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Apologetics

podcast 53 – John Locke’s The Reasonableness of Christianity, Part 2

This week I start with a long and insightful listener comment. Among other things, he asks how one’s theology as unitarian or trinitarian affect one’s discipleship, or how one follows Jesus as Lord. I give a short answer from my own experience here, confessing how my own confusions hindered my spiritual life. The listener also asks: doesn’t Locke require too little? In particular, mustn’t a Christian also, minimally,… Read More »podcast 53 – John Locke’s The Reasonableness of Christianity, Part 2

continuing the conversation with Robert Bowman – different selves, same being?

Thanks to Robert Bowman for his reply to my off-target criticisms. I thought I understood what he was doing, following in the steps of many a theologian, but evidently I was mistaken in my inferring that he holds to a one-self Trinity. In this post, I make a clarification, then ask two questions. He says that in trinitarian doctrine, the term [“person”] was and is… Read More »continuing the conversation with Robert Bowman – different selves, same being?

a reply to Robert Bowman on biblical monotheism, the Trinity, and the Shema

Thanks to Rob Bowman for his thoughtful reply to my previous post regarding the Shema and his argument with Sir Anthony Buzzard. While I sided with Mr. Bowman regarding the meaning of the Shema (as saying that YHWH is unique – who which only presupposes, but doesn’t assert that he is a god), I think Buzzard is correct that ancient Jews thought that YHWH was… Read More »a reply to Robert Bowman on biblical monotheism, the Trinity, and the Shema

podcast 51 – Dr. Ravi Zacharias on the Trinity

Dr. Ravi Zacharias is a popular, Indian-born, evangelical apologist, the author of many books and articles, a frequent public speaker, and a veteran of Christian radio. Recently here at the trinities blog I received a reader question about an answer Dr. Zacharias gave about the Trinity in a recent public talk. In this episode, I review and critically examine that answer, and a few other of his… Read More »podcast 51 – Dr. Ravi Zacharias on the Trinity

podcast 50 – Muslim apologist Dr. Laurence B. Brown on the Trinity

Dr. Laurence Brown is an opthamologist, author, and Muslim apologist. In this episode of The Deen Show (“Deen” is Arabic for “religion” or “religious practice.”), he gave his “Top 10 Reasons Why The Trinity Is Invalid.” Does he disprove or undermine trinitarian theology? In this episode, I interact with and evaluate his reasons. You can also listen to this episode on youtube. This this 50th… Read More »podcast 50 – Muslim apologist Dr. Laurence B. Brown on the Trinity

podcast 46 – Professor Timothy Winter’s Islamic perspective on the Trinity

In this episode I talk with Professor Timothy Winter (a.k.a. Shaikh Abdal-Hakim Murad), an Islamic theologian at Cambridge University. He’s the author of a chapter called “The Trinity is Incoherent” in the 2013 collection edited by J.P. Moreland, Chad Meister, and Khaldoun A. Sweis, Debating Christian Theism. It was paired with a chapter by Dr. Tom Senor, a Christian philosopher from the University of Arkansas, called “The… Read More »podcast 46 – Professor Timothy Winter’s Islamic perspective on the Trinity

podcast 39 – Dr. Craig Evans on Dr. Bart Ehrman’s historical methodology

In this episode, Dr. Craig A. Evans and I discuss the surprising and bold methodological claims about doing history in chapter 4 of Dr. Ehrman’s How Jesus Became God. Along the way we bring up such topics as Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon,  the historicity of the New Testament gospels, the views of David Hume (pictured above) on belief in miracles, the probability of… Read More »podcast 39 – Dr. Craig Evans on Dr. Bart Ehrman’s historical methodology

Why we should doubt the Hitler-as-dog-lover traditions

Dr. Ehrman has effectively argued that we can’t know whether or not Jesus was really buried in a donated tomb. (How Jesus Became God, pp. 151-64) For this, we should be grateful. Like many important discoveries, this method of reasoning proves fruitful even in other domains. I am happy to announce the results of my recent investigations now. Like many of you, I used to… Read More »Why we should doubt the Hitler-as-dog-lover traditions

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podcast 35 – Interview with Dr. Bart Ehrman about his How Jesus Became God – Part 1

In this episode, a conversation with Dr. Bart Ehrman about his How Jesus Became God, and the evangelical response book How God Became Jesus. Dr. Ehrman has given other interviews in which he gives an overview of his project in the book. So skipping that, we jump right into some of his more controversial conclusions, and how he arrived at them. We also discuss the… Read More »podcast 35 – Interview with Dr. Bart Ehrman about his How Jesus Became God – Part 1

Ehrman’s misreading of John 10:30

At Dustin Martyr, theologian Dr. Dustin Smith gives a forceful critique of  Bart Ehrman’s appeal to “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30) to show that the Gospel of John presents Jesus either as God himself, or as “equal to God” (where this doesn’t imply that he’s God himself). …this is disappointing… because even the most conservative scholars of Johannine literature don’t interpret John 10:30 as… Read More »Ehrman’s misreading of John 10:30

podcast 34 – Albrecht vs. Tuggy debate – Was Tertullian a trinitarian? Part 2

In this episode, the final half of my debate with Roman Catholic apologist Mr. William Albrecht. The question: was Tertullian a trinitarian? (Part 1 is here.) First, we take turns cross-examining one another, and then the closing arguments. I’ve shortened the audio here,  but have not cut any meaningful content at all. Who makes the better case? As Fox News says, we report, you decide.… Read More »podcast 34 – Albrecht vs. Tuggy debate – Was Tertullian a trinitarian? Part 2

Do the Gospels disagree about Jesus and God? Part 2 – Counting the Costs

Last time we looked at this inconsistent triad of claims, one of which we must deny: The New Testament gospels agree in their core claims about Jesus and God. Matthew, Mark, and Luke don’t teach that Jesus is God. John teaches that Jesus is God. We can look at this from two directions. First, we can ask what the evidence for each  of 1-3 is.… Read More »Do the Gospels disagree about Jesus and God? Part 2 – Counting the Costs

Do the Gospels disagree about Jesus and God? Part 1 – Three Options

Let’s define “Jesus is God” to mean one or more of these: Jesus is numerically identical to the one God, YHWH, or Jesus fully possesses the divine nature of the one God, or Jesus is one “divine person” within the one God. The New Testament gospels are centrally concerned with Jesus, and with the one God. But how do they relate the two – or… Read More »Do the Gospels disagree about Jesus and God? Part 1 – Three Options

podcast 33 – Albrecht vs. Tuggy debate – Was Tertullian a trinitarian? Part 1

On March 29,  I debated Catholic apologist William Albrecht on whether or not Tertullian was a trinitarian. In this episode, our opening statements, and rebuttals, slightly edited (“cleaned up”) from the original audio (“in studio” for me, unfortunately, just over the internet for his side – but I did my best to make the whole thing listenable.) You can also listen to this episode on… Read More »podcast 33 – Albrecht vs. Tuggy debate – Was Tertullian a trinitarian? Part 1

Pro and Con books published at once – How’d that happen?

These two. Atheist blogger Hemant Mehta explains how this happened. (H/T James McGrath) And he makes an interesting point about it. Yes, I would be shocked too. (Read to the end of his post.) But, I think Christians and Christians publishers should promote debate. Anyone who is confident in their case is all for debate. Update: Justin Brierley’s show Unbelievable has put up part 1 of a… Read More »Pro and Con books published at once – How’d that happen?

my online debate: Was Tertullian a trinitarian?

Tomorrow (Saturday, March 29) at 12:00 EST I’m debating Roman Catholic apologist William Albrecht on whether or not the important early Christian philosopher-theologian Tertullian (d. c. 225) was a trinitarian. Mr. Albrecht is on the affirmative side; I’m on the negative side. He should be well aware of what I’ll argue. I think Tertullian’s language is confusing (to us), and his theology is strange, but… Read More »my online debate: Was Tertullian a trinitarian?

podcast 32 – review of the movie Son of God (2014)

Last night I finally saw the 2014 movie Son of God. I’m not as down on the movie as this guy! Other reviewers point out some inaccuracies of detail. Others say it’s just too compressed. Me, though I liked the movie, I most noticed what New Testament material they left out, as well as their familiar, confused picture of Jesus and God. In this episode,… Read More »podcast 32 – review of the movie Son of God (2014)

Craig and Harris: a mistaken view of love

Check out this excellent podcast by Bill Craig and Kevin Harris at Reasonable Faith. I really liked this discussion. I would only have suggested two additional topics: So, we should deny the “classical” doctrine of divine impassibility, right? And, if someone were perfectly disposed to feel and act in the ways described in this episode, in ways compatible with all other perfections, that one would… Read More »Craig and Harris: a mistaken view of love