What would we know about Jesus if we lost every Biblical manuscript on the planet? Could we have any certainty Jesus actually lived, and would we be able to re-capture any of the details of his life or nature? As it turns out, there are several ancient sources of information about Jesus. Some of these are from pagan, non-Christian authors (I’ve written about these sources here … [Read more...]
The Deity of Christ in the Gospel of Mark
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...]
Having Conversations Full of Grace and Seasoned with Salt: Advice to the Christian Debater
In his letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul instructs his readers to "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person," (Colossians 4:6). I have found this advice to be invaluable in the context of debate, an activity in which many of us in the apologetics community participate. Recently, I have had the … [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...]
The Cross and the Falsification of Islam
Sura 4:156-159 states: “Allah set a seal upon them owing to their unbelief, so they shall not believe except a few. And for their unbelief and for their having uttered against Marium a grievous calumny. And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, Isa son of Marium, the apostle of Allah; and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so … [Read more...]
Eschatological Solution to the Problem of Pain and Suffering
The problem of pain and suffering is without doubt the most troubling paradox for Christians. How could a loving, maximally powerful and caring God allow his children to go through extreme and seemly meaningless pain and suffering? In times of suffering many Christians do, and correctly so I may add, find it difficult to imagine that God cares about their struggles. God appears … [Read more...]
Why Apologists Need Artists
The imagination of the human mind is a fascinating thing. With it we formulate ideas grand and terrifying; we solve complex problems with creative solutions and dream up ways of executing great evil; we get lost in the visions of a good book or in the notes of a song or in the horrors of death and terror. Our imaginations are a great tool for good and evil, not to mention an … [Read more...]
Dracula Untold
Dracula Untold looks to do for Dracula what Maleficent did for its title character. What if there is more to Dracula than we thought? What if he is a hero (albeit a problematic one)? Dracula Untold suggests that he is just that – a misunderstood monster who has become what he is for love. And make no mistake, Vlad the Impaler is a monster. His childhood is tragic. He and 999 … [Read more...]
Godbuster: A Debate With Elliot George
This week I engaged in a radio debate with an atheist on Unbelievable on Premier Christian Radio (which you can listen to here). My interlocutor was a British atheist, a retired biology teacher who goes by the pseudonym Elliot George. In his book, Godbuster, George attempts to dismantle theistic belief. I knew when I saw the front cover that the book was unlikely to be … [Read more...]
Identity Crisis: Should We Use the Term Apologetics?
Do you get blank stares when you mention apologetics? Should we drop the term and find another, like case-maker? Having tried apologetics as well as other terms, I think the problem is deeper. What can we do, and what might we learn from others who share a similar identity problem? … [Read more...]