Category Archives: Apologetics

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Bill Maher and John Piper

2 Comments

Denny Burk says:

You have probably seen by now one of the ads for Bill Maher’s new documentary “Religulous.” If you haven’t seen it, it’s a movie that was produced for the expressed purpose of denigrating religion. The fundamental point seems to be that having faith in any religion is ridiculous—thus “Religulous.” In the trailer for the movie, the following exchange takes place between Maher and a person dressed up like Jesus.

Maher: Why doesn’t [God] just obliterate the devil and therefore get rid of evil in the world?

Jesus Impersonator: He will.

Maher: He will?

Jesus Impersonator: That’s correct.

Maher: What’s he waiting for?

The whole point of the exchange is to show how ridiculous it is that the Christian God will not do anything about evil in the world even though He’s supposed to be both good and all-powerful. Even though it’s delivered with sarcastic humor, Maher is asking a serious question. At bottom the exchange is really about the classical question of theodicy, and the whole thing is framed in a way to discredit the Christian faith.

In a recent blog post, John Piper answers Maher’s question, though he doesn’t mention Maher’s name. Nevertheless, the title of Piper’s essay reads like an allusion to “Religulous”: “Why not destroy the devil now?” Piper gives an answer that is (as you might expect) grounded in God’s passion for His own glory. God is most glorified by allowing Satan to remain for a time. He writes:

“The glory of Christ is seen in his absolute right and power to annihilate or incapacitate Satan and all demons. But the reason he refrains from destroying and disabling them altogether is to manifest more clearly his superior beauty and worth. If Christ obliterated all devils and demons now (which he could do), his sheer power would be seen as glorious, but his superior beauty and worth would not shine as brightly as when humans renounce the promises of Satan and take pleasure in the greater glory of Christ.”

Maher’s question deserved a serious answer, and I am grateful that Piper took the time to write one. You should read the rest.

“Why Not Destroy the Devil Now?” – by John Piper (desiringgod.org)

Apologetics, Culture News, Current Events, Eschatology, History, New Testament Theology, Politics, Reforming, Theology

The Judgment of God continues…

As America has seen fit to usher in a man who will act in the ways that will destroy the foundations of this country’s constitution, the rights of individuals and states, and the freedoms that we have enjoyed for so many years… I cannot help but look to God in Jesus Christ for my only hope and joy and comfort!

God’s judgment is being revealed against all ungodliness and wickedness of mankind through the election of Barack Obama as President of the United Stated of America. America and the Church in America will receive the judgment that God sees fit to bring upon it in the coming months and years. Freedoms will be reduced and Government will seek to grow bigger and make more and more people dependent upon it. We can only hope that people will feel in their hearts that freedom and liberty are more important than peace and safety “at all costs.”

May God have mercy upon this country and may God glorify Himself and show forth the rule of Jesus Christ over all powers and principalities that seek to make themselves greater than He.

Thankfully, this is a day of change that will work against the glory of America and work for the glory of God in Jesus Christ! Amen.

In Christ and In Defense of the Faith,
Glenn Jones

Apologetics, Culture, Current Events, Law and Faith, Politics, Prayer, Reforming, Theology

Honor the President

I would like to point everyone to some very good posts that came out yesterday on election day regarding how we, as Christians, are to respond to the new President. Justin Taylor says:

With Ohio being called for Senator Obama, it appears that he will be our next President.

It’s very easy to forget–especially for those of us who are on the younger side–that it was only a little over 40 years ago that there were Jim Crow laws in the US. Just a generation ago, many African Americans were segregated from whites in public schools, transportation, restrooms, and restaurants.

Tonight, the United States has elected a biracial man to serve as its leader.

It would be an understatement to call this a watershed cultural moment in our country’s history.

No matter who you voted for–or whether you voted at all–it’s important to remember that, as President, Barack Obama will have God-given authority to govern us, and that we should view him as a servant of God (Rom. 13:1, 4) to whom we should be subject (Rom. 13:1, 5; 1 Pet. 2:13-14).

There are many qualifications to add to these exhortations–for example, see this excellent post by John Piper–but it’s still important to remember that these are requirements for all Bible-believing Christians.

John Piper Says:

How does the Bible instruct us to pray for “all who are in high positions”? It says,

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1Timothy 2:1-4).

A few observations:

1. Giving thanks “for kings” is hard when they are evil.

And, as Calvin said on this passage, “All the magistrates of that time were sworn enemies of Christ.” This shows us that anarchy is a horrible alternative to almost any ruler.

We should give thanks for rulers because “non-rule” would unleash on us utterly unbridled evil with no recourse whatever.

Again Calvin: “Unless they restrained the boldness of wicked men, the whole world would be full of robberies and murders.” The better we understand the seething evil of the human heart that is ready to break out where there is no restraint, the more thankful we will be for government.

2. The effect we pray for is “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly, and dignified in every way.”

Dignified means “serious and reverent,” not stuffy. I suspect what Paul means is not that we can’t live godly and serious lives during times of anarchy. We can. I suspect he means that peaceful and quiet lives, which are the opposite of anarchy, are often wasted in ungodly and frivolous actions.

So he is praying for a government that would give peace and quiet (not anarchy), and that Christians would not fritter away their peaceful lives with the world, but would be radically godly and serious about the lost condition of the world and how to change it.

3. Using our peace for radical godliness and serious action will lead to more effective evangelism and world missions.

This last observation is confirmed by the hoped-for outcome Paul mentions. Paul says that the reason God delights in such peaceful, Godward, serious action is that he “desires all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

More people will be saved if our government restrains the horrors of anarchy, and if Christians use this peace not to waste their lives on endless entertainment, but seriously give their lives to making God known.

Apologetics, Promotionals, Theology

Apologetics and Acts 17

From the European Leadership Forum:

Despite its prominence historically, apologetics is seen as controversial in many Christian circles. Where practiced, contemporary apologetics is often characterised by a neglect of biblical foundations and models. Forum speaker Dr Lars Dahle wrote his PhD dissertation on Acts 17:16-34 as a case study of the biblical way to do apologetics.

We are pleased to present to you the following two papers written by Dr Dahle on apologetics.

Acts 17 As An Apologetic Model

“Acts 17:16-34 is the most extensive example in the New Testament of a dialogue with, and an address to, a pagan and pluralistic context. The passage clearly describes Paul as an apologist in the Athenian marketplace (the agora). It seems to have been recorded intentionally by Luke as a positive model from apostilic practice. The basis for this is found both in the fact that this passage fits a positive repeated pattern in Acts of key apologetic approaches and arguments and that Luke in the Book of Acts argues for the historical and theological truth of the Christian Gospel for Christian converts. This is done by Luke both to confirm the true-value of their faith and to give them tools and models for their own apologetic ministry”….

Click here to continue reading this article.

Encountering and Engaging a Post-modern Context:
Applying the Apologetic Model in Acts 17

“Alister E. McGrath and Donald A. Carson are among the contemporary apologists who have reflected in depth both on the post-modern challenge to Christian apologetics and on how to apply the apologetic model in Acts 17: 16-34 to this specific challenge. In their most significant apologetic contributions, both authors rely on the Acts 17 model. Whereas McGrath interprets and applies Paul’s use of God-given points of contact in order to generate interest for the Christian Gospel — as inherently attractive — in a post-modern context, Carson interprets and applies Paul’s use of ‘the biblical storyline’ in order to confront post-modern beliefs with a coherent Christian worldview. This shows the legitimacy of the focus on Acts 17:16-34 as an apologetic model in the post-modern context”….

Click here to continue reading this article.

Dr Lars Dahle is the Principal of Gimlekollen School of Journalism and Communication in Kristiansand, Norway, where he has lectured in worldviews, ethics and apologetics since 1991. Lars wrote his Ph.D. on Acts 17:16-34. It is entitled An Apologetic Model Then and Now? (Open University, UK). He is also the Chairman of Damaris Norway steering committee, serves on the Steering Committee of the European Leadership Forum and is the Director of the European Christian Communicators Network. He previously served as the Vice-Chairman of NKSS (the Norwegian student movement within IFES).

Apologetics, History, New Testament Theology, Reforming, Systematic Theology, Theology, Trinity

The Impassibility of God

If you have never studied this doctrine of the divine impassibility, I encourage you to read the following history by Dr. Robert Culver. It is very good and thought provoking:

THE IMPASSIBILITY OF GOD

Here is an important excerpt from the paper:

Impassibility comes into our language as translation of the Greek word apatheia in the writings of Church fathers, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. Apatheia, despite the obvious etymological connection with apathy and apathetic in modern English, (Pelikan) started out as meaning “the state of an apathes” (alpha privative, plus pathos) without pathos or suffering” (Liddell and Scott Lexicon). Among the Greek Fathers pathos or passion was the right word for the suffering of Christ, as it still is. So in theology to be impassible means primarily to be incapable of suffering. Early theology affirmed that in heaven our resurrected bodies will be pathes in this sense. The word came to be extended to mean incapable of emotion of any kind and beyond that, apathes (impassible) in important theological discourse meant without sexual desire (Gregory of Nyssa, The Great Catechism, chap. xxxv, “Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series,” edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, 1910, ii, 5, pp. 502-504). As applied to God, incapacity for any emotions sometimes is meant. We will return to this. The twelfth canon of the Second Council of Constantinople (553, Fifth Ecumenical) seems to say Christ on earth was impassible in the sense of “longings (passions, presumably sexual) of the flesh” (Henry Denzinger, The Sources of Catholic Dogma, trans. R. J. Deferrari, Hersler Book Co., 1954, 224).

In this paper I am interested mainly in the question of whether or not the divine nature is capable of emotion, including, in a secondary way, the experience of suffering.

Apologetics, Creation, Culture, Debate, Mp3s, Podcasts, Promotionals, Science, Theology

Socrates in the City

Socrates in San Francisco is a very good venue that is bringing in some very big names to discuss important life issues that we all need to think about as we continue to learn more about God and to answer the big questions that our life experiences bring to mind. I’ve attached the audio from their first event (from earlier this year) with Dr. Francis S. Collins Speaking on, The Language of God: A Scientist-Believer Looks at the Human Genome.

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Their most recent event was a conversation/debate between Dr. N. T. Wright and Dr. Bart Ehrman on the topic of “A Good God? A Dialogue about the problem of Suffering and evil.” I encourage you to check back soon to see if they have posted the audio for the event. I will post it here as soon as it is available.

Here is what they say they are all about:

The Greek philosopher Socrates famously said that “the unexamined life is not worth living.”

Taking this as a starting point, Socrates in San Francisco sponsors events in which San Franciscans can begin a dialogue on “Life, God, and other small topics.”

Leading thinkers in science, philosophy, literature, religion, and the arts are featured in lectures and onstage conversations about the “big questions.”

Apologetics, False Religion, History, Islam, Theology

Was Muhammad Predicted in the Bible?

Recently I’ve found it to be a common claim by Muslim apologists that Muhammad was predicted in the Bible. Now, you’re thinking, where in the world are they getting that from, aren’t you?  :-)  Either way, I encourage you to pick one of these three articles and review some of the claims and read about how to respond to those claims. The articles are written in response to Muslim claims and will be very helpful to keep you on guard against a Muslim friend who might make such claims and expect you to not have an answer about them. Please leave your comments and any experiences you’ve had with Muslims on this topic in the comments section below. Here are the articles from Answering Islam:

Also, I’m attaching PDFs of each of them so that you can print them off more easily if you want to read them on paper:

  • [PDF] Answering Dr. Jamal Badawi: Muhammad in the Bible
    By Sam Shamoun
  • [PDF] Muhammad in the Bible?
    An Analysis of the Muslim Appeal to Biblical Prophecy
    By David Wood
  • [PDF] Answers to Common Muslim Questions