Tag: philosophy of religion
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Theology Versus Philosophy
As someone who loves, and uses, both theology and philosophy on a routine basis, I am somewhat confused by the perceived great divide between the two disciplines. Theologians typically tout the sanctified status of their discipline while demonizing philosophy as though it is evil in and of itself. Meanwhile philosophers boast about their clarity and demean theology as though its contributions to Christianity are not that important after all. Yet each party struggles to define its discipline in distinction from the other. And both have serious problems with relating to the other party. These things should not be!
Those who …
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The Greatest Story Ever Told
It is extremely refreshing to find probably the greatest philosopher of our time writing something like the following in his newest book:
…For according to the Christian story, God, the almighty first being of the universe and the creator of everything else, was willing to undergo enormous suffering in order to redeem creatures who had turned their backs on him. He created human beings; they rebelled against him and constantly go contrary to his will. Instead of treating them as some Oriental monarch would, he sent his Son, the Word, the second person of the Trinity into the world. The
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Michael Sudduth Has Apostatized
The unfortunate news of Michael Sudduth’s apostasy came to me this morning in the form of a link from another contributor to the site. Steve Hays of Triablogue has posted Michael Sudduth’s de-conversion testimonial and commented on it here – http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2012/01/mind-at-end-of-its-tether.html.
Before Deactivating my Facebook account I watched Dr. Sudduth’s Status updates with some concern. Having studied Religion in both secular and Christian schools I realize what it can look like to others when one immerses oneself in a non-Christian religion in an effort to understand and represent it fairly. But Dr. Sudduth’s Profile appeared to be dedicated much …
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Choosing Hats Friday Links
Ron DiGiacomo tells Ben Wallis that he knows God – http://reformedapologist.blogspot.com/2011/12/no-true-agnostics-or-atheists.html
Paul Manata excoriates Jerry Coyne on Alvin Plantinga – http://analytictheologye4c5.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/coyne-on-plantinga
TurretinFan on the foundation of our religion – http://www.aomin.org/aoblog/index.php?itemid=4929
James Anderson has moved his blog here – http://www.proginosko.com
Anderson ties his article on logic back to Van Til – http://www.proginosko.com/2011/12/antitheism-presupposes-theism-and-so-does-every-other-ism
Anderson rebuts Wallis – http://www.proginosko.com/2012/01/could-propositions-exist-contingently-a-response-to-ben-wallis
There is a 50% off sale at WTS Bookstore – http://www.wtsbooks.com/sitesearch/search.php?keywords=Best-Seller+2011
And a sale on some academic sets at CBD – http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/cms_content?page=329111&sp=1013&p=1165962…
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“The Lord of Non-Contradiction: An Argument for God from Logic” by James Anderson and Greg Welty
I have been looking forward to this paper since I saw it alluded to in Anderson’s response to David Reiter. You can read it here –
http://proginosko.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/the-lord-of-non-contradiction
HT: PM
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Is the Transcendental Argument a “Magic Bullet”?
Sometimes the term “magic bullet” or “silver bullet” comes up in discussions of Van Tilian apologetic methodology. The term is typically if not always used in a negative sense in reference to transcendental argument. Its use is not limited to any particular attitude toward Van Tilian apologetics. The first time I saw the term used was in John Frame. Paul Manata has used it in critiquing “right wing” Van Tilianism. K. Scott Oliphint has used it to correct misunderstandings of Van Til’s thought. Sometimes atheists use it. Many others do as well. So the use of the phrase in question …
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Three Very Different Philosophers: Necessity of Epistemic Circularity
…“But don’t the doctrines of the imago dei (the image of God), and the purpose of human creation already presuppose that we can have substantive knowledge of God? They seem clearly to do this, and if so, then they cannot be appealed to in a noncircular argument for this theological optimism as a conclusion.
First, it must be pointed out that the possibility of any kind of basic knowledge cannot be demonstrated by means of noncircular, nonquestion-begging arguments, by arguments that do not in any way already presume to some extent that to which they intend to lend some support.
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God without Parts: Divine Simplicity and the Metaphysics of God’s Absoluteness – You Will Want This Book!
!!!GET THIS BOOK!!! !!!GET THIS BOOK!!! !!!GET THIS BOOK!!!
God without Parts: Divine Simplicity and the Metaphysics of God’s Absoluteness
…Publisher’s Description: The doctrine of divine simplicity has long played a crucial role in Western Christianity’s understanding of God. It is claimed that by denying God is composed of parts Christians are able to account for his absolute self-sufficiency and his ultimate sufficiency as the absolute Creator of the world. If God were a composite being then something other than the Godhead itself would be required to explain or account for God. If this were
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Mr. White, Mr. Grey, and Mr. Black VII
…“But how can anyone know anything about the ‘Beyond’?” asks Mr. Black.
“Well, of course,” replies Mr. Grey, “if you want absolute certainty, such as one gets in geometry, Christianity does not offer it. We offer you only ‘rational probability.’ ‘Christianity,’ as I said in effect a moment ago when I spoke of the death of Christ, ‘is founded on historical facts, which, by their very nature, cannot be demonstrated with geometric certainty. All judgments of historical particulars are at the mercy of the complexity of the time-space universe. . . . If the scientist cannot rise above rational probability