We are laying an historical foundation for answering questions about the involvement of Saul of Tarsus in the growing movement of Jews who followed the crucified and risen Jesus Christ. There are many people today who identify themselves as followers of Jesus Christ who believe Paul was a fraud and not a true apostle of Jesus Christ. Because of that they do not subscribe to … [Read more...]
Testing the Gospels From John to Hippolytus
I am confident the Gospels were written early and were not corrupted or altered over time. As a new investigator of the claims of Christianity, I examined the case for early dating and became convinced the Gospels were written within the generation of the eyewitnesses. But how do we know whether or not the early accounts were corrupted over the years? One way to test the … [Read more...]
Criticisms of the Moral Argument
"I cannot understand why the world is arranged as it is. Men are themselves to blame, I suppose; they were given paradise, they wanted freedom, and stole fire from heaven, though they knew they would become unhappy, so there is no need to pity them. With my pitiful, earthly, Euclidean understanding, all I know is that there is suffering and that there are none guilty; that … [Read more...]
Sensus Divinitatis
“Is there any human being who has not entered on the first day of his life with an idea of that Great Head?” rhetorically inquired Arnobius of Sicca. Arnobius further inquired: “In whom has it not been implanted by nature, on whom has it not been impressed, aye, stamped almost in his mother’s womb even, in whom is there not a native instinct, that He is King and Lord, the ruler … [Read more...]
Christmas Notes, Part 1: Was Jesus Born in Bethlehem?
There is perhaps no story so well beloved as the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. But every year we are told on television or in news magazines that we cannot believe the nativity story, that Matthew and Luke contradict each other, and that “scientific” criticism has dissolved the story of the virgin birth into a pious myth. Why do they say this? Could a story of a virgin birth … [Read more...]
Outing fundamentalists
As a Christian I risk being labeled a fundamentalist. I risk having my honest reasoned opinions summarily dismissed as fundamentalism. Fortunately in my case this has been rare, perhaps only because I’ve kept my mouth shut for the most part. Nevertheless, certain authors and thinkers who I respect have been so labeled. But what does it mean? What is fundamentalism? Should … [Read more...]
Musings on a Filioque
Ok, I realize that the title should more properly be “Musings on the Filioque Debate” but I desired to go with the flow here and keep the title artsy and musical after having used the word musings. I have recently been involved in a number of discussions on the Trinity and particularly on the filioque clause that describes the relationship within the Trinity between the … [Read more...]
The Relevant Question
I have often been frustrated in conversations that I have about the existence of God. In these instances it is not so much that the people I converse with are themselves frustrating, or that the conversation goes no where, but rather that they don’t take the question seriously. If I am genuinely interested in their insight to the question “Does God exist?”, I feel as though the … [Read more...]
Teleological (Design) Arguments
[This post is a work in progress as part of the CAA Catechism.] [Add the title only in the title field, not in the body of the post.] Summary in 400 words or less: Scripture for YouVersion: Short audio/video: Three questions (1 fill-in-the-blank, 1 multiple choice, and one discussion question): References for further reading: Collaboration notes: Collaborators: [Add your name … [Read more...]
Poem: Does God allow evil and suffering?
Does God allow evil and suffering? Yes. Can you look me level in the eyes and tell me what some people do to hurt little kids is not evil? No. Evil is real, but how can someone who doesn’t exist allow anything? Yes. If evil is real, then good is real. But if good is real, what being do you know who is always good? But here we are again. Would a good God allow evil and … [Read more...]