WNY Apologetics website

I've mentioned the start-up group I helped found this past winter. We are called Western New York Apologetics and our aim is to bring the defense of the faith to local churches and the secular community.

See our brand new website:

www.wnyapologetics.com

Why Life?

Those familiar with philosophical arguments for God's existence may be aware of the much-discussed kalam cosmological argument. Its premises and form are as such:

1. Everything that begins to exist has a cause.
2. The universe began to exist.
3. Therefore, the universe has a cause.

The proponent then goes on to analyze the cause referenced in the conclusion. This cause is timeless, spaceless, unfathomably powerful and intelligent, immaterial, and uncaused. It is who everyone has referred to as "God."

Sometimes, oddly enough, premise 1 is challenged, as if something like the universe could literally pop into being out of nothing.

Apart from the many good responses I've read to that position, I add this: of all things that could've popped into existence out of anything (bizarrely granting this could happen, though I don't think it can), why would it be something that was so hospitable to conscious, apparently meaningful, human life? Why didn't some blob of matter or some inhospitable reality come into being from the void? It seems rather strange that precisely the sort of world suitable for life emerged instead of the seemingly endless alternate possibilities.

The only good explanation I know of is that the universe was brought into existence by a living cause who intended for there to be life in his creation.

Memorial Day 2008

This is post is slightly belated, as Memorial Day was yesterday. Regardless, I just want say, God bless all the soldiers and military men and women who have served this country throughout its history. And I include in that those engaged in the Revolutionary War all the way through today. We (including me) too often take for granted their excellent service to us and our great country.

Also, I want to point that in victory and defeat, God is ever-present with these men and women in their battles and service. Indeed, I have no doubt that it has been God's hand that has so powerfully guided America's success in its military endeavors.

"The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is His name." (Exodus 15:3)

Random Questions in Christian Theology

1. The Bible states repeatedly that gossip is sin. We shouldn't talk about others in harmful or negative ways or spread potentially damaging or private news about them. One question related to this is: is it wrong to discuss the dead in this way? For on a Christian worldview, such persons are still living (in Heaven or Hell). Therefore, when we talk about them, we are talking about someone who really exists. Does prohibition against gossip apply when discussing living persons both earthly and beyond?

2. Can we use people's apparent talents and abilities as evidence for the reality of design plan and therefore a Designer of our world and in fact of our very lives? We often hear people say they were "born to do" such-n-such or that they feel that this or that is their destiny in life. Even people who don't openly believe in God say such things. Could people really have a true intuition into a divinely inspired plan for their life, even if they are unaware that God is behind it? I tend to think so.

3. In Hell, will the unsaved have consistent interaction with real, observable demons? If the saved will have communion and interaction with angels, it seems the damned would in touch with fallen angels. It's at least not clear why they wouldn't be. This is a terrifying thought.

4. Could some animals have a greater capacity for some form of fellowship with God than others? For instance, if a certain dog is brought up in a loving home and is loyal and close to his human owners, would it therefore be able to appreciate God more than, say, an animal who never made human contact? This question only makes sense if animals can in some way appreciate or feel some kind of kinship to persons. It seems to me they can to some extent.

Thoughts on the Afterlife

Most people are aware that the greatest fact about the Christian afterlife is that Christians will finally have the fullest possible communion with the triune God. As this is the greatest thing that can happen to a human person, it is a fact sufficient to make the Christian idea of life after death hugely exciting. But there are other exciting and sometimes overlooked things about Heaven, which are fun to think about. Here are some that come to my mind.

1. We'll be able to interact and converse with people featured in the Bible. This includes saved persons from both the Old and New Testaments: e.g., Moses, Job, King David, Daniel, the Apostle Paul, Peter, John. Imagine what it would it be like to ask these folks about their lives and their circumstances in those eras!

2. We'll live with Christians and saved persons (some, in the Old Testament for example, were saved but never were formally Christians) from virtually every time and culture in the history of the world. I find it fascinating that we'll have the ability to talk with people from the beginning of mankind, ancient Egypt, the Roman Empire, the Middle Ages, etc.

3. Christian relatives, friends, and acquaintances (and non-human friends, i.e., pets -- I believe) will be there for us to see again and reunite with. This includes babies who may have died in the womb or very young and who we'll now see and get to know.

4. We'll have new bodies with new properties and abilities. In His resurrected body, Jesus was apparently able to walk through solid objects like walls and move from place to place quickly and suddenly. In our resurrected state, we'll seemingly have the same sorts capabilities.

5. I presume that those in Heaven will be able to tour the universe in its entirety, going to planets, galaxies, etc.

6. We'll see angels face-to-face and come to know them.

7. Events both tragic and good that puzzled us on earth will be explained and understood in the afterlife (at least, if we ask about them).

8. The new earth will have the beauty and natural harmony that Eden had (perhaps even grander) -- something we often wish we could see now but only get glimpses of.

Western New York Youth Apologetics Event

DOES GOD EXIST AT COLLEGE?

How can students retain a biblical faith when faced with the intellectual challenges of the university. How can they respond to questions on issues like evolution/creation, the reliability of the Bible, and the problem of evil when confronted with them on campus?

Come hear biblical answers to such questions at this series of lectures. Featured talks and speakers include:

Dick Ditullio, "God, Man, and Caveman"

Dr. James Beebe, "Why Would a Good God Allow Bad Things to Happen?"

Jim Reeverts, "Would We Trust God's Facebook Page?: God's Word and its Reliability"

Also featured:

- Campus Crusade for Christ representatives introducing their ministry and on-campus fellowship opportunities

- Free pizza, drinks, dessert

- Q&A sessions with the speakers following each lecture

- Free apologetics literature packets provided

- Books for sale on the related topics

WHERE: AMHERST BAPTIST CHURCH (AMHERST, NY)

WHEN: SATURDAY, MAY 10, 10am-2pm

PRICE: FREE OF CHARGE

Brought to you by: WNY Apologetics and Campus Crusade for Christ

Easter: Not Just a Pleasant Story

Here's an essay I wrote this past Easter. It was printed in the editorials of The Niagara Gazette and Lewiston-Porter Sentinel (both local newspapers here in western New York).

Easter: Not Just a Pleasant Story

The late American historian, U.B. Phillips once remarked that, “we do not live in the past, but the past in us.” Phillips was a keen observer of just how many of the cultural practices and traditions we take for granted today originated in times long ago. Of course, this point can be sometimes unexciting. Understanding the history of frankfurters and why they are with us today is bound to produce a nap. Researching the origins of curling as a sport could bring more serious consequences, perhaps a coma.
But in other areas, retracing the past can be both fascinating and very relevant personally. This time of year, we might look to the Easter holiday as a prime example. Of course, there will be much unexciting here, too: few of us care why egg hunts or the Easter bunny were ever dreamed up. But these are mostly extra, incidental aspects of the holiday, anyway. Most of us know that at its core, Easter is about the story of Jesus Christ, his death, and his resurrection from the dead. Granted, many become so busy with the surrounding festivities that they overlook these elements. But most are still aware of the central storyline.
What may be less apparent to many, though, is the potential importance of that storyline for each of us. For if true, it is not merely an inspiring ancient tale, but a real, historical event with eternal significance. Jesus taught that his death and resurrection were crucial. Humans, he said, have turned their backs on God through their rebelliousness and moral failure. They therefore deserve separation from God, which is death. Jesus, as God's divine son, promised to pay our debt by dying on our behalf and rising again. If we accept his gift, then we too will rise from death to eternal life.
With these considerations in mind, the question of whether the Easter story is historically accurate becomes vital to us all and therefore powerfully intriguing. More intriguing still are the findings that have persuaded both secular and Christian historians to answer that question with a resounding ‘yes.’
For instance, acclaimed resurrection scholar, Gary Habermas in his book, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus has noted that at least 75% of researchers agree that Jesus' tomb was found empty days after his burial. Historians have found that the empty tomb stories in the Gospels are totally unlike ancient legends in style. Such ancient fictions included fanciful tales of wonder and pomp. But the empty tomb accounts are straightforward and read like first-hand testimonies. They're history, not fantasy.
Scholars have also pondered this: if Jesus' body remained in the tomb, why didn't rival religious leaders reveal it to everyone while his followers proclaimed the resurrection throughout Jerusalem? This would have destroyed the Christian movement at its start therefore stamping out a serious threat to their power. The reason they didn't do so, say researchers, is that there was no body there to reveal.
Going further, Habermas observes that virtually all scholars admit that appearances of Jesus were seen for weeks following his crucifixion. We know the followers of Jesus who claimed to see these appearances were not lying, as most of them died as martyrs. But who would die for something they knew was a lie? Moreover, even enemies of Jesus like Saul of Tarsus and James reported seeing him. But surely they would not make up such claims so as to support a young Christian movement that they despised. Given these clues, atheist historian, Gerd Ludemann surprisingly confesses, "It may be taken as historically certain that Peter and the disciples had experiences after Jesus' death in which Jesus appeared to them as the risen Christ."
The famed British scholar, N.T. Wright sums things up nicely in his classic text, The Resurrection of the Son of God. Wright explains that if Jesus never rose from death, then Christianity would never have survived past the first century. If Jesus simply died on the cross, his movement would have died with him. This occurred with all of the many first-century messianic pretenders before and after him. It was only Jesus’ movement that lived on and ultimately turned the Roman Empire upside down. Something extraordinary must have happened to prevent this group from dissolving like all the rest. That something extraordinary, says Wright, was the Resurrection.
This is just a sampling of evidences revealing the truth of the biblical stories about Christ. It was facts like these that persuaded even leading Jewish theologian, Pinchas Lapide to conclude that the God of Israel raised Jesus from death! Perhaps we can conclude the same.
Ultimately, the Easter story may not be merely something we celebrate annually on a March or April day. Indeed, our response to it may well determine the fate we experience once our earthly days are done.

God Facts

There's an amusing website out there called, "Chuck Norris Facts" (www.chucknorrisfacts.com). It's a funny take on the martial arts legend (and Christian), Chuck Norris. The site is fully of humorous claims about Norris that go way over the top and make him into a sort of deity figure. Some examples:

"Chuck Norris counted to infinity -- twice."
"Chuck Norris doesn't wear a watch -- HE decides what time it is."
"When Chuck Norris does a pushup, he isn't pushing himself up, he's pushing the earth down."


What's interesting is that we can make many outstanding, seemingly impossible claims about the God of the Bible. But, of course, this doesn't count as humor, just good theology. Here's my attempt:

"God doesn't act according to a moral code; He simply acts and it is morally good."
"God spoke and the universe was."
"God can exist at no time." (timeless)
"God can exist nowhere." (spaceless)
"God lived through His own death."
"God is perfect yet not proud of it." (humble)

Debate with Krueger

I'm sheduled to participate in an online debate with atheist philosopher, Doug Krueger some time this June. It will probably be hosted by www.infidels.org and will cover the topic: Theism vs. Atheism: Where Does the Evidence Point?

Krueger is a Phd. candidate in philosophy and author of the book, What is Atheism?: A Short Introduction.

Christians: please pray for me.

Top 10 Books on Jesus' Resurrection

With Easter about a month away, I thought I'd present my top 10 books concerning the historical event that inspired that holiday: Jesus' resurrection.

1. The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus by Gary Habermas and Michael Licona

2. Jesus' Resurrection: Fact or Figment ed. Paul Copan and Ronald Tacelli

3. Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up? ed. Paul Copan

4. The Resurrection of the Son of God by N.T. Wright

5. The Historical Jesus by Gary Habermas

6. Jesus Under Fire ed. J.P. Moreland and Mike Wilkins (see William Lane Craig's chapter)

7. The Risen Jesus and Future Hope by Gary Habermas

8. Resurrected? by Gary Habermas and Antony Flew

9. The Case for Christ? by Lee Strobel

10. Risen Indeed by Stephen T. Davis

On Life's Sanctity

As we near the 2008 Presidential Election, it's worthwhile to remind ourselves of the importance of the abortion issue and how to defend a pro-life stance. Two next excellent books in this regard:

Defending Life by Francis Beckwith
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/105-7196569-8850807?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Francis+Beckwith

Embryo: A Defense of Human Life by Robert George and Christopher Tollefson
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/105-7196569-8850807?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Embryo

Alan Keyes: The Anti-Obama

I have done public speaking — and sort of done well at it — since I was in high school. In fact, I was involved a lot in oratorical contests, and speech contests, and debate, and things like that, and did very well. So I guess, in that sense, some kind of speaking ability [in me] has been clear since I was young.[But] I think it is a mistake to believe that there is some "special skill" in public speaking. . . . There is no good speech apart from the thought that goes into it and is expressed by it. There is no trick involved that can turn something that has no substance into a good speech. . . . Speech is the business through which citizens communicate to each other, and those who are able to do it well are better qualified to lead than others.

-- Alan Keyes, in an interview with C-Span

Keyes is easily my favorite political figure and scholar. He's voraciously Christian in his approach and seeks to uphold the liberty and theistic stronghold which founded our country. He's adamantly pro-life, anti-income tax, pro-gun rights, solidly against illegal immigration. He's also an excellent thinker and debater.

He is, in essence, everything that Barack Obama is not politically and morally. In fact, they ran against each other for an Illinois Senate seat back in 2004. They debated three times (Obama would not go through with the originally planned six debates) and Keyes had the upper hand -- easily -- in each.

You can find two of the debates online at:

http://www.renewamerica.us/archives/transcript.php?id=373

http://www.renewamerica.us/archives/transcript.php?id=370

All three can be found in video form at:

http://archives.alankeyes.com/video.php

Barack Hussein Obama

Allow me to take a stab at some brief political commentary. Topic: Barack Obama.

Presidential candidate Barack Obama is the most vehement of abortionists, even denying rights to babies who survive the abortion process and are birthed. He says, let them die, a barbaristic thought that's both chilling and dangerous. What then prevents one from deciding that other human persons deserve death? The elderly, mentally retarded, severely handicapped -- shall we say that their lives should be ended? Here's a slippery slope that Barack cannot avoid.

Pronouncements that Obama is this phenom of public speech and presentation are wrong-headed. How can one be a brilliant speaker and yet say nothing of substance or worth when he speaks? Listen to Obama and you'll find that words flow, but no truth. He says he'll bring "change," unification, and peace. But ask him how and nothing worth listening to will follow. He's rather unlike the great American leaders of times past -- Washington, Lincoln, Reagan -- real men, who knew how to speak and think and live what they believed.

Unlike these men, Obama disbelieves in liberty, self-governance, and a theistic foundation to our country. He instead calls for Marxist, communistic ideals. His are ideas that have long been tried and found wanting -- ideas unsuccessful, but alluring to many, especially those with power. Big taxes, big government, big oppression: all products of leftist thought and action.

Extraordinary evil has no place in the White House. But should Obama enter in, nothing less will dwell there.

Roe v. Wade Anniversary

January 22, 2008 was the 25th Anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Constitutional amendment.

Mourning all around.

WNY Apologetics

I've recently helped to organize a new apologetics group/ministry in Western New York that is dedicated to advancing the Gospel in our region through reason and argument. Our goal will be to defend the Christian beliefs in creation, the authority of the Bible, the nature of God, and so forth. We will seek to both engage the secular culture and inform the local church on the issues and seek to show them God's truth.

We've begun a blog related the (as yet unnamed) group. It can be found at:

www.wnyapologetics.blogspot.com

If you're a Christian, please pray for our efforts.

Cell Phones: A Critique

Neil Postman, the late, great scholar of technology and media often made the point that new technologies are ultimately a Faustian bargain: they might bring some advantages, but they'll bring some (often very serious) disadvantages, too. But in our current age where technology and "progress" are so lauded, one rarely hears of the downsides of technologies. Here, I wish to do so with one the beloved gadget of our day: the cell phone.

1. Cell phones never allow us to leave work. We might exit physically, but never mentally or wholly. Have a question? Need help with an assignment? Oh, just call me on my cell. No matter that I have a life outside work, a family, a home, a God to whom I owe my time. No rest for the weary -- a sad development no doubt frowned upon by the God who Himself rests (see Genesis 1).

2. People out in public are routinely entranced by their cell phone conversations and thereby lose their consideration for those around them (if they ever had any). They're near us but not really "with" us. They're ever present, but ever-absent. Conversations continue to flow; communities continue to fragment.

3. Has the concept of solitude or being alone with God and one's thoughts totally escaped the world? It's unclear whether we'll ever again see an existence without the constant noise of small talk and gossip ringing in our ears. Jesus regularly practiced quietness, prayer, and being alone with the Father. The "convenience" of modernity will have none of this. Here, idolatry thrives.

4. Attention spans seem ever elusive, no doubt with help from the cell phone and its ilk. It's unclear now whether most of the population can sit still for longer than five minutes without picking up the phone. Resultantly, our most healthy habits become non-existent: reading, studying, praying, being with family, listening.

Top 10 Christian Philosophers (continued...)

Here are the final six:

5. Dallas Willard - Absolute master of the spiritual disciplines (e.g., solitude, fasting, prayer, study, silence) and simultaneously a master of philosophical issues in metaphysics and philosophy of religion. Students and those near him tell of his Christ-likeness and brilliance as a speaker. Has had a major impact on today's Church and his books will continue to do so well into the future. (Recommended books: The Divine Conspiracy, The Spirit of the Disciplines, Renovation of the Heart, see also his website http://www.dwillard.org/)

6. Alvin Plantinga - Perhaps the most heralded Christian philosopher in the secular academy today. Revolutionized the area of religious epistemology with this "Aquinas/Calvin" model of warranted Christian belief. He's also a giant in metaphysics, philosophy of religion, and virtually any other area of philosophy he touches. See his interesting work on the problem of evil and problems with evolutionary naturalism. (Recommended books: The Nature of Necessity, Warranted Christian Belief, Naturalism Defeated?)

7. Stephen T. Davis - One of the most clever philosophers of religion working today. Has done fine work in the logic of theistic arguments, the nature and defense of Jesus's Resurrection, and the divine attributes. Writes with an easy yet attractive style that makes you wish to read more. (Recommended books: God, Reason, and Theistic Proofs, Christian Philosophical Theology, Risen Indeed)

8. William Dembski - Perhaps the key player in the ID/evolution debate today. His arguments for biological intelligent design are the finest extant and he continually challenges the Darwinists on their own ground. He's done the most in the ID movement in providing mathematical, philosophical foundations to ID theories. He's also well-versed in philosophical theology and philosophy of religion. (Recommended books: No Free Lunch, Intelligent Design, The Design of Life)

9. Norman Geisler - Perhaps the most prolific writer among all Christian philosopers today. He's written probably around 50 books, including an entire encyclopedia of Christian apologetics. At his best when discussing and defending biblical theology. Has also done fine work on theistic arguments and the Resurrection. A total bulldog who has debated some of the best anti-Christian scholars in the world. (Recommended books: The Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, Christian Apologetics, Philosophy of Religion, The Battle for the Resurrection)

10. R. Douglas Geivett - Great philosopher of religion, who's also very accomplished in the area of epistemology. Some of his top writings have been on the problem of evil and suffering. He's developed a theistic argument from evil (a form of design argument) that is insightful and powerful. Eminent speaker and debater. (Recommended books: Evil and the Evidence for God, In Defense of Miracles)

Top 10 Christian Philosophers (...or at least my Top 10)

Here are the first four:

1. William Lane Craig - Craig is the quintessential Christian apologist and scholar. He has revolutionized the field of apologetics with his work on the kalam cosmological argument and the Resurrection of Jesus. This is only the tip of iceberg, as his writings have defended virtually all of the major arguments of natural theology. And through his debates and interaction with atheist scholars, he's shown how to make these arguments hold up against opposition. See also his excellent work in philosophical theology on issues like: God and time, divine foreknowledge, the doctrine of the Trinity, God's relation to abstract objects, divine aseity, etc. (Recommended books: Reasonable Faith, Does God Exist? (w/ Antony Flew), The Kalam Cosmological Argument, Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview)



2. Gary Habermas - Probably the top scholarly defender of the Resurrection in the church today. Habermas has written scores of books and articles on this topic and continues to go strong. He's the original formulator of the "Minimal Facts" approach to arguing for the historical Resurrection -- a very powerful methodology. (Recommended Books: The Historical Jesus, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus, Resurrected?, The Risen Jesus and Future Hope)



3. J. P. Moreland - Top-notch Christian philosopher and apologist whose writings are pervasive and powerful. Moreland excels in the philosophy of science and holds degrees in chemistry, philosophy, and theology. His arguments for the reality of an immaterial human soul are excellent and he's recently written on how the reality of human consciousness points to the reality of God as Creator. He is just as at home writing and speaking about Jesus's Resurrection, theological issues, and spiritual disciplines. (Recommended Books: Consciousness and the Existence of God, Scaling the Secular City, The Kingdome Triangle, Naturalism: A Critical Analysis, Jesus Under Fire, The Creation Hypothesis)



4. Paul Copan - Very talented and knowledgeable philosopher who is up-and-coming in the world of apologetics. Copan's knowledge is encyclopedic in philosophy religion, metaphysics, and philosophical theology. He's especially good with the Moral Argument for theism (which he wrote his Phd. thesis about) and making complex argumentation accessible to laymen. (Recommended Books: True For You, But Not For Me, How Do You Know You're Not Wrong?, Loving Wisdom: Christian Philosophy of Religion)

False Assumptions About Christianity and the Bible

In no particular order:

1. Neither the Bible nor the traditional Christian creeds ever teach that God exists outside of time. This is presumed to be true by many Christians, but it is really just a philosophical position that gained favor among theologians throughout the Middle Ages. In fact, the Bible is never clear whether God is timeless or not and many Christian philosophers today argue that God in fact experiences and exists in time. (See William Lane Craig's book, Time and Eternity about this.)

2. Jesus of Nazareth was not purely Jewish in ethnicity. Several of His ancestors were Gentiles.
(See His lineage listed in the Gospels.)

3. The stories of Jesus's birth in the Gospels never state that there were three wisemen who came to visit Him. The text merely states that wisemen came to see him; it never specifies a number. Possibly, three came to be the number used, because there were three types of gifts given (gold, frankincense, and myrrh).

4. The Gospels do not claim that the wisemen visited Jesus in the manger. They say that they showed up later, when Jesus and His family were residing in a house.

5. The Bible never teaches that it is especially virtuous to have a mindless faith without any evidence to defend it. Indeed, in several places Scripture tells us that we should be able to reason about our beliefs and give a plausible reason to those who ask why we believe. Jesus Himself used evidence of His miracles and His pierced hands as evidence that He was divine.

Inevitable Immorality

I've heard several pastors in previous sermons make the point that immoral, unethical behavior is rather unlearned in human beings. We are never really taught how to lie or steal or be selfish. These all come quite without effort or exertion. The point these preachers make is simply that the Christian doctrine of original sin is one that can be readily seen in everyday life. One needs no fancy philosophical arguments or theological insights to realize that something dreadful infects humankind.

But, as one interested in Christian apologetics, I'd take this point a bit further. For not only does the everyday behavior of those around us, and, indeed, our very selves point to the phenomenon of original sin, it also points to the deficiency of rival worldviews to explain it.

Take naturalism, as an example. This perspective states that there is no God, no transcendent, no supernatural. Humans (like the entire universe) are the result of blind evolutionary developments -- we are but intelligent beasts. But given naturalism, why is it that humans have a propensity for immorality or doing the wrong thing? Why didn't we simply evolve into kind beings? Why isn't the world such that "only the kind and virtuous survive"? All the naturalist can appeal to is chance: the world just happen to come to be this way. But to appeal to happenstance is simply to state that you have no actual explanation.

Christianity, though, does have an explanation of why mankind engages in seemingly inevitable immorality. Christians believe that humans are sinful; sin has stained all of us down to our very nature such that we cannot escape it. Their explanation, of course, is that the first humans (Adam and Eve) chose to sin against God when they disobeyed Him in the Garden. Mankind tasted sin and it began to crave it. They have struggled in fighting against it ever since. Ultimately, man could not save himself from sins demands; God had to save them through His Son Jesus -- on the Cross.

Thus, our thought experiment reveals Christianity to be superior to naturalism in explaining why humans are depraved. Interestingly, comparing the Christian worldview to various other competing perspectives provides the same result. For instance, many Eastern religions disbelieve that there are such things as good and bad. Thus, humans never do bad or wrong anyone. But this is so clearly false, that Christianity is easily seen to be the better viewpoint. Lesson learned: only Christianity can explain the problems of mankind, and only Christianity provides their solution.