Theology For the Rest of Us | Quick Answers to the Questions About God and the Bible

In this episode, Kenny tackles the reality that there will be various opinions and convictions from different people in our lives and churches as we make attempts to return to some sense of normalcy in the coming weeks and months. This is going to require wisdom and grace. Instead of demands, expectations, social pressures, harshness, judgmental attitudes, or virtue signalling, Christians ought to actually lead the way with kindness, grace, and diplomacy in the midst of this unique season that may have the potential to be filled with some awkward moments. Resources Navigating Different COVID-19 Recovery Convictions (By Costi Hinn) Coronavirus and Christ (By John Piper) What Courage Might Corona Unleash? (By Marshall Segal) Let the Lily Have Today (By Marshall Segal) Voices: Restraint: Being a Christian Presence on Social Media (By Joshua Sharp)

In this episode, Kenny encourages and challenges listeners to be very careful with what they post on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many Christians are posting things that seem to be motivated by fear, politics, or conspiracy theories, and these sorts of posts tend to cause us to lose credibility. This behavior misrepresents Jesus and potentially jeopardizes our ability to share the gospel. In this moment in history, people are looking for sources of comfort and encouragement. People are often looking for voices they can trust, and voices that can be the source of wisdom. Let's be what they are looking for, so that we can point them to Jesus. Resources Voices: Restraint: Being a Christian Presence on Social Media (By Joshua Sharp) Coronavirus and Christ (By John Piper) Fifteen Great Chapters on Anxiety, Suffering, Lament (from WTS) What Courage Might Corona Unleash? (By Marshall Segal) Let the Lily Have Today (By Marshall Segal)  

Currently, the world is facing a global pandemic—the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). In the midst of the panic, fear, and frustrations there are many different responses. One common phrase used by many is the statement, "These are 'uncertain' times." However, for the Christian—the genuine believer in Christ—nothing is uncertain. In this episode, Kenny makes clear that the believer never has anything to worry about. No matter what we face, even if we die due to a virus, we are in the hands of Christ! Kenny closes the episodes with a great quote from Francis J. Grimké who was a pastor during the Spanish Flu of 1918: "While the plague was raging, what a comfort it was to feel that we were in the hands of a loving Father, whether we were smitten with the epidemic or not, we knew it would be well with us, that there was no reason to be alarmed." Resources Coronavirus and Christ (By John Piper) Fifteen Great Chapters on Anxiety, Suffering, Lament (from WTS) What Courage Might Corona Unleash? (By Marshall Segal) Let the Lily Have Today (By Marshall Segal)  

Each year North American evangelicals spend millions of dollars on short-term missions trips. A recent listener of the podcast asked whether or not this is appropriate? Would it be better for us to simply pool our monies and send it overseas? In essence, short-term missions can be very effective, if done right. However, most short-term missions are done wrong. They often have the wrong goals and wrong peoples in mind. This makes much of the short-term missions activity feels very wasteful, inefficient, and even harmful. Short-term missions can be very helpful if we partner with local ministries and strategic come along side of them to help expand their pre-existing ministry and their gospel influence. Kenny also uses this question as the opportunity to discuss his approach to global missions and challenges the audience to engage in global missions. Each Christian has a part to play in global missions. As pastor and author John Piper states, "There are only three kinds of Christians when it comes to world missions: zealous goers, zealous senders, and disobedient. May God deliver us from disobedience!" However, just because we are all called doesn't mean that every opportunity makes sense. In this episode, Kenny talks about some of the pitfalls of contemporary missions efforts, especially highlighting the fact that most missions activity and giving currently goes towards groups that have already been reached with the Gospel. Kenny demonstrates the distinction between the "unreached" groups and the "unsaved" peoples. This is distinction is valuable as we determine how to spend our money and resources. Recommended Resources When Helping Hurts (by Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert) Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry (by Cameron Cole & Jon Nielson) Let the Nations Be Glad (by John Piper) Missions: How the Local Church Goes Global (by Andy Johnson)

In this episode, Kenny answers the question: "How Much Money Should I Be Giving?" In essence, Kenny makes it clear that there's no precise set amount that we ought to give, but instead we ought to give generously and seek to invest in the things that lead to effective ministry. Christians ought to seek to give cheerfully. There is no need to feel obligated or guilty about giving, but instead we ought to seek to be prayerful and missional. Related Episodes: 41: Why Should Christians Stop Tithing Immediately? 122: Should Christians Give to Charities? Recommended Resources: The Treasure Principle (by Randy Alcorn)  

In this episode, Kenny tackles the word "saved" and how it's utilized by many contemporary evangelicals. He then covers the prominent Christian adage that "we are saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved."

People often ask, "Why did God allow Adam to sin in the first place?" Many have wondered, if God knew that sin would cause such devastation to humanity, and such eternal consequences, then why did God did allow it happen? Couldn't he have stopped it? Couldn't God had created Adam without the ability to sin? This is the same line of thinking that came from a regular listener by email, and Kenny tackles this topic herein this episode. This is a tough question. It's sobering in a lot of ways. But ultimately, the answer to this type of question reminds us of God's perfect sovereignty. In this episode Kenny explains how the glory of God and the proclamation of his supremacy are the most important elements of the Christian life. Therefore, if God's glory could have been known to its fullest in a world with no sin, then it is likely that God would have stopped sin. However, the very fact that God has allowed sin, clearly shows us that the glory of God, and the proclamation of Christ's supremacy over all things, is shown most in the midst of a world with sin (otherwise, God would have prevented it altogether). Honestly, we recognize that this is a hard topic for humans to wrap our minds around, but it's essential for us to grapple with. Other episodes which deal with similar topics are listed below. Related Episodes 59: Why Didn't God Just Create Us in Heaven? 18: Why Doesn't Just God Kill Satan Today? 16: Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? 19: If God is Good, Why is There Evil in the World?

This episode is a sequel to the previous episode. In episode 283 Kenny responded to an email that had asked about how Christians ought to pray. Here in this episode, Kenny explains how the Lord's Prayer (Mt. 6:9-13; Lk. 11:2-4) is a road map and template for how Christians ought to approach God in prayer. "Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

In this episode, Kenny answers an email from a regular listener about prayer. The email asked if Christians ought to recite specific prayers, such as the Lord's Prayer or other prayers modeled for us in the Bible, or whether it is okay to pray for informal prayers. Kenny makes clear that the prayers that we pray to God are less about reciting specific words, and are more about the sentiments of our hearts whenever we are engaging in prayer.

Some skeptics claim that Christianity stole its fundamental claims from preexisting pagan religions. In this episode, Kenny responds to this claim, making it clear that there is absolutely no scholarly or authentic evidence for any such assertions or conclusions. Kenny outlines some of the examples that some skeptics bring up, showing clearly how we know that such attacks are false. Kenny even makes the point that there are no major contemporary atheistic scholars making any such claims, because they lack any credibility of any kind. These sorts of attacks do not come from respected scholars, but instead they typically come from the world of pseudo-scholarship or from some person who simply has some sort of personal vendetta again Christianity. Resources Did Christianity copy from pagan or other religions? [Article] Is Jesus a myth? [Article] Was Christianity plagiarized from pagan myths? [Article] Jesus Wasn’t a Pagan God: Debunking Zeitgeist and Religulous [YouTube Video] Zeitgeist Debunked: Jesus Is Not A Copy Of Pagan Gods [YouTube Video] Jesus vs. Horus [YouTube Video] Jesus vs. Zoroaster [YouTube Video] Jesus vs. Asclepius [YouTube Video] Jesus vs. Tammuz [YouTube Video] Jesus vs. Romulus [YouTube Video] Jesus vs. Buddha [YouTube Video] Bart Ehrman & Robert Price Debate - Did Jesus Exist? [YouTube Video] When Skeptics Ask: A Handbook on Christian Evidences (by Norm Geisler)  

Was Jesus a real person? Did he actually exist? Is there evidence that Jesus was a real historical person? Yes, Jesus was indeed a real person. And, yes, there is plenty of evidence for this. In fact, the evidences for this is overwhelming. Jesus being a real historical person has not ever been in question throughout history until very recently. Even religious skeptics throughout the ages have accepted the reality of a man named Jesus that lived in Palestine in the first-century. In this episode, Kenny gives the reasons and evidences for the historical Jesus.   Works Cited What is the historical evidence that Jesus Christ lived and died? [article by Dr Simon Gathercole] Jesus: Evidence and Argument or Mythicist Myths? (Maurice Casey) Contra Celsum [Wikipedia entry] Josephus on Jesus [Wikipedia entry] Pliny the Younger speaks about Christians [Wikipedia entry] Tacitus mentions Jesus [Wikipedia entry] Manuscript evidence for superior New Testament reliability [article by Matt Slick] "Minimal Facts" Approach to the Resurrection [lecture from Gary Habermas]   Additional Recommend Resources The Evidence for Jesus [article by William Lane Craig] Is there proof that Jesus existed? [article by Matt Slick] The Resurrection of the Son of God (NT Wright) The New Testament in Its World (NT Wright & Michael Bird) The Case for Christ (Lee Stroebl) Is There Any Evidence That Jesus Didn’t Exist? [YouTube video from William Lane Craig] Did Jesus Even Exist? Responding to 5 Objections Raised by @rawstory [article by Michael J. Kruger] Did Jesus Really Exist? [article by Paul L. Maier] The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus (Gary Habermas and Michael Licona)

Bethany Global University hosted a TEDx event in May 2019 and Kenny Ortiz was one of the communicators for the event. Check out his TEDx talk: "How to be a Great Mentor" Link: http://bit.ly/OrtizTEDx2019

There have been moments when some well-meaning evangelicals have challenged certain scholars merely on the basis that those scholars just so happen to be scholars, as if scholarship itself is bad. Sometimes certain Christians act as if scholars are all bad, or that scholarship is somehow the enemy of quality spiritual experience. The reason why some Christians advocate against scholarship is because they sometimes feel frustrated that they may be forced into feeling dependent upon scholars. Others get frustrated that scholarship can twist conservative Christianity. Many evangelicals then ask, "Do we ourselves need to be scholars to truly understand the Bible?" or "Do we now always need scholars to tell us what certain passages mean?" These are valuable questions which Kenny tackles in this episode. Kenny gives insights about how we should think about Christian scholars and he gives a poignant challenge to those that would claim scholarship is unnecessary.

In this episode Kenny answers a question from a listener about the omnipresence of God, and whether or not God is in hell. Sometimes modern evangelicals frequently use the term "separated" from God to explain the state of those in hell, but herein Kenny explains that God is actually indeed in hell and that the torment of hell is actually originating from a portion of God that unrepentant sinners rightly face, mainly God's wrath. Scriptures References Psalm 139:8 Matthew 13:42-50 Matthew 25:41-46 Matthew 7:19 Revelation 19:20 Revelation 20:13-14 Revelation 21:8 Hebrews 10:31 Hebrews 12:29

U.S. President Donald Trump appeared at McLean Bible Church in Vienna, Virginia on June 2, 2019 where prominent pastor and author David Platt serves as the  primary teaching pastor. Eventually President Trump was invited on to the stage to be prayed for by Pastor David Platt. Within hours there was plenty of backlash on social media, some of it hurled at Donald Trump, but much of it hurled at Pastor David Platt. Several days after this prayer, and after the social media uproar, Kenny posted an episode about the event (277: Was David Platt Wrong to Pray for President Trump?). Therein Kenny addressed whether or not it was appropriate for Platt to pray for the president as he did. Kenny explains the importance of being sensitive and tactful, however he also encouraged the listeners to remember passages of scripture such as 1 Timothy 2 that tell us to pray for our leaders. After posting that episode, Kenny had multiple conversations and social media interactions with various people. Many people reacted with the attitude that asserted: "Of course it's fine for Platt to pray for the president" which helped Kenny realized that many people are unaware of the trauma caused to some people by the current political climate. After posting episode 277, Kenny also realized that many evangelicals (especially many white evangelicals) are not willing to be sensitive to those around them, and many of them make little effort to seek to understand the perspectives of other people (especially people of color). This prompted Kenny to address these concerns herein this episode.

On Sunday June 2, 2019, U.S. President Donald Trump made an impromptu visit to McLean Bible Church in Vienna, Virginia. President Trump was there to honor the lives of those individuals that were killed in a shooting at the municipal center in Virginia Beach on Friday May 31. Eventually Trump founds himself on stage being prayed for by Pastor David Platt. In this episode, Kenny addresses whether or not it was appropriate to do what Platt did, that is to pray for a politician (with such a "lightning rod" personality) publicly on stage during a church service. Kenny explains the importance of being sensitive and tactful, however he also encourages the listeners to remember passages of scripture such as 1 Timothy 2 that tells us to pray for our leaders. Kenny also reminds listeners that we live in an outrage culture, and that we ought to the more sober-minded than what our culture sometimes expects. He also points out that praying for a politician does not necessarily equal an endorsement. We ought to pray for all of our leaders, even when we disagree.

In this episode, Kenny answers the question, "Should we value all opinions?" Another way to answer this question is to say, "Are all opinions created equal?" or "Should we give credence to all positions and assessments?" Kenny seeks to be diplomatic and gracious, but he gives some clear and bold thoughts about why not all opinions ought to be treated equally.

We live in an age where cynicism runs rampant. How are Christians to live in such difficult times? Unique of all people, Christians are called to embrace a hopeful outlook on life. In this episode Kenny interviews Dr. Jason Duesing about his most recent book Mere Hope which offers the core, Christ-centered perspective that all Christians share, and that Christians alone have to offer a world filled with frustration, pain, and disappointment. For those in darkness, despair, and discouragement, for those in the midst of trials, suffering, and injustice, mere hope lives. The spirit of the age is cynicism. When our leaders, our families, and our friends let us down at every turn, this isn't surprising. But we need another perspective; we need hope. Rather than reflecting resigned despair or distracted indifference, author Jason Duesing argues, our lives ought to be shaped by the gospel of Jesus—a gospel of hope. Jason G. Duesing earned his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University. He earned his M.Div. from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He currently serves as the provost at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri. Get a copy of Dr. Jason Duesing's most recent book: Mere Hope: Life in an Age of Cynicism Follow Dr. Jason Duesing on Twitter: @JGDuesing

This episode is a follow-up to the previous episode wherein Kenny talked about how to handle false teachers, even when we have been somehow benefited by those preachers' teachings or writings. There is a lot of controversy in our modern Christian context about how we ought to our approach the topic of heresies and false teachings. It seems like many people are afraid to discuss this. One reason some people feel uncomfortable with the topic is because they may not know how to determine if someone is a false teacher or not. In this episode Kenny answers the question “How do we determine whether or not a particular preacher is a false teacher?” Kenny gives one thing he does not do, that we ought not do, that is we should not label anyone a heretic just because they disagree with our view. There's more to it that that. The Kenny gives us the six things he uses to help determine which preachers are safe and helpful versus the preachers that are harmful and dangerous. Those six things Kenny uses are: 1- The Bible 2- Early church writings 3- Ancient creeds and statements from the ecumenical councils 4- Confessions and catechisms from Reformation era 5- The opinions of wise pastors I Kenny trusts 6- Determine if the doctrine or ideology being taught is detrimental to the believers  

There is a lot of controversy in Evangelical circles about our approach to heresies, false teaching, and erroneous teachers. In this episode Kenny answers the question "Can people still grow in their faith even though they are listening to false teachers or being influenced by some heresies?" Kenny seeks to be diplomatic and gracious in this episode, but inevitably he makes statements that are sure to be offensive to some listeners. Kenny believes that there certainly Christians that have grown in their faith even though they have consumed content, sermons, and books from false teachers. Some Christians even feel as if they have been helped greatly in some ways by those teachings. However, Kenny asserts that merely points to the grace and sovereignty of God. Just because a false teacher somehow helps a believer does not justify that false teacher or the content of his sermons or books. Kenny challenges listeners to be watchful, discerning, and cautious.

When you’re in the midst of suffering, you want answers for the unanswerable, resolutions to the unresolvable. You want to tie up pain in a pretty little package and hide it under the bed, taking it out only when you feel strong enough to face it. But grief won’t be contained. Grief disobeys. Grief explodes. In one breath, you may be able to say that God’s got this and all will be well. In the next, you might descend into fatalism. No pretending. Here, you are raw before God, an open wound. In the midst of some of those darkest times, you will discover that the thing that leads you back to a place of hope is lament. The Bible gives us great examples and models of appropriate lament. In this episode Kenny interviews author Aubrey Sampson about her new book "The Louder Song" which deals with the value and models of lament. Aubrey serves on the preaching team and as the director of equipping and discipleship at Renewal Church in the Chicagoland area. She and her husband Kevin have three great sons. Connect with Aubrey Sampson at: aubreysampson.com Get a copy of her new book "The Louder Song" Follow Aubrey Sampson on Twitter: @aubsamp

In this episode Kenny discusses the concept of apologetics as being the defense of the Christian faith and the Biblical worldview. We are called to defend and give reasons for why we believe the Gospel and in the Bible and why we embrace the theological implications that come with both. Then Kenny unpacks the two primary types of apologetics: classical and presuppositional. In classical apologetics we seek to give evidences for existence of God, the resurrection of Christ, and the authencity of the Bible. Often times these evidences comes from the worlds of science, history, philosophy, ethics, textual criticisms, and occasionally even politics. Presuppositional apologetics is different in that rather than giving evidences, we seek to expose the flawed presuppositions that people have even before they begin a conversation about matters of faith. Both forms of apologetics are valuable if used rightly.

In this episode Kenny discusses the concept of intelligent design, which asserts that the universe was indeed intentionally created and fashioned by some supreme creator or intelligent being. Kenny also discusses the trends and philosophies which are a part of the intelligent design movement in North America today and how Evangelical Christians ought to respond to the movement.

There are various opinions about how we ought to approach our study of the origins of humanity. And there are various pieces of data coming from different genres of science that impact that studying. The world of genetics gives us more information about our origins than most genres of science and it helps us understand humanity and chunks of the created order around us. In this episode, Kenny tackles two questions from listeners by diving into his understanding of human genetics and how that informs how we view evolutionary theory. Kenny unpacks the differences between micro-evolution and macro-evolution, explains why this distinction ought to be embraced, and how the world of genetics bolsters the argument for such a distinction. This episode also includes several elementary metaphors to explain the position being asserted. He also answers the question as to whether we ever ought to embrace something that is not directly taught in the Bible?

In this episode, Kenny explains the Kalam Cosmological Argument and why it is a strong defense for the idea and existence of a supreme Creator. This apologetic argument asserts that since the universe has a beginning, it must also have something (or someone) that caused it to begin in the first place. Additional Resources: The Kalam Cosmological Argument [YouTube Video from Reasonable Faith] Responding to the 11 Common Objections to the Kalam Cosmological Argument

In this episode, Kenny responds to a reviewer comment that accuses Kenny of denying creation. Kenny responds by making clear what he believers and why. Kenny also explains his motivations for the recent episodes about creation (and related topics). More importantly, Kenny uses this correspondence to reflect on how Evangelicals approach certain theological topics and he also explains why he believes that overly fundamentalistic ideologies can be harmful to the unity of the body of Christ.

In this episode Kenny interviews world-renowned philosopher and best-selling author J.P. Moreland about his new book "Scientism and Secularism." The book is about some of the worldviews that have now become mainstream and dominant in the worlds of philosophies and science, that Dr. Moreland says are incoherent and detrimental. In the interview Dr. Moreland unpacks the concept of scientism as being the philosophy that all data and information must directly come from a genre of science in order for it to be considered viable or trustworthy in an apologetics dialogue. Dr. Moreland explains why this philosophy ought to be rejected and how to respond to this way of thinking. Dr. Moreland asserts that data from many other sources ought to be considered in this conversations, including data from the worlds of politics, ethics, morality, psychology, and religion. J.P. Moreland is the Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University in La Mirada, California. He's taught there for more than 35 years. He has earned four earned degrees; an undergraduate degree in chemistry, two graduate degrees in philosophy and theology, and then earned his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. He's been a church planter and has been involved in the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) for many years. Before serving as a college professor he served as a bioethicist for PersonaCare Nursing Homes, Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Moreland has made numerous media contributions including to PBS, Christianity Today, and WORLD magazine. He has authored more than 30 books and more than 70 articles in scholarly journals across North America. Check out J.P. Moreland's website Get a copy of his newest book: Scientism and Secularism

The fine-tuning argument is a philosophical and scientific argument that asserts that the universe is perfectly fine-tuned for life as we know it. When we rationally and objectively observe the universe, we see that the universe has been perfectly crafted and intentional designed in a manner that is literally the most ideal environment for human life to exist and flourish. This is especially seen through the newest developments and discoveries from the genres of cosmology and physics. According to many physicists, the fact that the universe is able to support life depends delicately on various forces and fundamental characteristics, that if they were altered by even a small amount life as we know it simply could not exist. Even religious scientists and philosophers must concede that this could have all happened by accident. However, all honest observers, religious or non-religious, must admit that the statistical probability that this happened all by itself by accident is simply minuscule, and that it actually defies logic that it came about by random chance. In this episode, Kenny explains this argument and shares various pieces of data that demonstrate why the fine-tuning argument is so compelling. Bibliography, Sources, and Additional Resources Christopher Hitchens Fine Tuning (Conversation with Doug Wilson) [YouTube Video] PragerU: Does Science Argue for or Against God? [YouTubeVideo] COLLISION: Christopher Hitchens vs. Douglas Wilson [DVD] Atheists Humbled by Order in Universe [YouTube Video] Leonard Susskind - Is the Universe Fine-Tuned for Life and Mind? [YouTube Video] The anthropic significance of the existence of an excited state of 12C (article by M. Livio, D. Hollowell, A. Weiss, and J.W. Truran) An anthropic myth: Fred Hoyle’s carbon-12 resonance level (article by Helge Kragh) The Origin and Fine-Tuning of the Universe (William Lane Craig) [YouTube Video] Humanity Is No Cosmic Accident: Science Shows We’re Far from Ordinary (article By Eric Metaxas) Is the Universe Merely a Statistical Accident? (article by Larry Dossey, MD) How Many Galaxies Are in the Universe? [YouTube Video] Improbable Planet: How Earth Became Humanity's Home (book by Hugh Ross) The Creator and the Cosmos: How the Latest Scientific Discoveries Reveal God (book by Hugh Ross) Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics (book by William Lane Craig) PragerU: What's the Greater Leap of Faith: God or the Multi-verse? [YouTube Video]  

In this episode, Kenny interviews world-renowned astronomer and best-selling author Hugh Ross about various topics related to Old-Earth creationism and Old Testament hermeneutics. Dr. Ross is well-known for his defense of the "day-age" creationist position. In this interview Dr. Ross dialogues with Kenny about variations of Old-Earth Creationism, the literary framework hypothesis of Genesis 1, the creation accounts in the book of Job, the Garden of Eden, the extent of Noah's flood, and the most appropriate way to navigate the book of Genesis. The interview ends by touching on the Neanderthals, proto-humans, and Dr. Ross' opinion of the Leviathan and the Behemoth. Dr. Ross is the founder of Reasons to Believe, an organization that creates and provides various resources that show that science and faith are not enemies. Dr. Ross and his team have lectured at more than 300 universities across North America. Dr. Hugh Ross has an undergraduate degree in physics and later earned a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Toronto. For several years he continued his research on quasars and galaxies as a postdoctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology. Dr. Ross has made countless media appearances, including The Dennis Prager Show, FOX News, The 700 Club, The Eric Metaxas Show, Coast to Coast AM with George Noory, and numerous podcasts. He has also appeared in numerous magazines and news articles such as Christianity Today, Charisma magazine, and The Wall Street Journal. Outside of Reasons to Believe, Dr. Ross teaches as an adjunct professor at both A.W. Tozer Seminary and Southern Evangelical Seminary. He also serves as a minister of apologetics at Sierra Madre Congregational Church where he conducts a weekly apologetics class. He and his wife live in Southern California. Check out Reasons to Believe's Website Check out Kenny's favorite books by Dr. Ross: Navigating Genesis and The Creator and the Cosmos Follow Dr. Ross on Facebook and Twitter  

When it comes to the origins of the Earth, the most prominent perspective held by many contemporary American Evangelicals is the concept of Young-Earth Creationism. This is the idea that God created the universe and everything in this universe in six literal calendar days (six consecutive 24-hour periods). The Young-Earth position asserts that God created everything approximately 6,000 years ago (although some Young Earth Creationists say that it may have happened as far back as 10,000 to 15,000 years ago) and most Young-Earth creationists argue that the science and date that seem to point to an Old-Earth (billions of years old) is science that is being done with flawed presuppositions therefore always leads to flawed conclusions. In this episode, Kenny interviews podcaster and apologist Steve Schramm. They discuss the Biblical reasons why someone might embrace the Young-Earth position as well as discussing various related topics such as the global flood, the Garden of Eden, and the various hermeneutical approaches to Genesis. Steve is an avid proponent of the Young-Earth position. He seeks to train Christians to become confident and passionate about wholeheartedly serving Jesus as well as defending the Christian faith. Check out Steve Schramm's website: Steveschramm.com Check out his resource website: The Creation Academy Follow Steve Schramm on Facebook and Twitter Additional Reading Tyler Vela's response to Steve Schramm: "Rejoinders to a YEC Response" (Part 1) Tyler Vela's response to Steve Schramm: "Rejoinders to a YEC Response" (Part 2) Steve Schramm's Response to Tyler Vela: "Defending a Young Earth" (Part 1) Steve Schramm's Response to Tyler Vela: "Defending a Young Earth" (Part 2) Additional Organizations with Young-Earth Resources Institute for Creation Research Answers in Genesis

Many people in our contemporary society claim to be focused on the "evidence" only, therefore they refuse to embrace anything that seems non-scientific, which would cause them to potentially reject the existence of the supernatural realm or would refuse to ever appeal to the supernatural realm for explanations. This approach often demands that people only use natural or physical explanations when explaining trends or phenomenons in our natural world. This is the philosophy of naturalism, which typically goes hand-in-hand with the common evolutionary theories being promoted today. However, if someone actually embraces the common Darwinian evolutionary theories, then there are actually very good reasons to not trust human mental faculties and to therefore question every closely held belief, including naturalism itself. In this episode, Kenny explains why and how evolutionary theory can actually be used as an argument against naturalism. Additional Resources Quick Video: The Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism (Center for Philosophy of Religion) [YouTube Video] Lecture: "An Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism - Alvin Plantinga at USC" [YouTube Video]

In this episode, Kenny interviews Ben Stanhope about the topic of the Leviathan and the Behemoth, as mentioned in the Old Testament. In this interview Ben discusses the Ancient Near Eastern manuscripts that have been recently discovered that give us greater insights into these Old Testament references. Ben Stanhope studied apologetics at Biola University and he then studied apologetics and theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he also served as a Garrett Fellow. He is now studying manuscript archaeology and textual criticism at the Center for the Study of Manuscript Cultures at Hamburg University in Germany. Check out Ben Stanhope's YouTube channel: Pixels and Papyrus

In this episode Kenny answers the question, "Are Dinosaurs Mentioned in the Bible?" The primary Bible passages that Kenny examines are Job 40 & 41.

The questions about the historicity and legitimacy of Adam and Eve are important ones, with serious theological ramifications directly impacting how we view sin, sin nature, and the Gospel. In this episode, Kenny interviews the world-renowned author and Bible scholar Dr. Jack Collins, wherein he tackles the question, "Did Adam and Eve Really Exist?" C. John “Jack” Collins is Professor of Old Testament at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, and was a Senior Research Fellow for The Creation Project. He served as the Old Testament Chairman for the English Standard Version (ESV) translation of the Bible, he worked on the ESV's Old Testament translation team helping to translate the Scriptures from Hebrew to English, and he has authored (or co-authored) several books on a variety of Bible topics. Before diving into the world of Bible scholarship, Dr. Collins had a science background. He earned a BS (computer science) and a MS (systems engineering), both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After that, he earned an M.Div. from Faith Evangelical Lutheran Seminary and a Ph.D. in Biblical Hebrew linguistics from the School of Archaeology and Oriental Studies at the University of Liverpool. Recommended: Did Adam and Eve Really Exist?: Who They Were and Why You Should Care (by Dr. C. John Collins) Creation Debate: Dr. Albert Mohler and Dr. Jack Collins [Video] ESV Study Bible Reading Genesis Well: Navigating History, Poetry, Science, and Truth in Genesis 1-11 (by Dr. C. John Collins) Four Views on the Historical Adam (multiple contributors, including Dr. C. John Collins) Dr. Collins' Contributions at "Sapientia" [Blog Articles]

Whenever discussing creationism, the topic of dinosaurs will always inevitability always come up as a part of the conversation. In this episode Kenny answers the question, "What happened to the dinosaurs?" He gives three potential responses to this question that are held by evangelicals. Afterwards, Kenny then dovetails into a brief conversation about dragons and whether or not the legends and myths that speak of dragons are actually exaggerated narratives and tales about the dinosaurs and dinosaur-like creatures that were living in pre-modern history, co-existing with humans.

Many people claim to be committed to “science” or claim to be focused on "the evidence” and they demand that every argument and every theory within our natural realm and world solely be argued for (or against) with only secular, natural, and/or physical arguments. This philosophy, called naturalism, is embraced by many people in the Western world today. Many secular progressives (and their contemporary ideological allies) assert things such as "We are committed to evidence" and they make comments like "Christians are only focused on faith, not evidence." However, while this philosophy is prevalent, is this philosophy really sound? And are the naturalists actually being honest in their evaluation of the known evidence? In this episode, Kenny explains why this philosophy of naturalism is flawed and presents quotes from well known naturalists that show the flaws in this philosophy. Kenny presents information from the worlds of physics, biology, cosmology, and philosophy. He quotes from known philosophers, scientists, and writers such as Antony Flew, Richard Lewontin, Thomas Nagel, Edward Hobble, and Stephen Hawking, and David Brooks, demonstrating that naturalism is an irrational and inconsistent worldview.  

Many people claim to be "scientific" or focused on "evidence" when all the while ignoring one important potential genre or stream of evidence, and that is any evidence which may cause people to conclude that there is indeed a God and a supernatural realm. Those people often demand natural or physical explanations for all things in the natural realm. This expectation, which is now prevalent in our society today, is founded upon the ideology of naturalism. In this episode, Kenny explains the history and foundation of naturalism, its re-emergence during the Renaissance and Age of Enlightenment, and its impact upon modern philosophy and science.

In this episode, tackles the question about animal death before the fall of mankind. Some Evangelical Christians assert that all death entered the world through the fall of Adam, therefore there could be no animal death before Adam's sin. However, does the Bible actually teach this concept? If this were true, Old Earth creationism would be counter-Bible because this view ordinarily affirms the typical understanding of the fossil records that show animals living and dying long before the appearance of humans. If death entered with Adam, this view would be unorthodox and inconsistent. But is this view actually asserted in the Scriptures? Or is there a totally different way to look at animal death?

In this episode, Kenny interviews author, apologist, podcaster, and philosopher Tyler Vela to talk about the literary framework hypothesis of Genesis 1 as well as Tyler's thoughts about pieces of Genesis 1 being motifs and metaphors that would lead us to believe that Genesis 1 is in large part a polemic argument written by Moses on behalf of Yahweh the creator. Tyler Vela studied Philosophy and English at California State University, Sonoma. He also earned a Bachelors degree in Biblical and Theological Studies from Moody Bible Institute. Currently, Tyler is working towards a Masters of Biblical Studies at Reformed Theological Seminary (Charlotte). Tyler is the host of The Freed Thinker Podcast and blog and is a frequent guest on many Christian and skeptical podcasts and forums. Subscribe to The Freed Thinker Podcast: www.thefreedthinker.podbean.com To check out Tyler Vela's paper: A Historical-Grammatical and Polemical Reading of Genesis 1 Check out The Mentionables Conference. Recommended Reading: The Genesis Debate: Three Views on the Days of Creation (multiple contributors, Foreword by Norm Geisler, Edited by David Hagopian) The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate (by John H. Walton) Reading Genesis with Ancient Eyes by John Walton, Ph.D. [YouTube Video/Lecture] The Framework Interpretation: An Exegetical Summary [Blog/Article] Meredith G. Kline on "Space and Time in the Genesis Cosmogony" [Blog/Article]

This episode is very unique because Kenny uses the life of Steve Jobs as an illustration for this point. This episode is a sequel to the previous episode (Understanding Genesis One: Part 1) wherein Kenny gave the audience some history about how Christians have viewed Genesis 1 and where he also challenged the false narrative of uniformity that often is asserted by many modern Evangelical Christians. In that previous episode, Kenny then outlined the two primary ways of understanding and interpreting Genesis 1 (and similar styles of Biblical literature): the concordist view and the non-concordist view. In this episode, Kenny tells about the life and achievements of Steve Jobs, founder of Apple. Kenny tells his story in two separate ways, to illustrate the two approaches to Genesis 1.  

There are many different ways to interpret and understand the book of Genesis, especially chapter one. In this episode, Kenny gives some history about how Christians have viewed Genesis 1 and he also challenges the false narrative of uniformity that often is asserted by many modern Evangelical Christians. Kenny outlines the two primary ways of understanding and interpreting Genesis 1 (and similar styles of Biblical literature): the concordist view and the non-concordist view. The concordist interpretations assert that God made the Earth and everything in the natural world using the sequence of events described in Genesis 1. Some proponents of the concordist views take the pieces of Genesis 1 as being literal and others take the pieces of Genesis 1 as being metaphoric, but in either form of concordism, the proponents claim that Genesis 1 is a historical narrative of the sequence of events of all created things. With the non-concordist interpretations of Genesis 1, the proponents assert that Genesis 1 is teaching us about God's sovereignty over creation and His preeminence over the created things, but that Genesis 1 was not written as a precise historical narrative therefore it ought not be interpreted in that manner. Concordism states that the point wasn't to teach us how God did created everything or when He created everything, but instead the point of Genesis 1 was simply to point to the fact that God Himself did it, demonstrating His superiority over the creation and dismisses the notion that created things deserve any worship whatsoever, therefore God ought to be glorified for His wonderful works.

In recent times there has been a new debate about the historicity of Adam. Was he a real man or is the Biblical figure just a metaphoric figure? Was he uniquely created or did he evolve? Does this even matter to modern Christians? In this episode, Kenny gives us several clear reasons why we should believe in a historical Adam and he teaches us why this matters to the Gospel.   Recommended Reading 10 Reasons to Believe in a Historical Adam [Blog Post] Did Adam and Eve Really Exist?: Who They Were and Why You Should Care (C. John Collins) Four Views on the Historical Adam (multiple contributors, edited by Matthew Barrett and Ardel Caneday)  

This episode is unique from most episodes of the podcast because this episode covers content and material from a previous episode, but simply does so in a shorter time (episode 248 is similar, that particular episode was the shorter version of content from episode 247). This episode covers the same content that is covered in episode 249 however this episode aims to cover the same material is much less time (this episode is less than 18 minutes while episode 249 is nearly 47 minutes long). Questions and topics related to the origins of humanity, the age of the universe, and the age of the Earth often come up in debates and conversations whenever Christians are seeking to reconcile the words of Scripture with the ideologies from the world of science. In this episode, Kenny tackles the question, "Should Christians Believe in Evolution?" First, Kenny asserts the importance of clarifying what type of evolution we're actually talking about. There are many different types of evolution, and making sure that we have clear understanding of our verbiage is essential. The two prominent types of evolution that are being alluded to when we're discussing the topic of the origin of species are macro-evolution and micro-evolution. Macro-evolution is the concept that species evolve into other species, a concept for which there is no scientific evidence, just theory. Micro-evolution is the concept that species change and evolve over time within their own kind, a concept for which there is scientific evidence. Secondly, Kenny explains the two types of macro-evolution being asserted by people today: secular (naturalistic) macro-evolution and theistic evolution. The secular (naturalistic) form of macro-evolution is the concept that all living creatures today all evolved from a single cell organism over the course of millions of years, without the help or guidance of any supreme being. The secular or naturalistic viewpoint (also sometimes referred to as the Darwinian perspective) generally disregards the existence of God altogether. This view is rightly rejected by most professing Christians. Another form of evolution that Kenny discusses is the concept of theistic evolution. This form of evolution is the belief that God guided and shepherded the process of evolution to help the process achieve the result that He desired. There is no Scriptural evidence for this view, and this view is logically insufficient in many regards, so Kenny encourages his listeners to reject this view as well.   Recommended Reading: Genesis Unbound (by John Sailhamer) Four Views on Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design (multiple contributors, edited by JB Stump) Three Views on Creation and Evolution (multiple contributors, edited by James Porter Moreland) Old Earth or Evolutionary Creation? (multiple contributors, edited by Kenneth Keathley & J. B. Stump,) Ultimate Proof of Creation (Jason Lisle) Old Earth Creationism on Trial (Tim Chaffey & Jason Lisle) Navigating Genesis (Hugh Ross) The Genesis Debate: Three Views on the Days of Creation (multiple contributors, edited by David Hagopian)   Resources to Examine: Creation or Chaos: Modern Science and the Existence of God [DVD series] Stand to Reason [Website] Institute of Creation Research [Website] Answers in Genesis [Website] Reasons to Believe [Website]

In this episode, Kenny tackles the question, "Should Christians Believe in Evolution?" First, Kenny asserts the importance of clarifying what type of evolution we're actually talking about. There are many different types of evolution, and making sure that we have clear understanding of our verbiage is essential. The two prominent types of evolution that are being alluded to when we're discussing the topic of the origin of species are macro-evolution and micro-evolution. Macro-evolution is the concept that species evolve into other species, a concept for which there is no scientific evidence, just theory. Micro-evolution is the concept that species change and evolve over time within their own kind, a concept for which there is scientific evidence. Secondly, Kenny then explains the two types of macro-evolution being asserted by people today: secular (naturalistic) macro-evolution and theistic evolution. The secular (naturalistic) form of macro-evolution is the concept that all living creatures today all evolved from a single cell organism over the course of millions of years, without the help or guidance of any supreme being. The secular or naturalistic viewpoint (also sometimes referred to as the Darwinian perspective) generally disregards the existence of God altogether. This view is rightly rejected by most professing Christians. There have been some prominent secular evolutionist that readily admit the lack of evidence and logical arguments for this naturalistic view, however they still embrace it because the only alternative is creation, and they would rather not embrace that view. Here are some quotes supporting this... "Evolution itself is accepted by zoologists not because it has been observed to occur or is supported by logically coherent arguments, but because it does fit all the facts of taxonomy, of paleontology, and of geographical distribution, and because no alternative explanation is credible... The theory of evolution is a theory universally accepted by zoologists, not because it has been observed to occur... or can be proved by logical coherent evidence, but because the only alternative, special creation, is clearly incredible." ~D.M.S. Watson, "Adaptation," in Nature, Vol. 123, p. 233 (1929) [sometimes misquoted and often wrongly attributed to Sir Arthur Keith by many young-Earth creationists] "I suppose the reason why we leapt at the Origin of Species was that the idea of God interfered with our sexual mores.” ~Sir Julian Huxley "I'm an evolutionist because I cannot take the alternative." ~Thomas Nagel "I speak from experience, being strongly subject to this fear myself: I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent and well-informed people I know are religious believers. It isn’t just that I don’t believe in God and, naturally, hope that I’m right in my belief. It’s that I hope there is no God! I don’t want there to be a God; I don’t want the universe to be like that. My guess is that this cosmic authority problem is not a rare condition and that it is responsible for much of the scientism and reductionism of our time. One of the tendencies it supports is the ludicrous overuse of evolutionary biology to explain everything about human life, including everything about the human mind... This is a somewhat ridiculous situation... It is just as irrational to be influenced in one’s beliefs by the hope that God does not exist as by the hope that God does exist." ~Thomas Nagel "We should be open to order in nature. Nature is uniquely suitable for life." ~Michael Denton The second form of evolution that Kenny discusses is the concept of theistic evolution. This form of evolution is the belief that God guided and shepherded the process of evolution to help the process achieve the result that He desired. There is no Scriptural evidence for this view, and this view is logically insufficient in many regards,

This episode is somewhat unique in that it covers material from a previous episode, but in a shorter time. This episode covers the same content that is covered in episode 247 however this episode aims to cover the material is much less time (this episode is less than 17 minutes while episode 247 is nearly 45 minutes long). Questions and topics related to the origins of humanity, the age of the universe, and the age of the Earth often come up in debates and conversations whenever Christians are seeking to reconcile the words of Scripture with the ideologies from the world of science. The five views that Kenny talks about: 1- Secular Evolution 2- Young Earth and Literal Six-Day Creation 3- Old Earth with "Days" of creation being metaphoric 4- Old Earth with Gap Theory 5- Old Earth with Historical Creationism In this episode Kenny also foreshadows the content of episode 249 wherein Kenny will tackle a sixth view known as theistic evolution, the concept that God guided and shepherded the process of evolution to the result that He wanted.   Recommended Reading: Genesis Unbound (by John Sailhamer) Four Views on Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design (multiple contributors, edited by JB Stump) Three Views on Creation and Evolution (multiple contributors, edited by James Porter Moreland) Old Earth or Evolutionary Creation? (multiple contributors, edited by Kenneth Keathley & J. B. Stump,) Ultimate Proof of Creation (Jason Lisle) Old Earth Creationism on Trial (Tim Chaffey & Jason Lisle) Navigating Genesis (Hugh Ross) The Genesis Debate: Three Views on the Days of Creation (multiple contributors, edited by David Hagopian)   Resources to Examine: Creation or Chaos: Modern Science and the Existence of God [DVD series] Stand to Reason [Website] Institute of Creation Research [Website] Answers in Genesis [Website] Reasons to Believe [Website]  

How old is the universe? How old is the Earth? These are questions often asked by Christians throughout the world, seeking to understand the origins of humanity while also seeking to reconcile the words of Scripture with the news updates coming from the world of science. In this episode, Kenny challenges listeners to be charitable and diplomatic when tackling this topic. Kenny gives various historical insights that are helpful, and then Kenny gives us five perspectives that are often embraced when people are answering this question and when tackling the sub-topics that often arise. The five views that Kenny talks about: 1- Secular Evolution 2- Young Earth and Literal Six-Day Creation 3- Day-Age Creationist with Era-Long "Days" 4- Old Earth with Gap Theory 5- Old Earth with Historical Creationism   Recommended Reading: Genesis Unbound (by John Sailhamer) Four Views on Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design (multiple contributors, edited by JB Stump) Three Views on Creation and Evolution (multiple contributors, edited by James Porter Moreland) Old Earth or Evolutionary Creation? (multiple contributors, edited by Kenneth Keathley & J. B. Stump,) Ultimate Proof of Creation (Jason Lisle) Old Earth Creationism on Trial (Tim Chaffey & Jason Lisle) Navigating Genesis (Hugh Ross) The Genesis Debate: Three Views on the Days of Creation (multiple contributors, edited by David Hagopian)   Resources to Examine: Creation or Chaos: Modern Science and the Existence of God [DVD series] Stand to Reason [Website] Institute of Creation Research [Website] Answers in Genesis [Website] Reasons to Believe [Website]  

Many people in our world are lacking true joy and satisfaction, longing for "something more" but so many of them end up settling for a sub-par life and sub-par spirituality, simply because they do not know the true source of joy and satisfaction. Furthermore, there are many genuine Christians that do not understand or value certain key doctrines and philosophies simply because they haven't been taught those truths and ideas in a manner that is accessible. In this episode, Kenny interviews pastor and author Jonathan Parnell about these issues and they discuss how Jonathan tackles these trends in his newest book "Never Settle for Normal: The Proven Path to Significance and Happiness." Jonathan is the lead pastor of Cities Church in Minneapolis–St. Paul, where he lives with his wife, Melissa, and their seven children. His book "Never Settle for Normal" is not a self-help book, neither is it just another run-of-mill "enrichment book, but instead it is a Gospel-filled book, packed with transcendent Biblical truths, but written in a manner that can be easily digested by just about any person, regardless of where they are in their faith journey. Jonathan Parnell is also the co-editor of Designed for Joy: How the Gospel Impacts Men and Women, Identity and Practice (2015), and the co-author of How to Stay Christian in Seminary (2014). He has also published a collection of devotional essays under the title, Reading to Walk: Meditations for the Life of Faith (2014). Follow Jonathan on Twitter @Jonathanparnell Check out Jonathan's Website: www.jonathanparnell.com

A frequent (and tragic) trend in modern American Evangelicalism is the devaluing of the importance of quality doctrine and theology. This is evident in many ways in contemporary American Christendom, but fewer moments make this more obvious than when church leaders (and lay people) refuse to objectively (or critically) assess the theology, ideology, and preaching content of many prominent preachers. Many American Christians simply refuse to "pass judgement" on preachers. Is this right or wrong? After several months off from podcasting, Kenny returns to tackle this important (and apparently controversial) topic. How important is theology? How much does doctrine matter? Is it appropriate to judge preachers' based on their theology? Or should we only pass judgement on those whom we know well? And is it possible that theology or doctrine can somehow actually get in the way of ministry? Kenny tackles these questions in this episode, with his ultimate conclusion and statement being a strong, but simple, challenge to all listeners to always objectively exam every church leader's and every preacher's doctrine and preaching content, and to seek to make a rational and fair determination as to whether or not the content and doctrine is accurate or erroneous, and allow those determinations to govern how you interact with or talk about that preacher. Kenny also encourages us to be cautious that we never inappropriately or unfairly assault someone's character.  

In this episode, Kenny answers the question: Will people from all Christian denominations go to heaven, or will only certain ones, with the right doctrine, be saved in the end? This can be a controversial subject indeed, but Kenny seeks to make it simple by making the point that faith in Christ is what actually saves us, not right doctrines. Studying theology and doctrine is very important, and there are indeed certain types of doctrines and certain theological beliefs that may very well impede a person's faith in Christ, or may demonstrate that their faith in Christ is actually fraudulent, but the act of embracing certain doctrine, in and of itself, doesn't necessarily save or condemn human beings. Kenny believes that there will be people from all sorts of Christian denominations represented in heaven.

Last year, our host Kenny did a mini-series on the Holy Spirit, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Kenny tackled multiple topics related to the Holy Spirit. One of those topics was the topic of prophecy. You can listen to that episode here: "87: What is Prophecy?" Kenny made the case that the gift (or function) of New Testament prophecy has been grossly misunderstood by many contemporary Christians, and that the spiritual gift of prophecy often gets maligned or abused. In response to that previous episode, Kenny received an email from a regular listener asking for clarification about the topic of prophecy. In this episode, Kenny seeks to bring clarity by again explaining that the Old Testament office of “prophet” was restricted to only one person, meaning that only one person had access to the fullness and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, but that ever since the day of Pentecost, all New Testament Christians now have full access to the fullness and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. And as such, anytime a believer is empowered by the Spirit of God to speak boldly to the people of God on behalf of God, then in essence, that person is prophesying. The spiritual gift of prophecy does not mean that someone is foretelling the future, but rather that they are being empowered by the Spirit to speak boldly to God's people for a specific person of cause. Occasionally this may indeed involve elements of "words of knowledge" or unique spiritual discernment, but in most cases it ought to be more focused on admonishment, rebuke, correction, teaching, calls to worship, and calls for repentance.

Romantic relationships can be complicated, even under the best of circumstances, but they get even more complicated when flawed philosophies and bad theology are thrown into the mix. One of the flawed philosophies that often gets embraced, in terms of romance, is the ideal concept of a soulmate. While this concept has lost popularity over the past two decades within contemporary Christian circles, there are still many that believe and embrace it. In this episode, Kenny clearly tackles the question: Does God have only one specific person you’re meant to marry or is it more a matter of personal choice? Kenny's answer in this podcast is clear: There is no such thing as "the one." This concept of "the one" or the idea of a soulmate is totally a result of modern media, movies, and pop culture. The idea of "the one" is not at all a result of any Biblical insights. Kenny explains that the Bible talks extensively about marriage and relationships, but it never says anything that would cause us to embrace this concept of only one specific person that you're supposed to marry. Furthermore, Kenny explains that this concept is overly idealistic and severely impractical.