Introduction More and more it seems that society and culture are attempting to jettison objective morality in favor of their own moral autonomy. It is a challenge that takes place at both an individual level and a political level. The Christian worldview holds that certain actions and behaviors are right or wrong regardless of who believes or does not believe that they are. … [Read more...]
Unfashionable History: The Untold Story behind the Rise of Western Civilization
Unfashionable History A Review of How the West Won: The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity by Rodney Stark Americans are becoming increasingly ignorant of how the modern world came to be what it is, says Rodney Stark. A generation ago, most college curricula included a course in Western Civilization that covered Western achievements in art, music, literature, … [Read more...]
Convince Me There’s A God – Archaeology 26
The Book of Daniel is one of the most contested writings in the Bible. Atheists understand the significance of Daniel and attack it with regularity. Here’s a note on the Secular Web about Daniel: “The prophecies of the Book of Daniel have fascinated readers and created controversy for the past two thousand years. Evangelical Christians believe that the prophet Daniel, an … [Read more...]
It’s Not Just Entertainment
At this year's Traverse City Film Festival, anyone in downtown Traverse City inevitably saw a poster with this year’s slogan: “One Great Movie Can Change You.” I completely agree. This is not a new insight, of course. People have recognized the power of entertainment for thousands of years. However, the slogan has encouraged me to revisit how the arts and entertainment both … [Read more...]
Book Review: The Case For Life- Part 4 Of 4
Last month I continued a chapter-by-chapter summary review of Scott Klusendorf's book "The Case For Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture" (paperback, Kindle, GoodReads, Video Trailer, Interview, Life Training Institute). Today I will conclude the summary with Part 4 of the book and my thoughts and recommendation. Part 4- Pro-Life Christians Teach and Equip Chapter … [Read more...]
On the Historical Accuracy of the Book of Acts
Here are some of the details that Luke gets right in Acts that cannot be derived from Josephus. Most of these can be found in Colin Hemer's magisterial work, The Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History. 1. A natural crossing between correctly named ports. (Acts 13:4-5) Mt. Casius, which is south of Seleucia, is within sight of Cyprus. 2. The proper port (Perga) … [Read more...]
The Importance of Set Theory to Apologetics
Argumentum ad mathematicum Growing up as a young lad, I had an interest in mathematics. This interest waned a bit, starting in pre-calculus (doing summation the long way just doesn’t jibe well with time constraints). Nevertheless, apologetics has brought me back to studying the basics, as it were, of mathematics. Increasingly, those arguing for the truth of Christianity … [Read more...]
The Young Messiah—Heresy or Homage?
The Young Messiah is an upcoming American biblical drama set to hit theaters in March 2016. The movie portrays a seven-year-old Jesus returning from Egypt to His hometown of Nazareth, and along the way discovers the truth about who He is. In a press release, Director Chis Nowrasteh stated, “[The] film seeks to present a realistic portrait of Jesus as a child both grounded in … [Read more...]
Convince Me There’s A God – Archaeology 25
Dr. Richard Carrier is a well-known atheist who does not believe Jesus of Nazareth was a real person. Carrier is a leading proponent of the ‘origin of Christianity without a historical Jesus’ (richardcarrier.info). Carrier also believes that many of the most important biblical figures were also fictional. “The patriarchs are safely assumed now to be nonhistorical, and thus … [Read more...]
Wayward Pines
“Before I built a wall I’d ask to know what I was walling in, or walling out." Blake Crouch’s Wayward Pines books, which have recently experienced a resurgence thanks to M. Night Shamylan's recent television show of the same name, have sold over 1 million copies in twenty-five countries. Shamylan diverged from the book series around Episode 5; this review will focus on the … [Read more...]