That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which […]
apologetics
The annual Shroud of Turin speculation makes the news rounds every Easter. You know the story. Nothing has […]
By Bob Hiller –
We’ve all been there: You’re having a conversation about the faith with a person who is struggling to believe, or doesn’t at all. In the course of the conversation, they bring up an argument you don’t have an answer for. In fact, the point is way over your head, and you worry that pursuing the question will challenge your faith in uncomfortable ways. Maybe they are questioning how you know Jesus rose from the dead, or why you believe the New Testament is full of trustworthy documents. They’ve watched the latest Food Network special on the historical Jesus or checked out the latest Bart Ehrman thriller reconstructing the first four centuries of the church, and now they have questions. They aren’t afraid to put you on the spot: “How do you know? Why should I believe?” And all you can say is, “I just have faith that it is true. You just need to believe it! Take it on faith!”
By Bob Hiller –
The madness has arrived! As you read this, sixty-four of the nation’s best college basketball teams are playing in the most exciting tournament the American sports calendar has to offer. One of the best parts of the NCAA College basketball tournament is filling out a bracket with friends and co-workers and betting on who will pick the most winners. Though we are not gambling on it, a bunch of folks from my congregation have a pool going. Upon writing this blog, I am in the midst of filling out my bracket to win bragging rights for the year. There is just one problem: I haven’t got a single clue about any of these teams!
By Scott Keith –
I know it may seem weird for me to start talking about Doubting Thomas at this time of the year, but I just can’t help myself. Most of us are still reveling in Christmas, New Years, and Epiphany. In a way, I am too. I have spent the last several weeks contemplating the idea of embodiment over disembodiment.
By Scott Keith –
I’ve been lucky enough to have been trained under two of the greatest living Lutheran apologists, Dr. Rod Rosenbladt and Dr. John Warwick Montgomery. I’ve even had some tutoring from others along the way. Shaun C. Henson of Oxford University has done some interesting work with the idea of the universality of religious experience, which he shared with me while I was there. I have, in my own time as an apologist, made use of all of the tricks that these fine men have placed in my bag throughout the years.
By Scott Keith –
Not so long ago, right here on The Jagged Word, I made an offer to show up at any church within a reasonable distance of my house and participate in a Q & A session with any group of unbelievers a congregation could gather. So far, I have been invited to one congregation in Los Angeles and one Skype interview with a college from the University of Alabama. Needless to say, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak to real people who have real questions about life, faith, and salvation.
By Caleb Keith –
If you are a Christian, you must be stupid. That’s what I hear from the mainstream media, twitter feeds, public schools, universities and often the federal government, at least. Christians believe in fairytales, hold back science, and have Scriptures that perpetuate sexism and homophobia. The only smart Christians are the ones who know that faith is just a safety blanket; they admit that religion doesn’t belong to the world of rational thought, and they also they keep their traditions, Christmas, and Easter. Maybe they’ll even pray at dinner when grandma is visiting. If only all Christians could be educated.
By Caleb Keith – Thank God the election is over. Now we can move on to talking about […]
By Scott Keith –
Grammar, logic, and rhetoric encompass the first three rules-based focuses of the seven liberal arts. As these disciplines are absorbed and accomplished together, they form the all-encompassing system for determining clarity and consistency of personal thought called the Trivium.