The Existence and Nature of God
As belief in the existence of God is consistently challenged by professors, classmates and others, Francis Beckwith offers a discourse on the self-existence of God. He discusses God's nature as all-powerful and all-knowing and the fact that He is a rational agent.
I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist 1
Frank Turek of CrossExamined.org gives a two-part crash course of his book I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (co-written by Norm Geisler), which looks at 12 specific areas of evidence for why Christianity is true. In these lectures, however, Mr. Turek focuses in on the four most crucial questions: 1. Does truth exist? 2. Does God exist? 3. Are miracles possible? and 4. Is the New Testament true?
Part one is an examination of the first two questions, beginning with the existence of truth. After defining truth, Mr. Turek then looks at the Law of Non-Contradiction, the Roadrunner Tactic, and objections to absolute truth. Moving on to the existence of God, he notes the differences between theism, pantheism, and atheism, pointing out that only one can be true. He concludes with an in-depth look at the cosmological argument, the teleological argument (including the anthropic principle), and the moral argument for the existence of a theistic God.
I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist 2
Continuing from part one, Frank Turek (CrossExamined.org) examines questions three and four—Are miracles possible? and Is the New Testament true?—in his evaluation of the validity of Christianity. He starts with a summary of part one, showing what can be known about God through the use of the cosmological, teleological, and moral arguments and therefore which beliefs are false because of their contradictions to these truths. Next, Mr. Turek examines the definition of “worldview” more closely, looking at what is required for one to be feasible, concluding that only theism meets these requirements. He then looks at the possibility of miracles and the reliability of the New Testament in order to determine which version of theism is true. Though pressed for time, he is able to give sufficient evidence for his claims, as well as much for listeners to ponder.
2011-04 Summit Journal
IN THIS ISSUE:
» pg. 2 | Letter from the Editor
» pg. 3 | Summit Oxford Update
» pg. 3 | A Look at Our World
* Christianity, Social Justice, Marxism and Islam, History, and Socialism
* More articles can be found in the online version of The Journal at summit.org
2004-12 Summit Journal
Journal - December 2004
2001-04 Summit Journal
Journal - April 2001
Is Belief in Jesus Necessary? (via Equip)
Proponents of a view known as inclusivism argue that while no one is saved apart from the redemptive work of Jesus, it is not necessary either to know about the gospel or to believe in Jesus for salvation. Inclusivism eliminates the problem that those who haven’t heard the gospel will not be saved, but this feature does not mean that inclusivism is true or biblical. Paul, in fact, taught in Romans 1–3 that while general knowledge about a Creator is available to all through the light of creation, this knowledge does not bring about salvation. Only special revelation about God, sin, Jesus, and salvation that was given to the prophets and apostles and recorded in the Bible provides the information necessary for salvation. Inclusivists argue that the content of faith is not crucial and that the unevangelized may even be saved while practicing their non-Christian religions. Paul said in Romans 10:9–10, however, that knowledge of true information is part of saving faith. Paul also clearly said that neither he nor the unbelieving people to whom he preached were saved before believing in Jesus Christ. Inclusivists argue that if God saves infants and the mentally incompetent, who die never having come to faith in Jesus, then He can save the unevangelized. This view, however, ignores the fact that the unevangelized are accountable for their sin while infants and the mentally incompetent are not. Inclusivists also point to Old Testament believers as an example of saved people who did not know about Jesus, but just because they did not have explicit knowledge of Jesus does not mean they had no special revelation at all such as the unevangelized. The inclusivist view that those who have never heard the gospel will be saved has a serious, negative effect on Christian missions. In light of these and other problems, inclusivism should not be considered an acceptable option for Christians.
Is Jesus the Only Savior? (via Equip)
Historic Christianity says Jesus is the only Savior and belief in Him is the only hope for salvation (John 14:6). This exclusive view has been challenged in recent years by a view known as pluralism, which says there are many paths to God or Ultimate Reality. Pluralists such as John Hick, however, have put forth arguments that contain numerous difficulties for their own view. If, for example, God is all-loving, as pluralists have argued, then this means that religions that view God as nonpersonal are false, since to be loving is to be personal. If pluralists respond that we really can’t know what God is like, then this contradicts their claim to know that God is all-loving. Pluralists also accuse Christian exclusivists of being intolerant, but if intolerance means disagreeing with someone’s view, then pluralists are also intolerant since they disagree with exclusivists. Pluralism, furthermore, seeks to empty all religions of objective truth claims. Anyone who would embrace pluralism, therefore, will have to abandon basic tenets of his or her own faith. Pluralism has been a philosophical failure and, hence, should not be embraced.
Do All Religions Lead to God? (via Reasons)
During the days following the catastrophic terrorist events of September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush called for a national day of prayer. He urged people of all faiths to pray for America. Interfaith religious services were televised from the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. and from Yankee Stadium in New York. These services included clerics from Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. They offered prayers to the God collectively addressed as "the God of Abraham, the God of Muhammad, and the Father of Jesus Christ." Popular television personality Oprah Winfrey led the service held in New York City and boldly declared that all people pray to the same God. Is Oprah right? Do Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Hindus worship the same God? If so, people of all faiths can live peaceably in this world, can't they?
Can We Be Good without God? (via Boundless)
I've been asked to speak today on the question, "Can we be good without God?" To answer, I'm tempted to tell you my own story. Years ago when I rejected God, I also rejected the distinction between good and evil. Then again, I was an extreme case. Someone who asks "Can we be good without God?" isn't trying to be extreme; he's looking for a halfway house. So instead of telling you my story, I'll try to lay out the logic of the matter...
No God, No Good
At a conference concerning the teaching of moral values in the public schools, a justifiably well-known philosopher from an eastern university asserted that the moral virtues were (1) those values without which we humans do not flourish because they are rooted in human nature, and (2) those values that enjoy a consensus that spans culture, country and century, something like the Tao described at the end of C.S. Lewis's The Abolition of Man. That moral values described or derived in either of these two ways are not truly moral and are not truly absolutes. As the following analysis will demonstrate, one must not contend that human nature and human flourishing yield moral absolutes, properly so-called, because such a theory fails to account for...
Hollywood’s Brush with Religious Belief
Many people today assume that faith in God amounts to “blind faith,” the idea that there is no objective evidence or logical reason to believe that God exists; faith is simply a subjective feeling or emotional choice. While it is okay to have a personal feeling that God is real to you, it is not okay to publicly announce that God exists and has certain characteristics for everyone. Our society is immersed in the subjectivication of belief.
Faith as irrational belief has become a favorite tool in the hands of today’s atheists. The latest salvo of atheist attacks on Christianity incorporate the notion that faith is irrational. Atheist Richard Dawkins, for instance...
Religion Poisons Everything
As I drove back to Colorado Springs from Denver today, the fog was so thick I could barely see the car ahead of me, much less the usual splendor of the Rocky Mountains to the west. I was listening to Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, who made some interesting points about the nature of faith. In the ongoing dialogue between theists and atheists that permeates society today, theists are often said to rely on faith while atheists rely on reason in the formation of their respective worldviews. Yet, such a stark dichotomy is too simplistic and out of touch with reality...
Is Faith Blind?
We all know that baloney is not "real" meat. It's just animal parts that are spiced up and mashed together. In other words, it's a cheap imitation of the real thing. In the same way, some ideas are "baloney," cheap imitations of the truth. The next time you hear someone making a claim about something, turn on your baloney detector. You can do that by comparing it to the ideas that come from a biblical worldview. One way to dig deeper into the underlying assumptions is by asking the question...
The New Atheists
Perhaps it goes without saying that the "new atheists" have arrived. Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens (among others) have recently published volumes capturing many intellects and imaginations. As international bestsellers, their publishing efforts are likely to produce challenges to our faith for years to come. These authors have superb rhetorical skills and deploy the English language to great effect. Dawkins and Hitchens have particular appeal with their posh British accents and witty idioms. It is not that their polemics are novel, however, nor their arguments especially successful. And they have not gone unanswered. Yet it appears they have not...
The Golden Compass
"The Golden Compass," a film hitting theaters December 7th, dramatizes Philip Pullman's youth novel by the same name. It is the first book in His Dark Materials trilogy originally published in 1996. The subsequent books, "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass," continue the fantasy tale that became a bestseller around the world. Many see the fantasy tales as harmless children's stories. One NBC weatherman has made the book his fall selection for his "Al's Book Club for Kids." A number of organizations and websites are jumping on the official support bandwagon, including Random House children's books, Scholastic, Myspace.com, Sega, and even the World Wildlife Fund. On the other hand...
Separating Secular Humanism and the State
Secular Humanism is a well-articulated worldview. This is evident from the three Humanist Manifestos written in 1933 and revised in 1973 and again in 2000. According to their own pronouncements, Secular Humanists are atheists who believe that the scientific method is the primary way we can know about life and living, from understanding who we are as humans to questions of ethics, social issues, and politics. However, apart from the specifics of what Secular Humanists believe, the pressing issue is this: is Secular Humanism a religion?
Dawkins and Shear Luck
Richard Dawkins, Oxford professor and bestselling author, is out to convince the public that macro-evolution — the idea that all present forms of life have evolved from simpler forms — is the scientific gospel. And he makes this claim with the fervor of the most committed televangelist. In his latest book, "The God Delusion," Dawkins presents his case for why natural selection is the best answer for why we observe design in nature. But there is a fly in this naturalistic ointment that undermines Dawkins' premise and makes his conclusion untenable. Worldview analysis uncovers the problem...
Dawkins’ Impossible Mountain
In Richard Dawkins' best-selling book, "The God Delusion," he sets out to prove why there is "almost certainly no God." However, in analyzing the first three chapters in last month's Truth and Consequences, we found a flurry of unsubstantiated claims, straw man arguments, non sequiturs, and question begging. Not a very good start for a book that claims to have vanquished God to the dustbin of ignorance and superstition. But in Chapter 4 Dawkins enters his area of expertise, biology. And it is here that he makes his most vigorous argument for why God does not exist. Dawkins begins by examining the question: How can we account for...
Dawkins’ Delusional Arguments against God
British ethologist Richard Dawkins, professor for the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University, is a long-time popularizer of Darwinian evolution, ardent proponent of atheism, and prominent debunker of religion. In his latest book,"The God Delusion" (Houghton Mifflin, 2006), Dawkins' thesis is that belief in a supernatural creator qualifies as a delusion, which he defines as a persistent false belief held in the face of strong contradictory evidence. Over the past several months, Dawkins has received...
Science and Religion
Many people today have the impression that there is a war between modern science and religion, and that science has won the day. But is that really the case? Are scientific knowledge and religious ideas incompatible? Has science replaced religion as the means for understanding life and mankind's place in the universe? Dr. Ian Hutchinson, Professor at MIT, traces much of the blame for the current hostility between these two disciplines to...
