jesus' Crucifixion (vid)
• Reason to Believe's Summer Resource Catalog (PDF)
• The Metaphysics of the Kalam Cosmological Argument
• Is Old-Earth Creationism Biblical? Paul Copan Interview
    part 1 MP3 part 2 MP3
• Is Fulfilled Prophecy of Value for Scholarly Apologetics?
• William Lane Craig Reviews the Sam Harris debate MP3 part 2
• Lee Strobel Interviews Brian Auten on the State of Apologetics
• New DVD: Metamorphosis: The Beauty and Design of Butterflies
• Confident Christianity Apologetics Conference 2011 Promo Video
• The National Conference on Christian Apologetics Oct 28 & 29
• Big props for Polly Toynbee, President of the British Humanist Association
• UK Atheist Finally Agrees to Debate William Lane Craig (It's not Richard Dawkins)
• Frank Turek Fired by Cisco for political views even though they were never mentioned during work

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Kindle 3G Summer Giveaway!

What are your summer reading plans? Will you be reading your books on a Kindle? You could be! Apologetics315 is hosting a summer giveaway of a Third Generation Kindle 3G. This has been such a useful tool that it seemed good to give one away.

So why not enter the drawing? Using Punchtab below, you can have multiple entries into the drawing. (And if you are looking for good apologetics books, here's a great place to start.) Once you’ve clicked the entry button, you’ll have the opportunity to increase your chances of winning by leaving a comment, mentioning the giveaway on Twitter, etc.

If you are reading this via Facebook or RSS, please visit the blog to enter.

Enjoy!

Debates on Islam and Christianity

The Acts 17 Apologetics Ministry's Answering Muslims website is a good place to find content interacting with Islam. Of particular interest to many readers will be the debates page, which features dozens of debates on topics between Christians and Muslims:
• Can We Trust the Qur'an?
• Does the Evidence Show that Islam is True?
• Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?
• Did Jesus Die on the Cross?
• and many more...

So be sure to check out the Acts 17 Apologetics Ministry for resources addressing Islam.
Go to the debate page here.

Enjoy.

Slavery in the Bible: 8 Quick Resources

• Why is slavery permitted in the Bible? (CARM)
• Slavery in the Bible (All About Worldview)
• Does the Bible condone slavery?
  [also MP3] (Got Questions)
• Does the Bible Condone Slavery? (RZIM)
• What God says about slavery (PleaseConvinceMe)
• Some Initial Reflections on Slavery in the New Testament (Daniel Wallace)
• Slavery in Bible Times (PDF)
• The Bible, God, Genocide, Slavery, Misogyny, and Other Strange Stuff (Paul Copan)

Check it out.

Welcome to Apologetics 315

For those visiting from Lee Strobel's newsletter, thanks for stopping by. Here you'll find a wealth of quality resources making the case for the truth of Christianity. Every day you'll find something new. So feel free to subscribe to the RSS feed, the Twitter feed, or follow on Facebook. More about the site here.

By the way, if you are not a subscriber to Lee Strobel's newsletter, you can sign up here.

Lee Strobel interviews Brian Auten on the State of Apologetics here. 

Welcome!

Interview: Marcia Montenegro (former astrologer)

Today's interview is with Marcia Montenegro, founder of Christian Answers for the New Age (CANA). She talks about the difference between the New Age and the occult, how people tend to get into these areas, her journey into the occult and work as a professional astrologer, the nature of spiritual experiences and what's going on, spirit guides, astrology, her conversion to Christianity, and her advice to those interacting with those caught up in the New Age or occult.

Marcia is also the author of the book SpellBound: The Paranormal Seduction of Today's Kids. Find her website and resources online here.

Full Interview MP3 Audio here (1hr)

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

Sunday Quote: Stephen T. Davis on Apologetics

"In truth, faith needs apologetics. It needs it both to answer both the negative arguments of the resurrection and to construct positive arguments in favor of it. Apologetics will not create faith, but perhaps, for some, it will pave the way for it or make it possible. What is destructive of genuine Christian faith, in my opinion, is not apologetics, but unfounded beliefs, unjustified commitments. Unsound arguments are irrational leaps of faith. It is the aim of apologetics to prevent Christian faith from amounting to anything like that."

- Stephen T. Davis
(Risen Indeed: Making Sense of the Resurrection. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993)
[HT: Eric]

Apologetics By Any Other Name

"What's apologetics?" That may be the first question you hear from people who are not familiar with the discipline of giving a rational defense of the Christian faith.

And even if someone does understand the meaning of the word, the actual word "apologetics" may carry with it some negative baggage. For instance, some equate apologetics with being argumentative, being overly intellectual, or being too philosophical.

For this reason, it's often useful to simply bypass the word altogether. Why start with a stumbling block? Instead, apologetics can be referred to as defending the faith. Or maybe giving good reasons. Or answering tough questions. The list goes on...

And so here's a growing list of alternative words or phrases for apologetics. Feel free to offer your suggestions in the comments below.

• defending Christianity
• the defense of the faith
• thinking through the issues
• being thoughtful about your convictions
• being thoughtful about the faith
• critically examining Christian truth
• contending for the faith
• answering the tough questions
• examining worldviews
• studying Christian defenses
• handling tough issues
• answering skeptics
• discussing your convictions
• pre-evangelism
• persuasive evangelism
• showing Christianity is true
• giving good answers
• asking the big questions
• evaluating the evidence
• answering questions; questioning answers
• making the case for faith
• defending and confirming the Gospel
• showing why Christianity is true
• reasoning with unbelievers
• searching for truth

Perhaps some combination of these sorts of words or phrases are more self-explanatory and helpful for those who are unfamiliar with apologetics as a discipline. Share your tips!

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (06/03 - 06/10)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
• The Creation-Evolution Debate in a Nutshell
• Audio: Interview with Dr. William Lane Craig
• Lawrence Krauss Finds Empirical Evidence For God
• The Church Today Needs an Apologetic Culture

• If Christianity is true, then it speaks to every area of life
• Hermeneutics for Apologists / How to avoid starting a Cult

• Worldviews Shaping Culture: America’s Top Three

• William Lane Craig, Richard Dawkins & the Empty Chair
• Michael Brown interviews Michael Licona on the Resurrection of Jesus (MP3)
• Need a great speaker/trainer for an apologetics event? I recommend J. Warner Wallace
• Book Review: The Passionate Intellect: Christian Faith and the Discipleship of the Mind
• Understanding Jesus: Five Ways to Spiritual Enligtenment by Peter S. Williams available for pre-order

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Alister McGrath on Why God Won't Go Away MP3 Audio

Alister McGrath presents this talk at Westminster Abbey, on the subject of his book Why God Won't Go Away: Is the New Atheism Running on Empty? This is his assessment of the state of the new atheism today. This audio is from the Abbey podcast here. More by Alister McGrath here, as well as Ap315's interview here.

Full MP3 Audio here. (30 min)
Enjoy.
[HT: Chris]

Audio on Cults by the Centers for Apologetics Research

Looking for teaching/training in answering cults such as the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, or the New Age? Check out the resources by the Centers for Apologetics Research. CFAR's main goal is to equip Christians in the developing world for discernment, the defense of the faith, and cult evangelism. To find out more, see here. Or check out video and articles. Here are some MP3 lectures addressing cults:

• Four Dangers of Jehovah's Witnesses (59:25)
• Witnessing to Mormons (42:04)
• Understanding the Cults (51:03)
• Understanding Mormonism (55:25)
• Oneness Pentecostals (36:25)
• Channeling and the Occult Explosion (40:17)
• The Christian and the Masonic Lodge (40:44)
• The Culting of America/Challenge of Discernment (42:21)
• Answering and Evangelizing Jehovah's Witnesses (44:58)
• The New Age Alien Obsession (49:18)
• Ten Keys to Witnessing to the Cults (45:28)

Enjoy.

Dinesh D'Souza vs Bart Ehrman: Theodicy, God & Suffering

In this debate at Gordon College on Thursday, November 11, 2010, Dinesh D'Souza and Bart Ehrman debate the topic of: Theodicy, God and Suffering. Did Ehrman's objections carry weight? Did D'Souza provide adequate answers?

Original video can be found here.
Full Debate MP3 Audio here (1hr 42min)

Enjoy.

Apologist Interview: Stephen Bedard

Today's interview is with Stephen Bedard, pastor of Woodford Baptist Church and First Baptist Church Meaford, Ontario. He talks about his background, influences, his book Unmasking the Pagan Christ, responding to the notion that "Jesus never existed," his upcoming book responding to the Jehovah's Witness publication What Does the Bible Really Say?, the apologetics of JWs, the Hope's Reason Apologetics Journal and podcast, advice to pastors on creating an apologetic culture within the church, articulating the Gospel, apologetics and raising children, and more.

Full Interview MP3 Audio here (33 min)

Enjoy.

Sunday Quote: David K. Clark on Speaking the Truth

"To tell someone he is a sinner is speaking truth, but it can antagonize him. Driving him away by telling the truth in the wrong way and at the wrong time is hardly good communication. Effective communication must not only be true, but loving as well. It is not loving to tell a person the truth before he is ready to hear and in such a way that it produces the reverse effect."

- David K. Clark

Dialogical Apologetics, p. 209

Book Review: The 10 Most Important Things You Can Say to a Mormon by Ron Rhodes

The 10 Most Important Things You Can Say to a Mormon by Ron Rhodes is a small 125-page book designed to be a quick introduction and Christian response to the teachings of Mormonism. Like other introductory books by Rhodes, this one is structured for easy understanding of key doctrines of the group with a strong scriptural response. This brief review will outline the main topics covered in the ten chapters of the book, providing highlights along the way.

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (05/27- 06/03)

Here are this week's recommended apologetics links. Enjoy.
• Prove it!
• A Few Questions About Hell
• The truth shall set you free
• Apologetics for kindergarteners
• 7 Short Videos by Michael Licona
• Atheism and Negative Social Behavior
• Question and Answer with Lee Strobel
• Busting The Dying And Rising Gods Myths
• A.C. Grayling would rather debate fairies
• Response to Dawkins Part 4 (by Paul Copan)
• Fine-tuning requirements for life (4 PDFs!)
• The Giraffe: A Model of Intelligent Design
• Is the Supernatural Real? - Dr. JP Moreland
• Book Review: A History of Apologetics, Part 3 of 3
• Interview with Tom Gilson: Discipleship of the Mind (MP3)
• Physics Evidence for the Existence of God (On A Razor's Edge)
• William Lane Craig on his debate with Lawrence Krauss (part 3 MP3)
• Seven videos from the Biola University conference on God and evolution
• Tim McGrew Interviewed on incidental historical allusions in the New Testament (MP3)
• Is The Basis Of Morality Natural Or Supernatural? Debate Between Richard Taylor and William Lane Craig

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Fallacy Friday: Affirming the Consequent

The Fallacy Friday Podcast is the weekly audio version of Matthew Flannagan's Fallacy Friday posts over at the MandM blog. Apologetics315 is producing the audio version, released every Friday as well. Subscribe using:
• RSS Feed, or Via iTunes, or one-click.

Today's episode:
Affirming the Consequent (text | MP3)
Enjoy.

Christian Answers for the New Age

Today's featured resource is Christian Answers for the New Age. This is a ministry responding to alternative religions: New Age, occult, and Eastern belief systems. It addresses practices such as astrology, psychic powers, meditation, witchcraft/ Wicca, alternative healing, magick, etc. Marcia Montenegro is a former professional astrologer for 8 years and teacher of astrology; a former practitioner for many years of Eastern-type meditation and beliefs, and who engaged in various occult practices such as having a spirit guide and doing astral travel. Read her story here.

Check out Christians Answers for the New Age.
Article index here.

Enjoy.

Featured Resource: Hope's Reason Apologetics Journal

Today's featured resource is Hope's Reason: A Journal of Apologetics. Here you'll find academically sound apologetic resources that will equip Christians (pastor and layperson) to engage critics and to answer the questions of seekers. The journal is can be found here. In addition, check out the podcast (RSS feed | iTunes | one-click). The journal and podcast are edited by Stephen Bedard, also the author of Unmasking the Pagan Christ. Check out these resources today.

Hope's Reason Apologetics Journal main page. (volume 1 here)
Hope's Reason Podcast page.

Enjoy.