Learning to think rigorously for oneself is one of the most important intellectual duties in life. Critical thinking confers many benefits, including the ability to solve problems, to live independently, and to discover truth. Unfortunately, I am concerned that much of formal education today, especially in the social sciences, involves ever-increasing doses of indoctrination and sometimes even full-blown propaganda.1I believe the…
If the biblical God wants everyone to believe in him and potentially come into a saving relationship with him, then why does he seem—at least for some people—to be absent or hidden? As I’ve reflected about this claim that God is hidden, I think we can frame the issue as either a fundamental problem for the sender (God) or for the receiver…
One of the reasons cited in favor of atheism and against the idea that the God of Christian theism exists is known as the “hiddenness of God” objection. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy offers this definition: “‘Divine hiddenness’, as the phrase suggests, refers, most fundamentally, to the hiddenness of God, i.e., the alleged fact that God is hidden, absent, silent.” In…
“Not enough evidence, God! Not enough evidence!”1 That was famous secular philosopher Bertrand Russell’s2 response when asked what he would theoretically say in defense of his unbelief if he found himself facing God on judgment day. One of the common claims that atheists make in objection to God’s existence is that God is hidden. This “hiddenness of God” challenge may take the following…
Fifty years ago, if I wanted to carry on a serious dialogue and apologetic debate with Hindu, Buddhist, Confucian, and Muslim scholars I probably needed to go overseas. But with the emergence of the internet and influx of immigration in America and other parts of the Western world, all of that has changed. Great religious diversity now exists in America, especially…
What is real? What is right? What is lovely? Human beings ask these kinds of questions because we long for at least three things: truth, goodness, and beauty. Prominent philosophers through the centuries have called these three cosmic values transcendentals. A transcendental refers to something that exists beyond the time-space-matter world. It is a universal reality that extends beyond our everyday sensory experiences and is…
Suicide remains a serious problem in our world today. And some researchers say suicide rates have increased during the pandemic.1 In fact, during the month of October 2020 there were more deaths in Japan from suicide than from COVID-19.2 Suicide is but one aspect of the broader problem of evil, pain, and suffering. Thus, Christians are not immune from this tragic reality.…
One Christian author in history owns the distinction of having been read by popes, rock stars, and leading atheists. He lived almost 1,600 years ago and was from North Africa. He is the single most prolific author of the ancient world and has influenced countless Protestants and Catholics. Named after two Roman emperors, he is known to us as St. Augustine of…
Skeptics of the Christian faith often say that the Bible is filled with contradictions and errors. Therefore, it cannot be trusted as a source of truth. How can a Christian respond? Here’s one way. What is the best attested biblical truth? It’s confirmed every single day in every person’s life. In his famous book Orthodoxy, Catholic writer G. K. Chesterton said: “Certain…
Religion and science are two of the most powerful forces active in the world today. But has the scientific enterprise somehow rendered belief in God unnecessary or even contradictory? If not, why are some leading and outspoken scientists so dismissive of God’s very existence? The informative and engaging new film Against the Tide: Finding God in an Age of Science (Pensmore Films,…
