Blog, week 4.
Week 4
It’s been a month! and it’s been quite a successful one with reaching a whole host of people who aren’t too familiar with apologetics or are and are thankful for the resources. The testimonies and comments I’ve personally received have been heartwarming and reassuring that what I’m sharing on social media has been successful! I plan to keep going as I go and build the Instagram Apologetics library, put a bit more effort in on the Facebook side but I still don’t want to touch Twitter just yet.. I value my free time!
Social media series update: External Evidence for the Bible
So what I’m calling part 1 of series one is complete. External evidence for the Bible! Now next week we chime into Archaeology! where I will showcase 10 of our best archaeological finds (To my knowledge) on the New Testament with the obvious hope for people to pursue the evidence further, check out the article and view the source material presented. After those two weeks we move onto heretical source attestation (see previous post for why I’m doing this)
Research update: The Shroud of Turin
Yes let’s talk about a piece of evidence you’ve probably either never heard about, think is just a relic that’s been debunked by Carbon dating (it really hasn’t) or a topic so big it’s hard to invest time into. Well, I’ve given it a go! Starting research the day after Easter, I’ve been investing time each day in scholarly papers, books, Shroud conference lectures and all sorts to see if there is a scientific case for the resurrection that can be made.
You see typically for the resurrection we have a robust Historical/philosophical case for the resurrection, but scientific evidence? That’s generally been absent and assumed to be so. However, there are a great many Christians who are beginning to weild this argument with better persuasion and simplicity because the evidence is incredibly strong and the opposing theories are dead in the water. I’ve Added below three lectures to wet your appetite if you’re wanting to invest time looking into what I consider my last big apologetic project for now and after this I can formulate a larger Christian case for Christian immortality from it.
The larger case for Christian immortality has positive’s and defences. First establishing God’s existence with simple arguments like the Kalam, Contingency, Fine-Tuning & moral arguments for God. These take you to a personal creator. Then The Resurrection (Historical, philosohical & scientific) evidence, evidence from consciousness (Like NDEs), a defence of miracles get you to Christian theism. Bolster this up with a defence of the New Testament reliability and the problem of evil then you’ve got a strong case brewing.
Short response: Coronavirus
This “what would you say” channel presents short answers giving us tips how to respond when we are asked certain topics. Here is a great logical one on Coronavirus. I admit it lacks a bit of empathy and is very practical, but you know when talking to someone what type of conversation it’ll be and what type of answer is required.
Some great audible books
The great think about Audible is that you can listen while you work/just in the background of whatever you’re doing. Here’s four books I either finished/started last week.
Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die: I’m seeing this as a 50 day devotional as Piper details the reasons clearly which we can personally grow closer to Christ from.
The Christian Atheist: Groeschel isn’t my usual book but the title caught my attention. What I really like is how he details the life of being a Christian yet from all appearances looking no different form an atheist, thus the title. This was helpful and reflective for me, especially the stages he discusses at the end.
Why I Still Believe: Mary’s book I’d recommend to sceptic and Christian alike. What I can relate and admire is how you do run into Christians who just make you feel like trash, they are in their bubble world and you feel constantly judged by them. I haven’t run into many Christians like this personally, but I’ve certainly known about them! It’s a refreshing perspective on this believers growth in apologetics and their walk in the Christian environment.
Misreading Scripture With Western Eyes: This book will either intrigue you, or irritate you, but you won’t say it isn’t interesting. We generally take the Bible through the lense that we receive it, which is why cultural backgrounds study Bibles often reveal so much to us. Here the authors inform us about perhaps some uncomfortable western truths we’ve taken to the Bible in the abandonment of the cultural context of passages.
Hope in Lockdown
Here Justin interviews Nicky about life in Lockdown and the role of the church. This is such an encouraging interview! Watch it at least for the feel goods!
More Advanced stuff
Apologists! We don’t want to use bad data, when comparing manuscripts are you still using FF Bruce’s data from the 20th century for classic documents? Well you shouldn’t be. This talk gives a useful insight in where people on both sides of the argument are going wrong.
Physicist Luke Barnes here gives a thorough defence of the fine-tuning argument. It’s quite a sophisticated format compared to the simpler version William Lane Craig presents.
Finally Sean McDowell responds to Candida Moss who presents the Disciples persecution as a myth. Watch this for a thorough defence.
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