Articles
Compatibilism is Incompatible with Reality
The idea of compatibilistic free will (CFW), or simply “compatibilism” is one of the worst ideas ever introduced to the church. It has brought nothing but confusion and those who purport it often have good intentions, yet they inadvertently deceive those who have not been trained to think otherwise (but hey, a good compatibilist does … Continue reading Compatibilism is Incompatible with Reality
Paul, the Apostle: Eyewitness or Epileptic?
Surprise! Welcome to an article founded on a false dilemma! It’s obvious that even if Saul of Tarsus (Paul hereafter) just so happened to be an epileptic, he could also have been an eye-witness, right? There is no logical malady between being both an eyewitness and an epileptic. It’s a false dilemma. However, this is the argument leveled against the veracity … Continue reading Paul, the Apostle: Eyewitness or Epileptic?
Why Would God Create the Damned?
Question Hi Tim, I have recently stumbled across your FreeThinking Ministries website and am loving it. I found your site as I was searching for a way to respond to an atheist family member who has a variety of objections to God but I think the primary objection centers around: “If God is omniscient and omnibenevolent why would … Continue reading Why Would God Create the Damned?
Are the Gospels Historically Reliable?
Are the New Testament Gospels historically reliable? Before we can answer this question, it will be necessary for us to define what we mean by the term “historically reliable.” Many events in ancient literature cannot be verified due to a lack of data. Moreover, the metanarrative in the Gospels is beyond the reach of historians. … Continue reading Are the Gospels Historically Reliable?
Bradley Bowen on the Improbability of the Resurrection
Bradley Bowen has recently argued that it is highly improbable that God raised Jesus from the dead (See Why I Reject the Resurrection – Part 3: Improbability of the Resurrection). According to Bowen, the improbability of the resurrection is one of the reasons why he rejects the resurrection. Let H denote the hypothesis that God raised Jesus … Continue reading Bradley Bowen on the Improbability of the Resurrection
Did Jesus Say He Was God?
What would you say if someone asked you, “Did Jesus say He was God?” In this post, I’ll give you a few talking points that you can use to give a thoughtful response to a question like this. But first, let me tell you a little story. One day, I was at this family reunion … Continue reading Did Jesus Say He Was God?
Are Religious Discussions Important?
An old adage claims that the two worst conversations to have with a person involve religion and politics. Since people hold deep emotional feelings pertaining to these two issues, the logic of the cliché claims that the two topics must be avoided. However, these two topics are arguably the most important topics that one could … Continue reading Are Religious Discussions Important?
Freethinking Needs the PAP
The ability to do otherwise is often referred to as the principle of alternative possibilities (PAP). Although it is often argued that the ability to do otherwise is not necessary for libertarian free will (LFW) to obtain, most affirm that the PAP is sufficient for LFW. That is to say, if the PAP is true, … Continue reading Freethinking Needs the PAP
Molinism and Natural Evil
Many people today know of the free will defense to the problem of Moral Evil and that Molinism reconciles Gods sovereignty with Mans Free will. However not as many would be familiar with the Free Process Defense or Molinism’s reconciliation of Gods Sovereignty and Genuine Randomness in Nature. My goal today is to give a … Continue reading Molinism and Natural Evil
Hermeneutics and Sherlock Holmes
“You see, but you do not observe.” – Sherlock Holmes, A Scandal in Bohemia It’s a good time to be a Sherlock Holmes fan. There have been many versions in the recent years, like the Disney movies starring Iron Man himself, Robert Downey, Jr., and the BBC show Sherlock, featuring the awesomely-named dreamboat, Benedict Cumberbatch. … Continue reading Hermeneutics and Sherlock Holmes
The Kalam’s Illumination of Molinism
In my lengthy essay entitled The Apologetic Significance of Molinism, I surveyed many arguments in the “cumulative case” that apologists possess in their repertoire supporting the truth of Christian theism. The focus of that project was to show how each of these arguments either presuppose a key ingredient of Molinism or are strengthened by this … Continue reading The Kalam’s Illumination of Molinism
Atheism Is Un-American
It is often purported that America was not founded on “religion” and that there is a “separation of church and state.” Thus, any discussion about God in public schools (for example) will swiftly be dealt with by the ACLU. But, since the ACLU stands for the *American* civil liberties union, it is pertinent to consider the … Continue reading Atheism Is Un-American
Responding to the Movie “Calvinist” (Part 5): Perseverance of the Saints
Summary: In the movie Calvinist the interviewees (ostensibly) argue in favor of the doctrine of perseverance of the saints (hereafter, PS). Since the interviewees are compatibilists, I presuppose that they intend to argue in favor of a model of PS according to which Christians persevere through the means of determinism (hereafter I shall refer to this … Continue reading Responding to the Movie “Calvinist” (Part 5): Perseverance of the Saints
Responding to the Movie “Calvinist” (Part 4): Irresistible Grace
Summary: In the movie “Calvinist” several interlocutors take the position of irresistible grace, which they take to mean that regeneration logically precedes faith in the process of salvation. In this article, I demonstrate that they commit several logical fallacies in their argumentation. I show that the text used to support irresistible grace does not fulfill … Continue reading Responding to the Movie “Calvinist” (Part 4): Irresistible Grace
Book Review: The Truth Is by Steven Kozak
The Truth Is: Sharing The Truth of Jesus with Confidence, Conviction, and Compassion is the latest book by Steven Kozak, Executive Director of Awana Youth Ministries and a fellow alum of the Christian Apologetics program at Biola University. He oversaw the creation of the fantastic Advocates apologetics curriculum and the forthcoming evangelism-focused Witnesses. Steve obviously … Continue reading Book Review: The Truth Is by Steven Kozak
Molinism and Creaturely Essences: A Response to James White (Part 2)
Summary: Although the apologist James White has argued against Molinism by accusing it of denigrating the sovereignty of God, failing to countenance the card-dealer objection, and being unbiblical, this essay will demonstrate that White’s arguments seem to be poorly elaborated and are invalid. Moreover, White fails to provide any meaningful alternative that makes sense of … Continue reading Molinism and Creaturely Essences: A Response to James White (Part 2)