In a recent New York Time article, Thomas Nagel offers a brief but robust explanation why a purely physical explanation of the universe will not work. This may not seem, at first glance, to be a big issue. However, if it is true that the universe is only physical, then there can be no human mind/soul and certainly no god. Here is the kicker: Dr. Nagel is an atheist. And, he … [Read more...]
Slideshow: What Best Explains Jesus’ Empty Tomb?
There is little to no debate among both Christian and non-Christian historians on the facts of Jesus’ empty tomb. By contrast, there is widespread debate as to what best explains those facts. The historical facts of Jesus’ death and empty tomb are these: Jesus was murdered and buried. Three days afterward, his body went missing. Accounts of Jesus’ appearance to both his … [Read more...]
Why Apologetics is More Powerful Than You Think
I’ve recently been reading Mary Jo Sharp’s Defending The Faith: Apologetics in Women's Ministry. For some reason this particular book has brought back long-lost memories of why I began studying apologetics in the first place and how it has changed my personal faith. Sharp writes passionately about the need for Christian women to learn more about what they believe. If they’re … [Read more...]
The Danger of Overstating Conclusions
Have you ever played the electronic game 20 Questions? If you haven't, this is what it is: You think of an object and the computer will ask you "yes/no" questions until it narrows down what you are thinking about. If you answer 20 questions, and it can't figure out what you're thinking about, you win. I've tried it a few times, and I've been able to stump it a couple. :) What … [Read more...]
In The Cultural Apologetic Box?
If you are anything like me, you never really fit into a box. People try to put you in a box, and you search for the box you should fit into. This is what we do in Western culture; we identify people by their boxes. I am a Myers Briggs ESTJ, a senior engineering design technologist with an associate in theology and an MA in apologetics, an Australian with an American wife, a … [Read more...]
Solving The Problem of Secularization
Having defined 4 key epistemologies in my previous video posts on Rationalism, Agnosticism, Experientialism, and Pragmatism. It is a good time to remind new readers that the focus of this series is to develop a healthy Incarnational Apologetic which I define as follows. Incarnational Apologetics is not to convince others that the Church is “relevant” NOR to persuade them of … [Read more...]
Opinions vs. Truth-Claims
This post is more of an addendum to my post "Positive vs. Negative Arguments". Please check out that post for more context. Opinions reflect feelings and may or may not be true. If one claims that their thoughts are simply "opinions" (not claiming to actually be truth- even though it might be) then they have no responsibility to provide a reasoned defense of the … [Read more...]
Homeland Security for the Church – The Need to Defend the Faith
For my generation and our progeny, the church cannot start from the position that people want religion and are shopping around to determine what religion is right or best. We cannot take for granted that people in the community feel a need for God. The popularity of the writings of Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins is evidence enough of hostility in our … [Read more...]
The Search For Truth — Experientialism and Pragmatism
To build an Incarnational Apologetic capable of reaching the post-modern person, it is important to understand four basic epistemologies. Rationalism Agnosticism Experientialism Pragmatism The first two have already been covered in my previous posts, in this video-post I want to define both Experientialism & Pragmatism. What is Experientialism? Experientialism is a … [Read more...]
Defeating Ella's Doubts
It had to happen.My one and only child, Ella is turning fourteen and despite her exposure to better Christian education, her inquiring mind raises questions that only she can deal with, by reading and seeking the Living God. The usual questions have already come up, and more besides. "How do we know that God is there?" "If God created the universe, who created God?" "How do … [Read more...]