Halloween for Christians: Oppression or Opportunity By: Hank Hanegraaff

A myriad of questions have been raised about Halloween. Should Christians participate in Halloween? What should our attitude be towards Halloween? Should we simply ignore it? Should we vigorously attack it? Or should we, as Christians, find ways in which to accommodate it?

Before offering some suggestions on how we as Christians might best relate to Halloween, I think it would be appropriate to first consider the pagan origin of Halloween.

The celebration of Halloween, also known as the witches’ new year, is rooted in the ancient pagan calendar which divided the year into Summer and Winter by two fire festivals. Before the birth of Christ, the day we know as Halloween was part of the Celtic Feast of Samhain (sah–ween). This feast was a celebration of Druid priests from Britain and France and commemorated the beginning of Winter. It was a night on which the veil between the present world and the world beyond was pierced. The festivals were marked by animal sacrifices, offerings to the dead, and bonfires in recognition of departed souls. It was believed that on this night demons, witches, hobgoblins, and elves were released en masse to harass and to oppress the living. For self-preservation many Druids would dress up as witches, devils, and ghouls, and would even involve themselves in demonic activities and thus make themselves immune from attack.

When It Comes to Truth, Tolerance Is a Travesty By Hank Hanegraaff

How do you respond to the mentality that Christians are judgmental and unloving?

Body and Soul: A "Whole" in One By Hank Hanegraaff

Is there logical evidence that we have a soul?

How Were Old Testament Saints Saved? By Hank Hanegraaff

Do you wonder how the Old Testament saints were saved?

Always Be Prepared to Give an Answer By Hank Hanegraaff

Giving reasons for our faith (apologetics) is an essential element of the biblical Christian witness.

Seed's Preposterous Plan By Hank Hanegraaff

Learn more about the biblical view of cloning...

L-I-G-H-T-S to the Word of God By Hank Hanegraaff

Learn how to make the most of your time spent studying the Word of God.

How Do I Find a Good Church? By Hank Hanegraaff

This question has taken on added significance in recent years because of the massive impact televangelism has had on our culture. In all too may cases, worship has been replaced with entertainment, and fellowship has been transformed into individualism. In view of these cultural developments, it is critical that Christians have a handle on the ingredients of a healthy well-balanced church.

Did Jesus Claim to Be God? By Hank Hanegraaff

Mormons say that Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer; Jehovah's Witnesses say that Jesus is the archangel Michael; New Agers say Jesus is an avatar or enlightened messenger. Jesus, however, claimed that He was God.

The Future, the Bible, and Prophetic Scenarios By Hank Hanegraaff

Speculations concerning the future multiply as fast as snowflakes in a blizzard. Christians need to know that not all end-times opinions are facts.

The Bible: Human or Divine? By Hank Hanegraaff

To defend the faith we must be equipped to demonstrate that the Bible is divine rather than human in origin.

Why Does God Allow Bad Things to Happen to Good People? By Hank Hanegraaff

It may seem as though there are as many responses as there are religions. In reality, however, there are only three.

Does Satan Have Access to Our Minds? By Hank Hanegraaff

While Satan cannot read our minds, he can influence our thoughts. It is crucial to note that if we open the door to Satan by failing to put on the full armor of God, he does, as it were, sit on our shoulders and whisper into our ears.

Did Demons Have Sexual Relations with Women in Genesis 6:4? By Hank Hanegraaff

Genesis 6:4 is one of the most controversial passages in the Bible. As with any difficult section of Scripture, it has been open to a wide variety of interpretations.

F-A-C-T-S on Prayer By Hank Hanegraaff

How important is prayer in sharing the gospel?

Prayer: Why Pray? By Hank Hanegraaff

If God already knows everything about us, what's the point of praying to ask Him something?

Faith in Faith or Faith in God? By Hank Hanegraaff

Hank Hanegraaff discusses the "Word of Faith" movement.

Pets in Heaven? By Hank Hanegraaff

Will God raise pets from the dead?

How Should Christians Respond to Halloween? By Hank Hanegraaff

Myriad questions surround Halloween. Should we participate? Accommodate? Or should we vigorously denounce Halloween? To answer such questions, it's helpful to view Halloween from the perspective of history.

What Happens to Those Who Have Never Heard? By Hank Hanegraaff

Hank Hanegraaff tackles another important question: What happens to those who have never heard the gospel?

The Testing of a Leader By Hank Hanegraaff

The greater the responsibility one holds, the greater the accountability one has before God and His people.

The Quest for Holiness By Hank Hanegraaff

The concept of holiness is central to Scripture. Today, however, the Christian church produces truckloads of materials designed to make men healthy and happy rather than holy. So how do we become holy?

Why Should I Believe in Hell? By Hank Hanegraaff

The horrors of hell are such that they cause us instinctively to recoil in disbelief and doubt; yet, there are compelling reasons that should cause us to erase such doubt from our minds. Jesus spent more time talking about hell than He did about heaven.

Is the Allah of Islam the God of the Bible? By Hank Hanegraaff

Long before Muhammad was born, Arabic Christians were already referring to God as Allah — and millions continue to do so today.

Halloween: Oppression or Opportunity? By Hank Hanegraaff

What should our attitude be towards Halloween? Should we simply ignore it? Should we vigorously attack it? Or should we, as Christians, find ways in which to accommodate it?

Adam and Eve: Fact or Fiction? By Hank Hanegraaff

Is the story of Adam and Eve to be taken literally?

Christ's Resurrection By Hank Hanegraaff

Was Christ's physical body resurrected from the dead or did He rise an immaterial spirit?

Prayer: Can Anything Block My Prayers? By Hank Hanegraaff

Is there one thing that can completely block my prayers?

Having a Great Prayer Life By Hank Hanegraaff

Hank Hanegraaff discusses how to draw closer to God through prayer.

What Is Spiritual Warfare? By Hank Hanegraaff

Scripture admonishes us to stand firm against the devil and the evil forces of this world. C.S. Lewis cautioned against both imagining a demon behind every tree and believing Satan doesn't exist.

Is It Possible for a Christian to Be Demon-Possessed? By Hank Hanegraaff

We must realize that our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but rather, against principalities and powers of darkness; and Jesus gives insights on possession.

The Christians' Resurrected Body in Christ, Part 1 By Hank Hanegraaff

Do Believers receive resurrected bodies when they die or when Christ returns?

Must Christians Attend Church? By Hank Hanegraaff

Find out why you, as a believer, need to be attending church.

Is Christianity the One True Religion? By Hank Hanegraaff

Don't all religions lead to God?

M-E-A-L-S By Hank Hanegraaff

The Bible not only forms the foundation of an effective prayer life, but it is foundational to every other aspect of Christian living.

A-G-E By Hank Hanegraaff

We must become so familiar with genuine Christianity that when counterfeits loom on the horizon, we recognize them immediately.

Apologetics: Still Relevant Today? By Hank Hanegraaff

To see just how relevant apologetics is today, we need only take a quick survey...

The Untouchables By Hank Hanegraaff

Are "God's Anointed" beyond criticism?

The Folly of Denying God By Hank Hanegraaff

How do you respond to: "Is there really a God?"

Is the Virgin Birth Miracle or Myth? By Hank Hanegraaff

“‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ — which means, ‘God with us’” (Matt. 1:23 NIV).

In an op-ed piece published by the New York Times (August 15, 2003), columnist Nicholas Kristof used the virgin birth of Jesus to shamelessly promote the Enlightenment’s false dichotomy between faith and reason. In his words, “The faith in the Virgin Birth reflects the way American Christianity is becoming less intellectual and more mystical over time.” Kristof ends his piece with the following patronizing comment: “The heart is a wonderful organ, but so is the brain.” Those who have a truly open mind, however, should resist rejecting the virgin birth before examining the evidence for it.

Jesus: The “Begotten” of the Father By Daniel Mann

The letter to the Hebrews presents many teachings affirming the deity of Christ and His supremacy over the angels, Moses, and everything else that had come before Him.

However, after asserting that Jesus “made the worlds,” that He is “the brightness of [God’s] glory and the express image of His person,” and that He upholds “all things by the word of His power” (Heb. 1:2–3),1 this letter cites a controversial verse—at least controversial today—to prove that He is uniquely related to the Father as His Son: “For to which of the angels did He ever say: ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You’?” (Heb. 1:5; quoting Ps. 2:7).

Genuine Temptation and the Character of Christ By Adam C. Pelser

The writer of Hebrews assures us that in Jesus Christ “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (4:15).1 This statement, which was intended for comfort, often has led to confusion when read in light of the widely held assumption that the mere experience of temptation presupposes sinful desires in the tempted individual. Contributing to this Christological confusion is the apparent tension between James’s teaching that “God cannot be tempted by evil” (James 1:13) and the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ triumph over temptation (Matt. 4; Mark 1; Luke 4).

The Star of Bethlehem By T. Michael Davis

SYNOPSIS

Matthew, in his gospel account of the life of Christ, recorded the appearance of a star that guided magi to Bethlehem so that they might pay tribute to the newborn King of the Jews. Through the years there have been many hypothetical explanations, whether natural, astronomical, or astrological, of the nature and behavior of this so-called star of Bethlehem. The appearance could have been a new bright star or comet or the movements of the planets relative to each other, the sun, and the moon. Perhaps what the magi saw was a nova or supernova bright enough to qualify as a real star (as we know them today) with astronomical and historical significance. A comet might have moved, over a few months’ time, from one constellation to another, more southerly, constellation. It is possible that major planets could have come into close proximity with each other, appearing as one, which would have created significant interest in professional observers of the night sky. Any one of these natural occurrences would have been noteworthy, and God certainly could have used them in His divine plan to announce to the world the birth of His Son and to guide a select group of astronomers to be His first worshipers. It is possible, however, to follow Matthew’s account of the star from a more supernatural viewpoint, consistent with the biblical record and with the supernatural character of the event to which the star pointed and in doing so realize that the magi were led to Bethlehem, not by light from space, but by light from heaven.

Matthew and the Magi By Gregory Rogers

Proponents of astrology have long appealed to Matthew 2:1–12 in support of their claims that the Bible supports astrological practice. The passage, which tells of the quest of the Magi to find the infant Jesus, has thus been interpreted to mean that the Magi were Persian astrolo­gers who used their occult means to ascertain the “Star of Bethlehem” in order to determine Jesus’ birthplace.

Is this reading, however, perhaps guilty of forcing Eastern presuppositions on a text that is strongly Judeo-Christian in ethos? Once again, a balanced, scholarly approach is necessary to reveal the objective meaning and intent of the passage in hand.

How Does Sanctification Work? (Part 1) By David Powlison

SYNOPSIS

Part one of “How Does Sanctification Work?” considers how God changes people. When we look closely at what actually changes people—examples both from Scripture and from personal experience—we see the diverse ways that the Word and Spirit minister to our human struggles. Both Scripture and personal testimony teach us that there is no single formula that produces change. Even so, it is easy to assume that how God has worked in your life is how He must work in the lives of all His people. Hearing stories of multiple people’s lives helps us to avoid forming generalizations based on our personal experience because stories make you realize that not everyone is like you. There are common denominators, but if we are going to draw conclusions about how God works in us, then the underlying patterns of His sanctifying work must be of the sort that adapt well and flexibly to a multiplicity of cases. We must do justice to both the variety and the commonality of God’s work to change us.

Warren Jeffs and His Prophecies from Prison By Eric Johnson

Warren Steed Jeffs. Just saying it aloud elicits a variety of emotions from those who recognize the name of the leader of the largest polygamist sect in the world. Jeffs is currently serving a life sentence behind federal prison bars in Texas while retaining his leadership role as the prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS) (not affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [LDS]). The church is based in the two bordering towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona; government authorities confiscated its property in Texas (including a grandiose temple) in January 2014.

Reincarnation: Lifetimes for Enlightenment? By Robert Velarde

In his book The Dust of Death, Christian thinker Os Guinness writes, “The East is still the East, but the West is no longer the West. Western answers no longer seem to fit the questions. With Christian culture disintegrating and humanism failing to provide an alternative, many are searching the ancient East.”1 Nearly forty years later, the penetration of Western culture with Eastern ideas has grown to the point where what was once considered foreign, strange, or—at the very least—at odds with established Western ideas and ideals is now largely mainstream.

Such is the case with reincarnation. Popularized in the 1980s by, among others, Shirley MacLaine and her best-selling books such as Out on a Limb, reincarnation is now a seemingly acceptable part of Western beliefs. Surveys indicate that about twenty-four percent of the U.S. population believes in reincarnation, with twenty-two percent of professing Christians stating that they, too, believe in the Eastern doctrine.2 What, exactly, is reincarnation? Is it at odds with Christianity? And how can we effectively dialogue with those who hold to it?

DEAD SILENCE: MUST THE BIBLE SAY ABORTION IS WRONG BEFORE WE CAN KNOW IT’S WRONG? By Scott Klusendorf

SYNOPSIS
Abortion advocates contend that the Bible is silent on abortion and that none of the biblical passages cited by pro‐life advocates actually say the unborn are human. Are we to conclude from this alleged silence that elective abortion is morally permitted? There are good reasons to say no. First, the Bible’s lack of explicit prohibitions against abortion does not mean that it condones the practice; instead, Scripture writers did not believe prohibitions against abortion were necessary because neither the Hebrews of the Old Testament nor the Christians of the New Testament were likely to kill their unborn children. Second, the Bible need not explicitly say elective abortion is wrong before we can know that it’s wrong. The Bible affirms that all humans are valuable because they bear God’s image. Science clearly demonstrates that the unborn are unquestionably human from the earliest stages of development. Biblical commands against the unjust taking of human life, therefore, apply to the unborn as they do other human beings. Third, abortion advocates cannot account for basic human equality. If humans are valuable only because of some acquired property such as self‐awareness, then it follows that since this acquired property comes in varying degrees, basic human rights also come in varying degrees. It’s far more reasonable theologically to argue that although humans differ immensely in their respective degrees of development, they are nonetheless equally valuable because they have in common a nature made in the image of God.

Out of the Nest and Off to College: A Time for Exploration By Steven Reep

Out of the Nest and Off to College: A Time for Exploration

College may be one of the most anticipated times for young Americans and one of the most nostalgic times for American adults. It is often referred to as “a time for exploration.” It’s a time for students to figure out what to do with the rest of their lives; what they like, what they believe is the truth, and who they are. It is the beginning of a young adult’s independence. This can be scary to parents who have raised their children to be good Christians because it is common for children who were raised Christian to go off to college and return atheists or skeptics. Christians believe that truth and one’s true identity is found in Christ, but for college students, there are many roadblocks on this journey. The college party culture and philosophies of atheist professors detour young adults from finding the truth, but love and reason can help guide students back onto the right path.

Discernment in an Age of Information Overload By Hank Hanegraaff

SYNOPSIS

In our age of information overload, Christians must learn to discern between good and evil, right and wrong, truth and falsity. The need for discernment becomes particularly pressing in the face of sharp disagreement on critical issues among leading Christian apologists. A case in point concerns debate over the CHRISTIAN RESEARCH JOURNAL‘s recent publication of CRI’s in-depth reevaluation of the “Local Church” Movement of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee (vol. 32/no. 6). Using the acronym D-I-S-C-E-R-N, I sort out the matter at hand and codify principles formatted as a memorable tool through which believers can, in general, separate wheat and chaff for themselves.

Sexual Sanity for Women in a World Gone Mad By Ellen Dykas

 SYNOPSIS

Christians don’t have a shining track record in addressing sex. It may have been presented in unhelpful and unbiblical teaching (through poor teaching of the Bible) or ignored altogether. Women in the church have struggled with the “louder silence” in regard to female sexuality. In a world spiraling into a sexual free-for-all, many Christian women are succumbing to the cultural insanity that says sex is all about you; do what you want. On the other hand, others are smothered in shame concerning their sexual struggles, because supposedly only men struggle with sexual desires gone amok. God speaks to all of these issues and He does so without blushing, shaming, or offering clichés. Sexual sanity, which is gained through the wise, unashamed, and bold teaching of the Bible, is God’s gift for all. Freedom and the healing grace of Jesus are for all those (including women) who have experienced broken-heartedness and the captivity of sexual addictions. Sexual sanity is a reality women can grow into as we embrace God’s design for sexuality rather than the ever-increasing expressions of broken sexuality.

The Legendary Flat-Earth Bible By James Patrick Holding

“The Bible is, from Genesis to Revelation, a flat-earth book.”
—Robert Schadewald (1943–2000), former president, National Center for Science Education1

Schadewald is not alone in this declaration. Calling the Bible a flat-Earth book has been a staple of Bible critics for centuries. The American atheist Robert Ingersoll, in About the Holy Bible(1894), says of the Hebrews, “They thought the earth was flat, with four corners.”2 The website of a modern-day freethinkers’ club says, “Many if not most people are unaware that the Bible teaches the earth is flat. All standard Bible references, all standard mainstream non-fundamentalist Bible scholarship acknowledges this.”3 Often tied in with mythic representations of Columbus seeking to prove that the Earth was not flat, or Galileo bravely suffering persecution because his findings contradicted the teachings of the church, the “flat-Earth Bible” has achieved the status of an urban legend.

When Apologetics Was Evangelism By James Patrick Holding

The next time you have an opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ, think about this: There is no example in the New Testament of a “personal testimony” being used in an evangelistic setting. Does that seem surprising? The personal testimony has become such an integral part of evangelistic training that it is assumed to be explicitly described, even mandated, in the Bible; but it isn’t.

What about Paul’s testimony to the Philippians about his former life as a Pharisee who persecuted Christians, of which he said, “I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung” (Phil. 3:8)?1 This is indeed a personal testimony about how Jesus changed Paul’s life, but it is found in a letter to fellow Christians, in which Paul compared himself to the “evil workers” (Phil. 3:2) who were opposing him. Paul was not witnessing to his faith as an evangelist but was illustrating for vulnerable believers the contrast between himself and those who were preaching false doctrine.

When Salt Loses Its Savor By Douglas Groothuis

A colleague of mine was perplexed: “The annual Christian Booksellers Convention is a gigantic affair, where score of books are ordered by Christian bookstores who, in turn, sell them in droves.” And yet, the professor lamented, these books are having “so little effect.” Researchers often report that evangelicals on average live no better morally than nonevangelicals.

I can add statistics to fuel my colleague’s concern. George Barna writes that 43 percent of “born again Christians” agree with the statement, “It does not matter what religious faith you follow because all faiths teach similar lessons about life.” Such syncretism and indifference are to be expected in our permissive and relativistic culture, but they are an abomination and scandal among those who claim to have been brought from death to life by the One who proclaimed, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me” (John 14:6;see also Acts 4:12; 1Tim. 2:5). Could anyone regenerated by the Holy Spirit persist in such mockery of their Lord?

Reanimating Apologetics with the Undead By Jonah Haddad

Zombies are distasteful creatures. The odor of their rotting flesh precedes them as they stagger from the grave. In the dark they grope with cold bony hands, searching for victims to devour or to add to their decomposing numbers. We call them the living dead, because any semblance of human rationality or emotion has left them. They are nothing but a putrid horde of corpses marching relentlessly toward their prey or lurking in the shadows, waiting to unleash hell on anyone unfortunate enough to cross their path.

We are naturally repulsed by them, but in our repulsion there lies a strange attraction evidenced by the abounding zombie references in popular culture. Zombies have lurched and moaned their way into movie theaters, bookstores, and living rooms. They took over the world in last summer’s blockbuster World War Z. But they have also taken to comedy (Shaun of the Dead) and romance (Warm Bodies). They appear in video games (Resident Evil) and TV series (The Walking Dead), having even found their way into classic literature (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies).1 From George Romero’s nightmarish film, Night of the Living Dead, to Max Brooks’s practical and comedic book, The Zombie Survival Guide, zombies have left their mark on the imaginations of many.2

Our fascination with the undead may be attributed to how they speak to a deep-rooted fear—fear that we might somehow join the ranks of these mindless cadavers, and that the peaceful masses of humanity could turn, in the blink of an eye, into monsters capable of unimaginable atrocities. Zombies embody our anxieties about the violence and horror that lies within the hearts of all those people we meet on the streets, in the mall, or at the office. Zombies unsettle us because they are us: our friends, neighbors, and family members. They are fellow citizens ravaged by decay, morally catatonic, intellectually obfuscated. And herein lies their apologetic value.

God Is Love, but Is Love God? By Elliot Miller

SYNOPSIS

If “God is love,” then “Love is God.” So say virtually all of the founders of the “metaphysical” or “mind science” sects, along with many Eastern and New Age teachers. This esoteric interpretation of 1 John 4:8 and 16 allows them to argue that God is an impersonal principle rather than a personal being. God cannot love or be loved by anyone but rather is the love in everyone. God therefore does not judge or punish people for their sins. This, in turn, supports the metaphysical teaching that God alone is real, and sin, sickness, and death are mere illusions sustained only by our belief in them.

This interpretation does not hold. The grammatical structure in the Greek prohibits inferring “Love is God.” In context, the phrase is rather used in association with God sending His Son to be the propitiation for our sin. This means Christ’s death satisfied the demands of the law and appeased the wrath of God, both of which were against us because of our sins. God’s wrath does not contradict His love because His wrath expresses His righteousness, and righteousness and love are both essential to, and fully integrated in, His being.

How we respond to God’s merciful provision in Christ determines whether we experience His mercy or His wrath. Denial of God’s just punishment of sin will only ensure that one experiences it; acceptance of God’s loving provision for our guilt will remove all fear of judgment and ensure one’s place in a world where there truly will be no sin, sickness, and death.

Is “Animal Rights” a Biblical Concern? By Dan Story

SYNOPSIS

During the past forty years, radical animal rights activists have elevated the value of animals to the moral equivalency of humans. They uncompromisingly insist that medical research on live animals, factory farming, and other practices that cause animals intense suffering and death should be legally forbidden. Christians, on the other hand, generally agree that God created animals primarily for human consumption, commercial benefits, and entertainment. As such, they believe humans are free to use animals in practically any manner we choose with little or no concern for their welfare. While the ranks of radical animal rights activists escalate, the church remains largely indifferent (or ignorant of) the pain and suffering of both wild and domesticated animals. Is the general Christian position God- honoring, or is the modern animal rights movement more on track with biblical revelation? Is promoting animal rights a legitimate and just cause? The Bible answers these questions. It reveals that God enjoys and watches over the animals He created, and they have value to Him independent of their benefits to humanity. Furthermore, the Bible reveals that God has instructed the human race to be His caretakers over nonhuman life, and it provides ethical guidelines for how to achieve this.

The F-E-A-T that Demonstrates the FACT of Resurrection By Hank Hanegraaff

When they had crucified him, above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders mocked him — and the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. About the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” — which means, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Then Jesus, knowing that the Passover plot was nearing completion, cried out, “I am thirsty.” As if on cue, an unidentified friend of Joseph of Arimathea ran, filled a sponge with a sleeping potion, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. When he had received it, Jesus cried out, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and swooned.

Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was apparently already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear.

As evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. He took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock.

There Joseph and the unidentified Jew worked feverishly to nurse Jesus back to life.

Tragically, the Roman spear led to the death of Jesus and the virtual destruction of the Passover Plot. Jesus regained consciousness only long enough to cry out, “Do not let me die in vain. Deceive my disciples into believing I have overcome death and the grave.” With that, he bowed his head and died. Immediately Joseph and the unidentified Jew took the body of Jesus and disposed of it.

During the next forty days the unidentified Jew appeared to the disciples and through many con­vincing fabrications deluded them into believing that he was the resurrected Christ. Beginning with Moses and all the prophets he explained to them everything that the Scriptures had taught concerning the Messiah — how he should suffer, die, and be raised again. The hearts of the disciples burned within as they believed the lie.

To this very day, the Passover Plot engineered by Jesus, Joseph, and the unidentified Jew continues to delude millions into believing that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead.1

Mythologies 27:22-41

The Gap Theory of Genesis 1:2 By Lee Irons

The gap theory attempts to resolve the apparent conflict between Scripture and modern geology by inserting a gap of unknown time between the first two verses of Genesis 1. The gap theory doesn’t just insert a gap of time in order to give room for geological eras; it also theorizes that because of Satan’s fall, the original creation became ruined and devastated, which supposedly explains the evidence of mass animal death before the fall as seen in the fossil record. Genesis 1:2 is describing not merely that the earth was formless and void but also that it was in a state of ruin and destruction, an accursed state under God’s judgment. The gap theory suggests that verse 1 describes God’s original work of creation, verse 2 describes the result of the original creation’s destruction, and verse 3 and following describe its restoration or re-creation. For this reason, the theory has also been called the ruin-restoration theory.

Although advocates of the theory claim to have precedent in earlier writers, the view makes its modern appearance in the work of Scottish theologian Thomas Chalmers, who proposed it in 1814. His view was popularized by the Plymouth Brethren writer G. H. Pember in his bookEarth’s Earliest Ages in 1876. Pember wrote, “It is thus clear that the second verse of Genesis describes the earth as a ruin; but there is no hint of the time which elapsed between creation and this ruin. Age after age may have rolled away, and it was probably during their course that the strata of the earth’s crust were gradually developed” (Kregel edition; p. 32).

Taking the Offense without Being Offensive By Eric Johnson

Suppose your favorite NFL team is headed to overtime in a tie game and ends up winning the coin toss. Would you want your team to kick off or receive? It’s a no-brainer. Even the most defensive-minded fan wants his team to have the ball. After all, the team receiving the kickoff can win the game by scoring a touchdown in its initial possession. While the defense could cause a turnover, pick up the ball, and run eighty yards for the tie-breaking score, there is a better opportunity to get into the end zone when your team is in control.

When I taught Bible classes at a Christian high school for seventeen years, I believed that getting students to assimilate the information was facilitated when they were actively in the game. For example, instead of merely lecturing on a topic like evil and suffering, I found that it was better to direct the conversation by first asking questions of the students. This allowed me to measure “pre-understanding” and determine their natural position. Questions such as “What is your view on how evil came into existence?” or “Do you believe that evil discounts the possibility that there can be a good God?” were able to give me valuable insights while requiring the students to develop their critical thinking skills by defending a position—if they even had one! Sometimes a “devil’s advocate” position was required, so I occasionally used class time to role-play an atheist. Asking, “If God is so good, why did He create evil?” could take an entire class period, especially since the question could be considered “fighting words” to an audience raised since birth in a Christian church! It is true that lectures and laying out the factual information ought to play an important role in teaching, but this sit-and-listen approach should not be the only (or even primary) tool for issues where there is much disagreement.

When it comes to evangelism, desiring to be on offense is a wise choice. If we want to be effective in sharing our faith with other people, why wouldn’t we take the ball and be in charge instead of guessing what the opponent will do next? Asking intelligent questions can be an excellent tool in sharing the Christian faith.

Did Ancient Extraterrestrials Visit Earth? By Robert Velarde

In the beginning, ancient aliens visited planet Earth, significantly influenced human history, and possibly even engineered human life to evolve. Furthermore, as a result of ancient alien visitations, history is replete with clues regarding these alien astronauts.

Flying saucers and little green men may seem the stuff of 1950s B-movies, yet ideas like the ones just described are gaining momentum not only in popular culture but also in some scientific circles. In the 2012 motion picture Prometheus, director Ridley Scott touted the concept that aliens visited Earth and seeded human life on it.1 The more lighthearted adventure, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), also gave direct nods to alien involvement on Earth, while the older film, Stargate (1994), made a direct connection between Egypt and ancient aliens, and the seminal film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) involved aliens in the development of human intelligence.

Besides film, the 2011 book The Ancient Alien Question by Philip Coppens added further speculations about ancient aliens. Such ideas have also made their way into millions of homes via the History Channel television program Ancient Aliens, currently in its seventh season.

Moving beyond pop culture, codiscoverer of DNA Francis Crick held to the possibility of directed panspermia—the belief that life on Earth did not come about on its own, as naturalism holds, but was instead seeded extraterrestrially. Atheist Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, also lends credence to this perspective.2 But aren’t ideas about ancient extraterrestrials nothing more than supermarket tabloid fodder? Isn’t it just harmless fun? This article will offer a brief look at the historical roots of the alien astronauts fascination, explore some of the purported evidence, evaluate claims that the Bible supports UFOs, and review some implications for theology.

Interfaith Worship: How Should Christians Respond? By Bernard James Mauser

Interfaith Worship: How Should Christians Respond?

Terrorist attacks rocked America in 2001 and recently at the 2013 Boston Marathon. Many united at interfaith worship services across the country to express their grief and anguish. Interfaith events have grown as a result, and are said to help promote peace and unity between the diverse religions.1

There are troubling questions that Christians need to answer about interfaith activities. How should Christians respond if invited to an interfaith event? Let us briefly explore the elements of interfaith activity before offering a Christian response.

Celebrity Death and the Meaning of Life By Robert Velarde

The death of actor and comedian Robin Williams hit me hard, resulting in a strong jolt of grief that jarred my otherwise uneventful day. A deep sense of loss and lament filled my thoughts, as did memories of the many roles played by this fine actor, from his early TV sitcom Mork and Mindy, which I first saw in 1978, to more dramatic roles in films such as Good Morning, Vietnam; Dead Poets Society; The Fisher King; and Good Will Hunting. Even though I’d never met Williams, a tragic sense of loss overshadowed my thoughts, as it did for his fans the world over. Similar feelings of grief have affected others, most recently with the deaths of celebrities such as Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joan Rivers, Lauren Bacall, Harold Ramis, and James Garner, to name a few.1

In a culture permeated with celebrity fascination, the sudden loss of such an individual instantly impacts millions. The reality of our need to cope with death speaks to our knowledge that some day we, too, will die. However, celebrity deaths can present us with opportunities to discuss a variety of significant topics with non-Christians tactfully—topics such as the meaning of life, what happens to us when we die, what we can know about death, and biblical views of death. This is a tremendous opportunity to share Christian truths with others, especially since it is common under normal circumstances to avoid any discussion of mortality, death, and what awaits us.

Too often our culture either avoids the topic of death or awkwardly makes light of it, but the death of a celebrity often overcomes such barriers. Since so many have experienced the work of celebrities via their acting, music, or other accomplishments, there’s often a sense of personal loss following their deaths. We feel almost as though we knew the celebrity. What can we do to help non-Christians during such times, while also sharing the hopeful message of Christ? Here are a few ideas for how we can engage our non-Christian friends in conversation following the death of a celebrity.

The Yoga Boom: A Call for Christian Discernment – Part 1 By Elliot Miller

SYNOPSIS

It has become virtually impossible to escape encounters with yoga in one form or another in the course of daily American life. For the conscientious Christian the question becomes inescapable: “Is yoga, or can it be, compatible with the Christian faith?” To answer this question we must first understand yoga in its original Hindu context.

Yoga was developed by Patanjali, a philosophical dualist, to free the souls of human beings from what he believed was their false identification with matter. Yoga later was appropriated by Vedantists (pantheists) and became a method for achieving union with the impersonal God of Hinduism.

Classical yoga seeks to so discipline the mind that the practitioner no longer identifies his (or her) thoughts and sensory perceptions with his sense of self. It also seeks to release a life force called prana so that it may freely move through the human body via seven psychic centers called chakras. These objectives are accomplished by following Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga, which include moral, physical, and mental disciplines.

There are four major approaches to yoga in India: bhakti yoga is devotion to a personal God;Jnana yoga involves intellectual discretion; karma yoga emphasizes good works; raja yoga is concerned with mind control and consists of the eight limbs of Patanjali. Within raja yoga exist numerous distinctive minor approaches, including kundalini yoga, which seeks enlightenment through raising the serpentine “kundalini energy”; tantra yoga, which seeks enlightenment through uniting polar energies, sometimes involving illicit behavior; and hatha yoga, which seeks enlightenment indirectly by preparing body and mind for meditation. Whether hatha yoga can be separated from its Hindu roots and practiced by Christians will be a major subject in parts two and three, which will examine yoga in its contemporary Western context.

The Folly of Answering Distracting Atheistic Arguments By Clay Jones and Joseph E. Gorra

Christian apologists regularly face what we call the distraction challenge: the temptation to take seriously insubstantial objections against God’s existence. An insubstantial objection involves reasoning that is beyond or in spite of intellectual reasons or evidences; it may include nonintellectual or even anti-intellectual factors. We’re not saying that these insubstantial objections are unanswerable or that it is somehow wrong to answer them; we’re just saying that it might be more wise and prudent if our arguments and replies are attentive to the “reasons of the heart” and not only to those of the head.

Although atheists employ other types of insubstantial arguments, for the purpose of this article we will just consider as insubstantial their arguments from “luck.” Certainly not all atheists utilize insubstantial arguments of the kind that we describe. But our concern is this: by lending credence to insubstantial arguments, the Christian apologist risks dignifying folly, encouraging self-satisfying flattery, and ultimately diminishing the power of gospel proclamation.

Darwin’s Doubt and the Case for Intelligent Design By Stephen C. Meyer

SYNOPSIS

Charles Darwin knew there was a significant event in the history of life that his theory did not explain. During this event, known today as the “Cambrian explosion,” many animals suddenly appeared in the fossil record without apparent ancestors in earlier layers of rock. In recent years, the mystery of the Cambrian explosion has intensified, not only because the expected ancestors of these animals have not been found but also because scientists have learned more about what it takes to construct an animal— specifically, vast amounts of new biological information. This discovery suggests intelligent design, as opposed to an undirected process such as natural selection and random mutation, as the best explanation of the explosive origin of animal life.

Preparing for the Apocalypse: A Look at the Rise of Doomsday Preppers By Robert Velarde

In anticipation of the coming reckoning, the world waited anxiously for doomsday, but as the year changed over from AD 999 to 1000, nothing significant happened. A thousand years later, panic spread yet again as the year 2000 loomed. Many warned that the “millennium bug” or Y2K would result in global chaos, but nothing significant happened.1 More recently, concerns spread regarding the ancient Mayan calendar, which allegedly pinpointed the cataclysmic end of the world on December 21, 2012. But nothing significant happened.

Despite the abysmally poor track record of doomsday prophets, pockets of individuals continue to prepare for the worst. A growing movement emphasizing survival and preparedness in the face of anticipated widespread catastrophe has begun to garner mainstream attention. In 2012 National Geographic launched a television series called Doomsday Preppers, which, as the title suggests, is about people readying themselves and their families for various doomsday scenarios. That same year, the Discovery Channel began its own series called Doomsday Bunkers, focusing on survival shelters built to withstand the end of the world. Many other sources of prepping exist, such as Living Ready—a website and print magazine “that helps you be prepared to survive and thrive, no matter the situation.”2

Why focus on doomsday preppers? With the rise of attention on the movement, adherents and their advice are no longer on the fringes of society. Indeed, they are now within the living rooms of millions of television viewers. Responses no doubt include mockery and a desire to escape into amusing entertainment, but there are more serious implications. What about those who take prepping seriously? How should Christians respond? Are there theological ramifications?

How Should Christians Approach the Problem of Evil? By E. Calvin Beisner and Chad Meister

SYNOPSIS

Perhaps the thorniest issue in Christian apologetics is commonly known as the problem of evil. How can the existence of a good, all-powerful, and all-knowing Creator be squared with the world in which we find ourselves, riddled as it is with evil and human suffering? One common Christian response is known as the free will defense. Not all Christians believe in free will, however. How would a strict adherent of Calvinism, for example, address the problem of evil?

In the point-counterpoint that follows, Chad Meister, assistant professor of philosophy at Bethel College, Indiana, tackles the problem of evil from the free will position while E. Calvin Beisner, associate professor of historical theology and social ethics at Knox Theological Seminary, Florida, provides an apologetic for the same problem from a Reformed perspective. They then interact with and rebut each other’s presentations.

Both the free will and determinist positions are well represented in historic Christian orthodoxy. The question is, which approach is more consistent with Scripture and sound reason? We invite you to decide for yourself as you consider the cases for both sides made by these two able Christian scholars.

Why Apologetics Has a Bad Name By Sean McDowell

I love apologetics! Anyone who has heard me speak, sat in my class, read any of my books, or spent more than twenty minutes with me knows that I believe deeply in the importance of defending the Christian faith. And as a reader of the CHRISTIAN RESEARCH JOURNAL, I assume you do, too. Pastor and author Timothy Keller says one of the big issues facing the church today is the need for a renewal of apologetics. Keller says apologetics is important for two reasons.1

First, Christians in the West will soon be facing missionaries from around the world. While loving communities are important, he says that we also need to be prepared to converse thoughtfully with people of differing worldviews.

Second, there is a vacuum in Western secular thought. The enlightenment faith in science and progress has ended, and according to Keller, postmodernism is seen as a dead end, too. This is why Keller concludes, “There is a real opening, apologetically, in reaching out to thoughtful non-Christians, especially the younger, socially conscious ones.”

And yet Keller points out something that I have been thinking about for some time, namely that there is a lot of resistance right now among younger evangelical leaders toward apologetics. Why do so many people continue to resist and criticize it? I haven’t seen any solid biblical reasons for rejecting apologetics. After all, Jesus was an apologist (John 5:31–47), Paul clearly used apologetics (Acts 17), Peter encouraged people to be able to defend their views (1 Pet. 3:15), and early church fathers such as Justin Martyr and Ignatius regularly used apologetics. Concern must lie elsewhere. My experience tells me that the problem is not with apologetics per se, but with either apologists—the people who practice apologetics—or with a misunderstanding about the task of apologetics.

Did Ancient Extraterrestrials Visit Earth? By Robert Velarde

In the beginning, ancient aliens visited planet Earth, significantly influenced human history, and possibly even engineered human life to evolve. Furthermore, as a result of ancient alien visitations, history is replete with clues regarding these alien astronauts.

Flying saucers and little green men may seem the stuff of 1950s B-movies, yet ideas like the ones just described are gaining momentum not only in popular culture but also in some scientific circles. In the 2012 motion picture Prometheus, director Ridley Scott touted the concept that aliens visited Earth and seeded human life on it.1 The more lighthearted adventure, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), also gave direct nods to alien involvement on Earth, while the older film, Stargate (1994), made a direct connection between Egypt and ancient aliens, and the seminal film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) involved aliens in the development of human intelligence.

Interfaith Worship: How Should Christians Respond? By Bernard James Mauser

Interfaith Worship: How Should Christians Respond?

Terrorist attacks rocked America in 2001 and recently at the 2013 Boston Marathon. Many united at interfaith worship services across the country to express their grief and anguish. Interfaith events have grown as a result, and are said to help promote peace and unity between the diverse religions.1

There are troubling questions that Christians need to answer about interfaith activities. How should Christians respond if invited to an interfaith event? Let us briefly explore the elements of interfaith activity before offering a Christian response.

Celebrity Death and the Meaning of Life By Robert Velarde

The death of actor and comedian Robin Williams hit me hard, resulting in a strong jolt of grief that jarred my otherwise uneventful day. A deep sense of loss and lament filled my thoughts, as did memories of the many roles played by this fine actor, from his early TV sitcom Mork and Mindy, which I first saw in 1978, to more dramatic roles in films such as Good Morning, Vietnam; Dead Poets Society; The Fisher King; and Good Will Hunting. Even though I’d never met Williams, a tragic sense of loss overshadowed my thoughts, as it did for his fans the world over. Similar feelings of grief have affected others, most recently with the deaths of celebrities such as Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joan Rivers, Lauren Bacall, Harold Ramis, and James Garner, to name a few.1

In a culture permeated with celebrity fascination, the sudden loss of such an individual instantly impacts millions. The reality of our need to cope with death speaks to our knowledge that some day we, too, will die. However, celebrity deaths can present us with opportunities to discuss a variety of significant topics with non-Christians tactfully—topics such as the meaning of life, what happens to us when we die, what we can know about death, and biblical views of death. This is a tremendous opportunity to share Christian truths with others, especially since it is common under normal circumstances to avoid any discussion of mortality, death, and what awaits us.

Risen and the Apologetics of Love By John McAteer

a Movie Review of

Risen

Directed by Kevin Reynolds

(Sony Pictures, 2016)

Risen tells the story of Clavius, a Roman tribune in Jerusalem whom Pontius Pilate tasks with finding the missing body of the crucified Jesus (called “Yeshua the Nazarene” in the film, using his Hebrew name). Most reviewers have described the movie as a kind of CSI-style detective story. That description certainly captures the tone of the first half of the film, which focuses on Clavius’s investigation. Clavius, along with his right-hand man Lucius, interviews witnesses, gathers evidence, and tracks down Jesus’ disciples. Rumor has it that Jesus has risen from the dead, though Claudius is as skeptical as a modern-day police detective. Yet for a detective story, there isn’t a lot of mystery, since we the audience already know that Jesus is indeed risen. (It is in the title of the movie, after all!) The suspense is more about what it will take to convince Clavius to accept the Resurrection.

Imagining Jesus’ Humanity in The Young Messiah By John McAteer

a Movie Review of

The Young Messiah

Directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh

(Focus Features, 2016)

The Young Messiah is based on Anne Rice’s 2005 novel Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt. It tells the story of Jesus returning to Nazareth from Egypt as a 7-year-old. In the Biblical narrative, King Herod hears that the Messiah has been born and orders all the children in Bethlehem killed, hoping to eliminate any potential political rival. But an angel warns Joseph in a dream about Herod’s plot, so he takes Mary and Jesus into hiding in Egypt until Herod dies (Matt. 2:12–23). Writer-director Cyrus Nowrasteh’s movie version adds a Roman centurion character sent by Herod’s son Archelaus to investigate rumors about a miracle-working child just the right age to have been a survivor of the massacre in Bethlehem.

F-A-C-T-S on Prayer By Hank Hanegraaff

HOW IMPORTANT IS PRAYER IN SHARING THE GOSPEL? Absolutely vital! Engaging in cult apologetics without prayer is like entering the battlefield without a weapon. That is why the apostle Paul ends his great sermon on the armor of God by warning that the spiritual soldier must “with all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit” (Eph. 6:18). There is no magic formula for a dynamic prayer life. You must get back to the basics.

Not long ago I had an opportunity to play golf with U.S. Open champion Corey Pavin. Having loved the game since I was 14, I was looking for something in his golf swing that would set him apart from 99.9 percent of all golfers. But there was nothing unusual in his technique. I realized that Corey had a ferocious commitment to the basics.

Almighty Fathers and Only Begotten Sons in Last Days in the Desert By John McAteer

The opening title card of Last Days in the Desert says, “To prepare for his mission, the holy man went into the desert to fast and pray, and to seek guidance.” This is a rather coy start to a film that is clearly about Jesus. The events depicted in the film are not based directly on the Bible—the story, minimal as it is, involves a family that the “holy man” meets on his way to Jerusalem after spending forty days fasting in the desert—but the main character (played by Ewan McGregor) is later referred to as Yeshua, the Hebrew name for Jesus. He is said to be the only Son of God, and the film ends with him being crucified. So, yeah, it’s Jesus. But this is far from a typical “life of Jesus” movie.

Reasons of the Heart: Emotions in Apologetics By Adam C. Pelser

Contrary to the popular view that emotions are essentially nonrational feelings, emotions are evaluative perceptions that convey information. This is significant for apologetics because emotions can help us to “see” features of the world that reveal God’s existence and divine attributes. The distinctive emotional life of the Christian also can serve as a kind of apologetic evidence for the truth of Christianity. Christian apologists thus should not neglect or ignore the emotions, but instead must learn how to cultivate accurate emotional perceptions in themselves and others so that, in the words of the apostle Paul, “the eyes of [our] hearts” might be “enlightened” (Eph. 2:18).

Is It Impossible to Redeem Electronic Media? By John R. Hamilton

Is TV bad for you? Is reading a more intellectual pursuit than viewing? Recent essayists have held that somehow, electronic media, such as television, films, and the Internet, have caused America’s loss of “cultural memory,” that is, our sense of history, of place, which grounds our communities in their selfidentity, their idea of task, and their future hopes. The following assertion from John Polkinghorne and Michael Welker is typical: “The electronic media, and especially in connection with the fast and global expansion of television and now the Internet…has been accompanied by a depreciation of cultural memory, of the hierarchy of the classics, of the canonic, and of recourse to historical memory in the crises of the present moment” (emphasis added).1

Joshua Meyrowitz, in No Sense of Place: The Impact of Electronic Media on Social Behavior(Oxford University Press, 1985), reissues the familiar indictment of the electronic media for the social and psychological ills of our age. This popular sociological approach (see also Tony Schwartz, The Responsive Chord [Anchor Press, 1973], and Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death [Viking, 1985]) takes a generalized sense of cultural sickness and lays the blame for it at the feet of the messengers.2

Finding Dory: A Fish Tale about Perseverance and Overcoming Fear By Robert Velarde

A movie review of
Finding Dory
Directed by Andrew Stanton
(Pixar, 2016)

Finding Dory is on its way to achieving blockbuster status. Released June 17, its opening weekend garnered $136 million—the largest U.S. opening for any animated feature film in history.1

The sequel to Pixar’s incredibly successful and family-friendly film Finding Nemo (2003),Finding Dory looks to yet again position Pixar as the studio to beat when it comes to computer-generated animated movies.

Purchased by Disney in 2006 for the whopping sum of $7.4 billion, Pixar’s films continue to captivate both children and adults.

Pixar’s seventeenth film Finding Dory reunites Finding Nemo director Andrew Stanton with a group of familiar fish—Marlin, Nemo, and Dory, as well as a host of new characters. This time around, it’s Dory who is not so much lost but on a journey to find her parents.

In my book The Wisdom of Pixar, I wrote about the theme of family in Finding Nemo. In that film, a father (Marlin) is desperately searching the ocean for his lost son, Nemo. Along the way, he learns to strike a balance in his parenting between being overprotective and allowing too much freedom.

Teaching Apologetics to the Next Generation By Sean McDowell

Before becoming a graduate professor of apologetics last year, I spent a decade teaching apologetics full time to high school students at a Christian school in Southern California. In fact, I still teach one high school Bible class simply because I love it! I also have the privilege of speaking to thousands of young people each year on all sorts of apologetics-related subjects. There are some lessons I have learned—many the hard way—about how to teach apologetics to young people. I trust these will be helpful and encouraging as you aim to equip and challenge the next generation.

DOES APOLOGETICS STILL MATTER?

It is not uncommon to read a blog or hear a speaker denounce the importance of apologetics today. In fact, many have claimed we live in a postmodern culture in which apologetics no longer matters. Yet William Lane Craig is right—this sort of thinking is a disastrous misdiagnosis of contemporary culture.1 Ironically, we have witnessed the emergence of an apologetics renaissance right when many critics claimed postmodernism made apologetics passé.

And much of the interest in apologetics comes from young people. I have witnessed this in the classroom, but I am also frequently barraged by apologetics questions from young people as I speak at churches, conferences, schools, and camps nationwide. When they realize that I care and respect them as individuals, students express a variety of questions and doubts.

Youth experts Kara Powell and Chap Clark launched a multiyear research project examining the transition of Christian students beyond high school. They discovered that students who felt the freedom to express their doubts tended to have a “sticky faith,” which means they maintain their faith after high school. Powell and Clark narrowed down the top ten doubts college students remembered having in high school. Not surprisingly, they included the existence of God, the problem of suffering and evil, the exclusivity of Christ, and the reality of hell.2

This does not mean apologetics questions are necessarily at the forefront of students’ minds. Yet it does indicate that, like the rest of us, young people want to make sense of the world and to find their place in it. So how do we motivate students to care about ultimate questions of truth?

Paul, Second Adam, and Theistic Evolution By Garrett J. DeWeese

A growing number of evangelicals are accepting theistic evolution, generally without considering the weight of biblical theological evidence against evolution. However, important theological considerations strongly count against the common descent of Adam and Eve, and so count against theistic evolution.

Beginning with definitions, it is not at all clear that theistic evolution is consistent with the Neo-Darwinian Synthesis as commonly understood. This is because Darwinian (or naturalistic) evolution is purposeless, unguided, unplanned, while theistic evolution necessarily includes some degree of divine planning and guidance.

But even allowing for divine purpose, there remains an apparent conflict between theistic evolution and traditional theology. Within a framework of considerations for resolving apparent conflicts between science and theology, the consideration that asks about the degree of ingression of a claim—either scientific or theological—in its respective domain becomes salient. Biblical evidence, especially the Apostle Paul’s extended analogy in Romans 5:12–21, comparing the First Adam to Christ as the Second Adam, together with the orthodox theology of original sin based on that analogy, is very deeply ingressed in orthodox theology as it has been traditionally understood. The analogy and the theology based on it demand a literal Adam and Eve.

Examining recent publications of three representative theistic evolutionists finds that by denying the existence of a literal Adam and Eve, and so no literal “fall,” they have no explanation for the entrance of sin in the human race. It seems then that the theology based on St. Paul’s analogy is not compatible with an evolutionary theory of common descent (whether theistic or naturalistic). Evangelical Christians should reject an account of evolution that entails denial of a central theological claim grounded in Paul’s Second Adam analogy.

Off the Map: Bill Johnson and the Pursuit of Extrabiblical Authentication By Bob Hunter

Bill Johnson wasn’t happy. The pastor of a successful church in Weaverville, California, he wanted more than just a sermon and worship choruses. He attended a conference in 1987 featuring the teaching of John Wimber but left discouraged. “The reason for my discouragement,” Johnson explains, “was the fact that they had fruit for what they believed. All I had was good doctrine.”1 After careful reexamination of his personal priorities, he concluded, “There was a risk factor I had failed to enter into—Wimber called it faith. Teaching MUST be followed with action that makes room for God to move” (emphasis in original).2 Immediate change occurred. However, he reports, “a number of healings and manifestations broke out and I didn’t know what to do with it. I didn’t object to it, I wasn’t opposed to it; I just didn’t know how to pastor it in a way that it would continue and increase.”3 It wasn’t long before Johnson became discouraged again because some weren’t being healed. Finally, in 1995, he made a trip to the Toronto Airport Vineyard, where the Toronto Blessing had broken out the year before. Since then, he hasn’t looked back.4

Previous to the seventeen years Johnson spent in Weaverville, he had been a youth pastor at Bethel Church in Redding, California, under the leadership of his father. In February of 1996, Johnson and his wife Beni became the senior pastors at Bethel.5

Bethel is a multifaceted church. Extensions include an inner healing and deliverance ministry called Sozo (which depends heavily on extrabiblical revelation),6 healing rooms,7 a prophetic ministry,8 and the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry where, they state, “the school emphasizes the need for believers to return to the ministry of signs and wonders.”9

A fifth-generation pastor, Johnson’s teachings are solidly rooted in those of the late John Wimber and the former pastor of the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship, John Arnott. Frequent speakers promoted by Bethel include Randy Clark,10 whose 1994 appearance at the Toronto Airport Vineyard signaled the beginning of the Toronto Blessing, and Cindy Jacobs, a self-professed prophet11 who once noted that the Holy Spirit resided in her left arm, having moved from her right arm.12

Why Did God Let That Child Die? By Clay Jones

Perhaps the most difficult and emotionally charged question ever asked the pastor or apologist is why God let a particular child suffer or die. The question is rarely abstract. I’ve never been asked why God lets children die. I’m asked why God let six-year-old Ethan get killed by a car while he was skateboarding or why God let four-year-old Kaylee die of leukemia. The typical Christian answer is, “We won’t know until we get to heaven.” Of course, we will certainly know more when we get to heaven, but is that all we can answer? I suggest we know more than that. We may not know all of God’s reasons for letting a particular child die at a particular moment, but we can answer why God allows children to die.

Note that this article isn’t directed toward those who have just lost a child. My wife, Jean, and I experienced five miscarriages, which led to our never having children and we know firsthand what it is like to have Christians try to “solve” grief.1 Those who grieve rarely search for explanations of how God works in the universe. Instead, they need hugs and maybe meals. The Scripture tells us to “weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15). But there comes a time, when the initial anguish subsides, that people seek the larger picture of what God is doing in the universe.

Should Christians Fear Profanities? By Richard Poupard

Recently I conversed with a friend who told me that his daughter had begun a job at a local coffee shop. He related that she enjoyed the company of fellow employees, who had been kind and welcoming, and she felt she would have opportunities to be a witness to Christ. However, he voiced concerns about the profanity many of the young employees used in her presence. She had been taught that using foul language was sinful, and their language made her uncomfortable. Hearing profanities at the coffee shop made this devoted Christian question her employment. It was this thought-provoking conversation that made me question the role and power that profanity has in our culture and our faith.

Christians are also understandably concerned about language that is allowed within their home. For instance, many stores sell a device called the “TVGuardian.” This device allows viewers to watch DVD movies or TV by removing “bad words.” The device does not change the visual content, but it mutes any word that is on a list of profanities. By eliminating certain words, an otherwise offensive movie can be transformed into one that is family friendly. Their website asks a provocative question: “What message does allowing an unprotected TV in your home send?”1Another filtering service released a video in which a family is pelted with more than seven hundred paint balls signifying their exposure to bad language. The video provocatively states, “Every word has impact.”2

What power should hearing particular words have on the Christian believer? Can Christians keep their hearts clean by avoiding exposure to cuss words? I believe it is wrong to flaunt our freedom in Christ to offend others intentionally with the language we use. However, should our fear of particular words keep us out of certain environments or relationships?

Just hearing certain words is seen as grossly immoral by many Christians. A mental list of bad words is made, and the Christian simply avoids those particular words, thus resulting in clean language. Many believe that this is effective in keeping the third commandment as well as the various commands in the New Testament against “unwholesome” or “filthy” speech. It would seem our speech is made clean merely by the substitution of a few words, regardless of the true message that our hearts are attempting to communicate via our words.

Dysmorphic and Dangerous: Female Body Image in a World of Disordered Mirrors By Ellen Mary Dykas

“She’s five foot wide,” a kid in the campground pool shouted out in jest; he was countering eleven-year-old me who had just shared that I was only five foot tall. The comment stung a little as my chunky physique produced self-consciousness in my insecure adolescent heart, but it was just a joke, and no big deal. Right? Yet years later, I still remember how I ducked under water to hide my tears. Today I can still recall feeling shame and, of course, ugly. Maybe it wasa big deal.

My adolescent body was chubby and, though only fifteen pounds heavier than my petite friends, my weight put me in “Pretty Plus” sizes. I felt blobby and ugly. However, I had my naturally curly hair going for me, and no-cost ringlets brought attention from others. From friends to strangers to hair stylists, my curls were frequently praised, and more than a few told me they were jealous. I have to admit, it felt great!

Unexpectedly, as I got older, my body image woes and joys reversed themselves. I began to “grow into” my body. A friend’s recent Facebook post said she was “60 years old and finally comfortable in a swimsuit on the beach!” I too now feel at home in my own skin. Today my body is an infrequent distraction.

However, I realized in my forties that a bad hair day could trigger feelings of insecurity, lack of confidence, and…feeling ugly. A frizzy head of hair sent my self-esteem spiraling. Somehow my feelings about my hair had become deeply attached to how I felt about myself! Foolishness? To some degree, yes. Unusual? Absolutely not! Female body-image struggles are a global phenomenon. 

Is It Immoral to Believe in God? By Matthew Flannagan

In a recent op-ed piece in the New York Times, the distinguished philosopher of science Michael Ruse raises the question, Is it morally wrong to believe in God?1 Some skeptics maintain there is something irrational about theism. But is it immoral?

Behind the question is the rhetoric of the New Atheism represented in the writings of people such as Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, and Sam Harris. Ruse historically has been fairly critical of New Atheism and maintains that, although New Atheists are “self-confident to a degree that seems designed to irritate,” they display “an ignorance of anything beyond their fields to an extent remarkable even in modern academia.”

However, behind their remarkable uninformed hubris is a “moral passion unknown outside the pages of the Old Testament.” Ruse notes that “atheists of Dawkins’ stripe don’t just say that believing in God is an intellectual mistake. They also claim that it’s morally wrong to believe in the existence of God or gods.” Ruse appears to have some sympathy with this motif of their thought and attempts to defend it.

One can understand an atheist saying that theism is false. But why would one claim there was something immoral about believing in God? One reason Ruse briefly raises is the spectre of religiously motivated atrocities, citing the Troubles in Northern Ireland, 9/11, and murders of the Charlie Hebdo staff in Paris. Ruse expresses disgust that “people can be thus motivated to be so cruel to their fellow human beings.”

Indeed, such cruelty is disgusting. Still, it is hard to see why such disgust justifies the conclusion that there is something immoral about belief in God. “The sadism of shooting someone in the back so they will never walk again because they are a Catholic not a Protestant—or any such variation—is nauseating.” But it is no less nauseating when a person shoots another in the back because he holds different political views, comes from a different nation, or has looked the wrong way at the killer’s wife. Terrorism in the name of religion fills us with horror, but so does the Terror during the French Revolution where people were slaughtered in the name of liberty, equality, and fraternity. Yet these facts do not lead us to conclude that it is morally wrong to have political beliefs, love one’s wife, or support freedom and equality. Had the 9/11 attack been performed by an eco-terrorist group as opposed to jihadists, I doubt many would conclude that it is morally wrong to support political causes or to care for the environment.

Ruse, however, moves beyond arguing from atrocities. What leads to moral issues is that there are “arguments going both ways” when it comes to the existence of God. The question of God’s existence is not as easily solved as basic mathematical questions, such as 1+1=2. Indeed it is not, and nor for that matter is any philosophical, moral, or political issue. Ruse’s own discipline of analytic philosophy is full of disputes about the nature of mathematical truth, what distinguishes science from pseudoscience, whether science gives us truth or simply empirically adequate models, the existence and origin of objective morality, and so on. None of these are solved as easily as basic mathematics. Surely Ruse, however, is not claiming that it is immoral to hold any philosophical beliefs. Is there something morally problematic, for example, about holding to a particular account of what distinguishes science from nonscience? Or is it morally problematic to hold moral beliefs, such as the belief that it is immoral to believe in God? What exactly, then, is the problem?

Ruse’s answer appears to be twofold. First, he thinks there is “paltry evidence” for God’s existence. Second, despite this fact, theists continue to believe in God on the basis of “indoctrination” and wish fulfilment. This, he maintains, is the “deepest and most powerful moral objection to theism.” Is this objection powerful? Let’s examine the first point, the claim that there is “paltry evidence” for theism.

Is Christianity Bad for Your Health? By A. A. Howsepian

Without Christianity, the world would be a better place. So says a growing body of scholarship on the effects of religion on physical and mental health. The central claim is that Christian belief and practices are neutral or positively bad for your health, and that studies to the contrary are badly flawed, “weak,” or inconsistent with other studies and, hence, can be ignored. In one recent article, “The Crazy-Making in Christianity,” Marlene Winell and Valerie Tarico find psychological harm in multiple aspects of Christian teaching and practice. I analyze Winell and Tarico’s claims in light of a historically important pair of articles on religion and health that elegantly highlights the perils to which authors in this genre are vulnerable. The key lessons to be learned from this literature critical of Christianity’s effects on health are, first, that these articles are often selective in their focus; second, that the notions of “religion” or “Christianity” operative in these articles are selectively narrow or not well- defined at all; third, that the standards used to critique Christianity’s role in health are selectively applied; fourth, that the ethical frameworks of these critiques are themselves problematic; and, fifth, that multiple misleading or false statements are invoked in order to buttress their theses.

State School? Christian College? Navigating the Many Choices By Maren Halvorson

Economists point out what every grocery shopper already knows—that the cost of many products and services continues to increase. There are several broad categories where expenses are increasing much more rapidly than the Consumer Price Index. One of these is the cost of a college education.1 Given the sticker shock of college, parents and students are asking if the return on investment justifies the expense. Is it worth it? What does one get from a college education? Even further, what are we trying to get? What is the purpose of a college education?

In our instant-communication, always-connected, present-tense culture, often we don’t take sufficient time to reflect deeply on such questions. Your typical American is busy with life, activity, noise, and commotion, and thus may not stop to wrestle through the long-term ramifications of their decisions. When facing a significant decision, I find it is helpful to consider the various consequences and implications of the upcoming decision and to ask, “So that?” repeatedly as I try to discern my motives, goals, and desires. That is, to ask questions beyond the initial wave of answers and to keep asking until I discern the ultimate direction.

Remaking Ben-Hur with a Smaller Christ By John McAteer

The 1959 version of Ben-Hur starring Charlton Heston is Hollywood spectacle of the highest order. Its level of opulence perhaps can be measured best by its eleven Oscars, a record achievement matched only by two other enormous films, Titanic (1997) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). This year’s remake of Ben-Hur is much smaller and leaner than its predecessor. It tries hard, but it just isn’t in the same league.

Thankfully the actors in the new version actually look Middle Eastern—several of them actually are—but they can’t hold their own against the legacy of Charlton Heston. Heston is not a “good” actor, but he is a larger-than-life presence who contributes to the epic grandeur of the original. The portrayal of Jesus, too, is less effective in the remake, even though they show more of him.  Famously, the original film chose not to show Jesus’s face. Yet Jesus was still a powerful presence in that film. In particular, there is a moving scene in both films where Jesus offers the protagonist a drink of water in direct disobedience to a Roman soldier’s command. In the remake, Jesus is less confrontational and is portrayed as merely a quiet presence of compassion for suffering, downplaying his dangerous authority. In the original, he defiantly stands his ground and stares down the soldier who withers under the Son of God’s (off-screen) gaze.

The Seven Deadly Sins and the Path to Virtuous Character By Paul Copan

The soul- and relationship-destroying seven deadly sins are vices that undermine loving God and loving others. The virtuous life, by contrast, is one that resembles the image of the truest human—Jesus. Character cultivation begins not with moralistic endeavor but with a relationship with God in Christ, which in turn transforms our character. Character transformation further involves a conscious renewal of one’s thinking—envisioning a God-shaped reality rather than living by cultural or self-created lies. Virtuous character is cultivated through breaking vicious cycles of anger, lust, dishonesty, and pride through concrete, constructive, and demanding acts that lead to reconciled relationships, greater self-control, deeper faithfulness, and love for enemies. The continued practice of such specific, self-defying acts eventually results in obedience that becomes second nature to us.

Grace upon Grace: 1 John 1:8–9 and the Forgiveness of Sins By Steven Parks

Christians today are often tempted to shy away from the topic of sin. After all, nobody enjoys hearing that they are disobedient rebels who have offended a holy God in thought, word, and deed. It is no secret that speaking about the reality of sin does not fill arenas or land books on the New York Times Best Sellers List. There is, however, an often overlooked but nevertheless spiritually disastrous result in avoiding the topic of sin: missing the reality that only sinners need a savior. Without the bad news that sinners are condemned to hell, there can be no good news, no gospel, which declares that, in Christ, sinners are forgiven saints destined for heaven. If Christians avoid speaking about the malady of sin, we must inevitably avoid proclaiming the miracle of salvation and the very gospel itself.

Yet, in the Christian faith, there is no more important teaching than the gospel of Jesus Christ. Concerning this message, the apostle Paul wrote, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3–4).1Here, Paul noted that he delivered the gospel to his hearers as of “first importance.”2 This gospel is not just one teaching among many others; rather, the gospel is the most important teaching in all of Christianity, the very heartbeat of the Christian faith standing at its core and center.

Putting Race in Biblical Perspective By Jemar Tisby

Ferguson, Missouri, has become a symbol of racial tension in America. The death of unarmed African American teenager Michael Brown at the hands of white police officer Darren Wilson aroused a nation’s conscience. Some viewed the incident as representative of bigger issues concerning unjust policing in black communities. Others remained silent and resolved to wait until more facts came to light. Yet others thought the young man reaped what he sowed. These starkly different reactions and recent similar events reveal the deep racial divide that still exists in this country.

But Ferguson offers Christians an opportunity to make progress in the realm of race relations in the United States. The Bible offers the spiritual tools necessary to build bridges across race and culture. Yet conversations among Christians about racial issues too often mirror the culture’s categories rather than biblical ones. Many believers take their cues about race from the social climate instead of Scripture’s teachings.

The Bible teaches that there is one race: the human race. All people are descended from the same historic parents and are created in the image of God. Each person, regardless of race or culture, has inherent dignity and worth as God’s creation and image bearer. But there are also two spiritual races: the redeemed and the unredeemed. As God’s “chosen race” by grace through faith, Christians should be able to dialogue about race relations productively. Only by employing the Bible’s principles for understanding race will reconciliation become a reality.

Wise as Serpents By Francis J. Beckwith

Imagine it is Election Day 2004. You know for whom you will cast your vote for the office of President of the United States. You are not sure, however, about who will get your vote for other offices up for election, such as those in the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, state senate, state assembly, and city council. You consider yourself to be a social conservative, and so you conclude that your best strategy is to vote for every socially conservative candidate regardless of his or her party affiliation. This is the strategy some well-meaning Christian personalities offer on their radio programs and in their literature. It would be a mistake, however, to follow this strategy.

How to Engage in Politics without Losing Your Soul By Andrew Jackson

We in the United States are in a heated presidential election. When the political temperature rises so does name-calling, character assassination, and confrontation. Even committed Christ-followers, unfortunately, get caught up in the partisan political whirlwind of the moment and join in the fight. We as Christians should seriously engage in the ongoing debate in the political public square, but in doing so we must demonstrate a citizenship seasoned by God’s wisdom and love.

The title of this article is based on Jesus’ question in Mark8:36, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” (NIV). Over the years, I have watched many Christians zealously become active in partisan politics and actually “lose their souls”; that is, they lose their public, uniquely Christian witness, act contrary to the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and become divisive agents within the church.

The Gospel According to Marvel By John McAteer

Over the past decade, there has been a revival of interest in comic book superheroes, driven in large part by the Disney-owned Marvel Comics brand, publishers of such characters as Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and more. Every culture has had its own heroes, from Hercules to King Arthur to the Lone Ranger, but the phenomenal popularity of Marvel superheroes in recent years suggests that Marvel’s unique approach to envisioning heroism is, for better or worse, feeding some sort of spiritual hunger in American culture. In the 1960s, Marvel transformed the entire comic book industry by introducing heroes who were ordinary people that found themselves with unique abilities and struggled to overcome personal weaknesses to use those abilities for the benefit of those in need. Marvel’s attempt to ground their heroes in a more realistic world than other superheroes led to at least two questionable results. First, the Marvel universe tends to avoid genuinely supernatural phenomena, instead explaining unusual events in science fiction terms. Second, as popular culture has coarsened in the decades since the 1960s, Marvel’s flawed heroes have had to become more violent to maintain their apparent psychological realism. This means that comic books are now less appropriate for children than they were in the past. On the other hand, the positive result of Marvel’s emphasis on ordinary, realistic people is that readers can identify with their flawed characters more easily than they could identify with the idealized heroes of yesteryear. This means that Marvel fans can imagine themselves as potential superheroes and learn to cultivate heroism in their own lives. Moreover, comic book stories give us a clear sense of good and evil and the human need for a Savior who is more than human, themes that Christian apologists can use to draw out the innate existential longing for Christ hidden in the heart of all people.

Thanksgiving and the F-A-C-T-S on Prayer By Hank Hanegraaff

Thanksgiving should not be only a once-a-year event. It should be the perpetual attitude of our hearts. In fact, thanksgiving is inextricably woven together with the principles of prayer. Too often people think of prayer as a way of getting things from God. In reality, it is about intimacy with God. A memorable way of prioritizing the principles for developing intimacy with God through prayer is found in the acronym F-A-C-T-S. And it starts with the prayer of faith.

Is the Virgin Birth Miracle or Myth? By Hank Hanegraaff

“‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ — which means, ‘God with us’” (Matt. 1:23 NIV).

In an op-ed piece published by the New York Times (August 15, 2003), columnist Nicholas Kristof used the virgin birth of Jesus to shamelessly promote the Enlightenment’s false dichotomy between faith and reason. In his words, “The faith in the Virgin Birth reflects the way American Christianity is becoming less intellectual and more mystical over time.” Kristof ends his piece with the following patronizing comment: “The heart is a wonderful organ, but so is the brain.” Those who have a truly open mind, however, should resist rejecting the virgin birth before examining the evidence for it.

Jesus: The “Begotten” of the Father By Daniel Mann

The letter to the Hebrews presents many teachings affirming the deity of Christ and His supremacy over the angels, Moses, and everything else that had come before Him.

However, after asserting that Jesus “made the worlds,” that He is “the brightness of [God’s] glory and the express image of His person,” and that He upholds “all things by the word of His power” (Heb. 1:2–3),1 this letter cites a controversial verse—at least controversial today—to prove that He is uniquely related to the Father as His Son: “For to which of the angels did He ever say: ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You’?” (Heb. 1:5; quoting Ps. 2:7).

Certainly, Scripture never does refer to angels in this manner. However, this verse suggests to some that Jesus is “begotten” in the sense of being created and having a beginning in time. If this is the case, then He can’t be eternal, and therefore He can’t be God. This same “problem” is also reflected in perhaps the most famous New Testament verse: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten [monogenes in Greek] Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Genuine Temptation and the Character of Christ By Adam C. Pelser

The writer of Hebrews assures us that in Jesus Christ “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (4:15).1 This statement, which was intended for comfort, often has led to confusion when read in light of the widely held assumption that the mere experience of temptation presupposes sinful desires in the tempted individual. Contributing to this Christological confusion is the apparent tension between James’s teaching that “God cannot be tempted by evil” (James 1:13) and the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ triumph over temptation (Matt. 4; Mark 1; Luke 4).

The Star of Bethlehem By T. Michael Davis

Matthew, in his gospel account of the life of Christ, recorded the appearance of a star that guided magi to Bethlehem so that they might pay tribute to the newborn King of the Jews. Through the years there have been many hypothetical explanations, whether natural, astronomical, or astrological, of the nature and behavior of this so-called star of Bethlehem. The appearance could have been a new bright star or comet or the movements of the planets relative to each other, the sun, and the moon. Perhaps what the magi saw was a nova or supernova bright enough to qualify as a real star (as we know them today) with astronomical and historical significance. A comet might have moved, over a few months’ time, from one constellation to another, more southerly, constellation. It is possible that major planets could have come into close proximity with each other, appearing as one, which would have created significant interest in professional observers of the night sky. Any one of these natural occurrences would have been noteworthy, and God certainly could have used them in His divine plan to announce to the world the birth of His Son and to guide a select group of astronomers to be His first worshipers. It is possible, however, to follow Matthew’s account of the star from a more supernatural viewpoint, consistent with the biblical record and with the supernatural character of the event to which the star pointed and in doing so realize that the magi were led to Bethlehem, not by light from space, but by light from heaven.

Antitheist Faith and History By Jeffrey Burton Russell

Some atheists have become antitheists openly devoted to attacking religion in general and Christianity in particular. One line of attack they use is denouncing Christianity for its past. Instead of using history in its proper sense of investigating the past with an open mind, they turn it into polemics. They distort history by searching it for evidence that bolsters their prejudice and neglecting evidence that runs counter to their views. David Eller’s chapter in the new atheist anthology Christianity Is Not Great (Prometheus, 2014) focuses on the Crusades and the “Inquisitions,” with attention also to forced conversions, support of warfare, and the witch craze. Eller finds a core of violence in Christianity’s attitude toward other religions, even implying, contrary to all evidence, that Christianity is to blame for the hostility between Christianity and Islam. He goes so far as to accuse Christians of obsessing about death by worshiping a dead man. This antitheism fails both to address any positive achievements of historical Christianity and to admit any of the horrors brought about by atheist regimes such as those of Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, Mao Zedong, and Pol Pot. This self-induced blindness ignores the truth that, excepting Judaism, Christianity is by far the most persecuted religion in the world, not only historically but also very much in the present.

The Courage of Conviction in Hacksaw Ridge By John McAteer

Hacksaw Ridge is an inspirational movie by director Mel Gibson that tells the true story of Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector during World War II. Doss doesn’t believe in killing, but he sees all the other young men going into the army, so he enlists as a combat medic, famously going on to singlehandedly carry seventy-five wounded soldiers to safety during the battle of Hacksaw Ridge in Okinawa. He consequently became the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor.

Desmond is a Seventh Day Adventist, a tradition that encourages nonviolence, including pacifism and vegetarianism. But not all Seventh Day Adventists refuse to fight. Desmond’s own father and brother chose to go to war because it seemed right to them. So why did Desmond feel compelled to make a different choice?

In the film, Desmond is haunted by two incidents from his childhood. Once he was wrestling with his brother, as children do, but he unthinkingly grabs a nearby brick and smashes his brother in the head with it. Desmond feels guilty and knows he “could have killed him.” We see him meditating on an illustration of the Caine and Abel story and its caption: “Thou shalt not kill.” His mother has taught him that killing is the “worst sin” a person can commit, and this incident reinforces the gravity of violence.

Annihilating Arguments For Abortion By Hank Hanegraaff

“The most merciful thing a large family can do for one of its infants is to kill it.” (Margaret Sanger, Founder, Planned Parenthood)

“We have yet to beat our drums for birth control in the way we beat them for polio vaccine, we are still unable to put babies in the class of dangerous epidemics, even though this is the exact truth.” (Dr. Mary S. Calderone, Sex Information and Education Council of the United States — SIECUS)

Make no mistake — “pro-choice” advocates are not friends of women or babies. America’s unthinking submission to the lies and twisted arguments of the so-called pro-choice movement will move us inexorably toward social genocide of a magnitude eclipsing that of Hitler, Stalin, Somalia, the Serb-Croate conflict, or any other massacre openly denounced in our media.

The movement’s own label — “pro-choice” — is a twisted deception, covering up for a social genocide where the “right” to choose to kill one’s preborn baby reigns supreme over that baby’s human rights; over the rights of the mother to receive accurate information about fetal development and the dangerous consequences to herself from abortion; over the rights of the parents of a pregnant minor; over the rights of the preborn’s father; and over the rights of a human society to protect all its members — no matter what their social status, economic independence, physical limitations, or acceptance by their families. Those who continue to fight legislation restricting abortion are not “pro-choice,” they are “pro-abortion,” or more accurately, “pro-murder.”

Reading a Sci-fi, Pro-life Theodicy in Arrival By John McAteer

Arrival is classic “hard” science fiction in the tradition of Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov novels from the 1950s and ‘60s. What makes it science fiction is not that it depicts the arrival on Earth of alien spaceships but that it attempts to imagine this scenario in the context of real-life science. Like all the best sci-fi stories, Arrival takes a theoretical scientific hypothesis and extrapolates the implications of that real idea into a fictional future.

One thing that puzzles physicists is the “arrow of time.” In quantum physics, certain mathematical formulas are symmetrical, meaning they work both forward and backward with regard to time. In real life, we all know that time “flows” in only one direction—you can’t change the past—but there is no mathematical reason for this. Arrival asks the question, what if it is only our language that prevents us from understanding time differently?

The idea is that since human language is spoken, it happens in time. Every sentence has a beginning, middle, and end, and the meaning of the sentence is determined by the temporal order in which the words are spoken. (Even languages like Latin whose word order can be very flexible, especially in poetry, still has a typical word order in ordinary contexts where real-time communication is the goal.) Written language works the same way, because written words are symbols of spoken words. Arrival imagines an alien civilization with a completely different kind of language.

Five Differences between Sharia and Old Testament Law By David Wood

Although numerous politicians, reporters, and Muslim organizations assure concerned Westerners that the actions of ISIS, Boko Haram, al-Qaeda, al-Shabab, and the Taliban have little or nothing to do with Islam, anyone familiar with Islam’s most trusted sources knows that beheadings, terrorism, and the sexual exploitation of female captives were practiced and promoted by Muhammad and his companions. Hence, challenging the actions of terrorist groups ultimately requires challenging the teachings of Islam.

But there is a difficulty for Christians who oppose violence committed in the name of Allah. The Old Testament contains harsh punishments similar to those found in the Qur’an and the Hadith,1 and the wars of Joshua bear some resemblance to the wars of Muhammad and the “rightly guided” caliphs. How, then, can Christians condemn the attacks carried out by ISIS without thereby condemning our own scriptures? Are we simply being inconsistent?

In this article, we will consider five important differences between sharia (Islamic law) and Old Testament law. Before we discuss the differences, however, we should take note of the similarities that lead to charges of inconsistency.

Contemporary Atheists and Sneer By Graham Veale

I’ll confess that I feel sorry for contemporary atheists. There was a time when “atheism” simply meant “rejecting belief in a God or gods.” Thanks to the rise of New Atheism, things are not so simple for the modern atheist. Today, the discerning skeptic can choose from a smorgasbord of brands, including antitheism, nontheism, friendly atheism, militant atheism, activist atheism, agnostic atheism, and plain old-fashioned atheism. Old-fashioned atheists are a straightforward bunch; they have rejected belief in God for emotional or intellectual reasons that they usually can articulate. Atheism is just something they happen to believe.

The newer atheists are a different kettle of fish: atheism is part of their identity, and they consider themselves part of a movement. They have arguments for atheism, but usually these have been copied and pasted from Dawkins and Hitchens and can be reduced to the length of a “tweet.” They often are passionate about their branch of “atheist movement” yet also will insist that atheism isn’t actually a belief system. In other words, their thinking tends to be a little addled, and this makes reasoning with them difficult.

May the Force Bewitch You: Evaluating the Star Wars Worldview By Robert Velarde

For nearly forty years, the Star Wars motion picture saga has captivated audiences the world over. With three new films on the horizon, Star Wars remains culturally relevant and iconic. Its music, sounds, visual effects, characters, and extensive merchandising resonate with millions of people. But technical brilliance and commercial success do not always equate with truth. The Star Wars worldview may at first glance appear to support Christian morality, such as the reality of good and evil, the search for meaning and redemption, and the pursuit of virtue. In reality, however, Star Wars is replete with non-Christian worldview concepts, including elements of Gnosticism, Taoism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Eastern meditation, occultism, and moral relativism. Star Wars, for instance, posits a yin-yang balance of opposing powers, which it calls “the Force”—a prominent thread in the films that has much in common with Taoism. Monistic pantheism is another element of the Star Wars movies that, in this case, borrows heavily from Hinduism. Moreover, aspects of the occult are prevalent in the Star Wars films and infuse various discussions and training involving the Force. Occult elements of Star Wars include telepathy, telekinesis, mind reading, and spiritism, to name a few. In addition, when it comes to its epistemology, Star Wars roots knowledge firmly in the realm of subjective feelings, urging viewers with pithy admonitions such as, “Feel, don’t think.” Far from being Christian, the Star Wars worldview is, on multiple levels, diametrically opposed to Christianity. The films may be entertaining, but the claims they make about faith, reality, knowledge, and morality do not correspond with truth.

Unpacking Anime’s Thematic and Spiritual Depth By Jason Morehead

Originally a niche medium, anime (Japanese animation) has experienced a massive explosion in popularity in recent decades. Its cultural influence is widespread, from massive conventions full of truly devoted fans to Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters and family films. However, anime can be daunting to explore and understand due to both cultural differences as well as its willingness to feature more mature themes and subject matter then are usually found in American animation (including sex and violence). While this is cause for concern, anime’s willingness to wrestle with serious themes also means that it contains numerous titles that parallel Christian theology in surprising ways, and are worth the discerning believer’s consideration. Studio Ghibli has become the most celebrated studio in anime history thanks to its beautifully rendered tales full of moral complexity and ambiguity. Ghost in the Shell offers a cyberpunk look at technology’s challenges to our definition of what it means to be human. One man’s never-ending search for atonement and forgiveness is at the heart of Rurouni Kenshin’s samurai tale. Haibane Renmei’s depiction of the wages of sin and self-righteousness could easily have been lifted from 1 John’s opening chapter. And finally, Attack on Titan is a violent and harrowing look at what it means to live in an apparently materialistic and godless universe. Titles like these not only offer Christians some fascinating explorations of important themes, but they also provide a way for believers to engage with one of pop culture’s most dynamic influences.

Philosophy, Politics, and the End of Liberal Arts Education By Adam C. Pelser

From elementary schools to colleges and graduate schools, education in the STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is widely considered far more valuable to society—because it is believed to be more technologically and economically productive—than education in the humanities, such as philosophy, classical literature, history, and the other non-STEM liberal arts. At its most extreme, this valuation of STEM education over non-STEM education takes the form of blatant denigration of study in the humanities.

U.S. senator and former Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio, for example, has made a habit of disparaging the study of philosophy in his remarks about education reform, repeatedly joking along the campaign trail that “the job market for ancient Greek philosophers has been very tight for 2,000 years.” In one seemingly well-intentioned attempt during a Republican debate to promote the value of technical trade schools, Rubio made the arguably false (and ungrammatical) claim that “welders make more money than philosophers. We need more welders and less philosophers.” The audience responded with enthusiastic applause.

The Hidden Faith of Silence By John McAteer

One’s first encounter with Silence — whether reading the 1966 Japanese novel by Shusaku Endo or watching the 2016 Hollywood movie adaptation by Martin Scorsese — can be a challenging experience for several reasons. For one thing, the content of the story is challenging. Silence is about the persecution of Christians in seventeenth-century Japan, and it includes several harrowing scenes depicting the torture and execution of Japanese martyrs. (The film is rated R due to graphic violence.) The story builds to a devastating climactic dilemma in which a priest must choose between denying Christ or watching the Christians he serves be tortured to death. Worse, the way this scene plays out challenges orthodox theological views of apostasy. The scene seems to portray the voice of Christ Himself justifying apostasy in this case to save innocent lives. I don’t think this is in fact the best way to interpret the novel or the film. The reason it seems to make this error is that, beyond the challenging content, the form of the story — the way the story is told — is challenging as well.

When Someone You Love Says, “I’m Gay” By Joe Dallas

As homosexuality becomes more broadly accepted within the culture, it’s no surprise that more Christian families are hearing a loved one say, “I’m gay; I’ve accepted it; I intend to live it out.” Aside from the obvious emotions raised, a number of questions come up as well: Can I say anything to change his mind? How do I handle it if she gets into a relationship with another woman? What about my gay teen? What if he marries another man?

These concerns spring from a real-life crisis many Christian homes are facing today. Two primary questions arise as well: What about us? and What about God? Both questions are relevant to the discussion families will have when addressing the issue, and believers need to frame them wisely.

When responding to a family member “coming out,” a Christian should first clarify his own feelings in response, then stress the importance of the relationship and clarify mutual expectations as well. A broader discussion about worldview, the claims of Christ, and what created intent there may be for the human sexual experience should follow.

While we cannot override someone else’s free will, we can and should seek to engage them, thereby being part of the work God is seeking to do in their lives.

The Nazi War against Christianity By Irving Hexham and Karla Poewe

Today, rationalist propaganda loudly proclaims that the Nazis were Christians and that Christianity, especially Protestant Christianity, was responsible for the Holocaust and untold crimes against humanity. Such claims are based on poor history and a failure to understand the complexity of National Socialism, which at its core was a new religious movement. Refuting this misleading conception of history is important for both Christians and non-Christians alike who hope to understand the depth of Nazi evil.

Postmodern Death: Organ Transplantation and Human Value By Richard J. Poupard

Although organ transplantation has saved many lives, there remain ethical issues especially regarding determining when a patient dies. Brain death has been widely accepted and has changed the basis for determining death from biology to philosophy. Donation after cardiac death has evolved as an alternative method where a patient is allowed to die in a controlled manner in an attempt to save organs for donation. Both methods of determining death have the potential to decrease our human value at the end of life.

A Reconsideration of Romantic Love By Rob Whitley

Romantic love has always stimulated a brisk trade. Belgian chocolates, vintage claret, redolent bouquets, designer clothes, and weekend getaways have never come cheaply. But contemporary society differs somewhat from times past inasmuch as the search for romantic love has become big business, propelled mostly by young people. In an effort to find Mr. or Miss Right, young people can consume a whole array of dizzying products that promise, in one way or another, invaluable assistance in the quest for romantic love. Dozens of Internet dating services vie for their trade—all shorn of the sadness and stigma that used to pervade the local newspaper’s somewhat seedy lonely hearts column. While conducting one-stop shopping for books or music on amazon.com, the Internet surfer can simultaneously visit the many variants of “www.love.com.” These sites offer an alluring promise of one-stop love. Within minutes you could be talking live to your life partner. If this is not sufficient, why not sign up for one of the burgeoning speed-dating events, where instant intimacy is promised at the ring of a bell? The enduring and expanding nature of these dating services is a testament to their popular appeal in the twenty-first century.

Christian Hip-Hop: A Generation’s Words By John K. Wells

Hip-hop has an incredible built-in potential to be used as a vehicle to herald the gospel, teach doctrine, and lead people in the worship and praise of the Creator of all things. Since the late 1980s, many have used it as a tool to do just that. A term for a new category of music and ministry, Christian hip-hop (CHH), was coined. As with many aspects of Christian culture, there is a division regarding the necessity and relevance of CHH, but even many of its supporters see that popular CHH is beginning to move away from the biblical principles that not only gave it liberty but also power and philosophical grounding.

Over the past thirty years, CHH has faced major challenges ranging from the hostility of a hip-hop community that allowed for everything and everyone except for Jesus to the suspicions of a church at large that questioned whether hip-hop could ever be anything but worldly and demonic. CHH has survived its oxymoronic birth and reserved a place (though a troubled one) in the urban ministry landscape. Its various movements, from the Cross Movement to the more current and prevailing 116 Movement (Rom. 1:16), have rekindled an old controversy familiar to those aware of discussions regarding “cultural engagement” by the church.

Ultimately, the questions orbit around whether or not hip-hop is a perfect capsule for carrying the gospel and biblical information simply based on its structure and its various creeds (keep it real; be unashamed and unapologetic). Furthermore, does the minister or the artist intent on using hip-hop to reach the world and/or to edify the church need to anchor his ministry philosophy or art to the timeless principles found in the Bible? Or is it more important to pursue relevance, art excellence, and mutual respect from the culture and the industry as a means of reaching those otherwise unconcerned with Christian hip-hop?

“Jesus-Shaped” Cultures: How Faithful Christians Have Transformed Societies By Paul Copan

As I am writing this article, I am sitting in the airport in Delhi, India. My wife, Jacqueline, and I traveled here at the invitation of our friend Dr. Thom Wolf of the University Institute, New Delhi. I was asked to lecture on the topic of the dramatic, well-documented impact made by faithful, dedicated Christians across history and in many different societies—particularly in the West.

Our visit to India has clearly highlighted for us the sharp demarcation between differing cultural configurations—what Wolf calls “WV3 matrices” (see the WV3 Geo Lifezones graph below). For example, consider how Christians’ actions or “good deeds” (their worldvenue) are the result of an outlook or perspective (worldview) that has been shaped by their ultimate role model, Jesus of Nazareth (their worldvoice).

A Mind for the Beautiful By Bob Perry

Those of us who are engaged in the project of defending our Christian convictions spend a lot of time talking about the objective nature of truth and morality based on the biblical understanding that these are not the kinds of things we can construct for ourselves. They are transcendent properties of reality that we discover and with which wisdom compels us to align. A lot of ink has gone to paper in defense of the objective nature of truth and goodness and their grounding in the character of God. But the ancient philosophers who identified them as components of metaphysical reality always spoke of them within a triumvirate of Truth, Goodness and Beauty. Modernity has perverted our understanding of the latter with the corrosive acid of relativism in the same ways it has corrupted truth and goodness, and for the same reasons. We indulge that corruption any time we repeat the notion that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” It most certainly is not. Beauty is an objective feature of the universe that is linked to truth and goodness by its origin in the nature of God. It is reflected in the order, balance, and symmetry of nature and revealed by our scientific and experiential discoveries. It is described by the mathematical relationships we find in the world, which have their foundation in the divine logos. It is reproduced in the arts, and in the human propensity to be creators in the image of Him who created us.

Church Discipline By John M. Frame

My childhood church taught me the Bible pretty well, but they taught me almost nothing about church discipline. After I grew up, however, I was somewhat stunned by the discovery that church discipline is a major theme of the Scriptures. In the Old Testament, we learn early that God excluded Adam and Eve from the garden after they had violated His command (Gen. 3:23–24). In the time of Abraham, God said that any male of the covenant family would be “cut off” if he were not circumcised (Gen. 17:14). In the law of Moses, God punished many sins by this kind of exile (see Exod. 12:15; 19; 30:33; 38; 31:34, and many other texts).1 Later, God expelled the whole nation of Israel from the Promised Land because of their idolatry (Jer. 10), their oppression of the poor (Isa. 3:13–26, Amos 5:11–12), and their failure to care for the land (2 Chron. 36:21). In the New Testament, Jesus establishes a rule of discipline in the church, beginning with individual confrontation, continuing with church involvement. If the offender is not repentant, the conclusion is to “let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector” (Matt. 18:17). Paul later devotes a whole chapter to urge the Corinthian church to cast out a man who had been committing incest with his father’s wife (1 Cor. 5:1–13).

What Does the Bible Teach about the Cannabis Plant? By H. Wayne House

The debate regarding the use of marijuana has heated up considerably in recent years. This has caused individual states to decriminalize the use of marijuana. There are many political, medical, and scientific responses to this change in the acceptance of pot, but the evidence is still strongly against such usage.

Separate from the medical question discussed above, there is also now a change in how many Christians have come to the defense of the use of marijuana, arguing that Scripture supports its use. These Christians believe that the Bible supports use of the drug or, at the least, marijuana is no more sinful than the use of other drugs that Christians imbibe, such as tobacco, coffee, and alcohol. Though the medical and scientific evidence regarding marijuana is important, my focus in this article relates to whether the Bible truly supports its use by believers.

Condemnation and Grace: Polygamy and Concubinage in the Old Testament

The divine design for marriage established at creation is a monogamous relationship between “a man…and…his wife” (Gen. 2:24).1 Paul’s citation of this verse makes even more explicit the monogamous design: “And the two [not three or more] shall become one flesh” (Eph. 5:31, emphasis added). Monogamy is ultimately rooted in monotheism and in the concept of imago Dei (image of God): just as the Lord God, who is “one” (Deut. 6:4), is not involved in promiscuous relationships within a polytheistic pantheon, so husbands and wives, created in God’s image, are to be monogamous in their marital relationship with each other. However, a distortion of the creation design for monogamy manifests itself during Old Testament times in the practice of polygamy and concubinage.2

Hath God Said? Assessing the Church’s “Change of Heart” about Homosexuality By Joe Dallas

“First one starts questioning, based on what the world around us is saying, then one looks at Scripture, then theology, then scientific study—until finally what the Scriptures teach is completely subjected to whatever view is currently accepted by the world.”

—Francis Schaeffer

Eve was approached by the serpent with a simple inquiry: Did God really say what you think He did? (Gen. 3:1). Her first mistake was engagement (Gen. 3:2), when she began a dialogue with someone who not only questioned the obvious but also went on to cast aspersions on God’s intentions, then minimized the seriousness of disobeying Him (Gen. 3:4–5). There’s no overstating the catastrophe that followed. Eve was deceived, Adam sinned, and in Adam all die (1 Tim. 2:14; Rom. 5:12; 2 Cor. 15:11).

How Does Sanctification Work? (Part Two) By David Powlison

At the close of John’s Gospel, he stands back and considers all that he has witnessed: “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25; all Scripture citations ESV).

What would all those unwritten books say? We know with certainty that they would contain the same kinds of things as the book that John did write. His Gospel largely consists of scenes selected from Jesus’ encounters and conversations with various followers, foes, inquirers, and undecideds. The books that could be written would tell of innumerable further interactions. They would tell all that John left out from before Jesus ascended, and all that John witnessed during the subsequent fifty years of his life as the Spirit carried on Jesus’ work. No doubt they would also tell all that the Lord has been doing throughout the centuries since John died. Those unwritten books to which John refers cannot be numbered because every person and circumstance displays never-to-be-repeated elements.

Responding to Pro-Gay Revisionist Talking Points By Sean McDowell

Not long ago, I attended the Reformation Project national conference, which is part of a larger movement committed to reforming the church’s traditional views on homosexuality.1My goal was simply to meet people and learn about the movement from the inside. Along with worship, testimonies, and lectures, there were multiple ninety-minute sessions focused on helping people rebut biblical arguments against homosexuality and to make the most compelling case for the compatibility of Christianity and same-sex relationships. These sessions were led by Reformation Project president Matthew Vines and author and professor James Brownson.

The Justice of Hell? By Donald T. Williams

Many atheists (and some Christians) object to the doctrine of hell on the premise that it is inherently unjust. How, they ask, can it be right for a good and just God to impose an eternal punishment for merely temporal sins? How can it be just to impose an infinite punishment for finite sins? It is hard to see how human beings, being temporal and finite creatures, could commit any other kinds of sin than finite ones. But unending conscious punishment is, well, unending. Add infinity to any finite number, and you see the problem.

The atheist who pursues this line of reasoning finds support for his or her suspicion that the Christian concept of a good God is incoherent. The Christian who does so seeks to revise or eliminate altogether the traditional doctrine of eternal punishment. And one must admit that this thinking has a certain surface plausibility. People thus persuaded might well question whether traditional Christian belief really takes the goodness and justice of God with sufficient seriousness.

Reservoir Gods: Quentin Tarantino’s Premodern Theology By Philip Tallon

Despite being one of the most critically lauded directors in cinema; despite winning two Oscars for screenwriting and the Palme d’Or; despite being continually successful at the box office; despite talking explicitly with God in his movies; despite centering his most famous film around a theological discussion; despite all these things, Quentin Tarantino is rarely seriously discussed in Christian journalism. And this is completely understandable. 

Digital Souls: What Should Christians Believe about Artificial Intelligence? By James Hoskins

There is a growing conviction in Western culture that computers eventually will become conscious. In the past three years alone, people from opposite ends of the societal spectrum have expressed both dread and hope about this occurring. Scientists Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, and Bill Gates all voiced concern that artificial intelligence (A.I.) poses a threat to the safety of humanity.1 One Presbyterian pastor in Florida said he is planning to share the gospel with the robots once they awaken.2 In the artistic world, writers explored the interesting question of whether we will fall in love with our new machine superiors—as depicted in movies such as Ex Machina, Transcendence, and HER.

The Sting of Death: Albert Camus and the Fight for Life By Stephen Mitchell

“Beauty is unbearable, drives us to despair, offering us for a minute the glimpse of an eternity that we should like to stretch out over the whole of time.”

—Albert Camus, Notebooks, 1935–1942

“I know that in order to keep alive, the absurd cannot be settled. It escapes suicide to the extent that it is simultaneously awareness and rejection of death.”—Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus

Is Jesus’ Name Used in Vain? Answering the Sacred Name Movement By James Patrick Holding

As Christians, we frequently pray “in the name of Jesus.” In the biblical world, a name represented a person’s authority and was a symbol of all that a person stood for. A peculiar movement afield today, fostered by groups such as the Hebrew Israelites and the “Sacred Name Movement,” declares that Christians are making a fundamental error when they pray in the name of Jesus. It is said that by using the Anglicanized translation Jesus, rather than the original Hebrew Yehoshua (or Yeshua), we are dishonoring the name of our Savior. Similar objections are raised against the variation Iesous, which appears in New Testament Greek.

The Origin and Insufficiency of the Black Hebrew Israelite Movement By Jimmy Butts

SYNOPSIS

Similar to the early church, African American Christianity historically has focused more on survival in the midst of persecution and oppression rather than systematizing doctrine. This historical context left both groups vulnerable to false teaching. However, just as the early church birthed theologians and apologists to respond to these new challenges, African Americans have come to a point in their history where there is a need for a response to teachings that have capitalized on their vulnerability.

The Black Hebrew Israelites is one group that has infiltrated black communities to preach a gospel that is contrary to Scripture. A familiarity with the history of African American Christianity will shed light on the origins of this movement. Tracing the Exodus motif in early African American Christianity reveals that the claims of Black Hebrews originate from a shift from symbolic to literal identification with the biblical Hebrews. Furthermore, the claim that all African Americans are Hebrews ignores the historical and scientifically verifiable fact that African slaves were brought from a multitude of diverse countries in Africa. Consequently, the Black Hebrew doctrine conflicts with the ethnic diversity of African Americans.

Considering life’s most ultimate question—How do I get right with God?—the Black Hebrew Israelite doctrine is impotent. Pauline soteriology rejects any claim of advantage before God based on ethnic identification or attempts to keep the Law of Moses. Although Black Hebraism addresses important issues in black communities, their worldview is founded on an unstable foundation.

Reason, Truth, Faith, and Literary Imagination: Literature as Apologetics By James W. Sire

The world of Christian books is filled with rational apologetics. Based on commonly held premises and commonly understood data, Christians construct arguments designed to convince nonbelievers to accept the Christian faith and put their trust in Christ as Savior. The shelves of churches ache with the weight of book after book of reason-based arguments. I’ve written some of them myself.

Recovering the Lost Unity of Heart and Mind By James Hoskins

We’ve been sold a story—a cultural narrative—that has hindered both the intellectual and emotional life of the church. This story, like the air we breathe, is invisible, ubiquitous, and has existed long before any of us were born. The story I am speaking of is one of human progress, from religious ignorance to scientific knowledge.

When Baby-Making Takes Three: You, Me, and She By Heather Zeiger

SYNOPSIS 

Today there are many options for infertile couples wanting to have a child of their own. One of these options is surrogacy, in which another woman carries a child for them. This typically involves the use of in vitro fertilization (IVF), and the child may or may not be genetically related to the couple.

Additionally, the woman may or may not be financially compensated. Often these arrangements do not go as smoothly as planned. Infertility can be devastating for couples. Although it is good to find ways to counter the effects of the Fall, including alleviating the pain of unrealized, God-given desires, surrogacy is not compatible with biblical ethics.

Creeds: Relics or Relevant? By Thomas Cornman

What might the word “creed” bring to your mind? For some who might prefer the term “statement of faith,” the word suggests a liturgical religious tradition. From a secular perspective, it could represent a deeply held guiding belief. For many who claim the name of Christ, a creed (from the Latin credo, “I believe”) is the framework of shared beliefs derived from Scripture and around which we unite with other Christians. The history of the Christian church is replete with vigorous debate over what should be included in our core beliefs. Indeed, the creeds or confessions of faith have been a means both to test orthodoxy and by which to pass on our faith.

Human Flourishing and the Myth of Religious Neutrality By Angus Menuge

SYNOPSIS 

There are many different views of the “good life”: the kind of life that enables human beings to achieve their full potential. As Thomas Sowell has noticed, these views fall broadly into two main categories, those that recognize objective limitations on our desires (the constrained vision) and those that do not (the unconstrained vision). Examples of the constrained vision include Hobbes’s social contract theory, stoicism, and Christian anthropology. Examples of the unconstrained vision include Rousseau’s social contract theory, John Stuart Mill’s view of liberty, atheistic existentialism, secular humanism, and postmodernism. How does a secular state, one committed to religious neutrality, properly respond to this situation, in which so many accounts of the good life compete for dominance? I argue that the state cannot simply endorse one of the particular views (or broader visions) because they are all inherently religious. They are religious in the sense defined by Martin Luther and Paul Tillich, because they take a stand on what has ultimate significance for orienting our life; and they are religious in the sense defined by Roy Clouser, because they presuppose a view of bedrock reality. So if the state endorsed any of the views, it would be guilty of establishing a religious perspective.

But does that mean that Christians are debarred from contending for the merits of the Christian view of life in the public square? I argue that it does not, provided Christians are careful to employ a religiously neutral empirical methodology that fairly adjudicates the competition between religiously committed positions. For example, Christians can show that their understanding of vocation, sacrifice, and charity is good both for those who practice it and for society.

The New Theistic Evolutionists: BioLogos and the Rush to Embrace the “Consensus” By Casey Luskin

SYNOPSIS

BioLogos is a nonprofit foundation formed by Francis Collins in 2007 to promote the view that an evolutionary scientific position is fully correct and compatible with Christianity. The Templeton Foundation has awarded BioLogos more than $8.7 million—enough to bring campus ministry leaders to all-expenses-paid conferences in Manhattan, expanding BioLogos’s influence.

A key difference between BioLogos and intelligent design is BioLogos’s view that design cannot, in principle, be scientifically detected in nature, or that design could be scientifically detected, but isn’t. BioLogos believes the evolutionary “consensus” should not be questioned, and maintains nonexperts should defer to the consensus. They fear that when Christians challenge the consensus, this produces “anti-science attitudes” that “hinder evangelism.” BioLogos defends the consensus, despite recent scientific discoveries affecting theories regarding the origin of life, neo-Darwinian evolution, common ancestry, and junk DNA, which contradict the consensus. Fearing the “god of the gaps” fallacy, BioLogos eschews arguments for faith that defy the consensus and argues the consensus is consistent with Christianity. This might prevent some Christians from becoming atheists, but it gives atheists essentially no intellectual reasons to become Christians.

Collins hoped to develop a new theology of creation, and BioLogos challenges the traditional theological consensus on core doctrines such as the historicity and importance of Adam and Eve. Even Collins concedes to atheists the crucial neo-Darwinian claim that life’s history appears “unguided” (even if it really wasn’t). If BioLogos promotes viewpoints that are scientifically flawed, theologically hostile, and apologetically weak, why are many Christians rushing to embrace them? I believe the answer, in part, is cultural pressure.

Morality, Therefore God: An Evangelistic Strategy By Sarah C. Geis

Humans may disagree on what behaviors are moral, or on the best way to make specific moral decisions. Even so, our fundamental concept of goodness has to come from somewhere. This is what the moral argument for the existence of God addresses. Put simply, morality exists; therefore, God exists. For a culture intoxicated by naturalism, morality provides a strong reason to believe in a Creator—the prerequisite for belief in the person and work of Jesus Christ. For many Christians, the moral argument can serve as an apologetic starting point for evangelization.

Discerning the Times: Why We Lost the Culture War and How to Make a Comeback By Donald T. Williams

SYNOPSIS

We lost the culture war, not because we had bad arguments for the positions we espoused, but because we had already lost it on the more fundamental ground of hermeneutics. Focused on theology, philosophy, ethics, and politics, we paid insufficient attention to changes taking place in our colleges in how reading and writing were taught. The old grammatico-historical exegesis, the attempt to discover the author’s message to his original audience, was replaced by a new view in which authorial intention is irrelevant at best and meaning is in the eye of the beholder. When people are taught to read this way, the authority of all cultural texts—including our founding documents and Scripture—is undermined, so that even good arguments for traditional values lose their traction. To reverse this defeat, we must recognize the importance of reading and how it is taught. You cannot win the battle for theology or ethics if you have lost the battle for philology.

There’s Something about Relativism By Travis M. Dickinson

There is something attractive about relativism. There’s something nice about being able to tell a person who holds a contrary view that both of us are right. If this were to be the case, we wouldn’t even need to agree to disagree. We wouldn’t need to keep our distance or find other subjects to discuss when in polite company. We can just relativize! We can say that “your belief is true… for you. But no worries, my (contrary) belief is true, too…for me.” How awesome is that?

Does James 1:5 Teach about Praying for a Testimony? By Eric Johnson

There is nothing more important to a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS, Mormon) than having a personal “testimony” confirm the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and, ultimately, Mormonism. Fourteen-year-old Joseph Smith, Jr., first utilized James 1:5 as a Mormon proof text in 1820. Mormonism teaches that God the Father and Jesus appeared to the eventual church founder in a vision that took place soon after he prayed about the true church.

Morality, Therefore God: An Evangelistic Strategy By Richard G. Howe

SYNOPSIS

The term witchcraft evokes different images for different people. Many Westerners would be surprised to know that more and more of their contemporaries are embracing witchcraft as a viable expression of their own spirituality. However marginal or far out it may have seemed in the past, it is clear that witchcraft is becoming progressively more mainstream throughout the world.

Satanism: A Taste for the Dark Side By Richard G. Howe

 SYNOPSIS

Satanism is a topic that many people would prefer to ignore despite the fact that for some it has become a way of life, a philosophy, indeed, a religion. What started out as perhaps an American novelty is now being recognized by some, even in other countries, as a bona fide way to worship. When Anton Szandor LaVey burst onto the scene in the 1960s with his Church of Satan and his dark and foreboding Satanic Bible, many were shocked. Some welcomed him, however, and to them LaVey became a mentor, if not a guru. LaVey’s Satanism was, for them, a long-awaited religion that celebrated man’s natural carnal desires and instincts and eschewed hypocrisy, acknowledging that the lives that people live on Saturday night should be preached on Sunday morning.

Is Satanism nothing more than a concession to our passions, or does it have substance beyond that? Its growth and development over the past nearly 40 years cause many to think there is more, including those who still embrace this religion of the dark side even after the novelty has worn off and who want others to understand why.

An Ethic of Instagram By Amber Stamper

Since the launch of social media photo-sharing app Instagram in October 2010, the trendy service has grown exponentially. According to PC World, by the end of 2010, there were more than 1 million active “Instagrammers” online; by the end of 2011, this number had soared to more than 10 million; by 2012, it was more than 30 million; and by the end of 2014, Instagram cofounder Kevin Systrom announced that the app had been accessed by more than 300 million users in the month of December alone.1

Suicide Squad, Deadpool, and the Rise of the Comic Book Antihero By John McAteer

Something is changing in the way our culture is portraying comic book superheroes. Have you noticed? In 2016 alone, we have seen Deadpool, Batman vs. Superman, and now Suicide Squad on the big screen (together raking in over $2 billion worldwide), as well as Lucifer and The Preacher on TV. What all of these movies and TV shows have in common is their portrayal of morally compromised superheroes who are willing to lie, steal, torture, and even murder bad guys. What are we to make of the rise of antiheroes?

Logical and Biblical Defeaters of Reincarnation and Karma By Douglas Groothuis

Hinduism and Buddhism have convinced tens of millions of people over centuries that human beings survive the grave. They neither cease to exist nor await a restitution of their physical bodies once for all at the resurrection of the dead. Rather, our good and bad deeds produce good and bad outcomes (karma)

in the next and subsequent lives (reincarnation). Especially in the past hundred years, scores of Westerners (whether Hindu or Buddhist or not) have embraced the doctrines of reincarnation and karma.

Thanksgiving and the F-A-C-T-S on Prayer By Hank Hanegraaff

Thanksgiving should not be only a once-a-year event. It should be the perpetual attitude of our hearts. In fact, thanksgiving is inextricably woven together with the principles of prayer. Too often people think of prayer as a way of getting things from God. In reality, it is about intimacy with God. A memorable way of prioritizing the principles for developing intimacy with God through prayer is found in the acronym F-A-C-T-S. And it starts with the prayer of faith.

What the Size of the Cosmos Doesn’t Say about Mankind By Melissa Cain Travis

Is humankind the crown of all creation or a temporary collection of particles inhabiting an unremarkable bit of rock? Pop science journalism, which is an increasingly influential voice in our culture, often suggests the latter, reinforcing the secular message that the Christian conception of man has been made obsolete by the findings of modern science.

Wealth and Stewardship: Key Biblical Principles By Michael W. Austin

Americans have a lot of stuff. Our houses are larger than ever and are full of more material goods than most people in past generations would have dreamed of owning. For many, the American Dream still revolves around better, bigger, and more things, including cars, houses, and expensive consumer goods. The average size of a single-family home in the United States has increased from a footprint of 1,650 square feet in 1978 to just below 2,500 square feet in recent years. Many Americans habitually upgrade their smartphones, computers, and home entertainment systems in pursuit of the latest and greatest technologies. We buy, use, upgrade, and dispose. At the other end of the spectrum, there are many who are espousing minimalism. For example, an entire industry and movement surrounding “tiny houses” (around 150 to 200 square feet) is gaining momentum.1 There are blogs, conferences, and books dedicated to this movement. Others are leaving suburbia and headed out on the open road with their families in pursuit of adventure and a richer family life.2

Typological Fulfillment: The Key to Messianic Prophecy By Hank Hanegraaff

Predictive prophecy is fairly straightforward. As such, Micah 5:2 is a predictive prophecy directly and specifically fulfilled with the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. Typological prophecy is somewhat more complex in that it involves a divinely intended pattern of events encompassing both historical correspondence and intensification. “Typology views the relationship of Old Testament events to those in the new dispensation not as a ‘one-to-one’ correspondence, in which the old is repeated or continued, but rather in terms of two principles, historical correspondence and escalation.”1 When Matthew says that the virgin birth of Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (7:14), he is speaking of typological rather than predictive fulfillment. Only when the elegance of typology is comprehended can the mystery of Scripture be fully apprehended.

The Star of Bethlehem By T. Michael Davis

Matthew, in his gospel account of the life of Christ, recorded the appearance of a star that guided magi to Bethlehem so that they might pay tribute to the newborn King of the Jews. Through the years there have been many hypothetical explanations, whether natural, astronomical, or astrological, of the nature and behavior of this so-called star of Bethlehem. The appearance could have been a new bright star or comet or the movements of the planets relative to each other, the sun, and the moon. Perhaps what the magi saw was a nova or supernova bright enough to qualify as a real star (as we know them today) with astronomical and historical significance. A comet might have moved, over a few months’ time, from one constellation to another, more southerly, constellation. It is possible that major planets could have come into close proximity with each other, appearing as one, which would have created significant interest in professional observers of the night sky. Any one of these natural occurrences would have been noteworthy, and God certainly could have used them in His divine plan to announce to the world the birth of His Son and to guide a select group of astronomers to be His first worshipers. It is possible, however, to follow Matthew’s account of the star from a more supernatural viewpoint, consistent with the biblical record and with the supernatural character of the event to which the star pointed and in doing so realize that the magi were led to Bethlehem, not by light from space, but by light from heaven.

Doubt as Virtue: How to Doubt and Have Faith without Exploding By Travis M. Dickinson

An experience of intellectual doubt is often taken by Christians to be a sign of weak faith. I argue, however, that an encounter with doubt, when treated properly, is extremely valuable, since it can lead to knowledge and an even greater faith. To see this, it’s important to understand the nature of doubt. Intellectual doubt should be defined as finding plausible what we take to be a potentially defeating claim. This definition provides insights for how to evaluate one’s doubts. My claim is that it is completely rational to maintain our Christian faith while experiencing doubt. This allows us to in turn evaluate the reasonableness of our doubt. Evidence matters with intellectual doubt, since a doubt requires outweighing evidence to defeat a belief effectively. Merely to find an objection plausible is not for there to be a preponderance of evidence in its favor. The upshot of all this is that, by addressing our doubts, we are forced to think more carefully about our faith (i.e., we have greater knowledge) and, in the case that a doubt is diffused, we have more reason to trust (i.e., we have an even greater faith).

Did Eve Have Sex with Satan? The Serpent Seed View of Genesis 3:15 By Robert Velarde

“Here is what really happened in the Garden of Eden. The Word says that Eve was beguiled by the serpent. She was actually seduced by the serpent….He was so close to being human that his seed could, and did mingle with that of the woman and cause her to conceive. When this happened, God cursed the serpent.” —William Branham1

Transcending Human Imagination: The Embodiment of Heroism Manifest in Christ By Bailey Vaughn

When people think of a superhero, they may think of classic DC and Marvel comic books or they may think of a more modern film such as The Avengers. Recently there has been a resurgence in the popularity of the superhero. The same story of an ostensibly ordinary man with almost-supernatural abilities saving helpless victims from some diabolical villain or evil force has been told countless times. What makes this the pattern for a hero to follow? And, perhaps more importantly, why do we harbor the idea that the character of a hero cannot change drastically from person to person? The obvious answer is that there is a thread that runs through stories about heroes whether in ancient epics or modern comic books. Heroes throughout time and across cultures all follow what is typically known as the hero’s journey. This journey is ultimately inspired by the journey of Jesus Christ. Heroes throughout literary history serve as precursors, mirror images, or perversions of His heroism. The story of Jesus Himself serves as a metanarrative, an overarching or master story, for heroism. Christ has always been a true hero. Heroism founded in Christ transcends time and culture. All literary heroes will either parody or mirror the pattern set by Christ. Thus, Jesus can be established as a hub for all types of heroism. The commonality of the stories that we read and write, from Wuthering Heights to Virgil’s Aeneid to the Chronicles of Narnia, points to the existence of a greater story and a higher hero—one that transcends human imagination.

Did the Apostles Really Die as Martyrs for Their Faith? By Sean McDowell

The willingness of the apostles to suffer and die for their faith is one of the most commonly cited arguments for the Resurrection. Yet what is the evidence they actually died as martyrs? Two key initial points need to be made.

Matthew 18:18 and Binding Satan in Prayer By Mark Ryan

“I Bind You, Satan”

I sometimes wonder how many times a day the words “I bind you, Satan” are declared. Through popular books, widely viewed blogs, and YouTube clips, prayers binding Satan or other malevolent spiritual forces have become routine in various circles of the Christian church. Generally speaking, the idea behind prayers of binding and loosing, whether for one’s self or others, is often expressed as enabling the “breaking of spiritual strongholds” and as achieving a more “effective ministry” in light of perceived demonic incursion and activity. On some occasions, the focus of binding and loosing prayers seem related to one’s own experience of achieving freedom and wholeness. On other occasions, the focus of such prayers relate to those who seem troubled, held back, or otherwise rendered impervious to Christian truth. In one particular manual, binding and loosing prayers are encouraged on a daily basis and are applied not only in the face of alleged spiritual attack but also for a host of situations and conditions ranging from financial hardship, tormenting thoughts, and sexual sin to protection before anesthesia, blood transfusion, or surgery.1 While various Scriptures are appealed to in support of this practice and its attending outlook, Matthew 18:18 (together with Matthew 16:19) tends to figure prominently.

The Last Jedi: A Star Wars Movie for the Era of “the Nones” By John McAteer

Editor’s note: We realize that interpretations and reactions to storyline elements and their ramifications have been hotly debated. We offer this review as one plausible viewpoint.

Theoretically, “the Force” in the Star Wars movies has always been religious. It is referenced in terms of religion at least twice in the original 1977 Star Wars (a.k.a. Episode IV: A New Hope). But in practice, there is not much religion in either the original trilogy or the prequel trilogy (Episodes I to III). Yes, as they train the young Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force, the elderly Jedi masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda spout some vaguely Taoist and Buddhist philosophical principles about a spiritual energy source with light and dark sides, overcoming attachments, and trusting intuition, but when we see them at the height of their powers in the prequels, the Jedi Council (leaders of those who follow the light side of the Force) are more political than spiritual, acting primarily as a police force for the Galactic Republic. In the two most recent Star Wars movies, however, the series has begun to foreground the more religious elements of the Force. (Warning: spoilers ahead for The Last Jedi.) 

Should We Continue to Use the Term Sexual Purity? By Richard J. Poupard

Virginity has been treasured and valued in many ancient and modern cultures. In some countries, doctors will provide “virginity tests” before a wedding to ensure that a female family member retains physical evidence that she has never engaged in sex (no such test exists for males). Failure to provide adequate evidence of virginity justifies the annulment of the marriage as well as the heaping of public shame and humiliation on the family of the “tainted” bride.

Ash Wednesday, Lent, and Easter By Gretchen Passantino

Many churches observe a liturgical calendar, meaning that throughout the year the congregation collectively remembers and celebrates the most significant events in biblical history. This is not meant to be a collection of magical or superstitious rituals, nor is it to become little more than empty habit. Instead, observing church traditions and celebrations should focus our attention on the Lord Jesus Christ, reminding us of what He has done for us. The distinctives of historical worship should also encourage non-Christians, new Christians, and children to ask us about our Christian faith. Moses recognized this unique opportunity for subtle “evangelism,” saying, “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations. Ask your father and he will show you; your elders and they will tell you” (Deut. 32:7; see also Ex. 12:26-27; 13:8, 14; Deut. 6:20-25; Joshua 4:6, 21; Ps. 78:2-4).

Biology’s Blind Spot: Two Views on Human Origins By Ann Gauger

Ancestors in Our Genome: The New Science of Human Evolution by Dr. Eugene Harris, a molecular anthropologist and professor at City University of New York, is a thorough exposition of current scientific opinion concerning our evolutionary history. This book covers a difficult and technical subject, and Harris simplifies and illustrates the ideas behind the book’s claims quite well; however, one assumption makes much of what he says no better than hypothetical.

Homesick for Heaven: A Story to Share with Non-Christians By Dan Story

Throughout several decades of marriage, my wife and I have been privileged to live in four houses close to natural environments. Our present home was new when we purchased it, and located only a short walk from a beautiful grove of ancient live oaks. Within minutes, we can hike under their massive sheltering branches and then plunge into an “elfin forest” of native chaparral. Still, we wanted nature even closer. So within days after moving in, we began the backbreaking labor of planting groundcover, shrubs, and trees to cover the barren earth. We put out birdfeeders and birdbaths and planted flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. We wanted nature at our doorstep; we wanted to look out our windows and see greenery; we wanted birds and other animals to feed in our yard. The hard work paid off. So far we have identified nearly forty different species of birds just looking out our living room windows. We’ve had raccoons, opossums, squirrels, rabbits, and lizards find nourishment in our yard.

How The Shape of Water’s Fish-Man Symbolizes Christian Grace By John McAteer

In The Shape of Water, Mexican writer-director Guillermo del Toro blends a wide variety of sources — from fairy tales to classic Hollywood movies to the Bible — to tell an original and unusual love story about a humanoid fishlike monster and a woman who works as a janitor in the secret government laboratory where the fish-man is being held captive. While del Toro is undeniably pushing a secular progressive agenda, he uses Christian stories and imagery. Surprisingly, he ends up getting a lot of the gospel right.

Ready! Set! Wait! By David L. Talley

SYNOPSIS 

An interesting term found in the Bible is the word wait, especially as in the phrase wait on the Lord. The majority of the uses of this particular word are found in the Psalms, but the concept is actually found in the many passages in both Testaments that provide glimpses of godly living. Godly people wait on the Lord. In my study of the uses of this term, I have formulated this definition: In the midst of difficulty, “waiting on the Lord” is a movement of the heart away from (a renouncing of, repenting of, or destruction of) taking matters into our own hands and a movement of the heart toward (an embracing of, affirmation of, or confidence in) the person and work of the Lord (i.e., putting the matters into His hands), even though the difficulty may not subside.

Deuteronomy 6:4 and the Trinity: How Can Jews and Christians Both Embrace the Echad of the Shema? By Brian J. Wright

Shortly after Jesus’ death, a famous rabbi was born: Akiva ben Joseph (AD 40–135). According to the Talmud (a central text of stricter Rabbinic Judaism), this famous rabbi, while dying under torture, uttered the Hebrew word echad—the final word of Deuteronomy 6:4—as he breathed his last breath. He immediately received divine approval when a heavenly voice announced, “Happy are you, Rabbi Akiva, that your soul departed with the word echad.”1

The F-E-A-T that Demonstrates the FACT of Resurrection By Hank Hanegraaff

When they had crucified him, above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders mocked him — and the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. About the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” — which means, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Then Jesus, knowing that the Passover plot was nearing completion, cried out, “I am thirsty.” As if on cue, an unidentified friend of Joseph of Arimathea ran, filled a sponge with a sleeping potion, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. When he had received it, Jesus cried out, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and swooned.

Did Jesus Go to Hell? By Hank Hanegraaff

“There is no textual basis in the New Testament for claiming that between Good Friday and Easter Christ was preaching to souls imprisoned in hell or Hades. There is textual basis for saying that he would be with the repentant thief in Paradise ‘today’ (Luke 23:43), and one does not get the impression that he means a defective place from which the thief must then be delivered by more preaching.”1—John Piper

The Debate over Defining Inerrancy By James Patrick Holding

SYNOPSIS 

A heated debate is occurring today concerning the doctrine of inerrancy. At issue is the question, “To what extent is it appropriate to make use of information from outside of Scripture, in order to interpret Scripture?” While both sides agree that a certain amount of contextualizing information is appropriate to use, one side, with a more traditional approach to interpretation, claims that the other side has denied biblical inerrancy by importing foreign contexts into the text. They believe that application of foreign contexts leads to a denial of the historicity of what are intended to be historical passages.

Cast Your Bread on the Waters: Taking Risks and Being Creative in Christian Witness By Douglas Groothuis

The book of Ecclesiastes has been an enduring source of wisdom throughout my long Christian life. This is especially so in recent years as I relate more to the book’s concluding reflections on aging and death, which are edifying in a sobering and poetically unmatched fashion. “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, ‘I find no pleasure in them’—before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain” (Eccl. 12:1–2; all references NIV except where noted).

Professor David Barash and “The Talk”: When Goliath Starts Bragging, Go Find Your Sling By Paul Nelson

A spectator to the clash between the Philistine and Israelite armies, recorded in 1 Samuel 17, might be excused for getting his wager on the outcome utterly wrong. After all, a towering and brutal professional soldier, outfitted with the best in armaments the period has to offer, doesn’t ordinarily lose in one-on-one battle to a teenaged shepherd armed only with a staff and sling.

God and Relationships on the “New Kind” of Christianity By R. Scott Smith

SYNOPSIS 

It may seem that the influences of Brian McLaren and other leaders in the “emerging church” movement have waned in recent years. But, in reality, that is far from true. Their influence has taken on new forms, and their impact may be greater than before. While earlier their theological questions prompted many discussions, now their views (and their implications) have become clearer. One view is their stress on orthopraxis (right action) and relationships, particularly with God. They react to “modern” evangelical views that suggest a separation from, or distance between, God and us. Instead, for them, we already are in God, apparently in a panentheistic way, such that we already are in a personal relationship with Him. While they make some key contributions, the shifts that result from their embrace of panentheism and a kind of monism about us and creation (namely, it is merely physical) will make interpersonal relationships with God and others impossible both philosophically and biblically.

Film Review: The Church without Claws? A Figurative Reading of the Film Black Panther By Eric C. Redmond

A movie review of
Black Panther
Directed by Ryan Coogler
(Rated PG-13, 2018)

Editor’s note: We realize that interpretations and reactions to storyline elements and their ramifications have been debated. We offer this review as one plausible viewpoint.

Please also be aware that major plot points will be discussed in the following article.

Marvel’s Black Panther movie completely undoes the negative portrayal of Black culture that was germane to the Blaxploitation narratives of the 1970s’ cinema. The film, which hit theaters on February 16, 2018, depicts the 1966 Marvel Comics character and has grossed more than $1 billion to date. It is extremely positive in its entire portrayal of African Americans and Africans, and a welcomed addition to the superhero serials.

Francis Schaeffer: Pastor, Evangelist, Apologist, Prophet By Douglas Groothuis

In the fall of 1976, I bought a medium-sized paperback book with an odd abstract cover in the University of Oregon bookstore in Eugene. I was back in school, trying to get my intellectual bearings as a fledgling and intellectually confused Christian. The book was The God Who Is There: Speaking Christianity into the Twentieth Century by Francis Schaeffer. He courageously ranged over philosophy, theology, painting, poetry, and all things cultural to demonstrate that the Christian worldview offers the best answers to life’s deepest questions. This was Christianity with backbone, brain, muscle, guts, and heart.

A Wrinkle in Time: Drawing Apologetic Value from a De-Christianized Film By Melissa Cain Travis

Film Web Review
A Wrinkle in Time
Directed by Ava DuVernay
(Walt Disney Pictures, 2018)

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle was the most influential book of my childhood. I was in fifth or sixth grade when I discovered it on the metal portable shelves that were wheeled into my school’s library once a year for that magical week called Book Fair. My paperback copy had a buttercup yellow picture-frame style cover featuring a white centaur flying through the sky on rainbow wings, carrying three children on its back. Over the next three years, I read and reread Wrinkle, delighting in the characters and the fantastical story of their transcosmos mission to rescue a beloved husband and father.

When Hearts are Young and Gay By Joe Dallas

Film Web Review
Love, Simon
Directed by Greg Berlanti
(20th Century Fox, 2018)

What’s not to love about Love, Simon?

The new Greg Berlanti–directed film, starring teen heartthrob Nick Robinson, covers all the bases necessary for a successful modern romantic comedy: attractive stars, a likeable main character you’re practically dared not to root for, and an engaging but not challenging plot. Like its teen romantic comedy predecessors Sixteen Candles or Pretty in Pink, it washes over you with pleasantry after pleasantry, obviously designed to have you to leaving the theater saying, “Ain’t life great?”

Mythicism and the Public Jesus of History By Craig A. Evans

SYNOPSIS 

Arguments for the nonexistence of the Jesus of history stumble over the public nature of much of the primary evidence. Jesus was observed by crowds of people, by friends and foes alike. The strongest evidence for the existence of Jesus is found in Paul’s letters to the Christians of Corinth and Galatia. In these letters, whose authenticity no one doubts, Paul describes his firsthand—and very public—encounters with two of Jesus’ original disciples, Peter and John, and with James, the brother of Jesus. Attempts to explain away this James as someone other than the brother of Jesus reveal the desperation of the mythicist approach to the evidence. It is important to remember that critics of early Christianity never doubted the existence of Jesus—they disputed His identity and significance. Modern critics should follow their lead.

Who’s Afraid of HAL? Why Computers Will Not Become Conscious and Take over the World By Charles Edward White

Back in 1968, Stanley Kubrick’s film 2001: A Space Odyssey played on the fear that computers soon would become conscious, independent, and dangerous to humanity. In the story, the computer, called HAL, controls a spaceship with a human crew. When two crewmen decide to override HAL and retake control of the spacecraft, HAL murders one of them and attempts to kill the others. Three issues ago in this journal, James Hoskins reported that such a fear of computers is not just the stuff of sci-fi nightmares but also is shared by Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, and Bill Gates.1

They need not worry.

Youth, Suicide, and Our Success-Centered Culture By Catherine Cook

Suicide has a deep impact on communities. Someone taking their own life makes a profound statement that things were too hard, and life wasn’t worth living with that much pain. Losing someone to suicide always leaves the survivors of those loved ones asking Why? But our culture doesn’t view all suicide as equal; we focus on a narrow sample of suicides in the media, revealing what we believe makes life worth living in the first place. I believe Christianity’s unique narrative challenges how we value the worth of a person’s life.

Is It Possible for Humans to See God? By Charles Lee Irons

Is it possible for humans to see God? At first glance, the Bible seems to give conflicting answers to this question. Skeptics and Muslims draw attention to the apparent contradiction to call into question the divine inspiration and authority of the Bible.

Necromancing the Stone: The Thrill of Dancing with the Dead By Arthur W. Hunt III

“Michael Jackson came back to life,” said USA Today in reference to a Billboard Music Award telecast in 2014. Pulse Evolution, the company that pulled off the techno thriller, used the same technique several years ago to “summon the ghost of slain rapper Tupac Shakur” at the Coachella music festival.1

Matthew 5:48: Is Perfection an Achievable Goal? By Eric Johnson

Jesus taught in Matthew 5:48, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father, which is in heaven is perfect” (KJV). This verse has been quoted many times over the years by top leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS, Mormon). For example, twelfth Mormon president Spencer W. Kimball explained, “This living all the commandments guarantees total forgiveness of sins and assures one of exaltation through that perfection which comes by complying with the formula the Lord gave us.” After citing Matthew 5:48 Kimball added, “Being perfect means to triumph over sin. This is a mandate from the Lord. He is just and wise and kind. He would never require anything from his children which was not for their benefit and which was not attainable. Perfection therefore is an achievable goal.”1

Love Is Love, or Is It? By Adam Tucker

We constantly hear the mantra that love is love, but what exactly is love? Today, many think “love” means to affirm the beliefs, desires, and even behaviors of a given person. According to this view, one must validate and positively state that same-sex attraction, or one’s desire to become the opposite sex, are good in order truly to love someone with such desires. Therefore, those who do not positively state that such desires are good are accused of “hate speech,” “intolerance,” being “unloving,” or worse.

Spielberg’s Nostalgia for Reality in Ready Player One By John McAteer

Film Web Review
Ready Player One
Directed by Steven Spielberg
(Rated PG-13, 2018)

Ernest Cline’s 2011 science fiction novel Ready Player One tells the story of a dystopian society in the near future where people spend most of their waking hours inside a virtual reality simulation called the OASIS where they can live out any fantasy they can imagine. After the creator of the OASIS (James Halliday, played by Mark Rylance) dies, it is revealed that he has embedded a series of video game–like puzzles within the OASIS. The first person to solve the puzzles will inherit Halliday’s stock and become an instant billionaire. The trick is that the solution to the puzzles requires exhaustive knowledge of 1980s nerd culture.

Abortion: Stories Women Tell By: Seth Gruber

A movie review of
Abortion: Stories Women Tell
Directed by Directed by Tracy Droz Tragos
(HBO Documentary Films, 2016)

The Misplaced Effort of Using Stories to Defend Immoral Choices

Amie is a thirty-year-old single mother of two. She works seventy to ninety hours a week between her two jobs. Amie is pregnant and cannot afford another child. She opts for abortion for the sake of her family. But where will she go? How much will it cost? And how long will it take to obtain this abortion?

The Jewish Talmud And Its Use For Christian Apologetics By: Daniel Mann

SYNOPSIS

The Talmud is a collection of many ancient rabbinic writings extending back even before the time of Jesus. This compilation was completed around AD 550 and includes polemics against Jesus, attempting to present Him in a negative light.

The Talmud is known also as the “Oral Law” among Orthodox Jews. They claim that it was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai along with the written law — the Torah — and that it was passed on orally from Moses to Joshua to the Prophets and finally to the Rabbis who wrote it out.

Although there is absolutely no hard evidence that the Oral Law came from Moses, it nevertheless contains history and represents the primary rabbinic commentary on the Hebrew Scriptures.

Orthodox Jews regard the Talmud as authoritative and look to it for guidance more than to the Hebrew Bible. In many ways, the Talmud provides fodder for the Christian apologist. For one thing, Talmudic thought is often at odds with the prevailing rabbinic opinions of today. As one example, today’s rabbis dismiss Jesus because He failed to set up an everlasting kingdom, as Scripture had prophesied. However, the Talmud comments that there are two separate descriptions of the Messiah. One describes Him coming humbly and even dying, while the other describes Messiah coming triumphantly.

Numerous Talmudic passages also acknowledge that Jesus had been a worker of miracles. While the Talmud describes these miracles as “magic” or “sorcery,” these admissions still have apologetic value.

BFFs (Best Friends First): Honoring God in Dating and Romance By: Paul Copan

SYNOPSIS 

We live in an era of increased pseudo-intimacy, in which couples seek to bypass the challenges and dedication that deep relationships—and, eventually, marriage—require. A man and a woman may engage in a friendship that involves a growing emotional intimacy but without the requisite deepening commitment, which results in warped relational patterns, disappointment, and pain. That’s one extreme. The other extreme is to plunge into a romantic, physically involved relationship that commonly leads to frustration and disappointment, and often results in profound emotional pain. A wiser, God-honoring approach involves first establishing the groundwork of friendship, which allows opportunity to explore each other’s character, commonalities, background, and spiritual commitment. This article offers a number of practical suggestions to help set proper patterns for relating, building friendship, dating, and embarking on commitment that leads to marriage. These suggestions are as follows: drop that “faux spouse” who refuses to commit to you; follow the Golden Rule of dating (treating the person you’re dating as you would want someone else to treat your future spouse); don’t date until you are at a place in life where friendship can naturally develop into a flourishing, exclusive relationship; don’t kiss until you’re engaged—or even the day of the wedding; set patterns of faithfulness and self-control that will guide you through dating and marital life; observe how the friend in whom you are interested resolves disagreements, shows forgiveness, and handles disappointments and frustrations; before engagement, address general concerns about previous sexual experience.

A Reconsideration of Romantic Love By: Rob Whitley, Ph.D.

Romantic love has always stimulated a brisk trade. Belgian chocolates, vintage claret, redolent bouquets, designer clothes, and weekend getaways have never come cheaply. But contemporary society differs somewhat from times past inasmuch as the search for romantic love has become big business, propelled mostly by young people. In an effort to find Mr. or Miss Right, young people can consume a whole array of dizzying products that promise, in one way or another, invaluable assistance in the quest for romantic love. Dozens of Internet dating services vie for their trade—all shorn of the sadness and stigma that used to pervade the local newspaper’s somewhat seedy lonely hearts column. While conducting one-stop shopping for books or music on amazon.com, the Internet surfer can simultaneously visit the many variants of “www.love.com.” These sites offer an alluring promise of one-stop love. Within minutes you could be talking live to your life partner. If this is not sufficient, why not sign up for one of the burgeoning speed-dating events, where instant intimacy is promised at the ring of a bell? The enduring and expanding nature of these dating services is a testament to their popular appeal in the twenty-first century.

Family, Faith and Father By: Donald Fairbairn

SYNOPSIS

The spectacular success of the Star Wars saga is, among many others things, a testimony to the powerful hold that family exercises on American society. In particular, the longing for father is a common deeply felt need. As Christians, we recognize that this longing is not just for our human father but also for our heavenly Father. At the heart of the gospel is the truth that we become adopted children of God through faith in Christ. But our family relationship with God is not the ultimate truth of Christianity, because it is in turn based on something even more ultimate: God’s eternal relationship with His Son. In the Upper Room Discourse, Jesus links our love for one another to His love for us and the Father’s love for Him. In the High Priestly Prayer, He prays that believers would share love, joy, and oneness with one another just as He has shared love with the Father before the world was created. While the theology of Star Wars is almost all wrong, the longing for a father that it illustrates can be a stepping stone to our understanding of the heart of the gospel. God made us so that He could be our Father in a way that reflects His fatherly relationship to His only Son. And when, through sin, we lost that initial gift, He resolved to give it to us yet again, by sending that only Son to die and make us the sons and daughters of God the Father, and thereby making us brothers and sisters of Christ.

The Inescapability of God By: James N. Anderson, Ph.D.

SYNOPSIS

Although the Bible teaches that God’s existence is evident from nature, it has become commonplace in modern society for people to doubt or deny that God exists. In this article I contend that six aspects of our lives that all of us take for granted—existence, values, morality, reason, mind, and science—can only be explained adequately on a theistic basis. (1) The existence of contingent things—including humans—ultimately depends on a noncontingent, self-existent God who freely created the universe. (2) Objective value judgments about things within the universe presuppose an absolute standard of goodness that transcends the universe, by which those things can be judged good or bad. (3) Objective moral judgments about human actions presuppose transcendent moral laws that in turn require a transcendent moral lawgiver, as even many atheists concede. (4) Our rational faculties must find their ultimate origin in a rational source; reason cannot come from nonreason, and naturalistic evolutionary explanations of our cognitive faculties are self-defeating. (5) Our possession of conscious minds cannot be explained on an atheistic materialistic basis; naturalistic evolutionary accounts of the emergence of complex conscious minds assume the very thing they purport to explain. (6) Science rests on a host of foundational philosophical presuppositions, including two assumptions that cannot be justified apart from a theistic worldview: (1) the universe is orderly and rational and (2) our minds are well-fitted to comprehend that order and rationality. Insofar as atheists take these six things for granted, they have to depend on God even while they deny His existence.

Death of Moses in Deut. 34 and Authorship By: Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.

The final chapter in the book of Deuteronomy recounts how Moses ascended Mount Nebo at God’s invitation to view the land of Israel, which the Lord had denied him to enter. It also mentions the place where Moses died and was buried in an undisclosed valley located in the country of Moab (Deut. 34:6). Since there is good evidence that Moses wrote all or most of the first five books of the Bible, what are we to make of the final chapter in the fifth book that records his death? Could he have predicted that this would be his final resting place and that no one would know where he was buried right up to that very day?

Defending the Biblical View of Sexuality By: Donald T. Williams, Ph.D.

One of the frustrations encountered by Christians trying to maintain a consistent witness today is that many of our contemporaries are so hostile to any presentation of the biblical view of human sexuality (see objection 1) that they will probably not listen to a direct proclamation of it and will consider it offensive however gently and lovingly it is given. They will find it harder, however, to be offended by questions. It is difficult to be offended when you are given the compliment of being asked for your opinion!

O Father, Where Are Thou? The Coen Brothers and the Riddle of Existence By: Philip Tallon

SYNOPSIS

The Coen Brothers are among the most critically acclaimed directors of our time, yet their work presents critical challenges, as their films resist easy interpretation. Confusing on a first viewing, the meaning behind the movies is often veiled in mystery. This element offers a clue about the Coens’ worldview. The difficulty is part of the design. The viewer must wrestle with the meaning behind the movies, just as the main characters struggle to make sense of a chaotic and confusing universe. Given their apparent atheism, if we had to ascribe a worldview to the Coens, the viewer may be tempted to see them as nihilists. However, they seem to share The Big Lebowski’s disdain for nihilism’s lack of an “ethos.” Rather, the Coen brothers seem to share in the existentialist’s philosophical struggle with nihilism, encouraging human wrestling with ultimate issues, even if they think the struggle is unlikely to succeed. In this sense, the Coens might be grouped more safely with absurdists such as Albert Camus, who see the tragedy and comedy in the human striving for meaning, and our perpetual failure to find it. Given one of the brothers’ philosophical training, it is not a stretch to see their works as fundamentally Socratic in nature: questioning all attempts at ultimate answers but encouraging the ongoing struggle to understand our place in a harsh universe. Though the filmmakers themselves are not spiritual, they are deeply interested in religious issues, returning again and again to the questions of faith and morality.

In Search Of The Sacred: Evangelicals on a Quest and Why it Matters By: Arthur W. Hunt III

Conservative commentator Ann Coulter once said, “God gave us the earth. We have dominion over the plants, and animals, trees. God said, ‘Earth is yours. Take it. Rape it. It’s yours.’”1 In all fairness to Ms. Coulter, she said this sixteen years ago, and she may no longer believe it; that is, the part about raping the planet, or she may have only meant to hyperbolize, as she is accustomed to doing. Whether she meant it or not, there are Christians aplenty who would not object to her notion that the dominion mandate grants humans utilitarian permission to violate the creation. Industrialism would not have possessed its ferocity, and Charles Dickens would have less to write about, were it not for Protestants who somehow thought they were doing God a favor by creating the factory system, as Max Weber has pointed out.2

Changing Attitudes Toward The Resurrection Of Jesus By: Gary R. Habermas

SYNOPSIS

When considering recent critical responses to the resurrection of Jesus, believers may envision the centuries-old, well-worn alternatives. Did Jesus’ disciples steal His dead body, as mentioned in Matthew? Five such counter-moves are found in the gospels, with three of them even being proposed by believers! The most recent scholarly research has been significantly more open toward Jesus’ healing the sick and predicting His resurrection beforehand, His burial tomb being empty, and even His resurrection appearances. So the latest brand of criticism has often shifted gears, with critics now responding more frequently with what I term metacritiques — comebacks that question the overall resurrection message instead of disputing individual items within the story. Two of these approaches are considered here: (1) resurrections simply do not occur, there is insufficient evidence ever to establish them, and (2) we cannot use the New Testament writings to support the Resurrection because it is a biased or prejudiced text.

More than one approach should be used in answer to the first challenge. Naturalism itself should be challenged. If this worldview is going to be utilized as the basis for questioning the Resurrection, then this critical starting point itself must be established first. Regarding the second challenge, something must be wrong with this charge from the start, because critical scholars not only allow well-attested New Testament texts but employ them!

Homosexuality and Modern Ministry: Examining Old Approaches and Assessing New Ones Part One: A History of Missions and Missteps By: Joe Dallas

Synopsis

Historically, people within the church who experienced homosexual feelings went unaddressed, creating a void. They recognized both the biblical and cultural prohibitions against yielding to their temptations, but also realized that the temptations remained. Afraid to confess and deal with them, many fell into secret homosexual sin, while others eventually “came out” as openly gay. Still others remained faithful, yet felt isolated and alienated from fellow Christians.

Ministry to same-sex attracted people became publicly available when Exodus International was formed in 1976, along with other lesser-known networks. For more than three decades, the organization heavily influenced the Christian population’s view of ministry to homosexuals, but was also beset from the beginning with detractors, critics, and internal struggles.

Homosexuality and Modern Ministry: Examining Old Approaches and Assessing New Ones Part Two: Identity, Terminology, and the Revoice Conference By: Joe Dallas

Synopsis

After Exodus International, the largest and most prominent ministry to address homosexuality, closed its doors in 2013, the public, both Christian and secular, became more skeptical about the possibility of homosexuals “going straight.”

As a result, a different approach developed, one in which someone who was Christian but same-sex attracted could still identify himself as “gay” but also hold the historic, orthodox biblical view on sexuality. This new approach began showing itself through the writings of authors and teachers Wesley Hill, Nate Collins, Eve Tushnet, Gregory Coles, and Preston Sprinkle, among others.

Halloween for Christians: Oppression or Opportunity By: Hank Hanegraaff

A myriad of questions have been raised about Halloween. Should Christians participate in Halloween? What should our attitude be towards Halloween? Should we simply ignore it? Should we vigorously attack it? Or should we, as Christians, find ways in which to accommodate it?

Before offering some suggestions on how we as Christians might best relate to Halloween, I think it would be appropriate to first consider the pagan origin of Halloween.

The celebration of Halloween, also known as the witches’ new year, is rooted in the ancient pagan calendar which divided the year into Summer and Winter by two fire festivals. Before the birth of Christ, the day we know as Halloween was part of the Celtic Feast of Samhain (sah–ween). This feast was a celebration of Druid priests from Britain and France and commemorated the beginning of Winter. It was a night on which the veil between the present world and the world beyond was pierced. The festivals were marked by animal sacrifices, offerings to the dead, and bonfires in recognition of departed souls. It was believed that on this night demons, witches, hobgoblins, and elves were released en masse to harass and to oppress the living. For self-preservation many Druids would dress up as witches, devils, and ghouls, and would even involve themselves in demonic activities and thus make themselves immune from attack.