Randal Rauser

Home of progressively evangelical, generously orthodox, rigorously analytic, revolutionary Christian thinking (that's what I'm aiming for anyway)

rhetoric

A Short Word on Good Arguments

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What is a “strong argument”? This is a question that every apologist should consider. You should start with premises that are true or plausibly true. Next, a conclusion that follows from the premises. That makes it a *valid* argument. But there’s more. After all, a valid argument with premises which cannot be understood by the […]

“I believe because it is absurd”: On atheist abuse of Christian rhetoric

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I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen an atheist cite 3rd-century theologian Tertullian’s statement “I believe because it is absurd” as evidence that “faith is irrational.” That’s equivalent to citing unemployed Miguel as evidence that “Mexicans are lazy.” What is more, it’s quote-mining which does violence to Tertullian’s point. The passage (which appears […]

Is abortion a genocide?

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Dear fellow Pro-Lifers, Please do not refer to support for elective abortion as a “genocide”. The word “genocide” has a specific meaning in international law: it refers to the attempt to destroy an ethnic, religious, or cultural identity. To be sure, genocidaires may use abortion as a means to destroy an ethnic, religious and/or cultural […]

Christianity is a religion, not a relationship

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This morning, I read the following tweet: Christianity is not a religion, let alone one religion among many. It is God's good news for the world. – John Stott (The Gospel: A Life-Changing Message) — Bruxy Cavey (@Bruxy) July 20, 2019   It’s a common refrain among some Christians. Christianity is not a religion, it’s […]

Atheists who poison the well by calling things magic

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Have you noticed how atheists often like to refer to theistic accounts of various aspects of reality as “magic”? It’s an irritating practice, a juvenile case of poisoning the well. And it’s even more irritating when a professional philosopher like Stephen Law engages in the practice. Here’s the summary of my recent twitter exchange on […]

Does it degrade public discourse to call people buffoons, fools, and clowns?

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This article consists of an exchange I had on Twitter with a fellow named “Jar Jar” (whether the surname is “Binks” is TBD). Here’s my initial offending tweet: Remember when Trump said he hires only the best people? The sheer ignorance of #BenCarson is deeply distressing. #KatiePorter, on the other hand, is amazing. Once again, […]

On Retreating into Mystery: A problem for Christian apologists?

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Ever since Antony Flew published his short parable of the invisible gardener, atheists have complained that theism is a hypothesis forever in retreat. Or, to shift metaphors, rebutting theism is like nailing the proverbial jelly to the wall: as soon as you drive the hammer in, the jelly breaks free, sliding on to greener pastures […]

Winsome Persuasion: A Review

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Tim Muehlhoff and Richard Langer, Winsome Persuasion: Christian Influence in a Post-Christian World. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2017. I’ve been concerned with the art of persuasion for almost as long as I have been interested in apologetics. And there’s a good reason why. As I like to say, you can have the best engine in […]

On Anti-Abortion Extremists (and other unhelpful rhetoric)

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CNN just posted an article titled “Before judging ‘late-term abortion,’ understand what it means, doctors say.” I agree with the sentiment. There is way too much heat and not enough light in this complex and highly emotional debate. That said, I cannot help but reply to the comment of one of the two doctors interviewed […]

Alarmist evangelical apologetics and the so-called post-truth world

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If you listen to evangelical Christian apologists for any length of time, you will soon hear reference to an ominous “post-truth culture” or a “post-truth world”. As Lee Strobel observed in a 2017 interview: “we see a trend toward a postmodern mindset and ‘post-truth’ culture.” (source) And as John C. Richards, Jr. opines in Christianity Today: “culture […]

On Fundamentalism: The Best Thing Alvin Plantinga Ever Wrote

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I was called a “liberal” this week on Twitter. I don’t have any problem per se with being called a liberal. But in this case it clearly wasn’t intended as a compliment. So I asked my interlocutor about his basis for making the charge. He replied by pointing out that I support public healthcare for all. Guilty […]