Does the Bible Have Mistakes?
One of the most common questions I get from people when I travel and speak is “Does the Bible have mistakes?” People are concerned about contradictions, problems, and inconsistencies.
I can’t address that issue fully in one blog post, but here is a brief video I did for the RTS “Wisdom Wednesdays” series that at least offers an overview of the issue:
For the many other excellent “Wisdom Wednesday” videos from RTS faculty, see here.… Continue reading...
Why Should I Believe Christianity? One of the Best Books on Apologetics This Year
When we think about what might help the church engage with an ever-more-hostile world, the issue isn’t that we don’t have enough apologetic books (we have tons of them). The issue is that we don’t have the right kind of apologetic books.
There is a trend in apologetics today towards what I might call a “minimalistic” approach to defending the faith. Basically this is where someone tries to prove the least amount possible about Christianity in order to get the non-Christian to take one step in our direction. And this is typically done with an evidentialist methodology using the so-called consensus of modern scholars as the main authority.
There are … Continue reading...
Is the Bible Foundational to Christianity? Engaging with Andy Stanley
One of the most profound challenges for Christians as we live in an ever-more-hostile world is how to properly defend the faith against the incessant attacks against it. And these attacks have taken their toll. We have seen far too many casualties over the years as people leave the church because they had doubts or questions that were never answered.
It is precisely this issue that is behind Andy Stanley’s recent sermon, “The Bible Told Me So” (preached Aug 28, 2016). Stanley, son of well-known Atlanta pastor, Charles Stanley, is the senior pastor of Northpoint Community Church in Alpharetta, GA.
Stanley’s concern in this sermon is for those … Continue reading...
What is the Relationship Between Biblical Counseling and Preaching in the Local Church?
Here at RTS Charlotte, we are very excited about the recent arrival of Dr. Jim Newheiser, our new Associate Professor of Christian Counseling and Practical Theology, and the Director of the Counseling Program.
As many of you know, just a short time ago we launched a new Masters degree program in biblical counseling. This has been met with a great deal of enthusiasm and we believe it will meet a real need in the body of Christ.
Our program has assembled some of the finest faculty in biblical counseling today, as we have drawn upon leading figures all over the country. Visiting professors have included David Powlison, … Continue reading...
Next Week I am Teaching an Elective on the NT Canon @RTSCharlotte
Next week, Aug 1-5, I will teach an elective at RTS Charlotte entitled, “The Origin and Authority of the New Testament Canon.”
In this class, we will be covering not just the history and development of the canon, but also its theological meaning, and its epistemological foundation. In other words, we will not only discuss when these books were recognized, but we will explore how we know which books belong and which do not.
So, the class will cover the various canonical models present in theological circles today, as well as responding to modern historical-critical scholars who attack its integrity.
One other interesting part of the course is … Continue reading...