Book Review: God, Freedom, and Evil by Alvin Plantinga

In God, Freedom, and Evil Alvin Plantinga (AP) attempts to rebut the logical problem of evil [i], which posits that the following two propositions [i] are inconsistent:

(1) God (an omnipotent and perfectly good being) exists
(2) Evil exists

Where is the Inconsistency? 
AP spends the first section of the book attempting to demonstrate an inconsistency between the two premises. He argues that (1) and (2) are neither explicitly nor formally [ii] contradictory, and (following J. L. Mackie) decides that the most promising course for the atheologian [iii] is that the propositions are implicitly contradictory. A set of premises is implicitly contradictory if one or more of the terms violates a logically necessary truth. What the atheologian is looking for, then, in pressing the logical problem of evil is a necessary truth which, when added to (1) and (2) above, yields a contradiction.

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (06/20 - 06/27)

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 - 3.99
• Hijacking the Historical Jesus by Phil Fernandes - 3.99
• Miracles by John Lennox - .99
• Reasons for Faith - 3.99
• There Is a God by Antony Flew - 2.99

WEEKLY LINKS:
• Tyndale House's STEP Bible study online tool
• Why Would Anyone Get a Degree In Apologetics?
• Breaking Down the ‘We’re all Atheists’ Objection
• 10 Things Every Christian Should Know about Islam
• Giunta vs. Dan Barker (“What kind of thing is God?”) MP3
• Dr. William Craig '71 - Distinguished Service to Society Award Winner
• Video: Nabeel Qureshi- The Jesus of Islam vs The Jesus of Christianity
• Greg Koukl debates Michael Shermer on God, atheism, meaning and morality
• Three Simple Strategies to Help You Become A Better Christian Case Maker

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Terminology Tuesday: Supererogation

Supererogation: Supererogation is the technical term for the class of actions that go “beyond the call of duty.” Roughly speaking, supererogatory acts are morally good although not (strictly) required. [...] The Latin etymology of “supererogation” is paying out more than is due (super-erogare), and the term first appears in the Latin version of the New Testament in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Although we often believe that Good Samaritanism is praiseworthy and non-obligatory at the same time, philosophical reflection raises the question whether there can be any morally good actions that are not morally required, and even if there are such actions, how come they are optional or supererogatory. (more here) 1

1. Heyd, David, "Supererogation", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2008 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (06/13 - 06/20)

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 - 3.99
• Hijacking the Historical Jesus by Phil Fernandes - 3.99
• Miracles by John Lennox - .99
• Reasons for Faith - 3.99
• There Is a God by Antony Flew - 2.99
• Taking Christian Moral Thought Seriously - .99

WEEKLY LINKS:
• Why I’m A Christian Evidentialist
• Are you training your replacement?
• Videos: New Atheism, A Survival Guide
• Did God Appear in Bodily Form Before Jesus?
• 3 Good Reasons to Question What You Believe
• Is Mormonism Just Another Christian Denomination?
• Test Your Eyewitnesses, Even When the Eyewitness Is You
• Joseph Smith, the Founder of Mormonism, in His Own Words
• Philosophical Arguments that the Universe had a Beginning

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

• 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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Terminology Tuesday: Confucianism

Confuciansim: Chinese school of ethical, political and religious teachings commonly attributed to Confucius (c. 551-479 B.C.). Confucianism places great weight on the cultivation of ethical virtues such as kingliness, humaneness and gentlemanliness that are cultivated through rituals. Ethical duties within Confucianism depend on one's social and family position. There is some dispute over the religious character of Confucianism, centering on the nature of tian, or "heaven," which is in some way the ground of our ethical duties. Some have interpreted this concept in a transcendent, metaphysical way, while neo-Confucians tend to think of "heaven" as a metaphorical way of describing the natural ethical order of things.1

1. C.Stephen Evans, Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics & Philosophy of Religion (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002), p. 26.

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

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 - 3.99
• Hijacking the Historical Jesus by Phil Fernandes - 3.99
• Miracles by John Lennox - .99
• Reasons for Faith - 3.99
• There Is a God by Antony Flew - 2.99
• That's Just Your Interpretation by Paul Copan - 2.99

WEEKLY LINKS:
• Why are There Four Gospels?
• Abortion Debate at Westmont College
• Without God, how can one explain the origin of life?
• Cold Case Christianity Weekend Seminar with J. Warner Wallace
• The Case for the Reliability of the New Testament (Free Bible Insert)

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

• 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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Terminology Tuesday: Virtue

Virtue: A disposition or character trait that is itself an excellence or good or that tends to lead to what is good, with moral virtues being those excellences that foster human flourishing. In ancient and medieval philosophy ethical thinking centered on the virtues - what they are, how they are related and how they are to be achieved. The medievals accepted the cardinal virtues of the ancient world (wisdom, justice, courage, temperance) and added to them the three principle Christian virtues (faith, hope and love). Both ancient and medieval thinkers tied their account of the virtues as leading to human flourishing to accounts of human nature. Recent ethical theory has seen a rediscovery of the importance of the virtues and the development of virtue theory, which holds that concepts of the virtues are basic to ethics and not reducible to claims about moral duties or what is impersonally valuable.1

1. C.Stephen Evans, Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics & Philosophy of Religion (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002), p. 121.

Ticket Giveaway: Unbelievable Conference 2014

Premier Christian Radio and Biola University present an apologetics day conference on Sat, 12 July 2014 in London. This year's conference will help ordinary Christians like you be equipped to:

• Be confident in your faith and share it effectively

• Engage with atheism, Islam and other worldviews

• Give good reasons for God and the truth of Christianity

Guest speakers include: William Lane Craig, Os Guinness, Tim McGrew, Craig Hazen, Jeff Zweerink, Clay Jones, David Robertson, Ruth Jackson, Tanya Walker, and more.

Apologetics 315 is giving away some FREE TICKETS.

See a conference trailer here.

ENTER THE DRAWING HERE.

Sign up here.

Weekly Apologetics Bonus Links (05/30 - 06/06)

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 - 4.10
• Hijacking the Historical Jesus by Phil Fernandes - 3.99
• Miracles by John Lennox - .99
• How Do You Know You're Not Wrong? by Copan - 2.99

WEEKLY LINKS:
• Aquinas' First Way (image)
• Review of Defining Inerrancy
• A Quick Refutation of Pluralism
• New Atheism’s Wardrobe Malfunction
• Five Reading Tips to Stretch Your Mind
• Question of the Week: The Definition of Faith
• Natural Theology: What It is and Why You Need It
• I’m Not a Christian For Any of These Good Reasons
• What You'll Need Most to Continue to Engage Atheists
• Frank Turek's List of 20 Influential Apologists (MP3)
• What Investigative Principle Does Every Christian Need?
• The Case for the Reliability of the New Testament (Free Bible Insert)

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

• 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 transcription? If so, contact Ap315 here.

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R. Douglas Geivett on the Hiddenness of God

"We cannot foreclose on the question of God’s willingness to disclose himself and his purposes in some concrete, particularized way without first looking into the evidence for the authenticity of an alleged revelation from him; even if a quest for some particular truth of the matter is scandalous by today’s ephemeral standards, It will hardly do to accuse God of hiding from us if we have not sincerely sought him in appropriate ways, or if we have insisted on prescribing for God the conditions under which we would approve a revelation of himself."

—R. Douglas Geivett

[HT: Truthbomb Apologetics]

1. "IS JESUS THE ONLY WAY?" IN JESUS UNDER FIRE, EDS. MICHAEL J. WILKINS AND JP MORELAND (GRAND RAPIDS: ZONDERVAN PUBLISHING HOUSE, 1995), 194.