On June 5, 2013 I debated John Loftus at Greenfield Baptist Church in Edmonton, AB. The audio was provided soon after but sadly, no video. Fortunately it was recorded and I recently acquired a copy from the videographer Andrew Pohl and sent a copy on to John Loftus. Loftus promptly uploaded it onto YouTube. So […]
Archives for November 2013
Randal on The Storymen Podcast
A few weeks ago I was interviewed on The Storymen Podcast with JR. Forasteros, Clay Morgan and Matt Mikalatos. You can check it out here. They started out by vetting me for my geek credentials and I passed the test but just barely by sharing my childhood interest in Archie comics and especially the wonky […]
The right to die? You don’t know Jack. A review
My earliest memory of Jack Kevorkian came with a feature article in Cornerstone Magazine. The year was 1990 and Dr. Kevorkian had just entered the national spotlight after assisting in the suicide of Alzheimer’s patient Janet Adkins. The magazine’s feature interview left quite the impression. And it was deeply unsettling. Here was a man who was calling for […]
25. Do the gospels have errors? Michael Licona’s new insights on ancient history
Christians have always been aware of the apparent contradictions in the Gospel accounts. For example, how does one reconcile the genealogies of Matthew (1:2-17) and Luke (3:23-38)? Did Jesus cleanse the temple at the beginning of his ministry (John 2:13-17) or the end (Mark 11:15-19)? Who appeared at the empty tomb? Was it a young man […]
Snapshots from Baltimore (Part 4): The Gideons Bible
The world continues to change at a furious pace. But one thing doesn’t change: the Gideons Bible. Case in point: this resident of my hotel room. The book is bound in the standard ugly brown color that identifies the Gideons as surely as yellow identifies a taxi cab. Little better is the translation. The New […]
Snapshots from Baltimore (Part 3): The evolution of theology
There are not many places you can go in the Academy to find an ongoing debate on whether the earth might be merely thousands of years old. But the Evangelical Theological Society is one of the last bastions. (Of course, depending on who you ask, the debate may only exist in the minds of young […]
Snapshots from Baltimore (Part 2): The perpetually missing thirteenth floor
Twenty-first century North Americans would like to think of ourselves as enlightened, rational people. And yet, I cannot remember staying in a hotel with a thirteenth floor that was willing to admit the fact. So here’s the elevator button panel at the Hilton Baltimore where I’m currently staying. Sure enough, as usual there’s no thirteenth […]
Snapshots from Baltimore (Part 1)
Over the last few days I’ve been in Baltimore at the Evangelical Theological Society annual conference. While ETS just wrapped up last night, this evening the American Academy of Religion and Society of Biblical Literature begins (fortunately at the same venues). Thus far I’ve been intrepid with my microphone and have recorded eight — count […]
24. Travis Dumsday on evil and divine hiddenness
If there is any person in the modern age who has embodied saintliness, it was that pillar of faith, Mother Teresa. So it was quite the surprise when, after her death in 1997 her diaries were published and we discovered that this paragon of faith had often struggled with doubt. She wrote: “If there be a […]
Straw men and straw characters
My book The Swedish Atheist, the Scuba Diver and Other Apologetic Rabbit Trails provides a dialogical introduction to apologetic engagement set in a coffee shop. Over the course of one day I engage in an extended conversation about the meaning of life with an atheist named Sheridan. And who is Sheridan? This is how he is introduced: […]
Reading the Bible informed by conscience
In “A review of “God or Godless”, inerrancy, and begging the question” I defended myself against a reviewer of God or Godless who opined that I had made a “major mistake” in my theology by rejecting the doctrine of inerrancy. I pointed out that I don’t reject inerrancy, though I do reject indefensible articulations of […]
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford charged with hating Christmas and heading drug cartel
AP (Toronto) – Further court documents were released by Toronto police Thursday outlining a series of new charges against Toronto’s embattled mayor Rob Ford. According to the report several staffers recounted hearing Ford say he “hates Christmas” on several occasions. In one incident he told a child named Virginia that there isn’t a Santa Claus, […]
Materialist epiphanies, reductive delusions
I was only a few pages into John Allen Paulos’ book Irreligion: A mathematician explains why the arguments for God just don’t add up (New York: Hill and Wang, 2008) when I came across Paulos’ extraordinary description of his childhood conversion to “materialism”. He writes: “if there is an inborn disposition to materialism (in the sense […]
A review of “God or Godless”, inerrancy, and begging the question
The “Christian Apologetics Alliance” website just published a review of God or Godless. The review is written by a fellow named Clinton Wilcox (for more on Clinton click here). It would seem that Clinton liked the book for he finds it to provide a good overview to the twenty topics it addresses, and he appreciates […]
