Discussing the Theology of the Emergent Church: My Discussion with Brian McLaren

Dr James White has recently conversed with Brian McLaren on the UK radio program Unbelievable? by Justin Brierley. It aired today, Saturday April 30, 2011. This is what Dr. White had to say on the subject.

My sincere thanks to Justin Brierley for inviting me to dialogue with the biggest name in the Emergent movement, Brian McLaren on Justin's fine program from London, Unbelievable. You can download the program here, and I would strongly suggest subscribing to Justin's program. You sure hear enough of it on The Dividing Line as I interact with the discussions that take place there from a Reformed and presuppositional perspective!

I highly recommend listening to this discussion. It is extremely useful. It underscores and showcases what happens when two people who disagree can come together and present what they believe and why. The differences are evident and clear and cannot be ignored. Thankfully, Brian McLaren is a much better at articulation of theology and the Emergent Church than Rob Bell. I found Brian McLaren's discussion of the dominance of the "Prosperity Gospel" in the part of Africa he visited extremely interesting. The "Prosperity Gospel" is not Biblical at all and going the "Emergent" Route is just trading one heresy for another.

Discussing the Theology of the Emergent Church: My Discussion with Brian McLaren

Speaking of Rob Bell, he was Unbelievable? Last week. He debated Adrian Warnok. The audio is available here as well as some comments from Warnok: Listen to my face to face debate with Rob Bell about heaven, hell, and the fate of every person who ever lived. There is even a video of the encounter. You can find that video at this link: Unbelievable? Debate: Heaven and Hell

Truthbomb Apologetics: 7 Things Worth Knowing about Intelligent Design

A lot of people make up and twist Intelligent Design into things it is not and then attack their imagined foe. This post from Chad on his blog, Truthbomb Apologetics, summarize seven main points about Intelligent Design people should remember and understand. If you are going to reject something, at least understand what you are rejecting. The image on the left is a case in point.

Truthbomb Apologetics: 7 Things Worth Knowing about Intelligent Design

Fallacy Friday: Ad Misericordiam (Appeal to Pity) - Apologetics 315

Brian Auten and Matthew Flannagan continued their series on logical fallacies. This week the fallacy is "ad Misericodiam". Follow the link to find this valuable information. 

Fallacy Friday: Ad Misericordiam (Appeal to Pity) - Apologetics 315

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Faithful Thinkers: Video: Best of All Possible Worlds?

How does Norman Geisler answer the problem of evil and suffering?




Faithful Thinkers: Video: Best of All Possible Worlds?

THE APOLOGETIC FRONT: The Self-Sufficient Knower: an introduction to revelational epistemology

Mike Felker has posted a video about presuppositional apologetic methodology. Here is how how he introduced it:

The argument i'm presenting was originally proposed by the late GREG BAHNSEN in his book, "PRESUPPOSITIONAL APOLOGETICS: STATED AND DEFENDED". This video will hopefully be the beginning of a work in progress to provide some illustrations and defenses of revelational epistemology. Revelational epistemology, biblically speaking, is the idea that one cannot have knowledge without revelation. In other words, unless you begin with Scripture, you cannot know anything at all

I agree with Mike. Without scripture there is precious little we can know. I put a picture of Greg Bahnsen in this post.




THE APOLOGETIC FRONT: The Self-Sufficient Knower: an introduction to revelational epistemology

William Lane Craig v Sam Harris: The Animation | MandM

By now you have seen or heard the debate between Dr William Lane Craig and Dr Sam Harris. OblivionFall presents a humorous take on the debate.




William Lane Craig v Sam Harris: The Animation | MandM

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Undesigned Coincidences in the Gospels by Tim McGrew - Apologetics 315

Today Brian Auten posted an a really great audio! It's an interview of Dr. Tim J. McGrew. The interview focuses on "Undesigned Coincidences in the Gospels". I never heard of this line of reasoning before this discussion. Dr. McGrew said that it was once popular in the 19th century and he is now helping to popularize it. The idea is basically that missing information or unanswered questions are filled in by information, sometimes indirectly, given in other Gospel or historical documents. Often times the questions we have are not questions that the original readers would have had because they shared so much in common with the writer. McGrew makes a cumulative case that this is evidence that the Gospel writers did not copy from one another or copy from a common source as many folks allege. McGrew explains his reasoning very well and I hope everyone will listen to this.

McGrew suggested three books one can read to get further information. You can get two of them from Amazon.com and I added links to them below. The third book, Dr. McGrew mentioned can be found at this link: The Four Gospels from a Lawyer’s Standpoint (1893). You can get the link to the audio from Apologetics 315 given at the end of the post.

Another point of note is that McGrew has been criticized and attempted and failed rebuttal was made by Edward T. Babinski. Given that Babinki has contributed to John Loftus' blog Debunking Christianity often and is mentioned there highly, I find it shady interesting that no mention of the exchange. Dr. McGrew's wife, Lydia, started the ball rolling back in January when she posted his talk about Undesigned Coincidences in the Gospels which he gave January 9, 2011 in New Orleans. This was followed by a rebuttal by Edward Babinski called Tim McGrew and the Ring of Truth -- The Undesigned Coincidences in Scripture? Or Redactions with Marcan Priority? . Dr. McGrew answered Babinski in article called Tim McGrew replies to Ed Babinski's Critique of his Discussion of Undesigned Coincidences on Dr. Victor Reppert's blog.

Undesigned Coincidences in the Gospels by Tim McGrew - Apologetics 315

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Quote From Desmond Tutu | The Angry Black Woman

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have… | The Angry Black Woman

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THE INTERSECTION | MADNESS & REALITY: Pat Buchanan: Obama is "Affirmative Action all the Way [Because Negroes are Dumb]."

At the same time that Obama releases his birth certificate, Pat Buchanan says we need to see Obama's grades?!!! It won't ever stop. Well at least President Obama is still alive.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

THE INTERSECTION | MADNESS & REALITY: Pat Buchanan: Obama is "Affirmative Action all the Way [Because Negroes are Dumb]."

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How to Make People Feel Old, with Movie Release Dates « : Crushable - Crushable gives you the celebrity news, style and scoop on the stuff you care about.

Okay...I'm old.

How to Make People Feel Old, with Movie Release Dates « : Crushable - Crushable gives you the celebrity news, style and scoop on the stuff you care about.

Obama Scolds Media For Focusing On Birthers: 'We Do Not Have Time For This Kind Of Silliness'

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Obama Scolds Media For Focusing On Birthers: 'We Do Not Have Time For This Kind Of Silliness'

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American-Born President of America Proves He's American - The Snob Blog - Danielle Belton's The Black Snob

I don't agree with everything Danielle Belton writes on her blog but on many things she is right about. This is one of them.

Since forever, certain folks (aka "Birthers") could not accept the shocking reality that a Kenyan-born man and a Kansas-born teenager could get together on American soil, do the do and then have a baby in the 50th state of Hawaii and have that actual baby be a natural born citizen. They have said that if Obama would just release his long-form birth certificate they would stop sounding overtly racist and go back to reading Ron Paul newsletters or sniffing around Texas-based grassy knolls. But now that Obama has done it, do we really believe these people will shut up?

No, I don't think so.


American-Born President of America Proves He's American - The Snob Blog - Danielle Belton's The Black Snob

Answering Muslims: Passover for Sudan's Freed Slaves

I've got to admit that this post really touched me. It turns that there thousands of black Africans living as slaves, forced to convert to Islam, and treated like animals. It hits real close to home because it's the sort of institutionalized slavery that resembles slavery in the United States.




I'm real happy that international organizations are taking steps to help get many people free. I keep wondering why doesn't the United States and the United Nations do more to help. Apparently people are donating money so that they can buy people's freedom?! I'm wondering why these racist slave holders should profit from their evil? I can't help but think that if these people were not black more would be done. In the orient whenever white girls are discovered kidnapped for the sex trade the authorities come down hard and puts a stop to it without compensation to the perpetrators. There is a religious component to this too because the Muslims who are doing this think the Quran and their prophet Muhammad give them the right. More needs to be done.

Judgment is coming. In the cases I can think of  where historically the treatment of slaves were similar, the nations guilty of such crimes had to pay a heavy price for their sin.

Answering Muslims: Passover for Sudan's Freed Slaves

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You Can't Take the Bible Literally by Dirk Jongkind - Apologetics 315

Today, Brian Auten posted links to a video and an audio for a lecture by Dr. Dirk Jongkind defending the reliability of the Bible. Follow the link to get the lecture.

You Can't Take the Bible Literally by Dirk Jongkind - Apologetics 315

Answering Muslims: Christian Arrested in California for Reading the Bible in Public

I was struck by this. In America? SO it's against the law now to practice free speech if the people around you don't want to hear what you have to say? Sounds shady to me. I didn't see that in the Constitution.




Maybe part of the problem was that the scriptures he was reading were some of the most in-your-face scriptures in the entire Bible that really point to Jesus being the only way of salvation in the Bible. Maybe John 3:16 would have flown since many people have caloused hearts against that one. However scriptures like Romans 1 is not as well known to the secular public. In short - those were the perfects scriptures to use.

Answering Muslims: Christian Arrested in California for Reading the Bible in Public

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Territories and Sites of the Hebrew Scriptures | Dr. Claude Mariottini – Professor of Old Testament

I am a huge fan of Biblical archaeology and geography. I think it is one of the reasons I really admire Dr. Claude Mariottini's blog. He just posted a link to a free e-book, Burton MacDonald’s book, East of the Jordan: Territories and Sites of the Hebrew Scriptures. Lot of great information!

Territories and Sites of the Hebrew Scriptures | Dr. Claude Mariottini – Professor of Old Testament

Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology | Dr. Claude Mariottini – Professor of Old Testament

Dr Mariottini has posted an announcement for a great exhibit for archaeology using Indiana Jones as a vehicle. I hope it come close to my city.





Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology | Dr. Claude Mariottini – Professor of Old Testament

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A Good Book Is Hard to Find: Charles Hill's Who Chose the Gospels? | Bible.org Blogs

Dr. Darrel Bock has written a review on a book about Charles Hill that gives historical evidence for why the four Gospels are part of our canon. I think I want to read this book.

A Good Book Is Hard to Find: Charles Hill's Who Chose the Gospels? | Bible.org Blogs

Erykah Badu on Female Nudity and Society | The Angry Black Woman

Today I came across this quote from Erykah Badu on The Angry Black Woman blog.

It's sad to say, but she is correct. That is exactly how society treats women.

Erykah Badu on Female Nudity and Society | The Angry Black Woman

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5 Reasons God Exists | Reflections

Kenneth Samples has posted his video giving 5 reasons we know God exists. Check out his Blog. I enjoy his materials and have profited a great deal from his work.




5 Reasons God Exists | Reflections

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Stitcher News Radio - Android Market

I'm going to try this one out today to see if I can listen to James White's webcast in the car. If it works, this will be my "goto" app.

I'll update this post with the results.

Stitcher News Radio - Android Market

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Apologist Interview: Peter Kreeft - Apologetics 315

Image via Wikipedia This week,  Brian Auten interviewed  Dr.Peter Kreeft and it was really amazing. I like Dr. Kreeft ideas and his methodology. I agree with him your philosophy should be driven by your theology, not the other way around. Brian Auten continues to ask questions that are insightful and allows the people he interviews to really express what God is doing through them. This is a series of articles that keep improving.

Apologist Interview: Peter Kreeft - Apologetics 315

Five Different Types Of Racism Explained | The Angry Black Woman

Yup, we categorize everything even racism. Quite handy.

Five Different Types Of Racism Explained | The Angry Black Woman

El Shaddai – Part 2 | Dr. Claude Mariottini – Professor of Old Testament

Here is part 2 of Dr Claude Mariottini's article on one of the names given for God in the Old Testament: El Shaddai

El Shaddai – Part 2 | Dr. Claude Mariottini – Professor of Old Testament

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