What Is A Biblical View of Free Will

 

The full video from the debate on free will where the clip is from:https://t.co/5DqtWXlYOl

— Cheryl Schatz 🩸 (@CherylSchatz) September 16, 2025

Gabriel Hughes Vs Dr. Leighton Flowers: What is the Expository Understan...

Truthbomb Apologetics: Debate Video: Do Moral Truths Exist?- Greg Koukl vs. John Baker

Recently, a debate between Greg Koukl and Dr John Baker regarding the existence of Moral truths. This is one of Koukl's niches. His arguments in favor of objective moral truths really showed up and crushed Baker's arguments. Baker tried to dodge the pitfalls or relativism by promoting pluralism - that is that there are a multitude of moral values and therefore there can't be just one set of moral truths. What Koukl pointed out was that in his view Baker can't really condemn anything or consistently choose between conflicting moral values. This was a great debate but there is no way Koukl could have lost this one short of not showing up.


Truthbomb Apologetics: Debate Video: Do Moral Truths Exist?- Greg Koukl vs. John Baker

Answering Muslims: Muhammad in the Bible - Debate

Check out this debate on the question can Muhammad be found in the Bible.


Answering Muslims: Muhammad in the Bible - Debate

Austin Dacey’s Debate with WLC

I wanted to do a follow up post on the Debate between Dr Austin Dacey and Dr William Lane Craig. I wrote a post based on Dr Dacey's opening statement and Jeffery Jay Lowder responded. Here is my response to his his blog post.

What had happen' was.....: The Secular Outpost: Marcus McElhaney on Austin Dacey’s Debate with WLC

Lowder wrote:

Since I believe Dacey’s debate with Craig is one of the better debate performances by an atheist, this caught my eye.

I haven't been able to get this particular comment out of my mind because having seen the whole debate I have no idea why Lowder would come to that conclusion.


I did not think that Dacey's performance was all that great. The best I could say is that it wasn't a complete FacePlant. At least he did better than Sam Harris. I wanted to post the entire debate so that others can make up their own minds. I think that one of the things Dacey said that was particular telling is that he kept saying that he and other atheist are reasonable and God should make Himself known in a way for reasonable people. The issue I have is that the Bible correctly shows us that no one is so reasonable our rational.

 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. - Proverbs 4:19

And without God we are all wicked and would not choose to believe God or serve Him despite that our lives and existence depend on God.

⁴³ “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. ⁴⁴ “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’^[d] Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. ⁴⁶ No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. ⁴⁸ I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. ⁵⁰ But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” - John 6:34-51

Beggars All: Reformation And Apologetics: A very interesting discussion

For years I have wondered what Word of Faith proponents believe and teach the things they do in the face of so much scripture. Also I have seen very little interaction between Word of Faith proponents and other Christians.

A discussion between Pastor Saiko Woods (Reformed) and Fredrick Price, Jr. (Word of Faith - Name it Claim it Prosperity Health and Wealth Heresy)  I am grateful for Pastor Saiko Woods diligence and character in seeking to have a respectful discussion with a Word of Faith teacher.  Fred Price, Jr. is to be commended in at least being willing to discuss the issues.

I think the really valuable thing that happened was their discussion centered on Reformed Theology vs Arminian theology. I think that the thought that we can shape our reality by the words we say is an outgrowth of the belief that we have to cooperate with God in our salvation. My problem with that is there is no way our human, fallible, and sinful will can trump's God's good and perfect will.

Beggars All: Reformation And Apologetics: A very interesting discussion

Answering Muslims: Sami Zaatari vs. David Wood: The Message of Jesus and Muhammad

Answering Muslims: Sami Zaatari vs. David Wood: The Message of Jesus and Muhammad

Debating the Authority of Scripture | Reflections

Here is a golden oldie from Dr Kenneth Samples!

In 1997, I participated in a debate on the topic of the Scripture’s authority with Jesuit priest Mitchell Pacwa at Southern Methodist University. I explained and defended the Protestant view and Father Pacwa represented the Catholic position.

Follow the link to his blog to listen to the debate

Debating the Authority of Scripture | Reflections

Update #2 - Licona & Martin: Did Jesus Believe He Was Divine? - Apologetics 315

Brian Auten has posted a debate between Dr Michael Licona and Dr Dale Martin regarding whether or not Jesus considered himself divine. I agree with Dr Licona that Jesus taught that he was divine and that his followers knew he was too. The deity of Christ is an important point and a defining part of Christianity. Christianity itself revolves around who Jesus is and what he did and what he taught. Without Jesus, there is no Christianity. I am amazed that Dr Martin can claim to believe in the essential doctrines of Christianity yet reject the Bible as foundational for those beliefs.


Licona & Martin: Did Jesus Believe He Was Divine? - Apologetics 315

Update: Dr James White has reviewed the debate on the past two episodes of his webcast.. He wrote

...as there is so much that could be observed, but instead stuck to our review of the Licona/Martin dialogue on whether Jesus recognized His own deity. I think this is an important exercise in examining the presuppositions of what is truly "worldly wisdom." 

Listen to the webcast at the following links:

Yesterday on the Dividing Line

Continuation of Licona/Martin Dialogue on the Deity of Jesus on Today's DL

Today on a Special Friday Morning Dividing Line

Michael Licona vs. Dale Martin: Did Jesus Physically Rise From the Dead? - Apologetics 315

Recently Brian Auten posted Dr Michael Licona's debate with Dr Dale Martin on the whether or not Jesus was physically raised from dead or does the Resurrection mean something else. It was really interesting. I think it strange that someone can claim to be a Christian and re-interpret the New Testament such that Jesus' Resurrection was not physical. This  was Dale Martin's position, but I don''t agree. I think Dr Licona did a good job in dialoguing with him. But I don't think any of the first or second generation of Christians who were following Jesus would have understood the Resurrection the way he does.


Michael Licona vs. Dale Martin: Did Jesus Physically Rise From the Dead? - Apologetics 315

Did Jesus Resurrect from the Dead? (Gary Habermas vs Antony Flew) - YouTube

Did Jesus Resurrect from the Dead? (Gary Habermas vs Antony Flew) - YouTube

Related articles

• Jesus - Who is He?
• Mass Hallucination, Hysteria & Miracles
• As Many Secular Sources for Jesus as Emperor

How To Explain Why Star Trek Is Better Than Star Wars [Comic]

How To Explain Why Star Trek Is Better Than Star Wars [Comic]

Debate: William Lane Craig & Peter Atkins: Does God Exist? Audio and Video - Apologetics 315

Brian Auten posted the video and audio on the Apologetics 315 of William Lane Craig vs Peter Atkins during Craig's Reasonable Faith last fall.






Debate: William Lane Craig & Peter Atkins: Does God Exist? Audio and Video - Apologetics 315

Earliest Manuscript of the New Testament Discovered?

Dr Daniel Wallace has posted news of his debate with Dr Bart Ehrman that was held February 1st....but that's not the best part:

On 1 February 2012, I debated Bart Ehrman at UNC Chapel Hill on whether we have the wording of the original New Testament today. This was our third such debate, and it was before a crowd of more than 1000 people. I mentioned that seven New Testament papyri had recently been discovered—six of them probably from the second century and one of them probably from the first. These fragments will be published in about a year.

These manuscripts now increase our holdings as follows: we have as many as eighteen New Testament manuscripts (all fragmentary, more or less) from the second century and one from the first. Altogether, more than 40% of all New Testament verses are found in these manuscripts. But the most interesting thing is the first-century fragment.

Now this is exciting news, but like Dr James White said about it on last Thursday's Dividing Line, I do think that we should wait for the more information before we hang arguments and debates on it. However, Dr Wallace seems pretty excited but he is also cautious. Wallace explained why this is important:

But, if this Mark fragment is confirmed as from the first century, what a thrill it will be to have a manuscript that is dated within the lifetime of many of the original followers of Jesus! Not only this, but this manuscript would have been written before the New Testament was completed. 

My favorite things about this is that if it pans out that the fragment is from the mid first century, it takes away one more excuse people raise to accepting that the Gospel of Mark is historical and written by one who would have had first-hand knowledge.

Wallace even gives a link for purchase of the debate with Ehrman from February 1st:
Purchase U.S. DVDs of the second debate or international DVDs


Home Page - Earliest Manuscript of the New Testament Discovered?

Related articles

• Earliest manuscript of the New Testament discovered? (winteryknight.wordpress.com)
• First-Century Gospel Fragment? (str.typepad.com)
• Update: First-Century Manuscript of the Gospel of Mark (xcntrik.wordpress.com)
• First-Century Manuscript of the Gospel of Mark (xcntrik.wordpress.com)
• The Earliest Manuscript of Mark's Gospel? (frstephensmuts.wordpress.com)

Ehteshaam Gulam vs James White

I came across a video last night on YouTube raising the same tired accusation about the scholarly credentials against Dr James White:








This isn't a new video or a new accusation. Basically, Dr White is a brilliant scholar and a very able debater. I find this objection raised against him from people who are either too scared to debate him, or have been so humbled publicly they have to desperately grope in the darkness for some weapon to try to hit him with. It's truly sad and pathetic. Dr White has answered such accusations many times and if you want to know what he has to say on it, read the following link on his blog:

Of Doctorates and Eternity (Part 1)
Of Gary Novak and the Columbia River
"The Saga of Accreditation" 

But it made me wonder why would Ehteshaam Gulam go through such lengths to try to make Dr. White look bad? Coincidentally, I saw three tweets from Dr. White the next night that answered the question for me.

I had seen the debate back in 2009 but it appears that only now has Dr White has been able to see it, and I have to agree Mary Jo Sharp handled Ehteshaam Gulam. He was toasted. I have heard Dr White refer to a Gulam and his antics and cyber stalking before but this was the first time I realized that he is the same man who debated Mary Jo Sharp.From this it doesn't take long to find out how all this got started between Gulam and White. And it's not just because White is a Christian and Gulam is a Muslim.

Back in June 2010, Dr James White was  to debate Sheikh Ahmed Awal but Awal backed out of it the last minute. Ehteshaam Gulam was supposed to be a replacement for a "discussion". At the time, Dr White blogged about it and said that it was horrible and much of an embarrassment for Ehteshaam Gulam and for Muslims. I truly admire Dr White for not seeking to decimate people and embarrass them more than necessary. However some people just will not let you be nice to them. Gulam accused White of hiding their "debate" so Dr White posted the entire thing on YouTube and a complete documentation of what happened in the way of background.








Just how bad and one-sided was it? It was so one-sided Ehteshaam Gulam felt the need to post two videos to try to make up for it. Notice how in the beginning how he characterizes the encounter










Obviously Ehteshaam Gulam thought he got some points and thoughts because also released the following:



It seems silly. Wasn't Gulam supposed to have prepared scholarly responses to James White when he had his "debate" with him June 21, 2010? Look at what the man is saying. He's whining because Dr White didn't link to his responses. If these video are his prepared and scholarly response, what would he call what he brought June 21, 2010?

I decided to do a little more digging to see if Dr. White had posted anything more on  Ehteshaam Gulam because I could not remember. Turns out if you are interested in this, you must read

Ehteshaam Gulam: Islamic Cyber Stalker

In this post, Dr White documents how for an extended period of time Gulam has been trying to bully Dr. White's ministry into taking down the video from June, 2010. Dr White wrote the following from the above link:

Now, all of a sudden, Mr. Gulam has become an Internet stalker making blackmail demands that we remove the video that he himself demanded we post in the first place! At one point Ehteshaam said I had "ruined his life" by posting it--and in the next tweet said he was kidding. In any case, he has taken to creating new Twitter accounts each time I, and others, block him, all to spam everyone with links to his lame attempts to attack me personally, all because he won't do his own homework and deal with what I have said openly and consistently about my educational background. The cost for him to start acting his age and not like a twelve year old with a fast internet connection? I must remove that video.

Now, some might be tempted to connect Ehteshaam's behavior to Islam, and say he is seeking to put me in a position of dhimmitude. Well, he may well be thinking that, but I do not see it that way. There are lots of immature, mean-spirited people out there who harass us regularly. Many of them claim to be Christians and wouldn't know how to spell dhimmitude, let alone know what it means. So I see Mr. Gulam as simply an angry cyber-stalker who, for some reason, has decided to lash out at some perceived injury, all the while knowing inside he is the one who brought the injury on himself, both by foolishly engaging in the "discussion" we had, and then foolishly demanding I post it publicly! 

It's truly sad that people would rather throw accusations and bad mouth others instead of providing a good response. If Gulam is correct than why resort to such tactics? I agree with Dr. White that it is just wrong to assume that all Muslims are like Gulam in this regard when we all know that some people who claim to be Christians do far worse. The best things anyone can do is to not be like that. The Holy Spirit does not need it in order to draw people. I'm also glad that Dr. White did not remove the video but instead stood his ground  for truth - Him and his small, but dedicated ministry. I've been watching and learning from Dr White for a while now, and despite a couple of minor things I disagree with, I find him solid and honest in his dealings with others. His work has truly been a blessing and people like Gulam can in no way stop what God is doing through Alpha and Omega Ministries.

Debate: Craig Evans & Bart Ehrman 2012 - Apologetics 315

Brian Auten has posted links to the 2-night debate between Dr Craig Evans and Dr Bart Ehrman.  The Debate topic was: Does the New Testament present a reliable portrait of the Historical Jesus? You can use the following link to Apologetics 315 to get links to both video and audio.

Debate: Craig Evans & Bart Ehrman 2012 - Apologetics 315

Related articles

• Brian Auten interviews Peter J. Williams about New Testament reliability (winteryknight.wordpress.com)
• Good News Now - Year in Review (goodnewsnow.wordpress.com)
• Ehrman writing a book on Jesus Mythicism (diglotting.com)
• In Explosive New Book FORGED, Bible Scholar Bart Ehrman Exposes Deceptive and Misleading Forgeries in the New Testament (prweb.com)
• Apologetics Debates: A List (faithbyhearing.wordpress.com)

Michael Licona vs Shane Puckett Debate: Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead? - Apologetics 315

January 11,2012 Michael Licona debated Shane Puckett on the Resurrection of Christ. Thanks to Brian Auten, we have the video and audio. Go to his website to get them!


Michael Licona vs Shane Puckett Debate: Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead? - Apologetics 315

William Lane Craig's Cambridge Union Society Debate - Apologetics 315

Thanks to Brian Auten for calling attention to this: The two on two debate during William Lane Craig's Reasonable Faith tour.

William Lane Craig and Peter S. Williams debate atheists Arif Ahmed and Andrew Copson on the topic: This House Believes That God is Not a Delusion.

William Lane Craig's Cambridge Union Society Debate - Apologetics 315

Answering Muslims: Does the Bible foretell the coming of Muhammad?

A debate between Mustafa Arja and Samuel Green. December 2011. The Debate topic: Does the Bible prophesy about Muhammad?





Answering Muslims: Does the Bible foretell the coming of Muhammad?

Related articles

• You cannot 'Convert' to Islaam! (muslimfaith.wordpress.com)
• Why every Christian Should accept Islaam Again? (muslimfaith.wordpress.com)
• Muhammad's Marriage to Young Aa'ishah (muslimfaith.wordpress.com)
• Where is the name Muhammad mentioned in the Bible (wiki.answers.com)
• All-American Muslim Imam Melts Down On Hannity, 2007 (atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com)

THE APOLOGETIC FRONT: Debate on "hell" now available!

Mike Felker posted the following on his blog

From the Theopologetics Blog

The Theopologetics Podcast is now available! Debate topic: "The punishment of the damned will actually be torment forever and ever." Hiram Diaz, creator of the Involuted Speculations blog and contributor at Grassroots Apologetics, affirms. Chris Date, host of the Theopologetics Podcast, denies. Moderated by Mike Felker of The Apologetic Front.

Important stuff! I hope everyone listens to it because "hell" is one of the emotional reasons masquerading as logic people use to deny God.

THE APOLOGETIC FRONT: Debate on "hell" now available!