It is a verse that all of us who are involved in apologetics have grown to love and cherish. 1 Peter 3:15 is the New Testament's mandate for being always ready to offer a rational defense for the Christian worldview. It is unfortunate, however, that we have come to be so familiar with this verse that we miss its full significance, for the text teaches far more than the need to … [Read more...]
A Simple Reason Why The Qur'an Cannot Be The Word of God
The Islamic religion claims that the Qur'an, revealed allegedly by the angel Gabriel to the prophet Muhammad beginning in 610 A.D., is the inspired and inerrant word of God. Such an assertion, however, is highly problematic, and many, many arguments could be given to convincingly refute it. In this article, I am going to offer one of those reasons, which I perceive to be the … [Read more...]
Changing Our Culture through Culture
I have not seen the movie Noah yet, but it seems to be creating quite a ruckus among Christians. On one hand, you have people who feel that this movie is an opportunity. They feel that even though it might not be anything like the biblical story of Noah, we can use this as a way to talk about the Bible. People might not have ever been interested in the Bible before, and even … [Read more...]
Understanding the arguments in God’s not Dead: Part I of III
SPOILER ALERT: If you have not seen the movie yet, I suggest doing so before reading this. While what I say here will not totally take away the fun of watching the movie, it may diminish your enjoyment to a certain extent. I recommend seeing and supporting it in order that more movies like it may be produced. So, you have seen the movie and you were intrigued by the … [Read more...]
Apologetics Training on the Home Front
Introduction. This month's contribution is rather unique because it is not like previous postings on the subjects I have written on. However this one has been on my heart and mind for quite some time. So this month I would like to share from the heart as a Dad, as the "bread winner" of our home, and as one of the many tent making $1 apologists that the Lord has placed in the … [Read more...]
How Can You Trust Christianity Is True When There Are So Many Unanswered Questions?
As a Christian, I have many unanswered questions. The more I study the Christian worldview, the larger my list seems to grow. While essential truths are easier to identify from scripture, there are many non-essential (and more ambiguous) features of Christianity. The unfathomable aspects of God’s nature typically leave us in awe and without adequate explanation. To make matters … [Read more...]
The Legitimate Use of Kierkegaard in Apologetics
In a post earlier this year entitled The Legitimate Use of Aquinas in Apologetics (2014), I drew upon several essential aspects of Thomas Aquinas' (1225-1274) thought that (I believe) are relevant for a context in apologetics. Furthermore, I do strongly believe that those essentials can be utilized by the Christian apologist to engage not only unbelievers, but also serve as an … [Read more...]
Islam – Religious Practices (Part I)
As a child, I grew up in the coastal town of Pondicherry, India. Though I still live there in Pondicherry, I don't live downtown, like I did in my childhood. The southern part of downtown Pondicherry is a predominantly Muslim. My first Muslim friend lived right below me in the ground floor. Then when we changed our house, we rented another house a few streets nearby owned by … [Read more...]
God, Love & Evil
The standard response to the traditional problem of pain and suffering, after Alvin Plantinga’s contributions1, is that there is a morally sufficient reason for a being that is God to permit or bring about instances of pain and suffering. If it is possible, not necessarily true nor believed by (a)theists, that a being that is omnicompetent has a morally sufficient reason to … [Read more...]
What happens when we disagree? Wisdom from Nicholas Wolterstorff
Just over a year ago I discovered a philosopher who would come to be one of my favourite thinkers—Nicholas Wolterstorff. As I read his book Justice in Love I was struck by the sharp clarity and rigor of his thought. But what I’ve come to appreciate most about Nicholas Wolterstorff is the gracious manner in which he challenges the views of his opponents. He writes with a … [Read more...]