Introduction When it comes to the Christian faith, there is no doctrine more important than the resurrection of Jesus. Biblical faith is not simply centered in ethical and religious teachings. Instead, it is founded on the person and work of Jesus. If Jesus was not raised from the dead, we as His followers are still dead in our sins (1Cor.15:7). Explanations try to show how … [Read more...]
The Unlikely Story of the Women
Critics of the Gospel’s Resurrection accounts often allege the story of Mary Magdalene and the “other Mary” visiting the tomb of Jesus contains contradictory details. For instance, Matthew 28:8 states “And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.” Contrast this with Mark 16:8, which says, “And they went out … [Read more...]
The Bible Series: Viewer Discretion Advised
*Spoiler Alert. Even if you've read the Bible, this post contains spoilers, discussing elements found in the TV series that are not found in the Bible. Over the past weeks I’ve turned on the History Channel with over 68 million viewers to watch The Bible, which culminates on Easter Sunday with the death, resurrection, and New Testament era. The mini-series produced by Mark … [Read more...]
Life of Pi: Believing in Everything
"Why not believe in whatever?" - Yann Martel Life of Pi recounts the story of Piscine Molitor Patel, mercifully known as Pi. As a boy, Pi’s mother raises him as a Hindu. When he is fourteen, he begins to follow the teachings of Christianity and then of Islam, believing them all capable of teaching him something important about God. So, Hindu/Christian/Muslim. His father, a … [Read more...]
Important Words for Postmodern Apologetics
We are living in a decidedly postmodern age. This does not mean the fundamentals of our faith must change to please culture, but it does mean that unless Christians change the way we communicate the unchanging Gospel, our mission to reach the lost will fail. D. Rodriguez makes this same point in his recent critique of Brian McLaren’s book, "A New Kind of Christian" To … [Read more...]
Is Physical Healing a Guarantee in the Atonement?
Before I get started, let me take this quick moment to thank those who have voiced prayers for my wife and our family, as Kathy recovers from right thumb surgery. This posting is a revisiting of a subject I wrote on back in 2009 on the Real Issue blog. That posting and this one deal with the issue of the atonement as it relates to healing. The passage that is often … [Read more...]
Happy two year anniversary to the CAA!
Today marks the two year anniversary of the Christian Apologetics Alliance. It is remarkable to see the growth of this all-volunteer organization in such a short span of time!: *2,000+ members in the Facebook group *Dozens of contributors to the CAA blog, with over 100,000 total page views *Dozens of bloggers collaborating together in the Apologetics Blogger … [Read more...]
Do the Gospel Resurrection Accounts Contradict Each Other?
How many women were at Christ’s tomb on that first Easter morning – 1, 2, 3, or 5? Were there two angels or only one that announced His resurrection? Did Jesus appear to His followers at Galilee or Jerusalem? Skeptics of Christ’s resurrection oftentimes claim that the various gospel accounts of Jesus rising from the dead in the New Testament contradict each other. Even some … [Read more...]
…But I Know Something You Don't Know
As an apologist, I often dialogue with non-believers on the evidence for the philosophical, historical, and scientific veracity of the Christian faith. While I have the utmost confidence in the various lines of evidence that beautifully converge to support the case, the most important and persuasive evidence is, by its very nature, inaccessible to the non-believer. It is … [Read more...]
The Euthyphro Dilemma
The Euthyphro Dilemma is designed to explore the relationship between God and morality. The dilemma is found in Plato’s Euthyphro dialogue. It consists of an exchange between Socrates and a young man called Euthyphro, from whom the dilemma gets its name. When applied to an Abrahamic conception of God it asks “Is something good because God commands it? Or does God command … [Read more...]