Authors:Ethan B. Duell Abstract: Bahnsen, Greg L. By This Standard: The Authority of God's Law Today. Covenant Media Press. ISBN-13: 978-0998025216. 275 pages. 2020. $16.95. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 16:45:42 PST
Authors:The Editors Abstract: News from various organizations in related disciplines. Announcements from Eleutheria editors about internal matters. Remembrances of people and events that include in memoriams, retirements, interesting lookbacks, etc. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 14:10:49 PST
Authors:Jesse G. Alker Abstract: Pawl, Timothy. In Defense of Conciliar Christology: A Philosophical Essay (Oxford Studies In Analytic Theology). Oxford University Press. 2016. ISBN-13: 978-0198765929. 288 pages. $120.00. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 14:06:00 PST
Authors:Sherene Nicholas Khouri Abstract: John C. Peckham, Divine Attributes: Knowing the Covenantal God of Scripture, Baker Academic, 2021. ISBN 9781540961259. 336 pages. $29.99.Peckham’s latest book, Divine Attributes: Knowing the Covenantal God of Scripture is a study in theology proper, which deals with God’s nature and attributes. Peckham clearly sets forth the main elements of the divine attributes by explaining God’s Aseity, immutability, qualified passibility, omnipresence, eternity, omniscience, foreknowledge, omnipotence, providence, faithfulness, and omnibenevolence. He also dedicates a chapter to the doctrine of the Trinity and ends the book with a quest for covenantal theism. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 14:05:55 PST
Authors:Kelly Budd et al. Abstract: A review of the recent book publications related to the spring theme, "Unity in Christ." We include the following titles. Anderson, Tawa J. Why Believe: Christian Apologetics for a Skeptical Age (Hobbs College Library), edited by Heath A. Thomas. Nashville: B&H Publishing Group. 2021. ISBN-13: 978-1087724232. 336 pages. $26.99. Bahnsen, Greg L. By This Standard: The Authority of God's Law Today. Murrell’s Inlet, South Carolina: Covenant Media Press, 2020. ISBN-13: 978-0998025216. 275 pages. $30.00. Bass, Justin W. The Bedrock of Christianity: The Unalterable Facts of Jesus' Death and Resurrection. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020. ISBN-13: 978-1683593607. 272 pages. $18.99. Enns, Peter. How the Bible Actually Works: in Which I Explain How an Ancient, Ambiguous, and Diverse Book Leads Us to Wisdom Rather Than Answers--and Why That’s Great News. First edition. San Francisco: HarperOne, 2019. ISBN-13: 978-0062686749. 304 pages. $15.99. Geisler, David and Norman Geisler. Conversational Evangelism: Connecting with People to Share Jesus. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers. 2014. ISBN-13: 978-0736950831. 256 pages. $15.99. McFarland, Alex. The 10 Most Common Objections to Christianity. Minneapolis, MN. Bethany House, 2007. ISBN-13: 978-0764215162. 256 pages. $16.00. McLaughlin, Rebecca. Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World's Largest Religion. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2019. ISBN-13: 978-1433564239. 240 pages. $24.99. Murphy, Cara L. T. The Inquisitive Christ: 12 Engaging Questions. Brentwood, TN: FaithWords. 2020. ISBN-13: 978-1546038375. 288 pages. $27.00. Strahan, Joshua Marshall. The Basics of Christian Belief: Bible, Theology, and Life's Big Questions. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. 2020. ISBN-13: 978-1540962010. 240 pages. $49.99. Swain, Scott R. The Trinity: An Introduction (Short Studies in Systematic Theology), edited by Graham A. Cole and Oren R. Martin. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2020. ISBN-13: 978-1433561214. 160 pages. $15.99. Wright, N. T. Broken Signposts: How Christianity Makes Sense of the World. New York, NY: HarperOne. ISBN-13: 978-0062564092. 280 pages. 2020. $27.99. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 14:05:51 PST
Authors:Nathan Jarrett Abstract: Attacks against the Bible’s divine inspiration are rampant in today’s society. One of the most popular apologetic methods used to defend the doctrine of inspiration is messianic prophecy. Though many predictions fulfilled by Jesus Christ have been identified, no prediction found in the Old Testament is quite as precise or as controversial as the prophecy of Daniel’s 70 weeks. While various interpretations of Daniel 9:24-27 have been promoted, this article defends the interpretation popularized by Harold Hoehner as the most convincing. Though Hoehner may have provided the most accurate interpretation historically, the purpose of this article is to correct mistakes present in Hoehner’s calculations and thus provide a completely accurate position on the subject. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 14:05:47 PST
Authors:A. G. Erum Abstract: Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) is a big religious organization that began in the Philippines and is spreading across the globe. INC teaches that Jesus Christ, as the Son of God is a very special man only and not God. They claim this by using their interpretation of biblical passages, such as John 8:40, Luke 24:38-39, and 1 Timothy 2:5. Contrary to the Scriptures and Christian traditions, they believe that the only true God is God the Father, who is the only Creator of the universe. However, the Scriptures (especially the New Testament) and Christian traditions demonstrate that Jesus is God-Man. He is fully human and also fully God. Since Jesus is God, He is also the Creator of the universe. After considering the proper exegesis of biblical passages that convey the deity of Jesus Christ, such as John 1:1–5, 10–18; Philippians 2:6–11; and Hebrews 1:1–12, these biblical passages demonstrate that Jesus Christ is fully God and not just fully human. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 14:01:14 PST
Authors:Michael S. Mendoza Abstract: Friedrich Nietzsche introduced his philological study of the Ancient Greek's Apollonian and Dionysian duality in his first book, The Birth of Tragedy: Out of the Spirit of Music, in 1872. His interpretation of the two Greek gods underpinned his philosophy of the will to power, the Übermensch, and eternal recurrence throughout his career.I contend that Nietzsche's philosophy would have a modicum of merit as a metaphor for Greek culture and the German society in which he lived if his underlying assumption about atheism was correct. However, his explicit rejection of Christianity led to a fatal flaw in his reasoning because the Christian God's existence can be rationally defended as the inference to the best explanation in an Apollonian manner. Yet, Christians also experience a Dionysian life-affirming existential encounter with the Living God. Jesus declared, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."Nietzsche proclaimed that he would only believe in a God who can dance. Christianity is both a rational system of beliefs and an exciting encounter with God. Jesus is the Lord of the Dance. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 14:01:09 PST
Authors:Carleton Hafer Abstract: Rom 13:1–7 is the primary passage in the Bible on governmental obedience, yet it is often interpreted out of context. The purpose of this article is not only to provide exegetical guidelines, but also practical application of the biblical mandates. The thesis of this article is that that when properly interpreted in its historical context that Rom 13:1–7 is not a strict prohibition against disobeying the government, but that when possible it is desirable to maintain good relations with governmental authorities. This analysis is especially relevant today when church leaders must consider whether or not to obey commands by the government regarding the ability to meet corporately, therefore it is imperative to have a clear understanding of this passage and how to apply it. This article will begin with a review of the basic positions on authority, then historical context, an exegetical analysis, and relevant examples from the Bible of those who disobeyed authorities. Finally, modern examples will be considered in light of the interpretation of this passage. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 14:01:01 PST
Authors:Michael Payne Abstract: This paper, in addressing Just War Theory and Pacifism, will argue that throughout church history there are faithful Christians that can be found on both sides of the debate. With that being said, each side has an obligation to uphold peace and justice. The Just War adherent has an obligation to seek peace, be selective in what is deemed “just war,” and be conscious of the dangers of supporting his nation’s priorities over the teachings of Christ. On the other side, in the case of a just war, the pacifist cannot use his pacifism as an excuse to sit out. He must use his skills to further the just cause through non-violent ways. The paper shall conclude with a call for just war adherents and pacifists to learn from each other and work together in order to bring about greater unity in the Church. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:56:20 PST
Authors:Donald Anthony Baker III Abstract: In the aftermath of intense kinetic battlefield engagements where friendly, civilian, and enemy casualties occur, Christian combat veterans express difficulty reconciling God’s omniscience, omnipresence, and benevolence with their traumatic experience. The result has been prolonged episodes of despondence with God that presents itself as an impediment to continued faith or worse, an outright rejection of His existence. Exposure to the horrors of armed conflict can have a profoundly detrimental effect on a service member’s faith, but a person can begin the process to heal the invisible wounds of spiritual trauma by not abandoning their faith in God but instead clinging to it and finding a resolution to their doubts through an exercise in theodicy; all within a community context with genuine and consistent confidants who serve as mainstays throughout the introspective process. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:56:15 PST
Authors:Thomas J. Gentry II Abstract: In John 20:1-18, Mary Magdalene (hereafter, Mary) holds a significant place in the resurrection narrative. She is the first to tell the disciples of the empty tomb (vv. 1-10), and she experiences a direct encounter with the resurrected Jesus (vv. 11-18). Given the significance of these events, the purpose of this essay is to explore John’s record of Mary’s report of the empty tomb and her dialogue with the risen Jesus. The discussion entails a brief overview of each encounter with special consideration for their apologetic significance. The relevance of Mary’s testimony in these matters is also considered from the vantage point of how beliefs form based on rational and affective evidence. What this discussion hopes to demonstrate is that John’s account of Mary’s finding the empty tomb and later encountering the risen Jesus offers important apologetic content as well as keen insights into the role of an expansive epistemology in faith formation rooted in Jesus’s victory over death. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:56:11 PST
Authors:Donald C. McIntyre Abstract: This paper will evaluate Matthew 2:13-15 analyzing Matthew’s questionable use of Hosea 11:1. Turner has noted that, “Those who think that Matthew saw a prediction of Jesus in Hos. 11:1 must either disparage Matthew’s hermeneutic . . . or attribute to Matthew revelatory insight into the sensus plenior of Hosea” (Turner, 2008). While the majority of commentators have found Matthew to be practicing typological interpretation, there has been a neglect to analyze the structure of Matthew’s particular introductory formula since Stendahl (1968), which have led many to see a pesher employment by Matthew in these formulas. This paper evaluates the form of Matthew’s quotations in light of persher forms, ultimately finding that Matthew has inverted the form. This inverted form shows that Matthew was seeking to interpret his current situation in light of the scriptures, and not to interpret scriptures at all. This difference is pivotal to see, since it validates Matthew’s use of the Old Testament in πληρόω formulas because he is giving a contemporary significance of how a text affects his current situation, and not reinterpreting meaning into that text from his new situation. This confusion between meaning and significance has proliferated interpretations, and has been a problem that Walter C. Kaiser and E. D. Hirsch have sought to remedy, but has not yet been fruitful for interpretations in Matthew’s use of the Old Testament. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:56:05 PST
Authors:Michael S. Mendoza Abstract: The recent popularity of sex reassignment surgery is logically untenable and immoral when understood in the light of Kantian philosophy. From a Kantian perspective of synthetic a priori judgments, I argue that a biological male cannot rationally claim to “feel like a woman inside.” As a male, any female is part of the noumenal world and cannot be known apart from perception. The statement “I feel like a woman inside” assumes all women feel the same on the inside. Kant’s explanation of the noumenal and phenomenal excludes the possibility of knowing that all women or men feel the same inside because it is impossible to know the noumenal world or the thing in itself. I argue that Kant’s moral principle of universality would conclude sex reassignment surgery would lead to contradictions and absurdities. If all men everywhere universally had the operation to look like their perception of a female, the end of the human race would soon follow; therefore, a Kantian would conclude sexual reassignment surgery is immoral. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:56:00 PST
Authors:Gregory S. McKenzie Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to further discussion about artificial intelligence by examining AI from the perspective of the doctrine of sin. As such, philosophy of mind and theological anthropology, specifically, what it means to be human, the effects of sin, and the consequent social ramifications of AI drive the analysis of this paper. Accordingly, the conclusions of the analysis are that the depravity of fallen humanity is cause for concern in the very programming of AI and serves as a corrupted foundation for artificial machine cognition. Given the fallen nature of human thought, and therefore, fallen AI thought, this paper then examines how this “fallen” AI is already impacting imago Dei in the work and in social governance of the technological society. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:55:55 PST
Authors:Michael W. Cunningham Abstract: Paul Tillich, dubbed an “apostle to the intellectuals,” was one of the twentieth-century’s influential and infamous theologians. Tillich’s apologetic of doubt, method of correlation, and non-traditional lifestyle challenged the cultural and religious norms of his day. The study of Paul Tillich’s theology provides perspective on the origins of subjective apologetics and process theology. His focus on ontology made his works accessible and famous. It put the human at the center of the process as they reasoned up to God instead of accepting unquestioned authoritative doctrines. By embracing existential doubt, he connected to the masses by appealing to the “being” and “meaning” questions of life. His “theology of culture” united the temporal and the divine, drawing from psychology, art, and other mediums. This technique was revolutionary at the time, but it is now commonplace in the pluralistic twenty-first century. As someone who lived his life physically, emotionally, and spiritually “on the border,” he inevitably strayed too far from orthodoxy. Christian theologians and apologists object to Tillich’s appropriation and changing of central tenants of classic Christian theology. Future generations, however, can build upon the cultural dialogues he started while staying true to orthodoxy. Apologists of the late twentieth and early twenty-first century may have had to address some of the nontraditional theories proposed by Tillich, but they owe him a debt of gratitude when using his approach to give biblical answers to cultural questions. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:55:50 PST
Authors:Sarah D. Stewart Abstract: This paper attempts to provide a case study to respond to the problem of evil. The paper employs the example of the Canaanite conquest and argues that, contrary to popular attacks against the character of God, this event in scripture actually demonstrates His goodness. It is an example of a time when God delayed His response to the evil perpetrated by the Canaanites as well as His liberation of the Israelites from Egypt because doing so resulted in a greater moral good than would an earlier intervention. In so doing, it examines an issue frequently cited as problematic for Christians and uses it as an apologetic for the goodness of God. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:51:05 PST
Authors:Gregory S. McKenzie Abstract: All moral apologists, at one time or another, engage with the Euthyphro dilemma and all theologians engage, at one point or another, the issue of continuity or discontinuity of the Mosaic Covenant and Torah in general. The general view among apologists is that correct theology can be determined by its logical consistency and explanatory power considering philosophical, existential, and scientific principles. This study examines how answering the Euthyphro dilemma as a false dilemma, which is a common position among apologists actually produces theological contradictions primarily in the realm of theology proper and specifically immutability, issues in hamartiology and an improper distinction between sin and morality, and ultimately in Torah discontinuity. This study therefore, examines how contemporary theologies have fallen victim to the venom of Euthyphro’s dilemma as a result of their theological commitments and presuppositions, which unintentionally sets up an intellectual and theological barrier to belief. This examination shows that the consistent application of the Euthyphro’s false dilemma ultimately leads to Mosaic Continuity as the theo-logical conclusion of marrying moral apologetics and theology. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:50:59 PST
Authors:Brian G. Chilton Abstract: Within the spectrum of doubt, divine hiddenness becomes a problem regarding the love of God. Why would a loving God allow individuals whom he loves, if he loves everyone, to maintain ' According to philosopher John Schellenberg, the existence of rational nonbelief poses a problem for divine hiddenness which provides a reason to believe that God does not exist.We argue that the problem of rational nonbelief does not pose a problem for divine hiddenness if one adopts the doctrine of middle knowledge, a belief first proposed by Spanish Jesuit Luis de Molina. We first offers a defense for the doctrine of middle knowledge, including a brief biblical defense, before arguing that a loving Anselmian God can coexist with a world where he permits reasonable nonbelief given his knowledge of how much evidence is necessary to bring a person to faith, and those for whom no amount of evidence would suffice. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:50:54 PST
Authors:David Ochabski et al. Abstract: There have been numerous books written on the top objections to Christianity—sometimes stated as “common,” “major,” “frequent,” “every day,” “cultural,” “tough,” “difficult” objections. However, there is a dearth of behavioral studies in the literature that show how and given population ranks objections to Christianity. As such, the apologist has had to rely on expert opinions from the books that have been authored. These expert opinions are based on familiarity with the literature in the field and contact with laity from university, church, and other speaking engagements. The purpose of this study is to document trends in how people report the relative strength of objections to Christian theism.[1] We analyze whether these trends correlate with popular works of Christian apologists—our baseline for expert opinion. Further, we determine whether there are any statistically significant relationships between reported demographics, rankings, and attitudes.Summary of Results and Analysis. Subjective declarations of respondents of the questionnaire showed that most participants were either 18-24 (marginally more than 55-64 and 65-74), male (marginally more than female), had some college (marginally more than bachelor’s, master’s degrees), lived in a suburban community, or lived in the South. In comparing the expert opinion baseline with the aggregate survey ranking results, we see similar rankings between the objection that “God is unloving/immoral” and that the “Bible is not inerrant” (ranked by both as 1st and 2nd, respectively) at the higher end of the spectrum. We found that those identified as agnostic seem to have the closest potential correlation to expert opinion (baseline). The mean of their rankings produced four objections that closely approximated the baseline, one objection that was about one rank removed from the baseline, and three objections that were about two ranks from the baseline. For demographics and rankings, we found statistically significant relationships between religious identification and the objection “God does not exist” with those who identified as atheists, giving it an average ranking of 3.74 (on a scale of 1-13; 1 = highest, 13 = lowest). For demographics and attitudes, we found statistically significant relationships between religious identification and age, religious discussion importance, and attitude toward Christian theism. (See “Analysis” section.)[1] The study was done under the School of Divinity Department at Liberty University in compliance with Liberty University’s Internal Review Board (Research Ethics Office). IRB-FY21-22-12. Policy: Post-2018 Rule. Submitted 07-06-2021. Last approved 09-07-2021, no expiration date applicable. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:50:50 PST
Authors:Jana S. Harmon Abstract: Barriers to belief in God and Christianity in an increasingly antagonistic culture are considerable. Reasons for resisting belief were studied in an intellectually-driven population of educated atheists in Western culture (N = 50) through survey and interview analysis. This mixed-method research study evaluated a broad range of functional (socio-cultural, psycho-emotional, existential, experiential, moral, volitional) and substantive (intellectual and spiritual) variables influencing disbelief. Based upon extensive data collection, these findings advance the case for viewing obstacles to belief as diverse, interactive, and complex in nature. These barriers should not be easily reduced to broad brushed presumptions, but should be engaged thoughtfully, compassionately, and uniquely with each individual. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:50:47 PST
Authors:David Ochabski Abstract: Letter from the managing editor on the definition of faith, the variety of barriers, and the issue's contents. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:50:43 PST
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