TH 325 - A1a apologetics 101

Apologetics 101Defending the Faith

in the Marketplace of Ideas(Written by Brian Hearn ©2007, 2010)

Mission Statement

To help equip and encourage Christians in apologetics ministry so they might

engage honest truth-seekers, under the right circumstances, with gentleness, respect, and with the ultimate goal of

introducing the Gospel of Jesus

Topics Covered

• The Five W’s of Apologetics• Engaging Others and Worldview• Arguments for God• Dealing with Doubt• Islam and Christianity• The Problem of Evil• The Case for Christ• Origins (Evolution, Intelligent Design, Creation)

What is Apologetics?

How many of you thought the first time you heard the word ‘apologetics’ it was about apologizing?

Origin

Apologetics comes from theGreek word apologia (a-p&-'lO-j(E-)&)

“A written or verbal defense”

Christian Apologetics Defined

The discipline of rationally justifying one’s belief in Christianity through systematic discourse

Extra-biblical and Biblical

Christian Apologetics sometimes enters into areas not directly addressed in the Bible but always integrates the Christian worldview.

What is the Ultimate Goal?

Lead the honest truth-seeker to an openness where the Gospel is shared

Rom 10:17 – “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ”

Why Apologetics?

Why should we be interestedin Apologetics?

Why are you interestedin Apologetics?

Be Prepared!

1 Peter 3:15 – “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect”

How Would You Respond?

How do you know what you believe is true?

How do you know God exists – what proof is there?How can we trust something [Bible] written thousands

of years ago?How do we know other religious creeds are not true?Why isn’t God more visible if He wants everyone to

know him?Hasn’t Science/Evolution completely disproved biblical

creation?How can there be a loving God with so much suffering

in the world?Hasn’t Science proven religious faith is unnecessary?

How do we know the Resurrection occurred?

Results?

Out of the nine questions – how many did you feel like you would be able to give a sound answer to?

Being Persuasive

• Is being persuasive a good thing or does the idea seem too much like coerciveness?

• Persuasiveness is a good thing - it means to “win someone over.”

Paul Persuaded

1Cor. 9:19-23: Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Paul Reasoned

Acts 17 (1-3 and 16,17) When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead …While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.

Just Say the Word!

But haven’t we been taught to not worry about what to say?

Origin of “Don’t Worry!”

Matthew 10:19 - But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say…

Luke 12:11 - When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say…

God is our defender in times of trouble!(Psalm 9, 41, 59)

We should not take these versus to imply - one need not concern themselves with how they share the Gospel.

Is it effective in bringing unbelievers to salvation to merely stand on a street corner holding a sign with the reference: “John 3:16” Why or why not?

If an unbeliever were to share their disbelief in the Bible and their negative past experience in the Church, would you respond by quoting: “John 3:16” Why or why not?

Most of Us Do Not Upload

Our approach to reaching out to the unbeliever is important and God gives us many tools for the job. Sometimes it is the right word at the right time guided by the Spirit; sometimes it is a prophetic word or verse of Scripture. Sometimes we are called to merely listen. And sometimes, we are to give an answer back for the hope we have….

Because it is not persuasive!

Logic Teaser

Hearing the Gospel is a necessary condition for salvation but not a sufficient condition.

Yes, merely hearing the Gospel can be on occasion immediately effective in someone coming to faith in Christ – but that is different than the logic-term “sufficient condition.”

Necessary Condition – is one which must be satisfied to ensure

Sufficient Condition – is one which, if satisfied, ensures

Secularized Culture

Oftentimes we have a tough challenge presenting biblical truths and the Gospel to unbelievers because of the culture we live in…

Worldly Philosophy

Aren’t we taught to stay away from worldly philosophy?

Colossians 2:8 – “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”

Correctly Handle – Not AvoidSo that we are not taken captive by the World’s philosophy we should be prepared to correctly handle the truth – Take everything to Christ!

READ:• 2 Corinthians 10:5 – “take it to Christ”• Proverbs 23:23 – “buy the truth”• 1 Thessalonians 5:21 – “test everything”• 2 Timothy 2:14-15 – “correctly handle”• 2 Timothy 3:16 – “especially the Word”

Martin Luther’s View• Ministerial Use of Reason - this is the use of

logic/reason as a servant or "handmaid" to the Bible and theology. Logic/reason is not put on par with or above the Bible, but stands in a subordinate role to God's revelation.

• Magisterial Use of Reason - this is the placing of logic/reason on par with or actually above the Bible. Here logic/reason (that of the individual or a group) is allegedly the final judge, arbitrator, or authority of truth.

√

X

Pre-EvangelismIn preparation of presenting the Gospel…but only one tool (introducing Law before Gospel is pre-evangelism for example)

Weeding the field analogy – sometimes we help to sow the seed; sometimes we help in the harvest; sometimes as the apologist we get to weed the field by removing false ideas.

Removing the boulders analogy – getting rid of the boulders in front of the door (Jesus) one must go through for salvation.

Apologetics For the Believer

• Ministering to other believers to help with epistemic tension (though doubt is primarily a spiritual battle!)

• Check your brains at the door: often suggested as a reason to pursue apologetics – but it misses the point and puts the focus on us (and our self-esteem) instead of service to God

OpenerFrom The Barna Group (barna.org - June 2007)

Atheists and Agnostics Take Aim at Christians

“Most atheists and agnostics (56%) agree with the idea that radical Christianity is just as threatening in America as is radical Islam.”

“At the same time, two-thirds of Christians (63%) who have an active faith perceive that the nation is becoming more hostile and negative toward Christianity.” ("Active faith" was defined as simply having gone to church, read the Bible and prayed during the week preceding the survey.)



About one in 11 Americans (9%) say they have “no faith.” – that’s 20 Million Americans! – and one in 5 of those label themselves as atheists.

Generation Current ages 1992* 2007*Adult Mosaics 18-22 -- 19%Busters 23-41 16% 14%Boomers 42-60 8% 9%Elders 61+ 4% 6%

No-faith Trend



One of the most fascinating insights from the research is the increasing size of the no-faith segment with each successive generation. When adjusted for age and compared to 15 years ago, each generation has changed surprisingly little over the past decade and a half. Each new generation entered adulthood with a certain degree of secular fervor, which appears to stay relatively constant within that generation over time. This contradicts the popular notion that such generational differences are simply a product of people becoming more faith-oriented as they age.

Recap

Apologetics – Greek apologia

Christian Apologetics – the discipline of rationally justifying Christian belief through systematic discourse

Ultimate Goal – Rom 1:17

Be Prepared – 1 Peter 3:15

Are You Prepared? – maybe not as much as we’d like

Recap

Persuasive – is a good thing (to win someone over)

Paul was persuasive – he reasoned with others

Some approaches are more persuasive than others

Apologetics is pre-evangelism – but only one tool (introducing Law before Gospel is pre-evangelism for example)

Friendship Evangelism - trust building is pre-evangelism

Terms Covered So Far

Pre-evangelism – whereas evangelism is the activity whereby a Christian explains or presents the Christian gospel of Jesus to one seen as a non-Christian: pre-evangelism is the activity of preparing the unbeliever for the reception of the gospel – both activities are practiced with love, gentleness and respect.

Secular – the state of being separate from religion. Secularism works to separate public life from the religious life. As Christians, secularism is in opposition to an integrated Christian worldview.

Worldview – think of this as “the way one sees the world.” (more on this later.)

Terms Coming UP

Naturalism (philosophical) – all phenomena or hypotheses commonly labeled as supernatural, are either false, unknowable, or not inherently different from natural phenomena or hypotheses

Theist / Theism – theism is the belief in one of more deities (as Christians we are theists who believe in a transcendent God)

Atheist / Atheism– atheism (a-theism or not-theism) rejects theism. A “strong” atheist affirms the non-existence of God. The “weak” version simply affirms an insufficient belief in theism (non-theism).

Where Apologetics?

Where will you find apologetic resources and where are apologetic activities making a difference?

Who Are the Apologists?(other than us armchair apologists)

The earliest apologists used historical defenses and then later arguments for God’s existence…(e.g. Tertullian, Justin Martyr, Origen, Augustine, Aquinas)

Was Martin Luther an apologist? “Busy reconstructing the church, Luther was not known as an apologist. However, he said nothing, properly understood, that would negate the consistent use of reason by the classical apologists in defending the faith.” (Norman Geisler)

Types and Proponents

Classical – first establish the validity of theism (that God exists) then proceed to specific Christian truths – stress on rational processes, historical evidence, confirming miracles

Augustine, Aquinas, WL Craig, N Geisler, CS Lewis, JP Moreland, J Locke, W Paley, RC Sproul


Historical / Evidential – stresses historical evidence as the basis for demonstrating the truth of Christianity.

Tertullian, Justin Martyr, Origen, JW Montgomery and G Habermas


Cumulative Case – an eclectic approach. Overlaps the classical approach but downplays the need for theistic arguments in advance. Overlaps the historical approach but does not rest their case there. Sometimes appeals to experiential evidence (testimony of changed lives.)

Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel


Experiential or Existential – appeal primarily if not exclusively to experience as evidence of the Christian faith.

Eckart, Kierkegaard, Bultmann, Barth


Presuppositional - reject the validity of theistic proofs and start directly from a presupposed Trinitarian view. Without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, everything is seen through a jaundiced eye.

• Cornelius Van Til, John Frame (revelational)• Gordon Clark, C F H Henry (rational)• Francis Schaeffer (practical)

When is Apologetics Effective?Younger the better – you can’t teach an old dog, new tricks – statistically we are far less likely to change our fundamental religious belief as we age.

The Barna Research study, announced on 11/12/99, shows that the vast majority of those who are saved experience the conversion during childhood -- before the age of 14. A person who is unsaved at the age of 14 only has a 10% chance of being saved later in life.

According to FCA: Over the age of 30 – only a 4% chance of being saved.

Avoid QuarrelingRomans 12:16-18: Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

A good apologist knows when to not respond!Read 2 Timothy 2:23-24

Apologetics 5 Ws Conclusion

From defense to persuasion but in all things – love!

Dr. Greg Pritchard

Opener(from adherents.com (2/2007) – world population 6+ billion)

How many Chinese dualists are there in the world?

0.4 Billion

How many Muslims are there in the world? 1.3 Billion

How many Hindus are there in the world? 0.9 Billion

How many Christians are there in the world? 2.0 Billion

How many atheists are there in the world? 1.1 Billion

Recap

Where apologetics – where is apologetic activity takingplace (universities, workplace, home, church)

Types – classical, historical, evidential, experiential, presuppositional

When Apologetics – in congenial situations with an honest truth-seeker who is open to respectful discourse (avoid quarreling)

Christian Apologetics – is the art of Christian persuasion and is always done in love (not to defend ourselves or win arguments!)

Worldview OverviewWorldview defined; (calqued from the German Weltanschauung) provides a framework for generating, sustaining, and applying knowledge – it is ones’ general view of the universe and our place in it which affects one's conduct. It is one’s system of beliefs; their ideology; how one sees the world. Everyone has a worldview, whether or not they can articulate it.

Worldview Questions• Where did everything come from?

• What should I do with my life?

• Why is life meaningful and is there any ultimate purpose?

• How do I know what is right and wrong?

• What happens to me after I die?

Substantive WorldviewAn ingrained, comprehensive, momentous and cohesive worldview.

• It is deep-rooted unlike the ever-shifting position to suit the moment and our immediate desires.

• It is wide-ranging unlike the skeptical view there is little to know outside of our meager experiences.

• It is deeply meaningful unlike the view which says: “I don’t know and I don’t care.”

• It coheres with a minimum of contradictory views.

First Principles of Logic

A first principle of logic cannot be deduced from any other principle of logic

Law of Noncontradiction : ~(p · ~p) a proposition and its negation is necessarily false. “One cannot say something is and is not in the exact same sense.”

A first principle is universal, not invented, but discovered; undeniable, irrefutable

Contradictory vs. Contrary

Contradictory propositions: if two propositions are contradictory - one must be true and the other false.

Contrary propositions: if two propositions are contrary – only one can be true (they could both be false though)

Note: a proposition is the information content of an assertion and is either true or false.

Christian Worldview• There exists a personal triune God (Father, Son and

Holy Spirit)

• God created the heavens and the Earth

• The universe had a beginning (it is not eternal-past)

• Jesus is the Son of God

• There is a spiritual realm

• Natural causes are not the only causes in space-time

• Miracles happen

Christian Worldview• The virgin birth and resurrection of Jesus were real

events in history

• We are more than just matter – we are spirit and matter

• Life is not merely the result of chance + time + energy

• The universe is designed

• Morality is universal and objective based on divine command

• Our existence does not cease at the grave

Islamic Worldview• There exists a God (Allah) – He is not triune

• Allah created the heavens and the Earth (seven universes in layers)

• The universe had a beginning from a solid mass of water

• Jesus is not the son of Allah but a great prophet – Muhammad is the greatest and last prophet (570-632AD)

• There is a spiritual realm

• Natural causes are not the only causes in space-time

• Miracles happen

Islamic Worldview• Jesus was virgin born, spoke in the cradle but was not

crucified (Allah “lifted him up to his presence”)

• We are matter and spirit

• Life is not the merely result of chance + time + energy

• The universe is designed

• Morality is universal and objective based on the commands of Allah

• Our existence does not cease at the grave

Atheist Worldview• God does not exist

• The universe is a “brute fact”

• The universe did not have a beginning – it is eternal-past

• Jesus was just a man – if he existed at all

• There is no spiritual realm

• There are no supernatural causes

• Miracles do not happen

Atheist Worldview• The virgin birth and resurrection events are not real

historical events

• We are mere matter

• Life is the result of chance + time + energy

• The universe may appear designed, but isn’t

• Morality is relative: simply the product of socio-evolutionary processes

• We cease to exist at the grave

Pantheistic Worldview• “God is all” – not personal

• The universe is (or part of) God (Hindu -> Brahman is the material and efficient cause)

• The universe is eternally recurring, cyclical

• Jesus is God – and so are we!

• All is spiritual

• All cause/effect is God

• Miracles irrelevant – all activity is divine

Pantheistic Worldview• Jesus was not virgin-born and did not rise from the dead

• Matter is illusory – there is only spirit (some pantheists separate body and soul)

• Abiogenesis is left open – some pantheists believe evolution is divine mechanism

• The universe is not designed

• Morality is objective and tied to the divine Unity (for some tied to nature)

• No immortality (absorption) – others (soul separates from body)

Worldview DivisionTwo individuals with substantive worldview and with minimal overlap in their core beliefs will have a difficult time persuading each other.

Arguments for God

Cosmological Argument (Contingency)

Cosmological Argument (Kalam)

Teleological Argument

Moral Argument

Syllogism

Syllogism – a three-part deductive argument

Deductive Argument – the truth of the premises ensures the truth of the conclusion

Good Deductive Argument – is sound and has premises that are more plausible than their denials

Sound Deductive Argument – is formally and informally valid

Ex Nihilo Nihil Fit

“From Nothing, Nothing Comes”

Metaphysical Principle - one that is understood immediately and needs no supporting evidence

What is “nothing?”

eks-'ni-hi-"lO-"ni-"hil-'fit (lat)

The remotest, darkest and vacuous region of space is not nothing!

Actual Infinite

Can you give me an example of an actual infinite set in the physical world?

Actual Infinite Sets: are mathematical constructs only – they do not exist in the physical world.

Cosmological Argument(Argument from Contingency)

Why is there something rather than nothing? – a profound question posed by the great mathematician and Christian philosopher G. W. Leibniz who concluded all contingent being requires a reason for its existence.


Contingent Being – the reason for its existence lies outside of itself and it may to cease to exist (e.g. the Earth)

Necessary Being – there is no reason for its existence that lies outside of itself and it cannot cease to exist (e.g. God)


The universe either exists contingently or necessarily: we must choose - there are no other reasonable choices.

1.The universe either exists necessarily or contingently

2.The universe is not necessary

3.Therefore the universe is contingent


1. Things that are contingent have a reason for their existence

2. The universe is contingent

3. Therefore the universe has a reason for its existence

Cosmological Argument(Kalam Version)

1. That which begins to exist has a cause

2. The universe began to exist

3. Therefore the universe has a cause

Kalam (“speaking”) – developed by Muslims during the Middle Ages.

Cosmological Argument(Kalam Version)

Conclusion – the universe was caused ex nihilo.[read Hebrews 11:3]

Personal – the cause must transcend space and time; have unimaginable creative power; and be personal to cause a temporal effect from eternity

Attempts to circumvent have been unsuccessful(discuss various models)

OpenerHow many stars in the known universe?

70 Sextillion (7/2003 Sydney Australia Study)

70,000 million million million (7 x 10^22)

1000 times the number of grains of sand from all of the beaches of the Earth

10 times the number of grains of sand from all of the beaches and deserts of the Earth

Recap

Worldview / Substantive – ingrained, comprehensive, momentous and cohesive belief system

Worldviews Intro – looked at Christianity, Islam, Atheism and Pantheism

Deductive Argument – a good deductive argument is sound with premises more plausible than their denials

Recap

Cosmological Argument – (Contingency and Kalam versions)

Metaphysical Assumptions – ex nihilo nihil fit (from nothing, nothing comes) and Actual Infinite Sets (are ideas only)

First Principles – law of noncontradiction (contradictory/contrary)

Teleological Argument(Argument from Design)

Greek word Telos – “end or purpose”

Greek word Teleos – “completion, perfection, arriving at a goal”

Argument’s origin – as far back as Plato (Timaeus) and Aristotle (Metaphysics)

Aquinas – One of his five proofs for the existence of God (Summa Theologica)

William Paley – Watchmaker Analogy from (Natural Theology)

(tee-lee-AH-lah-jik-al)

(tee-loss)

(tee-lee-oss)


1) That which is designed, has a designer

2) The Universe was designed

3) Therefore, the Universe has a designer

Disjunctive Syllogism

1) P v Q (reads P “or” Q)

2) ~P (reads “not-P”)

3) Therefore; Q

Note: P v Q v R; ~P · ~Q; therefore RSherlock Holmes Approach


1) The Universe is either the result of law, chance or design

2) The Universe is not the result of law or chance

3) Therefore, the Universe is designed

Ockham’s Razor

Attributed to the 14th century Franciscan friar William of Ockham. The principle states: an explanation of a phenomenon should make as few assumptions as possible.

“entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity”

Law of Parsimony (law of succinctness)

Anthropic PrinciplesAnthropic Principle – coined by Brandon Carter and expanded on by Barrow and Tipler – puts constraints, as human observers, on the sort of universes we could observe, and therefore affects our ability to form an explanation of its existence.

WAP – Weak Anthropic Principle

SAP – Strong Anthropic Principle

PAP – Participatory Anthropic Principle

FAP – Final Anthropic Principle

The Moral Argument(Argument from Objective Moral Values)

1) If God does not exist, then objective moral values do not exist

2) Objective moral values do exist

3) Therefore; God exists

Objective Values DefinedWhat are objective values? - Objective values are “recognized and discovered, not invented by humans” (“True for you but not for me”, Paul Copan, Bethany House Publishers 1998.)

• Are absolute and have unconditional existence; they are not relative or dependant.

• They are independent of human consciousness, consequence or interpretation.

• There is an implied obligation, or a duty to comply.

• Furthermore, they are universal in that they are not subject to a particular localization of space and time.

PollRaise your hand to the following questions if you agree?

1) I found the cosmological argument compelling for God’s existence?

2) I found the teleological argument compelling for God’s existence?

3) I found the moral argument compelling for God’s existence?

Cumulative Case for God

For God For Unbelief

• Cosmological argument• Teleological argument• Moral argument

• Neo-Darwinian evolution(over-extrapolation)• Argument from evil• Argument from absence

Much More Than Arguments

For Faith For Doubt

• Word• Prayer• Worship• Sacraments• Studies• Music• Fellowship

• Secularization through…• Arts, Movies, TV• Books, Music• Internet, Gaming

• Educational Institutions• Peer influence

Spiritual Realm

Opener

What is the fastest growing major world religion?Islam – 1.84% / yr

Christianity – 1.38% / yr

How fast is Christianity growing?

Growth rates over the period from 2000 to 2005; all figures from the nondenominational World Christian Database, a project of the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological

Seminary.

Recap

Teleological Argument – argument from design; Anthropic coincidences and principles

Moral Argument – argument from objective moral values

Cumulative Case – none of the arguments for God are analytic proofs; they help to build a plausible case for God

Reason and The Holy Spirit

How does God reveal the true nature of Jesus to us?Read: 1 Corinthians 12:3Read: Ephesians 3:2-6

How was the special revelation of Scripture given to the prophets?Read: 2 Peter 1:20-21Read: 2 Timothy 3:16 (theopneustos, thay-AH-noo-stos)

Augustine on Reason• Reason is prior to faith: “no one indeed believes anything unless he has first thought that it is to be believed.” And, “it is necessary that everything which is believed should be believed after thought has led the way.” (On Free Will, 5)

•How can anyone believe the preacher without first understanding his message?

• Reason sets apart humans: “God forbid that He should hate in us that faculty by which He made us superior to all other beings…” (Letters 120:1)

•Reason elaborates on God’s general revelation (Free Will 2.6)

•Reason removes objections to faith (Letters 102.38)

Augustine on the Limitsof Reason

Regarding the Holy Spirit when it comes to certainty of the Christian faith:

“First believe - then understand.” (On the Creed 4)

“If we wish to first know and then believe, we should not be able to know or believe.” (On the Gospel of John 7:29)

Thomas AquinasWill overrides Reason

• Human reason can be used to prove natural theology• Human reason can illustrate supernatural theology• Human reason can refute false ideas

“Arguments confirm truths that exceed natural knowledge and manifest God’s works that surpass all knowledge” (Summa Contra Gentiles 1.6)

He also said…

“When a man has a will ready to believe, he loves the truth he believes…”

“faith involves will and reason does not coerce the will.”

More on Reason and the Holy Spirit

John CalvinCalvin believed reason was adequate to understand the existence of God, the immortality of the soul, and even the truth of Christianity. At the same time, he believed no one could come to certainty about these truths apart from the Holy Spirit.


Martin Luther (Third Article in his Small Catechism)

“I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith…”


B. B. Warfield“It is easy, of course, to say that a Christian man must take his standpoint not above the Scriptures, but in the Scriptures. He very certainly must. But surely he first must have Scriptures, authenticated to him as such, before he can take his standpoint in them.”


John Warwick MontgomeryLutheran apologist John Warwick Montgomery does believe that conversion is totally the work of the Holy Spirit but also believes that the Holy Spirit works through the evidence provided by the apologist to remove the obstacles to faith (Faith Founded on Fact, Newburgh, IN: Trinity Press, 1978).

“If you reject Him it will not be because of a deficiency of evidence but because of a perversity of will.”

What to Expect

Unlikely to Convert – both debaters do fairly well and it is unlikely this debate will sway the Christian or Muslim from their current position.

Draws out Concepts – the debate does do a fairly good job of drawing out a few distinctions between the Muslim and Christian conception of God and Jesus

Debating Tactics – some interesting tactics are displayed by both sides showing the debaters skills in rhetoric

Craig’s Opening Statement

I. Christian conception of God is trueI. Jesus regarded himself as the unique divine son of GodII. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead by God vindicated his

claims

II. Islamic conception of God is inadequateI. Philosophically it is morally inadequate

I. God’s love is shown conditional and partial – but should not be as the greatest conceivable being

II. Historically it is inadequateI. Qur’an and New Testament make conflicting claims

about Jesus and the NT is a better source for the historical Jesus

Bedawi’s Opening StatementI. Qur’an – ample description of “God’s closeness” (Wadud)

II. Jesus was one of the 5 greatest prophets (all prophets are Muslim)

III. Rebuttal of Craig on Jesus’ divinity:I. Downplays “son of God” (term servant is superior)

II. Matthew 11:27 (“God gave me everything”)

III. No knowledge “of the hour”: shows lack of divinityIV. Jesus greater than the angels – still a creatureV. God raised Jesus – greater power apart from JesusVI. Resurrection – does not imply divinity (straw man)

IV. Rebuttal of Craig on Islam:I. Islam is not an offshoot (all share one source – Allah)

II. Makes several assertions on Allah’s loveIII. God loves “good deeds” and hates “evil deeds”IV. But, morally inadequate: Allah loving the sinner and

saint equally (contradictory?)

Bedawi’s Opening StatementV. Rebutting Craig (rapid-fire assertion) continued:

I. Gives several examples of how Allah lovesII. John 14 – (way, truth, and life) – speaking for Allah on

the true path as revealed by all of the prophetsIII. Downplays John 10 – “I and the Father are one.” – one

in “purpose” not “essence.”IV. Downplays “he who sees me sees God” – metaphor

and besides, “nobody ever saw God” (except Jesus?)

V. Thomas exegesis: “my godly lord”VI. Downplays Mark 14 – “worship from others”VII. Downplays “before Abraham was, I am” (mere foreknowledge)

VIII. Jews would have left Jesus alone if he claimed to be God (really?)

Bedawi’s Opening StatementV. More rapid-fire assertions:

I. If Jesus were God he would have been clearer about it“was Jesus not clear enough that he need to be clearer” (rework of Bedawi’s

opening about the hiddeness of God line from Islamic tradition)

II. Should not believe the disciples in all matters – they were not prophets (undermining his own mine?)

III. Mathew 28 on baptism – 4th century forgery?IV. Eusebius didn’t refer to trinity – came later at NiceneV. I Timothy 3:16 – “He” instead of “God” who was

manifest in the fleshVI. Bible not authentic anyway – British museum codex-A

(again, does this not undercut the branch Bedawi is sitting on?)

Craig’s RebuttalI. Christian conception of God is true

I. Jesus regarded himself as the unique divine son of God – Bedawi did not dispute authenticity of Jesus’ statements:I. Servant more honorific comment is from a quranic

perspectiveII. “God the Son”/“Son of God” distinction (John 1:18

‘only begotten God’)III.“Matthew 11” on “if God gave everything” argument

was incoherentIV.Mark 13:32: “Jesus must know the hour” (but Jesus

was genuinely man)V. Noted the mistranslation of the Greek in John (on

Thomas)

Craig’s RebuttalII. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead by God vindicated his

claims (empty tomb; appearances and origin of the church) - Bedawi did not dispute these three facts of history but tried to “soften the blow”

I. Resurrection does not make you divine – agreedII. No other “resurrection” like Jesus’ (other cases are

revivifications)III. Islamic conception of God is inadequate

I. Philosophically it is morally inadequate – Bedawi made no positive arguments for Islam – and Bedawi agrees “God must be all-loving”I. Much rhetoric on both sides as Bedawi claims Allah is

“all loving” and Craig claims his love is conditionalII. On historical inadequacy – Bedawi made no case at all

Opener

"Why is there pain, evil and suffering?“ (17%)

Christian researcher George Barna polled thousands of Americans in 1989 and asked the question, "If you could ask God one question, what would it be?" The answer by an overwhelming margin was? …

“Undoubtedly the greatest intellectual obstacle to belief in God.” William Lane Craig

The Problem of EvilTheodicy: is a specific branch of theology and philosophy that attempts to reconcile the existence of evil or suffering in the world with the existence of God being all-good and all-powerful

Problem of Evil

Intellectual Problem

Emotional Problem

Logical Version

Probabilistic Version

David Hume – Logical Problem18th Century Scottish Philosopher on the logical problem of evil

“Is He willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then He is impotent. Is He able, but not willing? Then He is malevolent. Is He both able and willing? Whence then is evil? "

I. If God is all-powerful G(p) then He must be able to prevent evil E(a)I. G(p) -> E(a)

II. If God is all-good G(g) then He must desire to prevent evil E(d)I. G(g) -> E(d)

III. If God is able to prevent evil and has the desire to prevent evil, then evil should not existI. (E(a) · E(d)) -> ~E

IV. Evil does exist.I. E

V. Therefore; God is either limited in power or goodness, or both.I. Therefore; ~E(a) v ~E(d) – from iii (DT and MT)II. Therefore; ~G(p) v ~G(g) – from I and ii (MT)

David Hume – Logical Problem18th Century Scottish Philosopher on the logical problem of evil

• If God is all-powerful then He must be able to prevent evil• This is arguably false – God cannot do

what is logically impossible or contrary to His nature

• If God is all-good then He must desire to prevent evil• This is arguably false – there may be morally

sufficient reasons to allow evil for a greater purpose

C. S. Lewis on Free Will

“Free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. A world of automata; of creatures that worked like machines; would hardly be worth creating. The happiness which God designs for His higher creatures is the happiness of being freely, voluntarily united to Him and to each other....”

Alvin Plantinga on Free Will“Now God can create free creatures, but he cannot cause or determine them to do only what is right. For if he does so, then they are not significantly free after all; they do not do what is right freely. To create creatures capable of moral good, therefore, he must create creatures capable of moral evil; and he cannot leave these creatures free to perform evil and at the same time prevent them from doing so.”

AugustineGod thought we were worth creating

“A runaway horse is better than a stone.”

Dr. Ravi Zacharias (25 min)Is There Meaning in Evil and Suffering (The Faith & Science Lecture Forum)

Probabilistic Problem of Evil

The logical problem of evil is easily defeated using possible-worlds arguments consistent with the Christian worldview – but logical possibilities often come cheap!

The probabilistic problem of evil draws out the quantity, degree and apparent pointlessness of evil and gratuitous suffering and tries to show possible-worlds solutions are not probable with respect to our background knowledge.

Christian Worldview Response• The chief purpose of life is not happiness, but

knowledge of God (Ravi talks about worship here)

• Mankind is in a state of rebellion against God and His purpose (Ravi noted cumulative evil is individual evil multiplied)

• God’s purpose is not just for this life but spills over beyond the grave into eternal life

• The knowledge of God is an incommensurable good

William Lane Craig – Hard Questions, Real Answers

C. S. Lewis“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world…No doubt Pain as God's megaphone is a terrible instrument: it may lead to final and unrepented rebellion. But it gives the only opportunity the bad man can have for amendment. It removes the veil; it plants the flag of truth within the fortress of a rebel soul.”

Craig on the Origin of Christian Faith (6 min)

Craig on the Empty Tomb (9 min)