Today's post is the third and final installment of a series, but it can be read as a stand-alone article. For more background information, you can find the first installment HERE and the second HERE. Was the Church Ultimately Responsible for the Horrors of the European Witch Hunts? There are many different theories about the root causes of the European witch hunts. Some … [Read more...]
Are Most Scientists Atheists?
Oftentimes atheists claim that the overwhelming majority of scientists are unbelievers and attempt to support their position by pointing to a number of polls that query the religious temperature of scientists, which have been conducted over the past decade or so. By offering such data, atheists try and argue that immersion in science dispels the supposed superstitious and … [Read more...]
Do Any Atheists Live In A Moral Vacuum?
Can an atheist really be good without God? This seems to be an age old question and something organizations like the Illini Secular Student Alliance (ISSA) would have you believe with billboards and advertisements to boot. Well, what does God think? Does God agree with this sentiment that someone can be good while not believing in Him? Psalm 53:1 says, “The fool hath said in … [Read more...]
God’s Omnipotence and Problem of Evil
“A wholly good omnipotent being," contended J. L. Mackie, “would eliminate evil completely; if there really are evils, then there cannot be any such being.” (Mackie 1982: 150) Is it necessarily true that a wholly good omnipotent being who is able eliminate evil, would eliminate evil? Is it necessarily true that a wholly good omnipotent being who cannot prevent pain and … [Read more...]
Why won't God show Himself to the world?
Notice a lot of people arguing about religion these days? It’s nothing new. Arguments over the existence of God have been ongoing for thousands of years, and with good reason. Whether you believe in God or do not believe in Him, it is impossible to prove your position in such a way that everyone will be convinced. This is because God is not a part of the physical … [Read more...]
An Atheist Admires the Contributions of Religion
Atheist Alain de Botton believes that atheists and secularists can borrow a lot of good things from religion: Religions merit our attention for their sheer conceptual ambition; for changing the world in a way that few secular institutions ever have. They have managed to combine theories about ethics and metaphysics with a practical involvement in education, fashion, … [Read more...]
Why The Church Needs Apologetics: A Look at Critics, Seekers, and Doubters
Introduction Over the years I have spoken to several people from a variety of backgrounds about the Christian faith. When we started a Ratio Christi apologetics chapter on The Ohio State University in the Fall of 2009, I had been talking to college students about spiritual beliefs for several years. It was during this experience that I began to see the need for a stronger … [Read more...]
Atheism and the burden of proof
When someone makes a claim about the world, if they want to convince others, they are required to provide justification for that claim. This is not a contentious or strange idea, but what does this mean for atheism? Is atheism a belief and does it require justification? In this article I will show that atheism is a belief about the world and that it does require a justification … [Read more...]
The Gospel According to Bart Ehrman
A June 3rd article that appeared on Christianpost contained an interview with Dr. Bart Ehrman who is a noted author and professor of religion. Ehrman is most famous for his criticisms of the New Testament’s reliability, with various books he’s produced on the topic reaching the top of certain best seller lists. The Christianpost interview focused on his skepticism of the New … [Read more...]
The Search For Truth — Agnosticism
To build an Incarnational Apologetic capable of reaching the post-modern person, it is important to understand four basic approaches in the search for truth. Rationalism Agnosticism Experientialism Pragmatism In my previous post, I outlined Rationalism. In this video post, I want to focus on Agnosticism which is defined as follows: … [Read more...]