Author: C. L. Bolt
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When Possibility is Impossible: Answering a Rawlsian Ruse with Radical Retortion
In 1971 John Rawls wrote his famous A Theory of Justice in which he presented what is known as ‘The Original Position.’ The OP is a hypothetical state of affairs in which an individual operates from behind a ‘Veil of Ignorance’ in order to establish principles of justice for society apart from considerations of ethnicity, class, gender, and the like. This thought experiment stems from the radical autonomy present in Immanuel Kant’s work.
Enough about Rawls. Cornelius Van Til was a Christian apologist who likewise drew from Kant’s work, taking the transcendental method developed by Kant (and many others before …
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Three Ways Apologetics Will Change in the Near Future
Apologetics change based upon the context in which they are used. In the years to come, apologetics will change in at least three ways:
1. Necessary Apologetics
Apologists will be lobbyists rather than hobbyists. The necessity of defending the Christian faith will be impressed upon Christians in a way it has not been in recent years. Look for apologetic arguments to focus more upon defending Christians from unnecessary persecution by the society and the state and less upon abstract theological particulars or classical theism.
2. Explanatory Apologetics
As biblical illiteracy and anti-intellectual emotionalism continue to permeate the church and loose …
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A Leap to the Left
Today someone called my attention to Jamin Hubner’s, “A New Case for Female Elders: An Analytical Reformed-Evangelical Approach” (doctoral thesis, University of South Africa, 2013) and asked if I might comment on it. As far as I know, nobody has done so, even though the thesis is an attempt at making a case for female elders according to an “analytical reformed-evangelical” approach. All quotes and citations in this post come from the aforementioned source.
In the thesis, Jamin describes his slide to the left:
…When I started the graduate research on women deacons, I was generally against the idea of
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Van Tilian Turf Wars (Part 2)
Presuppositionalists are sticklers for sound apologetic methodology. But how is sound apologetic methodology discerned? Presuppositional proclivities preclude the vast majority of classical or evidentialist approaches to apologetics. That much is clear. But how does one determine who is right and who is wrong when presuppositionalists argue about methodology amongst themselves? Perhaps we all agree that presuppositional apologetic methodology is the way to go, but who is to say what presuppositional apologetic method is? Is there some standard of presuppositional orthodoxy?
Fundamentalist presuppositionalists tend to respond to these questions by citing the Bible as their ultimate authority for apologetics. The …
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Francois Tremblay as Philosophical Flat-Earther
Classical foundationalism is dead. But that does not stop foolish atheists like Francois Tremblay from continuing to promote such an outdated epistemological starting point. Francois Tremblay is an atheist who complains about, “Chris Bolt, who wrote a rant against the principle that, ‘It is wrong always, everywhere and for everyone to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.’” He writes, “I find this fascinating because this principle is so obvious and so straightforward that the idea of someone arguing against it seems strange at best.”
Right, so it’s an “obvious” and “so straightforward” principle. It’s “strange” that someone would argue against it. …
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Van Tilian Turf Wars (Part 1)
At least three types of Van Tilian presuppositionalists have emerged from the recent surge in popularity of presuppositionalism.
Fundamentalist
The first group are the fundamentalists. Fundamentalists are not necessarily to be identified with fundamentalism in general, but rather with fundamentalist tendencies when it comes to discerning apologetic methodology. This brand of presuppositionalism takes a more biblicist approach to apologetic questions and disputes. Though arguments may be offered in the context of apologetic discussion, these arguments are typically less philosophically precise and more explicitly biblical or dogmatic. Examples of those in the fundamentalist strain of presuppositionalism include Answers in Genesis, Sye …
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Introduction to Apologetics Seminary Course
Lord willing, I will be teaching AP8521 Introduction to Apologetics at the Huntsville, Alabama extension center for Birmingham Theological Seminary on Monday nights from 7:30-9:30pm starting in September. Please find more details at http://birminghamseminary.org/ and pass this information along to anyone you know who is interested and lives in the area!…
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Please Pray for L.K. Unger (Mennoknight)
I would like to ask our readers to please consider our brother Lyndon Unger in his time of need. Read this post and pray for him as you read. Thank you.
Grace,
Chris Bolt…
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Fred is Dead: A Christian Response to the Followers of Fred Phelps, Founder of “Westboro Baptist Church”
Fred Phelps is dead.
Phelps is best known for heading up the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC). The WBC is infamous for preaching a message of hatred toward homosexuals (“God Hates Fags”) and picketing the funerals of United States military.
Most people are shocked and appalled at the WBC. I do not fault them for that. However, I do fault them for substituting their subjective emotional responses for sound intellectual responses to the WBC. In a society where feelings matter more than substantial thought, even most Christians are satisfied with the purely emotional response to the WBC. But they should …
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Why the Homosexual Lobbyists are Racist Bigots (and Why You Should Care)
Please allow me to state what needs to be stated more often in these types of posts. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners like me and like you, regardless of our sexual orientation. The depth of our sin is no match for the transforming power of the blood of Christ. Freedom from bondage to sin is found in Him. Do not hope in yourself, but hope in Christ.Do not hope in homosexuality. Homosexuality cannot free you from your desire or your pain. Homosexuality has no power to satisfy or heal you. Pursuing homosexual desires will lead …