Monday, August 31, 2009

The Michael Behe Video Interview

Michael Behe was recently on bloggingheads.tv, discussing his book Edge of Evolution. Behe tells how the video was pulled here. You can watch the video for yourself here. (For more Edge of Evolution stuff, go here.) UPDATE: the video has been reposted at bloggingheads.tv here.

Full MP3 Audio here. (44 min)

Enjoy.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Sunday Quote: Jaroslov Pelikan on Jesus Christ

"Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of western culture for almost twenty centuries... It is from his birth that most of the human race dates its calendars, it is by his name that millions curse and in his name that millions pray."

- Jaroslov Pelikan

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Book Review: The God Who Sits Enthroned by Phil Fernandes

The God Who Sits Enthroned: Evidence for God’s Existence by Phil Fernandes is a helpful overview of the main apologetic arguments for the existence of God and the case for Christian theism. Appropriate for a primer on apologetics for the layperson, The God Who Sits Enthroned is divided into three sections: 1) psychological apologetics, 2) philosophical apologetics, and 3) scientific apologetics.

The first section on psychological apologetics deals with man’s intrinsic need for God. This includes the absurdity of life without God (drawing heavily from the thought of Blaise Pascal), man’s thirst for God, and the paradox of man’s greatness and wretchedness. Fernandes’ aim here is not to offer arguments for God’s existence, but to show that God is the answer to both man’s depravity as well as his inner longing.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Argument from the Existence of Human Intelligence

This continues the series of weekly posts dealing with some basic theistic arguments. The purpose here is to introduce the reader to the idea behind each argument. Strengths and weaknesses will be presented after each summary. These are only summaries and springboards for further study in the theistic arguments. See Reason for the Hope Within for more.

An Argument from the Existence of Human Intelligence


While it is possible for complex effects to arise by accident, it is much more likely that an effect is the result of a suitably complex cause, and that specific organization in an effect depends upon at least an equal measure of organization in the cause. Human intelligence is a clear case of highly specific organization. Thus it is much more likely that the ultimate cause of human intelligence is itself at least as intelligent as the most intelligent human; and it is much less likely that the ultimate cause of human intelligence is the impersonal, unintelligent universe itself.

Greatest Strength: It is hard to believe that human intelligence is a cosmic accident; and experience tells us that organized effects result from organized (intelligent) causes.

Greatest Weakness: Many people think that Darwinian naturalism provides a mechanism for generating complex order without the need for a single, highly ordered cause.1

1 William C. Davis, Reason for the Hope Within (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdman's Publishing Co., 1999), p. 27.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

The Resurrection of Christ by Douglas Geivett MP3 Audio

Philosopher Doug Geivett presents a philosophical approach on the topic of the resurrection of Jesus, which includes the logic of resurrection belief as well as historical evidences.

Full MP3 Audio here. (original found at MacLaurin.org)

Enjoy.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

God and Morality Debate: William Lane Craig vs. Torbjörn Tännsjö MP3 Audio

William Lane Craig debates Torbjörn Tännsjö on the topic of God and morality: "If God is dead, is everything permitted?" For all of WLC's debates, check out the WLC Audio Debate Feed.

Full MP3 Audio here. (90 min)

Enjoy.

Monday, August 24, 2009

A Refutation of Moral Relativism MP3 Audio by Peter Kreeft

Philosopher Peter Kreeft presents a talk entitled: A refutation of moral relativism.

Note: audio quality is not optimal, but tolerable. A transcript can be found here.
Find Kreeft's book refuting moral relativism here.

Full MP3 Audio here.

Enjoy.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Sunday Quote: Richard Baxter on Prayer

"Prayer must carry on our work, as well as preaching. He does not preach heartily to his people who does not pray for them. If we do not prevail with God to give them repentance and faith, we are not likely to prevail with them to repent and believe."

- Richard Baxter

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Book Review: In Defense of Natural Theology edited by James Sennett & Douglas Groothuis

In Defense of Natural Theology: A Post-Humean Assessment edited by James F. Sennett and Douglas Groothuis is a thorough and focused critique of eighteenth-century Scottish philosopher David Hume’s criticisms of natural theology. The thesis of the book is this: “Natural theology is alive and well in contemporary philosophy; the supposed Humean refutation of the enterprise is a myth whose exposure is long overdue.”1 A dozen philosophers contribute to the task in this substantial volume.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Argument from the Possibility of God

This continues the series of weekly posts dealing with some basic theistic arguments. The purpose here is to introduce the reader to the idea behind each argument. Strengths and weaknesses will be presented after each summary. These are only summaries (not debate starters) and springboards for further study in the theistic arguments. See Reason for the Hope Within for more.

An Argument from the Definition of "God" and the Possibility That God Exists


Alvin Plantinga defines God as, together with the standard attributes, a "necessary being." A necessary being, if one existed at all, would exist no matter how the world went (it would exist in every "possible world"). If one admits that it is possible that God exists (as most will), then it follows that God does exist:
in order for it to be possible at all, there must be at least some possible world in which it will be true that God exists (this is, philosophers argue, just what it means to say that something is "possible"); but (and here is the tricky part), if there is some world where it is true that God exists, then "God exists" must be true in every world. Why? Because the very definition of God demands that God is a necessarily existing being. Thus, we are forced to admit that if we "find" him existing in even one world, we are guaranteed (by the definition) that he must be found in every other possible world as well. Thus, God is found (i.e., exists) in this world.
Greatest Strength: Most opponents of theism are willing to concede that God's existence is at least possible.

Greatest Weakness: Atheists who have considered the argument can and do reject the claim that God is even possible. They argue instead that the very concept of God is incoherent since, for example, it entails paradoxes such as the paradox of the stone: Can God make a stone so big that he cannot lift it? This is supposed to show that an omnipotent being is impossible.1

1 William C. Davis, Reason for the Hope Within (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdman's Publishing Co., 1999), p. 25.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

William Lane Craig Audio Debate Feed

Many of William Lane Craig's debates can be found online. However, it's a hassle downloading them all piecemeal. Now you can download them all neatly within iTunes or your feedreader by using the WLC Audio Debate Feed. When new debates are available they will be added to the feed.

Subscribe directly in iTunes here. (opens iTunes and subscribes for you)
Regular feed here.

Enjoy.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Frank Turek vs. Christopher Hitchens Debate #2 MP3 Audio

Frank Turek debates Christopher Hitchens on the topic: What Best Explains Reality: Atheism or Theism? This is their 2nd debate. Their first debate can be found here.

The debate video can be found at Crossexamined here.

Full MP3 Audio here. (2 hours)

Enjoy.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Evil and the God Who Knows MP3 Audio by Bruce Little

Philosopher Bruce Little speaks on the argument from evil in this lecture entitled: Evil and the God Who Knows. If God is all-loving and all-powerful, why so much evil in the world? An important and helpful discussion of the issue and its facets. Original (with notes) at bethinking.

Full MP3 Audio here.

Listen.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Sunday Quote: Ed Harrison on Fine Tuning

"The fine tuning of the universe provides prima facie evidence of deistic design. Take your choice: blind chance that requires multitudes of universes or design that requires only one."1

- Ed Harrison

1. Harrison, E. 1985. Masks of the Universe. New York, Collier Books, Macmillan, pp. 252, 263.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Book Review: Natural Theology by William Paley

Natural theology is the practice of inferring the existence of God from the design and beauty found in nature. Hence, the full title of William Paley’s 1802 Natural Theology is: Natural Theology, or, Evidence of the Existence and Attributes of the Deity, collected from the appearances of nature. As a literary work, Paley’s Natural Theology became a best seller and remains a classic.

Even those who have not read Paley may be familiar with his famous watch analogy. Paley tells of how if one were to find a watch in nature, one would infer a designer because of the structure, order, purpose, and design found in the watch. The features of the watch have all the hallmarks of design. Paley then shows how the manifold features of natural structures also have similar marks of design: complex organization, order, purpose, and apparent features of design. “There cannot be a design without a designer; contrivance without a contriver; order without choice; arrangement, without any thing capable of arranging…”1

Friday, August 14, 2009

Argument from the Contingency of the Universe

This will be a series of weekly posts dealing with some basic theistic arguments. The purpose here is to introduce the reader to the idea behind each argument. Strengths and weaknesses will be presented after each summary. As these are only summaries (entire books can be written for and against each) these are not debate starters (with further books written in the comments), but springboards for further study in the theistic arguments. See Reason for the Hope Within for more.

An Argument from the Contingency of the Universe


The universe didn't have to be here, and even if it has always been here it didn't have to be the way it is. This means the universe is a contingent thing. But all contingent things depend upon a cause which is itself contingent, but it is not possible that everything is contingent. Thus there must be a necessary (indeed, self-necessary) being which is the ultimate cause of the universe. God is the self-necessary ultimate cause of the universe.

Greatest Strength: Pure contingency is logically untenable, so it is difficult to believe that the universe is both contingent and uncaused.

Greatest Weakness: The contingency of the universe as a whole is difficult to establish convincingly unless one is already convinced that it has a cause.1

1 William C. Davis, Reason for the Hope Within (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdman's Publishing Co., 1999), p. 25.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Is the Old Testament Ethical? Peter Williams MP3 Audio Interview

Tyndale House scholar Dr. Peter Williams is interviewed on the topic: Is the Old Testament Ethical? in this European Leadership Forum podcast episode. Williams addresses the various indictments brought against Old Testament passages by Richard Dawkins in The God Delusion, as well as other criticisms. A phenomenal interview.

Full MP3 Audio here.

Enjoy.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Evidence for the Resurrection: Josh McDowell MP3 Audio

Josh McDowell looks at some of the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Five MP3 audio files here:

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

Video and PDF transcripts can be found here.
Also some good free eBooks:
Christianity - Hoax or History?
Resurrection Growth Guide
Reasons Skeptics Should Consider Christianity
Skeptics Who Demanded a Verdict

Enjoy.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Reasonable Faith Local Chapters

Start a Reasonable Faith Chapter!

Reasonable Faith, the apologetics ministry of William Lane Craig, has started a Reasonable Faith Local Chapter initiative. This means starting an apologetics group on campus or at your church with a goal to explore apologetics subjects through book studies, discussions of DVDs, debates and lectures, inviting guest speakers, and so forth. This all begins with finding qualified local directors for these chapters.

Go to Reasonable Faith to find out more and get started.

Sunday, August 09, 2009

Sunday Quote: Stephen Hawking on the Big Bang

"The odds against a universe like ours emerging out of something like the big bang are enormous... I think clearly there are religious implications whenever you start to discuss the origins of the universe."1

- Stephen W. Hawking

1. Stephen Hawking's Universe, page 109.

Saturday, August 08, 2009

Book Review: 20 Compelling Evidences that God Exists by Ken Boa & Rob Bowman

20 Compelling Evidences that God Exists: Discover Why Believing in God Makes So Much Sense by Kenneth D. Boa and Robert M. Bowman Jr. is a concise yet powerful case for Christianity presented in twenty very readable chapters. The style is engaging, the authors know their subject, and the book is surprisingly substantial for its modest 200 pages. Boa and Bowman’s goal is to present a compelling case for Christianity.

As the title suggests, 20 Compelling Evidences offers just that: cumulative evidence for the God of Christianity. However, the reader should be aware of what this book is not. This isn’t a book of “twenty undeniable proofs” for the existence of God; the authors do not present formal or tedious arguments in each chapter for the existence of God. Instead, the chapters build upon one another in order to provide an overall case for the rationality and truth of Christianity. Although the title claims that the evidences are compelling, the authors quickly acknowledge: “if someone doesn’t want to believe in God, no amount of evidence can force such a person to accept God’s existence as fact.”1

Friday, August 07, 2009

Theology and Apologetics on iTunes U

iTunes U has a number of good lectures and courses available on apologetics and theology. Here is a small selection of what they have to offer. Clicking the links will open up in iTunes where you can subscribe to the audio or video for each course. If you find more good ones, please let us know in the comments.

Systematic Theology 1 - Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS)
Systematic Theology 2 - RTS
Systematic Theology 3 - RTS
Christian Apologetics - RTS (John Frame)
Intro to Theology - Dallas Theological Seminary
Apologetics and Outreach - Covenant Theological Seminary (Jerram Barrs)
Apologetics - Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (Charles Self)
Apologetics 678: Western and New Religions - Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary
Apologetics 570: Far Eastern Religions - Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary
Introduction to Apologetics - Liberty University (Ergun Caner)
New Testament History & Theology - Covenant Theological Seminary
History of Philosophy and Christian Thought - RTS (John Frame)
Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology

Enjoy.

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Darrell Bock on the Historical Jesus MP3 Audio from CPX

Dr. Darrell Bock, Research Professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary, discusses the historical Jesus and the reliability of the New Testament documents. This is from the CPX (Centre for Public Christianity), an Australian organization with lots of apologetics media resources. Get this particular podcast here in iTunes or non-iTunes.

Full MP3 Audio here. (27 min)

Enjoy.

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Dan Wallace MP3 Audio: Is What We Have Now What They Had Then?

New Testament schollar Daniel B. Wallace presents this talk on the New Testaments documents entitled: Is What We Have Now What They Had Then? This is perhaps one of the best single audio files on the reliability of the New Testament documents. Highly recommended.

Full MP3 Audio here. (42 min)

Also, listen to Dan Wallace speak with James White on the Dividing Line here.
Enjoy.

Monday, August 03, 2009

First Time Visitors and Newcomers

For those who are visiting for the first time or are new to the blog, Apologetics 315 is a place where you can get daily apologetics resources including MP3 audio, debates, podcasts, book reviews, quotes, and more.

What is apologetics? See here to find out.

The most popular resource is the Ultimate Apologetics MP3 Audio Page, where you can find hundreds of hours of apologetics audio for downloading.

For those looking to find great apologetics resources, check out the post 100 Christian Apologists and the Christian Apologetics Blog Directory. Looking for good apologetics books to read? Check out the Recommended Apologetics Book Directory.

To get plugged in to some good podcasts, check out 16 Best Apologetics Podcasts, or subscribe to the Apologetics 315 Audio Junkie Feed. And check out other featured podcasts.

To learn some basic logic, you can check out the Basic Logic Primer, which will take you through 5 logic lessons. Then subscribe to the Logical Fallacies podcast, and the Logical Fallacies 2 podcast.

To learn a bit of terminology frequently used in philosophy and apologetics, check out Terminology Tuesday. Spark your thinking by reading apologetics quotes.

You can follow Apologetics 315 on Twitter here, where you can find out what sort of new audio is being added to the Junkie Feed and the occasional personal note.

Use the sidebar links to find all the posts relating to particular topics as well as notable apologists, philosophers, and theologians such as: William Lane Craig, Norman Geisler, Gary Habermas, J.P. Moreland, Paul Copan, Phil Fernandes, Frank Turek, Greg Koukl, Hugh Ross, Alister McGrath, Alvin Plantinga, Craig Blomberg, Dallas Willard, Dinesh D'Souza, Douglas Groothuis, James White, John Lennox, John Frame, John Warwick Montgomery, Kenneth Samples, Michael Licona, Rob Bowman, Wayne Grudem, and many others.

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If you have suggestions for featured resources, audio, debates, blogs, or other thoughts, feel free to comment and give feedback. The comment policy can be found here. Thanks for reading.

Sunday, August 02, 2009

Sunday Quote: Fred Hoyle on Fine Tuning

"A commonsense interpretation of the facts suggests that a super intellect has monkeyed with physics, as well as chemistry and biology, and that there are no blind forces worth speaking about in nature. The numbers one calculates from the facts seem to me so overwhelming as to put this conclusion almost beyond question."1

- Fred Hoyle

1. Hoyle, F. 1982. The Universe: Past and Present Reflections. Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics: 20:16.

Saturday, August 01, 2009

Book Review: On Pascal by Douglas Groothuis

On Pascal by Douglas Groothuis is a short but enlightening look at the life of seventeenth-century mathematician, scientist, and philosopher Blaise Pascal. The goal of Groothuis' book is to both shed light on the life and genius of Pascal and to reflect and examine the thoughts developed in his famous Pensées.

Groothuis' book is divided into ten short chapters -- the first four are devoted to the life and scientific career of Pascal, and the rest devoted to philosophical analysis of Pensées. The reader will find the historical background of Pascal's eduction, scientific discoveries, and theological background very helpful, providing a context for understanding his Pensées further.

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