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Randal Rauser

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Archives for October 2021

9.5 Theses for Christian Apologetics on Reformation Day

October 31, 2021 by Randal

This Reformation Day, in honor of Luther’s 95 Theses I present 9.5 Theses for Christian apologetics. Okay, it’s actually 10 theses, but the 10th one is really short. 1. Too often, Christian apologists conflate their partisan interpretations of Christianity with the defense of the faith simpliciter. You are welcome to defend young earth creationism or […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: apologetics

Would Jesus have endorsed gay marriage?

October 25, 2021 by Randal

Jesus never talks about same-sex relationships, but he does talk about marriage (e.g. Matthew 19:1-10, Mark 10:1-12). And when he describes marriage, he always does so within the context of an indissoluble male/female covenantal bond. His understanding of the indissolubility aspect is an important topic in the conversation, But here I want to focus on […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: biblical ethics, ethics, gay marriage, hermeneutics, homosexuality

Should a Christian use the Name and Preferred Pronouns of a Trans-Gender Person?

October 20, 2021 by Randal

Five years ago, I delivered a plenary address titled “What Would Jesus Say to Caitlyn Jenner?” According to many Christians, the first thing he’d say is “Hiya, Bruce!” For example, Robert Gagnon defends the view that using the preferred pronouns and name for a transgender person constitutes blasphemy against God: by referring to Jenner as […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: hospitality, transgender

God the Liar

October 20, 2021 by Randal

I recently posted the following question on Twitter: If a Muslim imam prays for a man stricken with cancer, and the tumor immediately disappears, can a Christian interpret that as a miracle wrought by the Christian God? — Tentative Apologist (@RandalRauser) October 18, 2021 One commenter noted that, in his view, if the Christian God […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: epistemology, God, lying

Do Lacktheists have a Burden of Proof?

October 19, 2021 by Randal

One of my many pet peeves: self-described atheists who are at pains to insist they have no burden of proof. That also applies to those who claim they ‘lack belief’: ?

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: agnosticism, burden of proof, epistemology, lacktheism

One Day Sale: Jesus Loves Canaanites

October 18, 2021 by Randal

It’s 6 months since Jesus Loves Canaanites was released. To celebrate, Amazon is selling the Kindle for $1.99 for today only. Unfortunately, the offer is only available in the United States. Pass it on! Click here to purchase.

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist

How Biblical Divinely Commanded Genocide Undermines Moral Knowledge

October 14, 2021 by Randal

Is it intrinsically evil to slaughter infants or does it depend on the context? Our moral knowledge says one thing, biblical passages like 1 Samuel 15:3 seem to say something else. ?

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: biblical violence, Jesus Loves Canaanites, moral epistemology, moral knowledge, skepticism

Prolife Christians Who Support Child Killing

October 12, 2021 by Randal

Defending the morality of the Canaanite genocide has disastrous consequences for a consistent Christian ethic as I explain in this video. ?

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: abortion, biblical violence, genocide, infanticide, Jesus Loves Canaanites, moral epistemology, moral knowledge

Quick Replies to William Lane Craig’s Bad Talking Points on the Canaanite Genocide

October 10, 2021 by Randal

William Lane Craig has made truly impressive contributions to a range of deep philosophical and theological topics. His defense of biblical atrocities like the Canaanite genocide is a notable exception. In this article, I offer some responses to excerpts from his response to a listener question about the Canaanite genocide. Craig says: “The slaughter of […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: biblical violence, Canaanites, genocide, William Lane Craig

How Getting Beaten Up Taught Me an Important Life Lesson

October 9, 2021 by Randal

I’m a relatively effective communicator and for the most part, that has served me well in life. Back in 1989, my friend and I were in a guitar shop when my friend was targeted by a guy who didn’t like him for some reason. When we left, that guy followed us out of the store […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist

Why Christian Fundamentalism Is Not Your Father’s Orthodoxy

October 5, 2021 by Randal

Today, I was reading the entry on “Fundamentalism” in Alan Richardson, A Dictionary of Christian Theology (SCM Press, 1969) when I came across a passage that provides a trenchant critique of fundamentalism. One of the key attractions of fundamentalism, at least according to its adherents, is the belief that fundamentalism is rooted in the faithful transmission of […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: fundamentalism, orthodoxy

A Brief Defense of Blind Faith

October 5, 2021 by Randal

Let’s Talk About Blind Faith. ?

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: blind faith, epistemology, faith, rationality

A Snapshot of Humanity: On the Existential Experience of Reading Old Postcards

October 4, 2021 by Randal

When I find myself with some free time on my hands, I like to kill an hour at the flea market, flipping through old postcards and reading the messages scrawled on the back. These moments in time often give a poignant snapshot into the human experience. One of my favorites was a 1960s postcard from […]

Filed Under: The Tentative Apologist Tagged With: existentialism, postcard

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