Many religions claim high growth rates that are not merely due to population increases. If a religion acquires a large number of followers, does that growth count in favor of its truth claims? Christianity experienced rapid growth in its early period but so have many religions, including Islam and Mormonism. Is Christianity unique, and if so, how? Fast-Growing Religions and Their Causes Historically, Islam and Mormonism (Latter-day…
Christian filmmakers are on a roll. The last several years have brought us an increasing number of religious films, many bordering on mainstream and featuring globally recognized stars. But among the miraculous true stories and positive message films, Risen, the tale of a skeptical Roman soldier Clavius (Joseph Fiennes) encountering the risen Christ (Cliff Curtis), is the one that caught…
People who doubt religion and the supernatural typically think believers lack skepticism. In the minds of most atheists, Christians cannot sufficiently think through a religious claim unless they begin with cynical disbelief. Atheists often assert that extraordinary claims—like the supernatural—require extraordinary evidence in order to be justifiably believable. One central leader of the early Christian church began his journey to…
“Who said anything about safe? ’Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”1 This line—from my favorite book in C. S. Lewis’s remarkable children’s series—makes it clear that Aslan, the Christ figure of Narnia, is no tame lion. But his being dangerous does not rule out his profound benevolence. Like Lewis’ ferocious feline, ideas,…
Ideas have consequences, sometimes far-reaching and world-changing. The Christian faith contains many volatile truths that challenged–and continue to challenge–the cultural and religious status quo of the world. None of these have been so world-changing as the assertion that Christ was raised from the dead. This short ebook, comprised of two chapters from my book 7 Truths That Changed the World,…
Central facts of the gospel in 1 Cor. 15:3ff.:
- Christ is deity.
- He died for our sins.
- He was buried.
- He rose from the dead.
- He was seen by many witnesses.
— Gary R. Habermas, Heart of New Testament Doctrine, vol. 1 (Joplin, Missouri: College Press, 2000), 51.
Christians often talk about what it means to live well but seldom do they discuss what it means to die well. So what is a “good death”? In the context of hospice, the concept of a good death involves the easing of a dying person’s suffering. But in the broader scope of life, what constitutes a good death?
If Christ is risen, nothing else matters. And if Christ is not—nothing else matters.
–Jaroslav Pelikan (1923–2006), Yale Department of History Newsletter
Reflections 