Answering Richard Dawkins, Part 2
Dawkins Argument #2: There are of course gaps in the fossil record. In the case of the Turbellaria, a large, flourishing and beautiful group of free-living flatworms, the fossil record is one big gap – there are no fossils – and not even a Young Earth Creationist...
Answering Richard Dawkins
I appreciate Dr. Richard Dawkins’ impassioned arguments against creationism, as he challenges his listeners and readers to think through their positions and to offer sound reasons for their conclusions. My focus here is not to argue against his atheism, but is to...
What Was Nietzsche Thinking?
The flow of Nietzsche’s thought is notably distinct from more systematic philosophers (e.g., Kant) in that his perspective on moral value does not advance from previously defined epistemological and metaphysical conceptions. In fact, a reverse progression is evident...
“The most effective leadership, management, and efficiency models share traits common with each other, and traits that are ultimately traceable to the pages of the Bible. While these models are often not intentionally rooted in Biblical concepts by those that promote the models, the models illustrate how applying Biblical principles can set a trajectory of success in enterprise and in life. Led By a Lion is designed to introduce some of these leadership, management, and efficiency models, but goes a step further in identifying the Biblical genesis of many of the core traits that fuel the success of these models.”
Biblical Wordplay Doesn’t Obfuscate Meaning
Years ago, inaugural Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Coach John McKay was asked, after yet another loss, about his team’s execution. He quipped without hesitation, “I’m all for it.” McKay had the ability to quickly recognize not only the original, intended meaning of a word,...
History of the Problem of Evil, Part 2
The Problem of Evil in Modern Philosophy Calvin (1509-1564) Calvin resolutely disregards human volition as a means of absolving God for evil’s existence, and thus rejects earlier mainstream theodicies. In Ockham, however, Calvin finds an agreeable response to the...
9 Steps for Bible Exegesis and Exposition: #8 Secondary Verification
Technically only the first seven steps of the exegetical process are truly exegetical. In those steps we aren’t using anything but the text itself (though because of our limitations in connecting with the languages especially it is expected that we will use tools like...
“This approach has the advantage of seeking to view all knowledge through the lens of Scripture, and to subject all knowledge to the authority of Scripture. It encourages science and research within the field of psychology. It offers a Biblical balance of description and prescription. Of course, if the Bible is unreliable, then the refractive power of Scripture is distortive rather than corrective, but the epistemological premise of this approach is that God’s word is authoritative and sufficient for our understanding, for our equipping, and for our practice. There are many extra-biblical resources that we can employ, but in seeking out how and when to do that, we mustn’t lose sight of the one reliable constant that God has provided for us – the Bible.” –Chapter 9
History of the Problem of Evil, Part 1
The seemingly unavoidable contradiction between the existence of a personal God and the reality of evil provides a crucial point of entry not only for discussion both of (1) argument for and against the existence of God and (2) the nature and character of such a God,...
Hypocrisy, A&E, Phil Robertson, and Us: Lessons to Be Learned
So let’s recap. Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame was quoted in a GQ interview as saying, “It seems like, to me, a vagina – as a man – would be more desirable than a man’s anus. That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean,...
Aesthetics as an Example of the Cross-Disciplinary Pervasiveness of the Problem of Evil
Where do theology and philosophy intersect, and at what points can they be observed as doing so? For Aquinas, theology was a subset of philosophy – a part, actually. He describes the relationship saying, …all things which “are” are dealt with in the philosophical...
“The Green Tree is an exceptional work…provides a vital tool for every Bible interpreter…Just as the root system is the foundation of a tree and directly impacts the health of a tree, hermeneutic method is at the root of one’s worldview. This illustration demonstrates that the hermeneutic method that an interpreter of the Bible employs will significantly affect the outcome. The tree will either be healthy, or it will not be healthy…The authors provide a unique examination of Revelation, Genesis, and Job that demonstrates that the LGH hermeneutic is derived from within Scripture, something that other hermeneutical methods fail to demonstrate. This is perhaps the most crucial principle demonstrated in The Green Tree, and it effectively demonstrates that the LGH hermeneutic is also the Biblical hermeneutic.” – Andrew Friend (Amazon Review)
The Hermeneutic Roots of Our Soteriological Crisis
What is the root cause of soteriological controversy? Hermeneutics and theological method are major factors.
Amos Overview
A downloadable synthetic overview of the Book of Amos.
9 Steps for Bible Exegesis and Exposition, Step #6: Identify Biblical Context
After completing the detailed grammatical, syntactical and lexical analysis, we need to step back and refocus to the bird’s eye perspective and so some synthesizing. First, we need to identify the overall theme of the book, but by completing the first steps in the...
7 Core Values for Effective Life and Ministry
#1 The Supremacy of His Glory It’s simple: It is all about Him, end of story. Ephesians 1 illustrates how Father (1:6), Son (1:12), and Holy Spirit (1:14) each work together for the glory of God. His activities serve His own purpose of expressing His character,...
Modeling Thanksgiving
What can we learn from Paul’s prayers of thanksgiving?
Obadiah Overview
A downloadable synthetic overview of the Book of Obadiah.
Measuring Success: It’s About Who Gives, Not Who Gets the Gold Medal
Results. Production. Success. Winning. Everybody wants those things, and nobody wants to sacrifice and invest in any activity if they can’t somehow attain them. Why run a race if not in the attempt to win? Lombardi’s famous words echo in our minds: “Winning isn’t...
Does God Speak To Us Today?
As believers there are certain principles to which we must be thoroughly committed. For example, our experience cannot determine our theology. Instead, we must submit our experience and our theology to God’s word. Peter illustrates this principle for us when he...
Confessions of a Double Agent in the Great Chicken War of 2012: I Eat at Chick-Fil-A…and Blackeyed Pea
It is remarkable how divisive morality issues can be. In recent days Chick-Fil-A’s President and COO, Dan Cathy, reaffirmed the company’s stance in favor of heterosexual marriage. Cathy’s statement has provided a platform for a cultural battle over sexuality and...
Laypeople in the Body of Christ? Not Really…
In an earlier Q & A (https://drcone.com/2012/01/06/q-a-is-there-a-difference-between-a-pastor-and-an-elder/) I considered whether or not there is any Biblical distinction between a pastor and an elder. I conclude that there is not. That discussion raised another...