Justin Brierley's simple, yet insightful, argument for the existence of God

Justin Brierley, the host of Premier Christian Radio's show, Unbelievable? (link), recently presented the following argument for the existence of God:

Grace and peace,

David

A newly discovered website (for me), worth exploring and reading...

I had originally anticipated that by now, I would have posted at least one more thread in the 'new series' I started last month (Jesus Christ, the Angel of Jehovah and Michael the Archangel - part 1); however, I quickly discovered that the subject was much more in depth than I had remembered, sending me 'back to the books' for more reading and research. In addition to purchasing a few new books, I have also been rereading a number of works already in my library, supplementing these readings with extensive internet research. Earlier today, while engaged in online research, I happened upon a website that I had previously never encountered:

Strange Notions - The Digital Areopagus—Reason, Faith, Dialogue

The general thrust of the website is stated as follows:

StrangeNotions.com is the central place of dialogue between Catholics and atheists. It's built around three things: reason, faith, and dialogue. You'll find articles, videos, and rich comment box discussion concerning life's Big Questions.

Taking a bit of a break from research on my 'new series', I am finding a number of the posts on this site to be of considerable interest to me, especially the following thread:

John Henry Newman: Real, Rational, Religion

Anyway, I felt compelled to share this new discovery; I suspect a few of my readers will share my interest in this website...

Grace and peace,

David

The Ehrman Project

I have been working on a new thread that explores the use and meaning of the term “monarchy”, as it relates to God and the Godhead, in the Church Fathers of the 4th century (especially the Cappadocians). I had thought I would have the post up by Tuesday, but recent studies have exposed, what appears to me, to be a contradiction among the post-Nicene Eastern/Greek fathers. Anyway, while researching this issue, I came across an unrelated online resource that I wanted to share with my readers:

Ehrman Project.com

Back to my research—I hope to have my new thread up soon, but it may be as late as Monday.


Grace and peace,

David

Alister McGrath vs. Christopher Hitchens: The Center vs. the Fringe – Pt.1

Back on October 11, 2007, one of my favorite Evangelical theologians debated the controversial atheist, Christopher Hitchens. The following video is the first in a series available via YouTube—ENJOY!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX_LM7WZc9A&feature=related



Grace and peace,

David

The “New Atheism”

The term “New Atheism” (and “New Atheists”) seems to have been first coined by Gary Wolf in his online WIRED article – The Church of the Non-Believers (Issue 14.11 – Nov. 2006).

Gary begins his article by asking: “Where do you stand on God?” He immediately follows this question with:

It's a question you may prefer not to be asked. But I'm afraid I have no choice. We find ourselves, this very autumn, three and a half centuries after the intellectual martyrdom of Galileo, caught up in a struggle of ultimate importance, when each one of us must make a commitment. It is time to declare our position.

This is the challenge posed by the New Atheists. We are called upon, we lax agnostics, we noncommittal nonbelievers, we vague deists who would be embarrassed to defend antique absurdities like the Virgin Birth or the notion that Mary rose into heaven without dying, or any other blatant myth; we are called out, we fence-sitters, and told to help exorcise this debilitating curse: the curse of faith.

The New Atheists will not let us off the hook simply because we are not doctrinaire believers. They condemn not just belief in God but respect for belief in God. Religion is not only wrong; it's evil. Now that the battle has been joined, there's no excuse for shirking.

Three writers have sounded this call to arms. They are Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett. A few months ago, I set out to talk with them. I wanted to find out what it would mean to enlist in the war against faith.

IMO, the following from Gary’s introduction, sums up the primary presupposition of the “New Atheists”:

They condemn not just belief in God but respect for belief in God. Religion is not only wrong; it's evil.

Thus we have the battle-cry for “the war against faith”.

Interestingly enough, Gary (who appears to embrace agnosticism), towards the end of his article, weighed in with:

Where does this leave us, we who have been called upon to join this uncompromising war against faith? What shall we do, we potential enlistees? Myself, I've decided to refuse the call. The irony of the New Atheism – this prophetic attack on prophecy, this extremism in opposition to extremism – is too much for me.

This brings me to the book pictured at the beginning of this thread. Most of David Hart’s tome is available online in “limited preview” via Google Books.

For those interested in a less vigorous treatment, the same author has just this month penned a scaled-down/popular level critique of the “New Atheism”: First Things - Believe It or Not.

So much for initial foray into the hostile territory of the “New Atheists”—I would like to encourage others to provide links to other scholarly critiques/treatments of this dark, 21st century movement in the combox.


Grace and peace,

David

Presuppositional apologetics vs. atheism.

Right or wrong, I have, for a number of years now, embraced many of the aspects of the apologetic method developed by the Reformed philosopher/theologian Cornelius Van Til, known as presuppostionalism and/or TAG (transcendental argument for the existence of God).

Van Til’s most erudite disciple, the late Greg L. Bahnsen, is now being represented via YouTube. His debates with two prominent atheists, STEIN, and SMITH (along with many other items) are available for all to take in, and reflect upon. ENJOY!!!

Grace and peace,

David