jump to navigation

Atheism March 30, 2008

Posted by Brent Cunningham in : Enter a Discussion , 10 comments
Print This Post | Email to a Friend

atheism_symbol

This discussion has been created out of the EQUIP class, “Responding to the New Atheism.”

Anyone is welcome to interact here on issues relating to the discussion between theism and atheism.  Thanks for seeking truth and being gracious in the process.

.

Was Jesus forsaken by God on the cross? March 20, 2008

Posted by Brent Cunningham in : blog , 9 comments
Print This Post | Email to a Friend

Jesus forsaken

What is the meaning of Jesus’ statement spoken on the cross, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34)?  Many suggest that Jesus’ words are desperate cries out of the depths of the deepest depression imaginable, as a result from being separated from the Father.  However, I tend to think that something is being missed here. There are four reasons why I would take a different interpretation.
(more…)

The New Atheism — Class starting soon March 11, 2008

Posted by Brent Cunningham in : blog , 8 comments
Print This Post | Email to a Friend

atheism-text

Dr. Matt Hickey and I are going to be starting a new short seminar beginning the Sunday morning after Easter (3/30 @ 10am).  We’ll be taking six weeks to look at the current movement which has been dubbed “the new atheism.”  Below is a general outline that Matt and I are working with.  We’d love to have your feedback on any of it.  Also, if you’re planning on making it to any of the classes, you might be interested in doing some preliminary reading and/or listen to some free downloadable audio files online now (though it certainly isn’t expected that you know anything about atheism when you show up).  So, please take a look at the below schedule, give us any of your thoughts, and check out some of the below resources (we’ll try to add to the online resources over the next couple days so keep checking back). (more…)

The Quest for the Real Jesus March 5, 2008

Posted by Brent Cunningham in : mp3 , add a comment
Print This Post | Email to a Friend

jesus-icon

Jon Hinkson explores the waywardness of contemporary Jesus scholarship, and demonstrates how we can have confidence in the credibility of the Canonical Gospels.

Speaker: Jon Hinkson, Rivendell Institute
Source: UniverSanity Conference, Spring 2008

Resources:
Richard Bauckam, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony (Eerdmanns, 2006).
Ben Witherington III, What Have They Done With Jesus?: Beyond Strange Theories and Bad History—Why We Can Trust the Bible (Harper, 2006).

 
icon for podpress  The Quest for the Real Jesus: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Jesus’ use of Haggada-questions March 4, 2008

Posted by Brent Cunningham in : blog , 1 comment so far
Print This Post | Email to a Friend

questionmark

Jesus was well known for his skill in asking questions.  Of course, he wasn’t the first person to use the tactic of questioning in order to discover the truth.  In fact, we often call this methodology the Socratic method, reaching back to the ancient pagan philosopher, Socrates.  He utilized this method masterfully.  But Jesus did engaged in question asking as it was a part of his upbringing and cultural heritage.  In fact, one snapshot we have of his early life involves him sitting in the Temple courts at the age of twelve asking questions of the city’s religious elders (Lk 2:41-52).  So, clearly this was a skill which he developed and honed early on. 

Toward the end of the Mark’s Gospel (Mk 12:35-37) we read of an encounter Jesus had later in his life with other religious elders in which he proposed a classical Jewish question—called a Haggada-question.  And in so doing, he pushed his listeners to come to grips with who he really was. (more…)