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Is the apologetic enterprise coercing people outside the Christian faith into a decision on which their eternal fate depends, conceding the terms of the debate to the culture's notion of what's important, or making fruitful contact in ways specific to the person and situation? (I bet you can guess our answer.) In this episode, Dad and I examine some worse ways of making a defense for the faith that is within us en route to some recommendations of a more excellent way. Plus, Sarah complains even more about Tillich. Notes: 1. Related episodes: The Bible in One Hand and the Newspaper in the Other?, Chalcedon vs Luther, The Resurrection, Good Tillich, Bad Tillich, Niebuhr, Critical Social Theory, An Unlikely Marriage, Luther and the Jews 2. McDowell, Evidence That Demands a Verdict 3. Pannenberg, Jesus: God and Man 4. Tillich, Systematic Theology vol. 1 5. Lindbeck, The Nature of Doctrine 6. Sarah's book of law-gospel parables, Pearly Gates Holy moly! Six years of top-quality theological podcasting! Why not show your support by becoming a Patron?
In this episode of The 167 Podcast, Shannon and Josh decode the essence of apologetics, demystifying its purpose and importance in today's world. Exploring the biblical foundation and practical applications of apologetics, they highlight its role in connecting faith with reason, as exemplified in 1 Peter 3:15-16. Drawing from Josh McDowell's insightful trilogy, they equip listeners with essential resources for articulating and defending their faith with clarity and conviction. Delving deeper, Shannon and Josh unpack the strategies of front-end and back-end apologetics, emphasizing the importance of listening, relationship-building, and winsome persuasion. Addressing common criticisms and philosophical challenges, they offer reasoned responses to skeptics and seekers, empowering believers to engage with humility and empathy. Join them on The 167 Podcast as they navigate the intersection of faith and reason, inviting listeners into a journey of discovery and conviction. Josh McDowell books: Evidence That Demands a Verdict. More Than a Carpenter, which is basically just basic evidence of Christianity of Christ that was in the Old Testament. Don't check your brains at the door - which is the student version of Evidence that Demands a Verdict
When evidence is presented a verdict is made at least mentally if not in a court room setting. This most critical evidence demands a verdict in the heart that must then be acted upon. Eternity hangs in the balance.
--- Preacher: Pastor Cory Ishida saviorcommunity.com
March 31, 2024Pastor Scott PolingMain Passage: Luke 24:1-12Scripture used: Luke 24:1-12; Luke 23:55-56; Proverbs 28:1; Proverbs 29:25; Mark 16:3; Luke 24:23b; Matthew 28:2b; John 20:12b; Luke 1:31b; Matthew 1:20b-21; Luke 2:11-12; Luke 2:13-14; Matthew 4:11b; Matthew 28:2; Matthew 28:6; Acts 1:10b-11; Matthew 25:31a; 2 Thessalonians 1:7b; Luke 9:22b; Luke 9:44; Luke 17:25; Luke 18:31b-33; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13a; 1 Corinthians 15:17; Romans 4:24b-25; Romans 10:9; Romans 6:4b; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22; 2 Corinthians 4:14; 1 Peter 1:3b-4; Romans 1:4; Acts 17:31; Mark 16:9b; Luke 8:3a; 1 Samuel 2:30b; John 10:17b-18; Proverbs 3:5-6Resources on the Resurrection:"Evidence That Demands a Verdict" – chapter 10 – The Resurrection: Hoax or History - - by Josh & Sean McDowell"The Case for Easter" by Lee Strobel"Body of Proof: The Seven Best Reasons to Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus – and Why It Matters Today" by Dr. Jeremiah Johnston"On the Resurrection: Evidences" by Gary R. HabermasMain points:Feel Great SorrowUnderstand Great ServiceAdmire Great CourageSense Great ConfusionWatch Great FearBelieve Great TruthShare Great NewsRealize Great DoubtExperience Great Amazement
Evidence that Demands Attention: Session 4 | Why Would Anyone Make This Stuff Up? Pastor Nate Sweeney (Lead Pastor) Catalyst Church NWA
A session with the multi-million selling author of Evidence That Demands A Verdict. Be challenged and transformed by the evidence Josh found while trying to dispute Christianity and the belief in a loving Creator. You won't want to miss his compelling session with Josh McDowell!
Evil, Miracles, & Jesus As Evidence The final portion of the positive case for evidentialism is on evil, miracles, & Jesus as evidence. Evidentialists have developed 2 theodicies and also a 3 fold test for miracles. They've responded to Hume's critique of miracles. They've also developed the minimal facts approach to the Resurrection. Timeline: 00:00 - Introduction 01:09 - 2 Explanation To The Problem Of Evil For The Evidentialists 07:41 - Evidentialists On Miracles As Evidence For God 08:39 - The Beckwith 3 Fold Test For Miracles 11:38 - Against Hume's Critique Of Miracles 14:01 - Who Do Evidentialists Say That Jesus Is? 15:46 - The Minimal Facts Case For The Resurrection 26:13 - Conclusion BOOK LINKS: Faith Has Its Reasons By Kenneth Boa & Robert M. Bowman Jr. Kindle Paperback Logos
Scripture, Miracles, Prophecies, & Uniqueness Of Christianity Today, we look at four big evidences that evidentialists look at. Scripture, miracles, prophecies, & uniqueness of Christianity are big factors they point to for people to consider. These areas are just thrown at the wall like jello, evidentialists back up their claims with agreed upon criteria that they claim anyone should be able to look at and be convinced that there is evidence that demands a verdict. Timeline: 00:00 - Introduction 01:54 - Evidentialism Differs From Classical Apologetics 06:16 - Evidentialism Offers Scripture As A Source Of Reliable Evidence 08:59 - The 3 Fold Unbiased Test Of Reliable Scripture Testimony 09:35 - The Bibliographic Test 16:01 - The Internal Test 19:04 - The External Test 21:31 - 4 Tests For Fulfilled Prophecy As Reliable Scripture Testimony 24:50 - 3 Areas Of Scripture To Show Fulfilled Prophecies 29:24 - The Evidentialist Responses To Pluralism 33:28 - Christianity Has The Only Evidence For God 34:13 - Evidentialists Want To Bring Evidence To Unbelievers On Neutral Ground 35:30 - Evidentialists Using Scientific Approaches For Evidence 37:14 - Evidentialists Point To God Acting In History With His Church 39:08 - Conclusion BOOK LINKS: Faith Has Its Reasons By Kenneth Boa & Robert M. Bowman Jr. Kindle Paperback Logos
Be blown away by today's One80 with Josh McDowell. He used to wait for Christians to speak out in class so that he could tear them up. That is, before Josh encountered Jesus himself. After some of these very students issued a challenge for Josh to disprove Christianity, hear how his quest brought him to the person of truth and took him from skeptic to one of the country's greatest evangelists, as well as the father of modern apologetics. Josh has faithfully served with Cru as an evangelist for 60 years. He's written more than 150 books, and given over 32,000 talks in 139 countries, addressing more than 46 million. Be encouraged by the power of forgiveness and incredible restoration in Josh's moving story. And enjoy the Sendoff, where TC Boyd the Artist shares a rap all about Josh's amazing life.Helpful links: Learn all about Josh! http://www.josh.org/More Than a Carpenter, Josh's story, 27 million in print!Evidence That Demands a Verdict, you gotta read this exhaustive tome of apologetic resources! Great review of Evidence that Demands a Verdict.Lodz Scroll, One of Josh's helpful Biblical proofs, watch the video.Josh McDowell Ministries, Faith & Fact: Misconceptions, Who is Blaise Pascal50 years in ministry Cru video https://www.youtube.com/user/JoshMcDowellJosh helps make One80s happen! Listen to Rick Pierson's One80 , episode 9, to see what impact Josh played in one man's life.Wheaton CollegeBiola's Talbot School of Theology Follow One80 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.Never miss a One80. Join our email list. Follow us on Instagram.Share One80, here's how!OneWay Ministries
Prophet & Loss: Listen To Us
In this sermon, we unpack the three evidences that God the Father gave that authenticated Jesus' words earlier in this chapter. For more information, please visit: trailschurch.ca
In gesprek met Erik van der Horst neemt Adam Curry ons mee in zijn indrukwekkende ontdekkingsreis door radioland. Onderweg nemen de mannen uitstapjes naar onderwerpen als Big Tech, mainstream media, censuur, en God. Uiteraard komt de podcast 'No Agenda' uitgebreid aan bod, welke Curry samen met John C. Dvorak al 16 jaar lang, twee keer per week maakt.Als klein jongetje was Curry al gefascineerd door radio, mede dankzij een kerstcadeau dat hij in zijn tienerjaren kreeg; een technische doe-het-zelf-bouwdoos, waarmee hij een FM-radiozender maakte.Via ziekenhuisomroep Radio Tulipa, en de Amsterdamse piratenzender Radio Decibel, kwam hij op 19-jarige leeftijd bij Veronica terecht. Daar presenteerde hij drie jaar lang het razend populaire televisieprogramma Countdown. In 1987 vertrok hij naar Amerika, waar hij zeven jaar lang VJ was bij de muziekzender MTV.Adam is echter, naar eigen zeggen, een echte radioman. Zijn passie voor het medium resulteerde er aan het begin van dit millennium in, dat hij de link wist te leggen tussen weblogs en de iPod. Dankzij een ontmoeting met Steve Jobs van Apple werd de ‘podcast' geboren, wat Adam de bijnaam The Podfather opleverde.No Agenda:http://www.noagendashow.net/Goodbye BigTech:https://goodbyebigtech.nl/Ben je benieuwd welke boeken Adam geadviseerd heeft aan Erik? Here they are:Naomi WolfFacing the Beast: Courage, Faith, and Resistance in a New Dark AgeLee StrobelThe Case for HeavenJosh McDowell & Sean McDowellEvidence That Demands a Verdict Study GuideJohn EldredgeBeautiful OutlawMet speciale dank aan André, Knight of the Empty Paypal Wallet.---Deze video is geproduceerd door Café Weltschmerz. Café Weltschmerz gelooft in de kracht van het gesprek en zendt interviews uit over actuele maatschappelijke thema's. Wij bieden een hoogwaardig alternatief voor de mainstream media. Café Weltschmerz is onafhankelijk en niet verbonden aan politieke, religieuze of commerciële partijen.Waardeer je onze video's? Help ons in de strijd naar een eerlijker Nederland, vrij van censuur en Steun Café Weltschmerz en word Stamgast!https://cafeweltschmerz.nl/register/Wil je onze nieuwsbrief ontvangen in je mailbox?https://cafeweltschmerz.nl/nieuwsbrief/Wil je op de hoogte worden gebracht van onze nieuwe video's? Klik hierboven dan op Abonneren!
Are you challenging the students in your youth ministry enough? In this episode, we examine four ways that you can be challenging your youth group to help them grow in their faith. Some of the topics we will be covering include: teaching the Bible as a narrative, steering away from your student ministry being the "be good club," leaning into the logic and servanthood within the church.Books Mentioned in this Episode:"Jesus Centered Youth Ministry" by Rick Lawrencehttps://amzn.to/3s2ggY6"Evidence That Demands a Verdict" by Josh & Sean McDowellhttps://amzn.to/3s4ampr"The Reason for God" by Tim Kellerhttps://amzn.to/3OupCn1"I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Athiest" By Norman L. Geisler & Frank Turekhttps://amzn.to/3DRX0yU"Darwin's Black Box" by Michael Behehttps://amzn.to/43V3mbH"The First Christian" by Tim Kellerhttps://amzn.to/3qk7W5vWe love hearing from you all and we do our best to provide powerful and insightful youth ministry content on a weekly basis to be that coach and mentor you may not have, but desperately need.If you have an episode idea, please E-Mail us at MinistryCoachPodcast@gmail.com!If you have it on your heart to support this ministry, please consider going to our Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/ministrycoachYou may also enjoy these episodes:(#107) How to Deliver Better Sermons - 5 Youth Pastor Tipshttps://www.buzzsprout.com/974710/episodes/10879650(#089) How to Get Better Engagement During Sermons in Youth Ministryhttps://www.buzzsprout.com/974710/episodes/10133984==================
Claims of faith are not left to their own subjectivity. When real, it will bear forth, objective, observable evidence.#InnocentOrGuilty
John Murphy preaches through John 10:22-30. He reminds us that the human heart is stubborn and often rejects the evidence right in front of it. In this passage we see that the stubbornness of our hearts needs to be continually confronted with the beauty of the Gospel.
This updated version of a popular book covers so much good information about Christianity. This time I cover chapter 13, which examines the deaths of the disciples. Do we know what happened to them? Did any of them renounce their faith when faced with death?
Redeemer Elder, Hart Hogan, preaches a sermon based on 1 Peter 3:15.
Listen in as Pastor Kirk shares a message from 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 and discusses "Evidence That Demands a Verdict." www.CalvaryFayetteville.com info@CalvaryFayetteville.com 479-442-4634
THE THESIS: Christians must operate in faith and grace. We must be able to explain to non-Christians the source of our joy. Easter is the perfect season to do that. But, how do we tell the story? In what ways can we share the faith with church-curious non-believers? THE SCRIPTURE & SCRIPTURAL RESOURCES: Matthew 26Through the work of the Holy Spirit, Pastor Jim Putman and his team grew Real Life Ministries from 11 people meeting in a basement to an 8,000 member biblical ministry. They teach churches and pastors around the world how to make disciples. Evidence That Demands a Verdict: Life-Changing Truth for a Skeptical Worldhttps://4patriots.comStock up on 4Patriots Survival Food Kits. Use code TODD to save 10% on your first order.BioOptimizershttps://magbreakthrough.com/toddUse promo code TODD for 10% off your order. Bonefroghttps://bonefrog.usEnter promo code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your subscription. Bulwark Capital https://bulwarkcapitalmgmt.comAct now and get Bulwark Capital's “Common Cents Investing guide FREE. GreenHaven Interactivehttps://greenhaveninteractive.comGet seen on Google more with your worldclass website! Healthycellhttps://healthycell.com/toddJourney to better health and save 20% off your first order with promo code TODD. My Pillowhttps://mypillow.comUse code TODD for Closeout pricing on all All Season Slippers. RuffGreenshttps://ruffgreens.com/toddGet your FREE Jumpstart Trial Bag of Ruff Greens, simply cover shipping. SOTA Weight Losshttps://sotaweightloss.comSOTA Weight Loss is, say it with me now, STATE OF THE ART! Texas SuperFoodhttps://texassuperfood.comTexas SuperFood is whole food nutrition at its best.
Evidence That Demands A Verdict (Easter 2023) by Edgington EPC
Show Notes Template - Theological ThursdayWe are celebrating Easter/Resurrection Sunday and discussing more evidence for the resurrection.Join the FREE Community!https://www.facebook.com/groups/doersofthewordThis episode is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links, meaning we'll receive a small commission if you buy something.Verses:1 Corinthians 15:1-11John 14:6Matthew 28:18-20Mark 15:23
Evidence that Demands a Verdict provides an extensive defense of the Christian faith and provides readers with a ready defense across a broad range of topics.This nearly 800 page apologetics resource from Josh and Sean McDowell is a completely updated and revised edition of the original of the same name. Written in outline form, this textbook on apologetics jams as much content as possible into each section. Though many will find this most useful as a reference book rather than reading it cover to cover, it has proven to be among the most complete and helpful books for those interested in studying, teaching, and defending the reasons for their faith in Christ.Evidence That Demands a Verdict is broken up into four sections and covers the reliability and historicity of the Bible, the case for belief in Christ, the case for Christianity, and an examination of competing worldviews and religions. This is perhaps the best apologetics reference book available.► Pick up a Copy at https://amzn.to/3Kr9EcAIf you enjoy the Reasonable Theology Podcast go to ReasonableTheology.org/Subscribe and get the weekly email, which includes the latest article or podcast episode, a helpful theological definition, a painting depicting a scene from Scripture or church history, a musical selection to enrich your day, and the best book deal I've found that week to build your library.Support the showGET THE NEWSLETTEREach edition of the Reasonable Theology newsletter contains my latest article or podcast episode PLUS: A Theological Word or Phrase Explained Quickly and Clearly A Painting Depicting a Scene from Scripture or Church History Audio of a Hymn or other Musical Selection to Enjoy A Recommended Book or Resource to Expand Your Library SUBSCRIBE HERE
Pastor Kevin preaches over the evidence of Christ.
In this episode, Tim sits down with renowned historical scholar John Dominic Crossan to discuss the historical Jesus, and how the ongoing revelations of historical critical research and science are essentially interconnected with the art of theology. Dom offers his perspective on how proximity to empire has influenced the trajectory of Christian doctrine, and how he understands the meaning of Jesus' life, ministry, and death. Dom also introduces his perspective on Jesus' resurrection, and why he believes his perspective is more faithful to the early Christian tradition. Dom frames his view on resurrection with the provocative statement: metaphor creates reality. Sign up for Tripp Fuller and John Dominic Crossan's Online Class: The Easter Stories Follow us on Instagram: @thenewevangelicals Support our work Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The clear evidence of Jesus' deity requires my personal response to Him and does not excuse rejection.
He is one of the best-known apologists in the world. This great teacher has armed thoughtful Christians with historical documentation and modern scholarship, bearing witness to the truth of the Bible. Today, he joins us to discuss one of his most important books, updated with more historical insights to encourage a new generation of believers, to embrace the truth of Christ in a skeptical culture.
In this episode, we welcome Sean McDowell to the show. He is a Christian apologist, author, speaker, blogger, and professor. Sean is also the author, co-author, or editor of over twenty books including Evidence That Demands a Verdict, So the Next Generation Will Know, The Fate of the Apostles, and his newest book A Rebel's Manifesto. Additionally, he is an Associate Professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He earned his Ph.D. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and M.A.s in Theology and Philosophy from Talbot School of Theology. He also hosts the Think Biblically podcast. In this interview, we discuss what it's like being the son of one of the most famous Christian evangelists and apologists ever, how he handles when people compare him to his father, how Christian apologetics has changed since his father's heyday, why his new book is targeted at teenagers, how Christians should engage with the subjects of homosexuality and transgenderism, Christians refusing to fight the so-called “Culture Wars”, our disagreements about how he handled his chapter on race in America, and much more. Let's get into it… Episode notes and links HERE Donate to support our mission of equipping men to push back darkness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#alwaysaway #slulead #threstrackcenter For over 60 years Josh McDowell has provided breakthrough moments for more than 45 million people in 139 countries about the evidence for Christianity and the difference the Christian faith makes in the world. Through his work with Cru and the global outreach of Josh McDowell Ministry, millions of people worldwide have been exposed to the love of Christ. He is the author or coauthor of more than 150 books, including such classics as More Than a Carpenter and Evidence That Demands a Verdict. Ben Bennett is an author, speaker, and the Director of Resolution Movement – a global movement helping young people overcome hurts and struggles and thrive in life. He has faced addiction, trauma, and other mental health struggles in his journey toward a wholehearted life. Through many mistakes, missteps, false starts and restarts, Ben discovered proven tools and principles that have helped him overcome the hurts and struggles that hindered his journey toward wholeness. For the past 10 years, he has partnered with world renowned therapists and ministry leaders, helping individuals young and old understand and work through the underlying factors driving the unhealthy patterns in their lives. Ben offers a unique and fresh perspective on how to find freedom, healing, and a life of thriving through Christ and others. He has been a staff member of Josh McDowell Ministry since 2017.
Text: 1 Peter 3:8-16Hosts:J. Kent EdwardsVicki HitzgesNathan NormanNarrator: Brian French The CrossTalk Podcast is a production of CrossTalk Global, equipping biblical communicators, so every culture hears God's voice. To find out more, or to support the work of this ministry please visit www.crosstalkglobal.orgDonateProduced by Nathan James Norman/Untold Podcast Production© 2022 CrossTalk Global Contributors Keywords
Text: 1 Peter 3:1-7Hosts:J. Kent EdwardsVicki HitzgesNathan NormanNarrator: Brian French The CrossTalk Podcast is a production of CrossTalk Global, equipping biblical communicators, so every culture hears God's voice. To find out more, or to support the work of this ministry please visit www.crosstalkglobal.orgDonateProduced by Nathan James Norman/Untold Podcast Production© 2022 CrossTalk Global
Text: 1 Peter 2:13-25Hosts:J. Kent EdwardsVicki HitzgesNathan NormanNarrator: Brian French The CrossTalk Podcast is a production of CrossTalk Global, equipping biblical communicators, so every culture hears God's voice. To find out more, or to support the work of this ministry please visit www.crosstalkglobal.orgDonateProduced by Nathan James Norman/Untold Podcast Production© 2022 CrossTalk Global
What do missionaries need to know about apologetics? Veteran author, speaker, and apologetics Josh McDowell reminds us about our commitment to defending truth—and sharing the evidence. Josh McDowell has been at the forefront of cultural trends and groundbreaking ministry for more than 58 years. He shares the essentials of the Christian faith in everyday language so that people of all ages and stages can know Christ, understand what they believe and why it is true, and learn how to live, share and defend their faith. Well-known as an articulate speaker, Josh has spoken to approximately 46 million people in 139 countries. Josh has written or co-authored 152 books with some translated in 128 languages. These include More Than a Carpenter with over 27 million copies distributed. He also authored Evidence That Demands a Verdict, named by World Magazine as one of the twentieth century's top 40 books and one of the thirteen most influential books on Christian thought of the last 50 years. Evidence That Demands a Verdict also won the 2018 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association award in the Bible Reference Book category. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.
Most historians are quick to acknowledge the historical credibility of the works of Herodotus or Thucydides or Julius Caesar's invasion of Gaul. How does the Bible's reliability stack up against these? The evidence is overwhelming: the Bible is the most well-attested ancient document we have.Resources:"Evidence That Demands a Verdict: Life-Changing Truth for a Skeptical World" - Josh McDowell & Sean McDowell, PhD"The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?" - F. F. Bruce
That You May Know Series 1 John 5:6-12
03/20/2022 - Sunday Morning Message at Pinheads Family Entertainment Center in Fishers, IN
Episode 149 – Truth and Proof – Part 9 – The New Testament is Reliable Welcome to Anchored by Truth brought to you by Crystal Sea Books. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” The goal of Anchored by Truth is to encourage everyone to grow in the Christian faith by anchoring themselves to the secure truth found in the inspired, inerrant, and infallible word of God. Script: …why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. 1 Corinthians, Chapter 15, verses 12 through 14, New Living Translation ******** Hello! I’m Victoria K. Welcome to Anchored by Truth brought to you by Crystal Sea Books. As listeners who have been with us for the last several episodes know we have been working on a series that addresses Christian apologetics. We’ve called this series “Truth and Proof.” This series was inspired by Dr. Gregg Alexander who has been teaching Sunday school for more than 25 years. Several years ago Dr. Alexander developed a very similar series for his class. When we learned about it, we were so impressed we wanted everyone to have access to the wonderful work Dr. Alexander had done. And Dr. Alexander has been kind enough to join us on a few of our episodes during the series. But today we are joined by another special guest. Today on the show we have Doug Apple who is the manager of the WAVE-94 radio station in Tallahassee, Florida. Doug is an extremely faithful student of the Bible and he has thought deeply about his faith. Doug would you like to take a couple of minutes and tell us a little about yourself? DOUG: - Introductory comments - VK: Wow. 14 grandchildren! That’s such a blessing and I’m sure one of the reasons Doug has been so blessed is because of his love for – and dedication to – God’s Word. Doug is so serious about his love of scripture that he has taken upon himself to memorize entire books of the Bible including several from the New Testament. So, it’s particularly appropriate for us to have Doug here today because today on Anchored by Truth we are going to tackle one of the most important topics about the truth of Christianity – the reliability of the New Testament documents. The New Testament is the part of the Bible that tells us about Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. DOUG: And, of course, we get the very title of our faith from Jesus. Jesus was the Christ. The term “Christ” comes from the Greek word Christos which means the “anointed one” or the “chosen one.” This is the same term as “Messiah” which came from the ancient Hebrew word “Mashiach.” So, Christianity is essentially a belief in the work and person of Christ. And while that sounds very simple to say it’s actually a truth so profound we’ll spend all eternity understanding it more thoroughly. But we certainly begin our understanding of that truth by reading the New Testament documents. As such, knowing that the New Testament is reliable and true is a fundamental part of demonstrating that the God that logic tells us must exist is, in fact, the God of the Bible. VK: Christianity depends entirely on the historical person of Jesus Christ. Otherwise Paul could not have said the verse that we heard in our opening scripture from 1 Corinthians. Notice that Paul said, “For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.” The Apostle Paul stated very plainly that the Christian faith is all about Jesus. And, while there is information about the Messiah in the Old Testament, that information is prophetic. The Old Testament anticipates the arrival of Jesus. But it is in the New Testament that hear we hear about that arrival. Therefore, since the New Testament is the primary source of information about the words and works of Christ, if it is not accurate then we do not possess a first-hand account of Jesus’ claims, character, and credentials. The historical integrity of the New Testament is crucial to Christian apologetics. DOUG: Before we get too much into our discussion about why we can have confidence in the reliability of the New Testament, we should probably note that there are some people who believe that no history can be objectively known. Unfortunately, we live in a time when the past is often manipulated by the subjective desires of historians, writers, politicians, social change advocates, con artists, or others who have an agenda that is served by a revision of history. Political correctness doesn’t just affect how contemporary issues are being framed. It is also being woven into all kinds of discussions of history. Pretty much everyone who is paying attention knows that. But political correctness is not what I’m talking about here. There is a strain of thought among some elites, especially academic elites, who believe that it is impossible for us to know anything true from or about history. VK: But the kind of radical skepticism that would say that history is objectively unknowable eliminates the possibility of knowing anything at all about the past. As soon as we get anywhere close to such a radical belief all university history and classical departments evaporate – there is no source about past events that can be trusted. Such skepticism would eliminate all historical science, such as anthropology, geology, paleontology, archaeology, and forensic science because each of these depends on examining and interpreting remains or evidence from the past. Since everything not occurring now is history, such a belief system would eliminate all eyewitness testimony. Even living witnesses could only testify to what they saw at some other point in time. But if this skepticism were true their testimony would not be considered relevant, real, or accurate. On the other hand, if their testimony could be accepted while they are living, wouldn’t it also be true to say that the records they leave behind are just as credible as their testimony in the present time? DOUG: And, another question: isn’t a statement that says we can’t objectively know history an attempt at establishing an absolute and objective truth about history? The statement that “The past is not objectively knowable” is itself an objective statement about the past. Therefore, the position against the knowability of history is self-defeating. It fails the test of its own central premise. In effect, metaphorically speaking, the idea that we can’t know anything true from or about history shoots itself in the head. VK: So, let’s move on to talking about the reliability of the New Testament documents. As we have indicated without a reliable New Testament, we have no objective, historical way to know what Jesus said or did. We cannot establish whether Jesus was God, what Jesus taught, or what His followers did and taught. We must know if the sources or witnesses used by the authors were reliable, and we must show that the manuscripts were written early enough and with enough attention to detail to be accurate records of actual events. As we look at these questions, we will see that we have every reason to be confident in the accuracy of the New Testament. DOUG: So, what you’ve proposed is that the first step in establishing the historical accuracy of the New Testament is to show that the documents were written by reliable eyewitnesses of the events or their contemporaries. And the second step you mentioned is to show that the New Testament documents have been accurately transmitted from the time of their original autographs, i.e. the original documents, down from the time of their creation to our time. And contrary to what many critics believe and say, there is more evidence for the historical accuracy of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ than for any other event from the ancient world. These issues are a crucial part of the overall rational defense of Christianity. VK: So, let’s start by looking first at one of the things we just mentioned: the dating of the New Testament manuscripts. One of the things we want to determine is whether they were “early enough?” In other words, were they prepared close enough in time to the events they tell us about to be reliable? Critics of the Bible and of Christianity would have better arguments if they are able to separate the actual events from the records of those events by as much time as possible. If they can stretch out the time from the date of the event to when the event was first recorded they can argue that the New Testament writers created the events rather than reported them. This then permits them to argue that the New Testament, especially the Gospels, more than likely contains myths. This is a common assertion among scholars. The longer the time between an event and the first record made about it the more likely that embellishments will creep in. And another thing we want to determine is the question of authorship. Said differently, we want to be sure that the record writer was not too greatly removed from the event. Distance is not a problem if the writer was also an eye witness of the event, but historical records are often prepared by people who were not eye witnesses themselves. But we would still consider a record to be reliable if the writer spoke directly to an eye witness or had direct access to supporting information such as records or artifacts that corroborated key details. DOUG: So, let’s take a look at some specifics at one of the most important books of the New Testament, the book of Acts. The Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts were both written by Luke. The person to whom they were written “Theophilus”, the style, and the vocabulary indicate that they were, indeed, written by the same person. The date and authenticity of the Acts of the Apostles is crucial to the historical account of early Christianity, because if Acts was written before AD 70 then it has great historical value in informing us of the earliest Christian beliefs. AD 70 is a crucial date because that was when the famous Roman general and later emperor, Titus, destroyed Jerusalem. When Titus destroyed Jerusalem a great many Jews died and the rest were scattered. The nation of Israel disappeared in 70 AD and would not be restored for almost 2 millennia. It was ultimately reconstituted in 1948 by the allies after World War II. VK: So, if the book of Acts was written before 70 AD there’s a much better chance Luke would have been able to speak to eyewitnesses while they were still alive. And the fact that Acts was written by Luke is also crucial. We know from Paul’s letters that Luke was a companion of the Apostle Paul during many of his ministry travels. Therefore, if Acts was written by Luke, it brings us right to the apostolic circle. In other words this means Acts was written by someone who would been a close companion to those who participated in the events reported. And Luke himself was likely an eyewitness to some of the events. In other words, we have the very closest relationship of the author to the historical report. DOUG: Right. So, that is one big point about the historicity of the book of Acts. The author would have had personal knowledge of the events he recorded or he spoke to people who had personal knowledge. As to the question of the when Acts as written, the traditional date assigned to the creation of Acts is 62 AD. This means it was written before the loss of many of the eyewitnesses from the destruction of Jerusalem. It also means it was written by a contemporary of Jesus himself because Jesus died in approximately 33 AD. One person who has assigned a date for the composition of Acts to no later than 62 AD is Roman historian Colin Hemer. Hemer cites a wide range of evidence for his view. For instance, there is no mention in the book of Acts of the fall of Jerusalem. This would be an extremely unlikely omission if the fall of Jerusalem had already occurred. Acts contains no hint of the outbreak of the Jewish War which occurred in AD 66. Acts also does not mention the dramatic deterioration of relations between Romans and Jews which preceded the war. This implies it was written before that time. Moreover, there is no hint of the deterioration of Christian relations with Rome which was caused by Nero’s persecution of the Christians in the late 60s. Hemer believes that Acts was most likely composed between 60 AD and 62 AD because of these and other factors. VK: The other factors include the fact that there is no hint of the death of Jesus’ half-brother, James, at the hands of the Sanhedrin. According to the famous Jewish historian, Josephus, in his book, Antiquities, James was martyred in 62 AD. Had the martyrdom of James already occurred it is extremely unlikely that Luke would have ignored an event that important to the early church. Also, the prominence and authority of the Jewish sect called the Sadducees noted in Acts belongs to the pre-70 AD era. This indicates that Acts was written before the collapse of the Sadducees’ political cooperation with Rome. DOUG: Yes. Also, Luke doesn’t give any indication in the book of Acts that he is aware of Paul’s letters, his epistles, to the various churches in Greece and Asia. In both his gospel and in Acts Luke is very careful about getting particular details right. If Acts was written later in the first century, why wouldn’t Luke have attempted to support his historical account by citing relevant sections of the Epistles? The Epistles evidently circulated through the churches and must have become available sources because they were passed along in every generation. This silence suggests that Acts was written early during the apostolic era. Finally, the ending of the book of Acts does not continue Paul’s story. It simply stops at the end of the two year described in Acts 28, verses 30-31. VK: Those verses say “For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.” DOUG: So, the fact that Acts just ends with a simple declaration of what Paul had been doing for the previous two years makes it look very much like Luke was just bringing his narrative up to date at that point. Remember, that Luke tells us that he was writing both of the books attributed to him to a man named Theophilus in order for Theophilus to “know the certainty of the things you have been taught.” In his book, The Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History, Hemer says, “It may be argued simply that Luke had brought the narrative up to date at the time of writing, the final note being added at the conclusion of the two years.” So, all of these factors tell us that the date for the composition of the book of Acts was quite likely not later than 62 AD and may have been even earlier. VK: So why have we spent so much time now focusing on demonstrating that the book of Acts is a reliable record of history. How does this fit in to our larger goal of establishing that the God that exists is the God of the Bible? DOUG: Because, if Acts is shown to be accurate history, then it brings credibility to its reports about the most basic Christian beliefs. For instance, the book of Acts contains accounts of the life, death (Acts 2:23), resurrection (Acts 2:23, 29–32), and ascension of Christ (Acts 1:9–10). It also contains the records of a number of miracles (Acts 2:22) and it gives us important contextual information that enable us to make better use of that Paul’s letters to the churches that are also important parts of the New Testament. VK: Acts also contains significant details about Jerusalem, Rome, and many other geographical areas that have been extensively substantiated by historical and archaeological research. In other words, Acts is confirmed by overwhelming evidence. Nothing like this amount of detailed confirmation exists for any other book from antiquity. This is not only a direct confirmation of the earliest Christian belief in the death and resurrection of Christ, but also, indirectly, of the Gospel record, since Luke also wrote a detailed Gospel. The evidence that we have that validates Acts confirms not only the historical accuracy of the book of Acts but also the reliability and validity of several other books of the New Testament. DOUG: Exactly. Luke’s Gospel directly parallels the Gospels of Mark and Matthew. As we’ve been talking about, the best evidence is that Acts was composed around AD 60 which places its composition only about twenty-seven years after the traditional dating of the death of Jesus. This places the writing during the lifetime of eyewitnesses to the events recorded – and as we have mentioned this enhances our confidence in the trustworthiness of what it reports. This dating of Acts does not allow time for any mythological development by persons living generations after the events. Furthermore, if Luke wrote Acts, then his “former treatise” (Acts 1:1), the Gospel of Luke, should be seen as written at an even earlier date, and, therefore, easily within the life-time of apostles and eye-witnesses who could have refuted all or part of Luke’s Gospel if he had gotten anything wrong. VK: And as we have mentioned in other episodes of Anchored by Truth we have to remember that all of the New Testament documents were being written in a world that was largely hostile to Christianity. If Luke had been creating fabrications it would have been easy for the people of the time to rebut his books and many of the people of the time had a strong motivation for doing so. The fact that Luke’s records have survived with the content they did tells us that he was reporting the truth. DOUG: So, let’s take a quick look at some of the other writings of Paul. It is widely accepted by critical and conservative scholars that 1st Corinthians was written by AD 55 or 56. This is only about a quarter century after the crucifixion. Further, in 1 Corinthians Paul speaks of “most” of the 500 eyewitnesses to the resurrection who were still alive when he wrote (15:6). This shows that was a substantial body of people at the time that Paul wrote who could confirm the central fact of the Christian faith, Christ’s resurrection from the dead. VK: And along with 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians and Galatians are known to be early. All three reveal a historical interest in the events of Jesus’ life and give facts that agree with the Gospels. Paul speaks of Jesus’ virgin birth (Galatians 4:4), sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21), death on the cross (1 Corinthians 15:3); resurrection on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:4), and post-resurrection appearances (1 Corinthians 15:5-8). Paul also gives historical details about Jesus’ contemporaries, the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:5-8), including his private encounters with Peter and the apostles (Galatians 1:18-2:14). DOUG: Critics of the New Testament sometimes claim that the New Testament was not written until almost 400 years after Jesus lived – but these critics are confusing the date that the New Testament documents were written with the time at which they were compiled into the form that we most commonly see them today. We have abundant evidence that the New Testament documents were all prepared well before the end of the 1st century AD. For example, we know that the many of the books of the New Testament were widely quoted by the early church fathers starting in the late 1st century AD. Well for the early church fathers to quote the documents they had to have already been in wide circulation. VK: For instance, of the four Gospels alone there are 19,368 citations by the church fathers from the late first century on. This includes 268 by Justin Martyr who lived from 100 AD until 165 AD. There were 1017 by Clement of Alexandria who lived from approximately 155 AD to 220 AD and there were 3822 by Tertullian who lived around the same time. DOUG: And even earlier, Clement of Rome cited Matthew, John, and 1 Corinthians in AD 95-97. Ignatius referred to six Pauline Epistles in about 110 AD, and between 110 and 150 Polycarp quoted from all four Gospels, Acts, and most of Paul’s Epistles. Papias who was a companion of Polycarp quoted from the Gospel of John. This is particularly significant because Polycarp knew John personally and was a disciple of the apostle John. This argues powerfully that the Gospels were in existence before the end of the first century, while eyewitnesses (including the Apostle John) were still alive. Jose O’Callahan, a Spanish Jesuit paleographer, made headlines around the world on March 18, 1972, when he identified a manuscript fragment from the Dead Sea Scrolls, Qumran Cave 7 as a piece of the Gospel of Mark. Fragments from this cave had previously been dated between 50 BC and AD 50 which in 1972 was not typically thought of as being within the time frame for New Testament writings. Using the accepted methods of papyrology and paleography, O’Callahan compared sequences of letters with existing documents and eventually identified nine fragments as belonging to one Gospel, Acts, and a few Epistles. Some of these were dated slightly later than 50, but still extremely early. VK: Both friends and critics agreed that, if valid, O’Callahan’s conclusions revolutionize New Testament theories. If O’Callahan is correct, the implications for Christian apologetics are enormous. The Gospel of Mark must have been written within the lifetimes of the apostles and contemporaries of the events. This completely eliminates any time for mythological embellishment of the record. It must be accepted as historical. And since the manuscripts found in the Dead Sea scrolls are not originals but copies, the originals would have necessarily been written earlier. This means these parts of the New Testament would have certainly been copied and disseminated during the lives of the writers. These early dates do not allow time for myths or legends to creep into the stories about Jesus. Historians generally agree legend development takes at least two full generations. Even putting aside O’Callahan’s claims, the cumulative evidence places the New Testament documents within the first century and the lives of eyewitnesses of Jesus’s life and resurrection. DOUG: There is a growing acceptance of early New Testament dates, even among some critical scholars. Let’s take a quick look at two of them illustrate this point: former liberal archeologist William F. Albright and radical critic John A. T. Robinson. Albright wrote, “We can already say emphatically that there is no longer any solid basis for dating any book of the New Testament after about AD 80, two full generations before the date between 130 and 150 given by the more radical New Testament critics of today” (Recent Discoveries in Bible Lands, 136). Elsewhere Albright said, “In my opinion, every book of the New Testament was written by a baptized Jew between the forties and the eighties of the first century (very probably sometime between about AD 50 and 75)” (“Toward a More Conservative View,” 3). Known for his role in launching the “Death of God” movement, Robinson wrote a revolutionary book entitled Redating the New Testament. In it he determined that the New Testament books should be dated even earlier than even the most conservative scholars ever believed. Robinson places Matthew at AD 40-60, Mark at about 45-60, Luke at or before 57-60, and John at 40-65. This would mean that one or two Gospels could have been written as early as 7-10 years after the crucifixion. At the latest they were all composed within the lifetimes of eyewitnesses and contemporaries of the events who could have refuted any parts of the accounts had they been in error. VK: In short we have very strong evidence that the New Testament documents were written very close to the time of the events they record. We know that they were composed by either eyewitnesses to the events or the authors had direct access to eyewitnesses. And we have so many quotations from the original documents in the writings of the early church fathers we can be very sure that the transmission of the original texts was reliable. This sounds like a time to go to God I prayer. Today let’s listen to a prayer for our country – that God’s hand of mercy and provision would be with us now and always. ---- PRAYER FOR THE NATION (MARCUS) VK: We’d like to remind our audience that a lot of our radio episodes are linked together in series of topics so if they missed any episodes or if they just want to hear one again, all of these episodes are available on your favorite podcast app. To find them just search on “Anchored by Truth by Crystal Sea Books.” If you’d like to hear more, try out crystalseabooks.com where “We’re not perfect but our Boss is!” (Bible Quote from the New Living Translation) 1 Corinthians, Chapter 15, verses 12 through 14, New Living Translation SELECTED FACTS THAT DEMONSTRATE THE HISTORICITY OF ACTS Archaeologists at first believed Luke's implication wrong that Lystra and Derbe were in Lycaonia and Iconium was not (Acts 14:6). They based their belief on the writings of Romans such as Cicero who indicated that Iconium was in Lycaonia. Thus, archaeologists said the Book of Acts was unreliable. However, in 1910, Sir William Ramsay found a monument that showed that Iconium was a Phrygian city. Later discoveries confirm this. Evidence That Demands a Verdict - Ch. 4 p. 8 (angelfire.com) Similarly, Luke’s identifying Gallio as proconsul of Achaia in A.D. 51 has been confirmed by a discovered inscription at Delphi (18:12). His report of Claudius’ expulsion of the Jews from Rome around A.D. 49 is referred to by Suetonius (Life of Claudius, 25:4). His incidental reference to Felix as Roman procurator along with his Jewish wife Drusilla is corroborated both by both Josephus and Tacitus (24:24, cf. Ant. 20:131–43, History, 5:9, Annals, 12:54). His identification of Festus as Felix’s successor is likewise confirmed by Jospehus and Suetonius (Ant. 20:182; Claudius, 28). And his mentioning of Agrippa II and Bernice, elder sister of Drusilla and widow of Herod, is again corroborated by Jospehus (25:13, cf. Ant. 20:145). Is the Book of Acts Reliable? - Greg Boyd - ReKnew The topographical position of Iconium is clearly indicated in Acts, and the evidence of Ac has been confirmed by recent research. Was Iconium in Phrygia or in Lycaonia, and in what sense can it be said to have belonged to one ethnical division or the other? The majority of our ancient authorities (e.g. Cicero, Strabo, Pliny), writing from the point of view of Roman provincial administration, give Iconium to Lycaonia, of which geography makes it the natural capital. But Xenophon, who marched with Cyrus' expedition through Phrygia into Lycaonia, calls Iconium the last city of Phrygia. The writer of Acts 14:6 makes the same statement when he represents Paul and Barnabas as fleeing from Iconium to the cities of Lycaonia--implying that the border of Phrygia and Lycaonia passed between Iconium and Lystra, 18 miles to the South. Other ancient authorities who knew the local conditions well speak of Iconium as Phrygian until far into the Roman imperial period. At the neighboring city of Lystra (Acts 14:11), the natives used the "speech of Lycaonia." Two inscriptions in the Phrygian language found at Iconium in 1910 prove that the Phrygian language was in use there for 2 centuries after Paul's visits, and afford confirmation of the interesting topographical detail in Ac (see Jour. Hell. Stud., 1911, 189). In the apostolic period, Iconium was one of the chief cities in the southern part of the Roman province Galatia, and it probably belonged to the "Phrygian region" mentioned in Acts 16:6. The emperor Claudius conferred on it the title Claudiconium, which appears on coins of the city and on inscriptions, and was formerly taken as a proof that Claudius raised the city to the rank of a Roman colonia. It was Hadrian who raised the city to colonial rank; this is proved by its new title, Colonia Aelia Hadriana Iconiensium, and by a recently discovered inscription, which belongs to the reign of Hadrian, and which mentions the first duumvir who was appointed in the new colonia. Iconium was still a Hellenic city, but with a strong pro-Roman bias (as proved by its title "Claudian") when Paul visited it. Iconium - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (biblestudytools.com)
ProphecyUSA Host Rick Pearson looks at current events and the various signs of the times pointing to evidence that we are fast approaching the time of tribulation that Jesus warned His followers was coming.
ProphecyUSA Host Rick Pearson looks at current events and the various signs of the times pointing to evidence that we are fast approaching the time of tribulation that Jesus warned His followers was coming.
This is the second podcast in a series I'm doing on campus ministries. I am interviewing a leader from each, asking them the same questions so that you have an “apples to apples” comparison of the different ministries' Missions, emphases, distinctives, approaches, and cultures. In this episode I interview a leader with CRU's campus ministry. He is the first guest I've had on the show twice. You first met Roger Hershey when we discussed his book The Finishers on Episode #13. As perhaps the longest-serving staff in CRU's Campus Ministry (now in his 50th year), I can think of no one better to help us understand CRU's ministry. Furthermore, Roger is the staff worker who ministered to me during my college years (as well as before and after). Before moving into college ministry he directed CRU's high school ministry in Cincinnati, which God used to bring me to faith in Christ in 1980. Roger then discipled me during my years at Miami University in the early 80s. Finally, from 1989 to 1992 I had the privilege of serving on Roger's staff team, and I learned much about leadership from him during those years (I've summarized some of what I learned in my article “Three Types of Leaders--Two to Avoid and One to Become”). And even though we haven't worked together for many years now, I still count him a mentor and dear friend. In this podcast we discuss: How CRU began CRU's Mission CRU's strategy to accomplish this Mission How this strategy is implemented on campus CRUs' Statement of Faith CRU's understanding of women in ministry Regional differences in CRU's ministry on campus Some of the people CRU holds up as role models for students What CRU believes they should offer students through their ministry CRU's strengths, and how to take advantage of these strengths A unique feature of all CRU conferences CRU's weakness, and how to compensate for this weakness How CRU has changed since the ‘70s and 80s related to this weakness, and results of this change The breadth and depth of CRU's curriculum taught in small groups How CRU helps students develop lifelong habits to foster growth in Christ Spiirtual disciplines CRU helps students develop Examples of how CRU has shaped students to serve Christ for the rest of their lives How CRU teaches students to be involved in culture How CRU encourages students to engage the racial tensions prevalent on campus these days (including how CRU undersands and engages Critical Race Theory and the relationship between Social Justice and Biblical justice ) Why students should consider being involved in CRU The challenge of balancing quantity and quality in a CRU campus ministry Resources mentioned during our conversation: CRU.org CRU's Statement of Faith U.S. Center for World Mission (now Frontier Ventures) Josh McDowell (especially More than a Carpenter and Evidence That Demands a Verdict) Robert Coleman (especially The Master Plan of Evangelism) Norman Geisler (especially I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist) C.S. Lewis William Lane Craig J.P. Moreland Ralph Winters Crawford Loritts James White John Piper Tim Keller Francis Chan Paul Tripp Henry Cloud Richard Niehuhr, Christ and Culture Stan Wallace, “Are You an Artist, a Cheerleader, or a Demolition Engineer? Three Ways Christians Relate to Culture” “CRU Divided Over Emphasis on Race,” Christianity Today, June 3, 2021 “CRU Military Ministry Leader Resigns in Protest of Critical Race Theory,” Capstone Report, August 10, 2021 Stan Wallace, “How Should Christians Understand Critical Theory?” Thaddeus Williams, Confronting Injustice Without Compromising Truth: 12 Questions Christians Should Ask About Social Justice The Jesus Film The Thinking Christianly podcast with J.P. Moreland and Stan Wallace Global Scholars updates
Here's a terrific updated version of a classic book. Josh and Sean McDowell put together new evidences for the truth of Christianity. I want to discuss what they say at the beginning of the book: why apologetics is necessary and ten misconceptions about Christianity.
Many are asking if there is any support for the inspiration and inerrancy of the Scripture that can be found outside of the Bible. The answer is yes. Absolutely, yes! Three major areas of evidence will be surveyed on today's episode of Wisdom from Above: archaeology, prophecy, and history. Put on you seat belts because we are going to hit each of these topics at warp speed in today's podcast! --- Follow Dr. Harlan Betz on all social media platforms: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drharlanbetz Instagram: http://instagram.com/drharlanbetz --- To contact Dr. Harlan Betz, please email HarlanBetz@icloud.com or visit the Wisdom from Above with Dr. Harlan Betz facebook page.