Alpha & Omega Ministries Apologetics Blog
|
Despair Not! Radio Free Damascus on Monday, Noon EST! (Updated!)
12/28/2012 - James White
Here we thought we wouldn't be able to do any DLs next week, but, having listened to a debate on my ride this morning, there is much to discuss! So, we will be having a special Radio Free Damascus Monday, 10am my time, noon EST! Join us then!
12:25:44 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
Yesterday on the Dividing Line
12/28/2012 - James White
Seems lots of folks were off of their regular schedules yesterday, as we didn't get much in the way of audience participation, but I still covered a few items of interest, including the Pope's recent truthful statements against the abomination of "gay marriage," and then we returned to the long lost Ehrman/Wallace debate in the second half of the program. Here's the program.And don't forget the WayBack Machine, streaming Dividing Lines from 1998 onward 24/7! You can listen on the Flash Player found here.
12:22:28 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
The Deen Show's "Aspiring Baptist Minister" Reviewed and Refuted
12/27/2012 - James White
11:13:28 - Category: Islam - Link to this article -
The Flood, Dinosaurs, YEC, Oh My!
12/26/2012 - Jeff Downs
Lately, I have gotten quite interested (again) in creation, the flood, dinosaurs and other matters related to science and the Bible. I have been quite impressed with most of the material I've looked at, and not so impressed with others. I'll admit that I'm a YEC, and what has interested me most in the past couple of weeks, has been the formation of the Grand Canyon and the existence of Dinosaurs and how these things speak to God's judgment, his power, and the beauty of creation. The Bible declares that God created the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them (Ex. 20:11); therefore, all of creation testifies to His existence.I want to recommend some resources on these issues, and would encourage you also to take a look at them:
This book was recommended to me for introductory matters. Not sure if I care for the first part of the title, but there is nothing I can do about that: The New Creationism: Building Scientific Theory on a Biblical Foundation, by Paul Garner. More on introductory matters, I would recommend Science: The Whole Story; an interview (video) with Dr. Danny Faulkner.
There are some excellent journals and magazines such as Creation Magazine, the Journal of Creation (technical). Answers in Genesis produces Answers Magazine and Answers Research Journal (technical and online). There is also the Journal of Creation Theology and Science Series B: Life Sciences and Acts & Facts. There may be some other publications, but the ones mentioned will keep you busy.
Let me also recommend some video resources that I have been blessed by. First is the Origins program. The host interviews scholars such as Steve Austin, Danny Faulkner, and Andrew Snelling. Second, I would recommend the videos from Northwest Creation Network. This organization posts videos from past conferences from men such as Michael Oard, John Byle, Jonathan Sarfati, among others (some I know, others I do not know). Video from CMI are located here and children's videos can be found here. This his enough to keep you busy.
There are other organizations to keep up with such as Tas Walker's Biblical Geology site and local Creation Study groups, like the one in Greenville, SC.
12:37:58 - Category: Resources - Link to this article -
A Hadith Comparison
12/25/2012 - James White
Heard this hadith (I think it was the first time it appears in Bukhari) while on a ride this morning (thankfully, about ten minutes later, while turning around, I heard a cry for help, and found a man who had fallen into the AZ canal and could not get out! Providential timing!), and could not help but memorize the reference so I could provide this contrast. It reads:Volume 8, Book 76, Number 496:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, "The truest poetic verse ever said by a poet, is: Indeed! Everything except Allah, is perishable."
And I compare these words from the inspired writer, recorded over half a millennium earlier, written in reference to Jesus, the Son:
10 And,
You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the works of Your hands;
11 They will perish, but You remain;
And they all will become old like a garment,
12 And like a mantle You will roll them up;
Like A garment they will also be changed.
But You are the same,
And Your years will not come to an end.
(Hebrews 1:10-12)
If only Allah is unperishable, and Jesus is not perishable, and is unchangeable, then it follows inevitably that the Christians have been right all along!
12:59:44 - Category: Islam - Link to this article -
An Incarnational Bible Study
12/24/2012 - James White
Thoughts on Isaiah 9, hopefully edifying and encouraging at this time of year.08:37:04 - Category: Pastoral Theology - Link to this article -
This Was My Favorite Cartoon on the Subject
12/21/2012 - James White
06:14:48 - Category: Simply Silly - Link to this article -
Today on the Dividing Line
12/20/2012 - James White
Briefly addressed the continuing evidence that the folks at The Deen Show aren't overly concerned about actually doing serious dawa, and then took a lot of calls on, well, a lot of topics! Wide ranging program, or, if I was trying to sell you on listening, "something for everyone!" Here's the program.And don't forget the WayBack Machine, streaming Dividing Lines from 1998 onward 24/7! You can listen on the Flash Player found here.
21:55:24 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
Refuting the Shallow Arguments of Zakir Naik
12/20/2012 - James White
As most of you know, Zakir Naik is a wildly popular Islamic speaker in the mode of Ahmed Deedat. Unfortunately, Naik knows better than to debate those who can demonstrate his errors. Which is why he remains so popular, it seems! But he cannot hide his many falsehoods. David Wood and Sam Shamoun expose his arguments against the historical reality of the crucifixion:21:52:39 - Category: Islam - Link to this article -
Quick Program Note
12/20/2012 - James White
Today's Dividing Line will air an hour early, 3pm MST, 5pm EST. See you then!06:35:44 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
Today on the Dividing Line
12/18/2012 - James White
Snuck a quick Dividing Line in today, starting with a brief review of some comments I made on Sunday from Luke 13. Then we took a call on learning Greek, and went back to our review of some comments from Sami Zaatari in his debate with David Wood, all interspersed with, shall we say, rather random commentary from yours truly. Here's the program.And don't forget the WayBack Machine, streaming Dividing Lines from 1998 onward 24/7! You can listen on the Flash Player found here.
19:07:41 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
Responding to Evil and Wickedness
12/16/2012 - James White
I hesitate to call this a Bible Study. It was more a sermon, I suppose---but here are my thoughts not so much on the explosion of evil in Connecticut on Friday, but on how we, as Christians, must resist the temptation to think like the world about such things. I hope it is helpful to all.12:26:48 - Category: Pastoral Theology - Link to this article -
Sabbath, Apologetics, and More Apologetics
12/14/2012 - Jeff Downs
I hear that everyone interested in apologetics arises early in the morning. I like to get up around 4am, although that certainly doesn't happen every morning. Well, if you think 4am is early, then 8am is late. So, you will not miss the radio debate that will take place tomorrow morning between Drs. Joseph Pipa and Craig Blomberg. The topic will be the Sabbath. Both Drs. are contributors to Perspectives on the Sabbath: 4 Views. For further information on the debate click here.A few other resources I'd like to mention:
Earlier this year, Dr. Carl Trueman spoke at the RCA Integrity Conference (I'm just learning about the audio) on an important topic all of us should be interested in. Here are his two sessions:
A Few Good Men: Lessons from Paul on Preserving Orthodoxy
Overstaying their Welcome and Other Signs of False Teachers: Some Early Church Thoughts on Unity and Confession.
BTW, Carl Trueman participated in a debate yesterday evening with the Chairman of the Board of the Bertrand Russell Society. Dr. Truman commented on the debate today on Ref21, here is my favorite part of the post:
"Do not tell me that we are a random bunch of atoms and then try to impose your myths on me. Do not create a morality in your own image and then try to give it some objective, transcendent status. A random world does not give privileged status to the moral myths of an upper class English proto-hippy. Do not tell me that serial killers are morally worse than aid workers. At best, you might say that you find them personally more distasteful."
One (among many) resources I I'm looking forward to next year is a new book from Crossway authored by Dr. Scott Oliphint titled Covenantal Apologetics: Principles and Practice in Defense of Our Faith. Oliphint is the author of The Battle Belongs to the Lord and Reasons for Faith: Philosophy in the Service of Theology.
Also, Dr. Oliphint participated in a conference back in October at Shiloh OPC in North Carolina. The audio is located here and includes a session on The Problem of Evil.
The following audio is a bit dated, but in case you are not aware of it, Michael Butler taught a course titled "Biblical Presuppositional Apologetics" which is available here.
Also, Jerry Crick (for professor at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary) has an apologetics course online titled "Reformed Apologetics and Scripture" These lectures are located here. Don't miss his course on The Scientific Method. Dr. Crick died this year. For further information on this click here.
BTW, I have mentioned the upcoming GPTS Conference on the Doctrine of Man (it's worth mentioning again), but did not mention a conference that Lane Tipton and Vern Poythress recently participated in, on the Doctrine of Man. I would not agree with some things I heard (e.g. I hold to a 6 literal-day creation, Dr. Tipton does not), but it is always worth taking the time to listen to both of these men. Click here to listen.
A recent edition of The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology (Summer 2012 Vol 16 No 2) includes an article by Travis Kerns titled "Who Is This Jesus? An Examination of the Christology of the Latter-day Saints." Also a recent edition (2012 | Volume: 35) of the CRI Journal, Brian J. Wright and Tim Ricchuiti's article appears, titled "Jehovah’s Witnesses and John 1:1: New Evidence Advances the Discussion."
That's all folks!
16:08:55 - Category: Resources - Link to this article -
Today on the Dividing Line
12/13/2012 - James White
Started off following up on the Bart Ehrman/Newsweek article (I had been on the Janet Mefferd Show this afternoon on the same topic), responded to some claims from Sami Zaatari from a recent debate with David Wood, and took a couple of calls, one on sanctification and one on Hebrews 6 and the perfection of Christ as Savior. Here's the program.And don't forget the WayBack Machine, streaming Dividing Lines from 1998 onward 24/7! You can listen on the Flash Player found here.
18:27:50 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
On the Last Two Dividing Lines
12/11/2012 - James White
I guess I forgot to blog last Thursday's DL (and no one even mentioned it!). We continued our examination of the Chris Green/Paul Williams debate, as I recall. Here's the program.Today we covered a wide variety of topics at the start, and then focused in on a particular section of a new book by Jay Michaelson, God vs. Gay, that illustrates many important elements of the current "Gay Christian" movement, and how no matter how you slice it, this movement eviscerates the gospel by removing the need for redemption and atonement. Here's the program.
13:43:49 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
A Few Items on the MRL
12/11/2012 - James White
It was right at three years ago we started the Ministry Resource List, and it has been one of the most encouraging things for me personally, let me assure you. Some folks just like being "hands on" and this is a way for those folks to be able to help support what we do in a very practical way. My sincerest thanks to those who have been assisting us in keeping things running during the webstore outage. I have placed a few items, including a new webcam for shooting my YouTube videos, on the MRL, which is found here. Once again, my thanks to all who help keep the work moving forward!09:55:28 - Category: Misc - Link to this article -
About That Presentation on the Jehovah's Witnesses....
12/05/2012 - James White
For Robert who called yesterday and asked about Jehovah's Witnesses, monty over in the UK tracked down these videos of my presentations back in March at Central Baptist in Honolulu. Hope this helps!12:41:40 - Category: Jehovahs Witnesses - Link to this article -
Instead of Reading the Entire Bible in 2013, Read the Gospels Deeply
12/05/2012 - Alan Kurschner
It is about that time of the year when we are introduced to creative ways to read our Bible for the next calender year (did you do it this year?). This is my fifth year encouraging others to use my particular reading plan. I suggest you take each day of next year to read and reflect on a single unit in the gospels. Did you know there are conveniently about 365 units in the gospels?In the past, I cited five good reasons to own a gospel synopsis. The fifth reason was,
Read a synopsis in one year by reading one pericope [a gospel unit] every day. By coincidence, the synopsis contains 367 pericopes (That is, all four gospels combined contain 367 units.).The edition I recommend for English is the Synopsis of the Four Gospels by the American Bible Society.
10:42:18 - Category: Christian Worldview - Link to this article -
Today on the Dividing Line: Paul Williams, John 3:16, and Jehovah's Witnesses
12/04/2012 - James White
Thankfully, those are three different topics! Started off with some comments on Paul "He Threw a Greek New Testament at Me!" Williams, and then took two calls, both of which went over 15 minutes in length, the first on John 3:16 (and 2 Timothy 2:12ff), the second on how to explain the beliefs of the Watchtower Society. Here's the program.16:33:16 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
DL at Afternoon Time Today
12/04/2012 - James White
We will do a live DL today at 6pm Eastern, the normal Thursday time. MDI posted the video of the Williams/Green debate, and I have some responses to comments made in one of David Woods' current debates from England as well. See you then!05:11:36 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
|
