Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Argument from Prophecy

This week Brian Auten defined "Argument from Prophecy". I tend to favor it especially when it comes to Jesus being the Messiah. All the messianic prophecies of the Old Testament were all written well in advance of Jesus' birth. Therefore it really makes no sense to argue that they were written after Jesus lived.

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Argument from Prophecy

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Thomism

Now here is a word you don't hear too often...and certainly not in a sentence. Thanks to Brian Auten for posting this.

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Thomism

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Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Polemics

In Brian Auten's latest terminology article, "Polemics" is defined. definitely worth checking out.  

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Polemics

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Panentheism

Brian Auten  has posted a great definition for "panentheism". He even goes as far as contrasting it with "pantheism" and this is good because they are often confused with one another. This is an important post.

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Panentheism

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Irenics

Irenics is defined by Brian Auten on his blog. I knew that there was a difference between discussing Christian doctrine and theology who disagree with on finer parts  but not on essentials and debating with people who don't believe at all. I just didn't know that there was a name for it. Brian's website is awesome! 

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Irenics

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Pantheism

In continuing his awesome series on giving the terminology of theological terms, Brian Auten posted a definition of "panthesism" last Tuesday.  God cannot be equated with the universe because God has always existed and the Universe came into existence. Further, God transcends the universe - time and space - matter and energy - and keeps it together..Therefore it cannot logically follow that you can be a Christian and a pantheist simultaneously.

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Pantheism

Hermeneutics Resources | True Freethinker

Mariano has posted a great article in which he defines "hermeneutics". Pure genius! This is worth reading especially if you don't know what hermeneutics means.

Hermeneutics Resources | True Freethinker

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Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Free Will

Brian Auten has posted a great definition for "Free Will".

Free Will: The ability of an agent to make genuine choices that stem from the self. Libertarians argue that free will includes the power to determine the will itself, so that a person with free will can will more than one thing. Compatibilists typically view free will as the power to act in accordance with one's own will rather than being constrained by some external cause, allowing that the will itself may ultimately be causally determined by something beyond the self. Hard determinists deny the existence of free will altogether. Most Christian theologians agree that humans possess free will in some sense but disagree about what kind of freedom is necessary. The possession of free will does not entail an ability not to sin, since human freedom is shaped and limited by human character. Thus a human person may be free to choose among possibilities in some situations but still be unable to avoid all sin

I'm not sure how Libertarian Free Will applies if it does not entail the ability not to sin. I agree it doesn't and I do not deny that humans possess personal will but I wouldn't call it Free Will as Brian defines it here. I think the definition covers what people mean when they use the term "Free Will", but I don't think we have it because without Christ we do not have the ability not to sin. Notice that I am not saying that people can't choose to do good things. I'm saying that without Christ we lack the ability to never sin in word or deed. Life become choosing which sins we indulge in and which ones we avoid with no hope of ever pleasing God. If we truly had Libertarian free will, we should be able to decide to not sin and Jesus' sacrifice would not have been needed to save His people.


Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Free Will

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Exegesis, Eisegesis

Here is a great post from Apologetics 315! It defines "exegesis" and "eisegesis". This is exactly the definition I use asnd I wish people wouldf do exegesis and not eisegesis.


Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Exegesis, Eisegesis

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Gnosticism

A great article defining "Gnosticism" has been posted on Apologetics 315!
Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Gnosticism

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Presuppositionalism

This week Apologetics 315 defines Presuppositionalism. I believe apologetics stands on two legs: Presupposition and Evidential. Depending on your world view and the one you witness to either can be powerful tools in sharing what you believe and why you believe it. I think the presuppositional track is powerful fo introducing the God of the Bible and the evidential track is awesome for showing the evidence that a god exists.

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Presuppositionalism

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: The Five Ways

It's Tuesday on Apologetics 315 and this week Brian gives us Thomas Aquinas five definitive arguments in favor of God's existence. Many have tried to refute these, but i think that these are good arguments and must be reckoned with. Take a look at Aquinas' logic and see if it does not make sense to you.

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: The Five Ways

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Middle Knowledge

On Apologetic 315's weekly series on Apologetics terminology this week is "Middle knowledge". I've posted a lot on the subject and I have come to the conclusion that it is a crock. It's really a trick so that you can have God's sovereignty and human free will reconciled. I don't think it works at all.

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Middle Knowledge

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Naturalism, Natural Theology

 I love this series! This time "Naturalism" and  "Natural Theology" are defined. It's a good to know. Not completely Biblical, but still interesting.

Apologetics 315: Terminology Tuesday: Naturalism, Natural Theology

Terminology Tuesday: Occam's Razor - Apologetics 315

This is a great post from Occam's Razor. It is an concept in philosophy. It is another great resource from the Apologetics 315 blog. On the face of it, I agree that its silly to make up complicated explanation without a good reason. The simpler explanation is more likely. Unfortunately, as Brian, points out in his post, that many use this idea to reject supernatural explanations for events. An example that comes to my mind is the Multiple universe theory to explain away the fine-tuning of our own as an example of rejecting Occam's argument. I'd also offer the "swoon" theory and the hallucination hypothesis which attempt to explain the fact that the first Christians reported to experiencing the resurrected Christ as examples of ignoring Occam.

Terminology Tuesday: Occam's Razor - Apologetics 315

Glossary of Philosophical, Ethical, and Biblical Terms - Apologetics 315

Here is a link from Apologetics 315 that gives great definitions for philosophical, ethical, and Biblical terms. I like this series of posts. They are extremely helpful!

Glossary of Philosophical, Ethical, and Biblical Terms - Apologetics 315

Terminology Tuesday: Wager Argument - Apologetics 315

This week Brian defined the "Wager Argument". I've been accused in a very derogatory matter much of using this by just pointing out that if you are not sure that there is a God, then you are taking a greater risk than believing that there is a God. I still think that this is true, but I think that the power of this argument is not because of the lack of convincing evidence because I think that the evidence is very convincing. My point in following Pascal's line of reasoning is that the risk of believing that God exists and being wrong is less than rejecting God although God truly exists.

Terminology Tuesday: Wager Argument - Apologetics 315

Terminology Tuesday: Teleological Argument - Apologetics 315

Brian defines the Teleological argument, at Apologetics 315. Take a look!

Terminology Tuesday: Teleological Argument - Apologetics 315

Terminology Tuesday: Contingency - Apologetics 315

This week Brian defined "Contingency" on Apologetics 315!

Terminology Tuesday: Contingency - Apologetics 315

Terminology Tuesday: Possible Worlds - Apologetics 315

Brian's latest post on terminology in his Apologetics 315 blog defines "Possible Worlds". This a great read.

Terminology Tuesday: Possible Worlds - Apologetics 315