Gregory Koukl's Blog, page 102
February 27, 2014
True Reason Released in Paperback
“The New Atheists have branded themselves the party of Reason.”
And so begins True Reason: Confronting the Irrationality of the New Atheism, a book edited by Tom Gilson and Carson Weitnauer, compiled in anticipation of the atheist Reason Rally (that took place in Washington D.C. in 2012) for the purpose of explaining to the attendees why atheism isn’t as reasonable as it claims. The book was originally released as an eBook, but a new, revised version is now available in paperback.
True Reason is intended to respond to the best of the atheists’ arguments with chapters by William Lane Craig, Matthew Flannagan, Timothy McGrew, and others on topics like Dawkins’s The God Delusion, Loftus’s Outsider Test for Faith, the destruction of the Canaanites, naturalism, and reason.
To learn more about the book, listen to Greg’s interview with Tom Gilson.
Missions and Famine Relief
Timothy Richard was a Welsh-born missionary to China in 1870. He found it effective to immerse himself in Chinese culture to gain credibility for the Gospel message. He was also influential in bringing humanitarian relief to the Chinese during regular famines and taught the Chinese ways of avoiding future famine.
China was regularly subjected to famine. The missionary-led attempt to relieve the famine in the winter of 1876/7 was one of the first major programmes of humanitarian relief in modern history. Richard became the most important organiser and administrator of the famine relief and funds that arrived in several provinces from overseas.
In response to the severe famines that had ravaged the land, Richard believed that modern science was needed to avert similar future catastrophes. He spent four years writing and holding a series of lectures to the educated classes on apologetic and scientific issues. He also firmly believed in the importance of education for the spread of the gospel and dreamed of establishing a Christian college in every province in China.
He's been characterized as one of the greatest missionaries ever sent to China.
February 26, 2014
Why Christians Hold Truth in High Regard
From the earliest days of the Christian era, believers understood their responsibility as guardians of truth. The New Testament teaches specific objective truths about the attributes of God, the person of Jesus and the nature of Salvation. In spite of this, a number of teachers emerged over time, promoting claims and ideas contradicting the teaching of scripture. Much of this heretical activity was driven by the three motives commonly responsible for misbehavior. Leaders within Christianity were often driven by their own prideful desires. None of this came as any surprise to those who knew the Scripture, however, since the Bible predicted teachers such as these would arise, offering false ideas and distortions of God’s Word:
Galatians 1:8-9
But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds.
2 Peter 2:1-2
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.
1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
1 Timothy 1:18-20
This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered over to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.
Titus 3:10
A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject.
The early Christians had been warned by Paul, Peter and John to be careful about truth. The Apostles embraced certain objective truths about God, Jesus and Salvation, and warned these truths were not simply a matter of choice. Their followers were diligent to heed these warnings. The Apostle John’s disciple, Polycarp, had a disciple of his own named Irenaeus. This disciple of Polycarp, just two generations removed from the eyewitnesses, took the apostolic admonition about truth very seriously. He confronted the Christian misinterpretations and lies of his day in a work he titled, “Contra Haereses” (Against Heresies). Irenaeus understood truth is exclusive and error (while it is often carefully disguised) must be confronted:
“Error, indeed is never set forth in its naked deformity, lest, being thus exposed, it should at once be detected. But it is craftily decked out in an attractive dress, so as, by its outward form, to make it appear to the inexperienced more true than truth itself.” (Against Heresies 1.2)
Irenaeus’ words transcend time. They are still important for us today. This week on the Cold Case Christianity Blog we’ve been looking at a series of historic heresies. Their descriptions should sound familiar; the same errant views related to God, Jesus, Salvation and man continue to reappear in our own time. But the Christian faith has always held truth in incredibly high regard. As Christians, we are called to seek and teach the objective truths of the Christian Worldview, while rejecting the obvious errors of false teaching. Irenaeus modeled this aspect of the Christian life brilliantly; his example should inspire us to do the same.
February 25, 2014
Links Mentioned on the 2/25/14 Show
The following are links that were either mentioned on this week's show or inspired by it, as posted live on the @STRtweets Twitter feed:
Ambassador Model – Video by Greg Koukl
The Columbo Tactic by Greg Koukl
Tactics in Defending the Faith (book, CDs, MP3s, DVD)
Conservative Christians Selectively Apply Biblical Teachings in the Same-Sex Marriage Debate – Kirsten Powers's article
On Weddings and Conscience: Are Christians Hypocrites? by Russell Moore (a response to Kirsten Powers's article)
The Final Days of Jesus by Justin Taylor
Between Two Worlds – Justin Taylor's Blog
The Star of Bethlehem
Listen to today's show or download any archived show for free. (Find links from past shows here.)
To follow the Twitter conversation during the live show (Tuesdays 4:00–7:00 p.m. PT), use the hashtag #STRtalk.
Kolodny: I Will Dance on Traditional Marriage's Grave
This isn’t the first time a proponent of same-sex marriage has been open about her ultimate goal of destroying marriage, but it’s certainly one of the most straightforward. Carina Kolodny writes in “Marriage Equality Is Destroying ‘Traditional Marriage,’ and Why That’s a Good Thing”:
To the enemies of marriage equality:…
For years and years I've strategically bit my tongue.
Had I not, I would have sided with you. I would have agreed with you. Marriage equality will, in time, fundamentally destroy "traditional marriage," and I, for one, will dance on its grave.
It's not a terribly difficult conclusion to draw.
As same-sex couples marry, they will be forced to re-imagine many tenets of your "traditional marriage." In doing so, they will face a series of complicated questions…. As questions continually arise, heterosexual couples will take notice – and be forced to address how much "traditional marriage" is built on gender roles and perpetuates a nauseating inequality that has no place in 2014….
So yes, I told a white lie while soldiering on toward this inevitable outcome. I bit my lip in favor of dignity and equality….
It’s Kolodny’s view that the existence of genderless marriages will introduce new patterns of living as a couple and new ways of getting children (or not having them at all) that opposite-sex marriages will begin to emulate. I think she’s correct that this will happen, but I disagree that it’s something to celebrate.
Kolodny is specifically hoping for a rejection of all gender roles (which has its own problems, apparently); but ignoring the objective differences between men and women—and disconnecting marriage from the comprehensive union between them that creates new life—will have serious consequences beyond just this. Ryan Anderson has been arguing for a while now that the result of leaving behind the opposite-sex component of marriage will be a breakdown of the three major aspects of marriage: monogamy, sexual exclusivity, and permanency. Since a same-sex union and its public consequences are different from an opposite-sex union (as it's not a type of union that naturally produces children), the needs and concerns of those in same-sex unions are different, which means the ideas that naturally arise as to how to manage those unions will also be different. Along these lines, it comes as no surprise to discover that “monogamy is not a central feature for many” of their relationships.*
And while these changes to marriage will happen to suit the preferences of those who aren’t part of an opposite-sex union, the new perspective will (as Kolodny happily claims), change the way everyone views marriage, and children will be the ones to suffer; for the institution that emerged to give stability to the unique union that creates them will have been destroyed.
In the end, the results of divorcing marriage and children from complementary biology will include unprecedented government intrusion, increasingly dubious technological practices, the viewing of children as commodities, serious legal complications, and the unethical use of women’s bodies. Indeed, these results are already underway. This isn’t something to be happy about.
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*From the New York Times: “A study...is offering a rare glimpse inside gay relationships and reveals that monogamy is not a central feature for many. Some gay men and lesbians argue that, as a result, they have stronger, longer-lasting and more honest relationships. And while that may sound counterintuitive, some experts say boundary-challenging gay relationships represent an evolution in marriage—one that might point the way for the survival of the institution.”
February 24, 2014
Discussing the Age of the Earth with Other Christians
Is it appropriate to engage in conversation about the age of the earth with other believers? Greg shares some tips to keep in mind.
February 22, 2014
Fred Sanders on Pagan vs. Biblical Propitiation
For people who aren’t familiar with Christianity, the word “propitiation” can bring a pagan concept to mind rather than a biblical one. Fred Sanders outlines some of the differences between the two as part of a series Trevin Wax has been posting on different aspects of the atonement:
In pagan propitiation, the gods need to be propitiated because they are grumpy and capricious. They don’t care much about humans except when something makes them angry; then they smite! And it’s up to humans to get busy doing the propitiating, to make up for whatever they’ve done that angered the gods. The humans find something that the gods like (sweets, or meat, or pain, or blood), and offer it as a bribe to calm down their wrathful deities.
But every aspect of biblical propitiation contrasts with the pagan kind.
First, consider why God requires propitiation: not because he’s moody or easily provoked, but because he is holy and just. God responds to sin with absolute consistency, and his “wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness” (Rom 1:18).
Second, consider who carries out biblical propitiation: not humans on their own initiative figuring out what God likes, but God himself declaring what kind of sacrifice he accepts, and then providing it. Even in the Old Testament, God takes credit for providing the blood of animal sacrifice (“I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement,” Leviticus 17:11).
And third, consider what kind of sacrifice brings about biblical propitiation: not a bribe or something nice to tide him over. No, in the fullness of time, God fulfills the Old Testament symbolism by giving his own Son to die for us.
Dr. Sanders brings this home with a little application:
In daily life there is a constant temptation to ignore Christ as our God-given propitiation, and to seek other ways of cutting little deals with God, to curry his favor and appease his wrath, to give him something he’ll like so he’ll at least refrain from smiting us, and maybe even reward us with various blessings and goodies.
Don’t do this.
Read the rest of his post.
February 21, 2014
Why Understanding Criminal Motive Is So Important to Christians
Last night, as part of an apologetics series at Grace Fellowship Church, we examined the alternative explanations for the empty tomb of Jesus. One possible explanation suggests the disciples stole the body and conspired to lie about the resurrection appearances. As a skeptic, I believed this was perhaps the most reasonable explanation for the empty tomb, but the more I came to understand what motivates people to lie, murder (or commit any sin at all), the less reasonable this explanation became. As a homicide detective, “motive detection” became an important part of my work. When entering a murder scene, it’s tempting to become overwhelmed with the possibilities. Why did this happen? Who would do such a thing? What could have motivated this? When I was a young investigator, I was sometimes overcome by the possibilities. But as I worked case after case, however, I came to realize murders occur for only one of three reasons. As it turns out, these same three reasons lie at the heart of every other crime as well. In fact, every time you’ve ever done something wrong, you did it for one of these three reasons:
Financial Greed
This is often the driving force behind the crimes I investigate. Some murders, for example, result from a botched robbery. Other murders take place simply because they give the suspect a financial advantage.
Sexual Lust (or Relational Desire)
I’ve also investigated a number of murders sexually (or relationally) motivated. Some sexual attackers murder their victims so they can’t testify later. Some murders occur simply because a jealous boyfriend couldn’t bear to see his girlfriend dating another man.
The Pursuit of Power
Finally, some people commit murders to achieve or maintain a position of power or authority. It might be a rivalry between two people who are trying to get the same promotion. Others have killed simply because the victim dishonored or “disrespected” them in front of a group of peers.
That’s it. Nothing more. When I enter a murder scene, I simply ask myself a question: Who would have benefited from the perspective of money, sex or power? My suspect will eventually fit into one of these three categories. When presenting this set of motives to groups across the nation, some have offered additional categories. What about jealousy, hatred, revenge or anger? “Motive detection” requires us to ask what is causing the jealousy, hatred, revenge or anger. When we seek the root causes, we end up back in the three simple categories I’ve already described. What about insanity; is this an additional category? No. The mentally insane are a group for which we can’t ask traditional questions of motive. Their actions are unpredictable and often inexplicable simply because of their mental instability.
Why are these three motives so important to us as Christians? “Motive detection” can help us spot heresy and confirm the reliability of the Gospels. Every heretical movement in history was driven by a leader who possessed one of these three simple motives. Joseph Smith (the founder of Mormonism) for example, possessed all three motives. He was repeatedly supported by his followers financially, took over 30 wives as the prophet of the church, and at one time commanded the largest standing militia in the North American continent (with the exception of the United States armed forces). While not everyone who possesses motive actually acts on their desire, I’ve yet to convict a defendant who didn’t have a motive to begin with. The fact Smith possessed sufficient motive does not necessarily make him a liar, but the foundational drives were certainly in place.
When we examine the 1st Century disciples of Jesus through the lens of motives and desires, we end up in a very different place, however. If the disciples stole the body of Jesus and lied about the resurrection, they did it for one of the same three reasons we’ve already discussed. Which motive could have driven them to do such a thing?
Financial Greed?
None of the disciples or apostles gained anything financially from their claims. In fact, it appears John and James left respectable employment with their family to enter into the financial hardship known to the apostles (as described in the Book of Acts and by Paul in his letters). No one got rich.
Sexual Lust (or Relational Desire)?
Given the repeated admonitions related to sexual purity in the New Testament, the apostles and disciples garnered a reputation for sexual reservation and modesty known to the world around them. No one got girlfriends.
The Pursuit of Power?
Paul was already a respected and established leader within the Jewish religious elite, given the responsibility of persecuting Christians. It’s unlikely the pursuit of power drove him to leave his success to start anew with the very group he formerly persecuted. The apostles became part of a hated class within the Roman Empire. There’s a big difference between seeking fame and enduring infamy. No one got powerful.
Once we understand what motivates us to do what we shouldn’t, it’s a lot easier to examine the history of Christianity (and all the heretical movements along the way). In the end, motives drive actions. As we learn more about motive, we can grow in our confidence related to the apostles, and better understand why heretical splinter movements have emerged over history.
February 20, 2014
Medical Missionary to Indian Women
Dr. Ida Sophia Scudder was the daughter of missionaries in India. When she witnessed three Indian women die in childbirth one night, she vowed to get her medical degree and improve medical care for Indian women. She founded the Christian Medical College and Hospital near Madras. She later established a school to provide medical training for Indian women. Scudder spent her life in India improve the spiritual and medical welfare of women who were overlooked in their society and religion.
