A view often propounded by contemporary skeptics is that the deity of Christ is not presented by the gospel of Mark and that the Christology of the gospels evolves from Mark's gospel (generally thought to be the earliest written), which does not present Jesus as divine, to John's gospel (generally thought to be the latest written), which does present Jesus as divine. To what … [Read more...]
The Divinity of Jesus. Part Three: Did the Council of Nicaea Vote to Make Jesus God?
A lot of confusion has arisen over exactly what took place at the Council of Nicaea, with some making the assertion that Christians voted to make Jesus God in 325 AD. This was a very tumultuous time period in early church history, and the scope of this article cannot address all the various facets of events which contributed to it. However, this article will focus on the early … [Read more...]
Call for submissions to winter edition of EQUIPPED
We are excited to announce the second issue of the Christian Apologetics Alliance publication, EQUIPPED, is in production, with an anticipated release the week of December 15. This second issue, titled "'The Word Became Flesh and Dwelt Amongst Us' - John 1:14," will focus on Jesus' incarnation. [Review the first issue of EQUIPPED, released two weeks ago.] EQUIPPED invites all … [Read more...]
The Divinity of Jesus. Part Two: Did Jesus Claim to be God?
Did Jesus claim to be God? This is a weighted question. The God of the Jews is “God the Father” from a Christian perspective. Did Jesus ever claim to be God the Father? Confusion over this issue has led to modalism, known today as the “Oneness” doctrine, which in the simplest terms is the idea that God was the Father in the Old Testament, the Son in the Gospels, and the Holy … [Read more...]
Book Review: "The Resurrection of Jesus" by Mike Licona
When it comes to the truth of Christianity, no subject is more important than the Resurrection. The entire Christian faith hinges on it, and without it our faith becomes pointless. The apologetic task of defending the Resurrection is tantamount to defending Christianity itself, or at least defending its most defining facet. Thanks to the work of Josh McDowell, Gary Habermas, … [Read more...]
Frozen- The Eyewitness of "No Greater Love"
Before I go into any content about this movie, I want to warn the reader that there are major spoilers in this post. A thorough examination of the message behind the movie is not the intention of this post, rather I want to focus on one important detail in the movie that has value for understanding the force behind the eyewitness testimony of Jesus' disciples. If you have not … [Read more...]
Heresy and Creeds
The word “heresy” typically invokes a negative response toward the accuser (intolerant, bigoted, or ignorant) instead of the false belief it refers to. This is most likely due to past historical events such as the Inquisition or the Salem witch trials that remind us of the dangers of heresy-hunting. This blog will address the proper definition of heresy and the importance of … [Read more...]
Why Is There Even A Jesus Myth Theory?
I have spent much of my apologetics activity responding to the Jesus myth theory. My first book (co-authored with Stanley Porter) Unmasking the Pagan Christ and my first journal article were both responses to the Jesus myth theory. Although generally discounted by scholars, I believe that it is a dangerous theory that is influencing people through the medium of the internet. I … [Read more...]
The Divinity of Jesus. Part One: Did Jesus Claim the Divine Name?
Many Christian scholars believe that Jesus claimed the divine name spoken to Moses from the burning bush, most specifically using the example in John 8:58, where Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” The passage from which the divine name originates is Exodus 3:14: “And God said unto Moses, I AM [THAT] I AM: and he said, Thus shall you say … [Read more...]
Leaders – How well are you getting people grounded in the faith?
It should come as no surprise to anyone who is at all paying attention to the culture around us that we can no longer assume that the people we interact with subscribe to a Judeo/Christian worldview. In fact, an increasing percentage of the populace is hostile to such a view. This begs the question of church leaders, "what are you doing to get your people grounded in the … [Read more...]