Looking at Miracles Again: A Great New Book on David Hume
In my most recent post, “Are Miracles Improbable? Rethinking What Makes Something ‘Likely’ to Happen,” I analyzed (and critiqued) the main arguments against miracles. And, like any discussion of miracles, I felt required to mention the work of Scottish philosopher David Hume.
I can still remember walking by David Hume’s statue almost every day when I was studying at the University of Edinburgh years ago (see main photo). He always seemed to stare at me as I passed by. I could hear his hypothetical question in my head, “Why do you believe in miracles if you’ve never seen one?”
For those who want to dive deeper into Hume … Continue reading...
Are Miracles Improbable? Rethinking What Makes Something “Likely” to Happen
Our world’s skepticism over miracles is nothing new. Ever since David Hume, philosophers and scholars have been making the case against the possibility of miracles.
But, now things have shifted. Hume has been roundly (and decisively) rebutted and philosophers now realize that one cannot prove miracles are impossible. But, not to worry, now there’s a new argument. Now the argument is that miracles are simply improbable.
So improbable, in fact, that we should never prefer a miraculous explanation over a naturalistic one. Given how unlikely miracles are, it is always more likely that a miracle did not occur. Thus, it is argued, historians would have no reason to ever … Continue reading...
Here Are 5 Tips for Conversations in Our Tense Cultural Moment
OK, so conversations with non-Christians aren’t what they used to be. In years gone by, it seems you could just disagree with someone and everyone was fine with that. You could just shake hands and move on.
But now, in our tense cultural situation, disagreement is regarded as a personal attack. To disagree with someone is to be hateful and unloving toward them.
This is why it can sometime seems like conversations with non-Christians can quickly escalate to DEFCON 1. Before you know it, somehow it’s nuclear war.
As a result, I think Christians have struggled with how to talk with non-Christians in our current culture. Some have decided the … Continue reading...
Can We Believe God’s Word is True Because our Parents Told Us?
How do you know the Bible is the Word of God?
Virtually every Christian has heard that question at one time or another. And when we do, our hearts beat faster and we feel a flutter in our stomachs. We want to offer an insightful, sophisticated, and compelling answer. Just something that will keep us from looking foolish.
So, we search our brains for that apologetics talk we heard years ago and the numerous historical data points that were mentioned. But, since we don’t remember the details, we mumble something about the Bible having good “historical evidence” for its truth (hoping no one asks for the details).
But, lurking in … Continue reading...
Want to Give a Book for Christmas? Here’s My Top Ten List for Books on the Authority of Scripture
‘Tis the season. . . to give books.
I think solid Christian books are a great gift, and books on the authority of Scripture are always relevant in our world today.
Thus, for your shopping pleasure, I have compiled an annotated list of the all-time 10 best books on this topic. It goes without saying that such a list is highly selective (and debatable). So many good books deserve to be included.
But my list is guided by these main criteria: (a) books that focus on the theological side of biblical authority and not as much on the historical evidences for the Bible’s history (though some overlap is inevitable); (b) … Continue reading...