Posted on Tuesday,

Is It Ok To Admit That Christianity Could Be False?

It surprises people when I admit that Christianity could be false. Doesn’t this admission show a monumental lack of faith? Actually, just the opposite. Stay with me for a minute.

If Christianity does not rise to the level of being true or false, then it has been completely removed from the cognitive realm. To put it bluntly, if something can’t be false, then it can’t be true either. We are no longer talking about something real and rational investigation becomes impossible.

Please don’t mishear me, I think there are very good reasons to believe Christianity is actually true and best explains reality. But Christianity is the kind of thing that could be false. It’s at this point in my talk when people tend to get nervous (along with those who invited me in to speak!).

Let the Best Ideas Win

My point is simply this: In a culture that relativizes (everybody has their own truth) and then privatizes (my spiritual truth is personal and therefore off-limits) religious belief, we must reintroduce Christianity to our culture with its very public truth claims and let the best ideas win.

To use a football analogy, we have to take the red practice jersey off of Christianity so it can take some hits. But don’t just take my word for it, listen to the Apostle Paul:

“But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.” – 1 Cor. 15:13-17

Christianity is unique among all the world’s religions because it is testable.

Even If Christianity Doesn’t Make You Feel Better…

Nancy Pearcey puts her finger on the problem: “When Christians are willing to reduce religion to non-cognitive categories, unconnected to questions of truth or evidence, then we have already lost the battle.” When it comes to Christianity, the most important question we need to help people ask is not will it work for them or help them feel better, but rather is it true?

If you found this post helpful, you would enjoy “Why Does Truth Matter?”

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Posted on Tuesday,

There Are Two Kinds Of People Who Question The Bible

At the end of the day there are two kinds of people who question the Bible…which one are you?

As I have already noted previously, everyone questions the Bible at some point. Doubt is a natural part of the journey of faith. But we shouldn’t doubt just to doubt. Young people especially need safe space to express their honest questions and sincere doubts. But the goal is not (or at least shouldn’t be) a radical skepticism that questions everything and never lands anywhere.

What Do You Ultimately Want?

Path #1: When I interact with students who are asking the tough questions because they want the truth I am deeply encouraged because I know their faith muscles are being strengthened. They want to know what is real. They don’t want to live a lie and they don’t want to follow a path that is a spiritual or moral dead end. The first pathway is seeking the truth.

A text book (and biblical!) example of this mindset would be one of the earliest biographers of Jesus:

“Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.” –Luke 1:1-4

Path #2: I also have the experience of interacting with students, adults, or people on social media who are not after the truth with their questions. Not really. The best illustration of this kind of mindset and posture I have come across is prominent NYU professor, Thomas Nagel:

“I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent and well-informed people I know are religious believers. It just isn’t that I don’t believe in God and, naturally, hope that I am right in my belief. It’s that I hope there is no God! I don’t want the universe to be like that.”–Thomas Nagel (The Last Word)

This is refreshing and instructive honesty because it shows the power of the human will to bend our reason and make it submit when truth is not our goal. The second pathway is space.

The Bottom Line

If you want truth, you will find it in the end because Christians have nothing to fear from the truth. However if you are using your questions to create space between you and the God of the Bible so that you can do whatever you want because you don’t want submit to an authority…that is a different path altogether. People are certainly free to take this path, but if space is what you ultimately want, then you will get it because you can always create space by asking another question.

However, please keep this in mind. Just because you can ask another question doesn’t mean that there isn’t a reasonable answer to your question. Why? Because if in your heart of hearts you just want space, then your will can accomplish this with enough effort.

As counterintuitive as it may sound, I actually want people to question the Bible. I want this because I want them to find the truth and the confident faith that flows from the knowledge of the truth. But we also need to be honest and recognize that if truth is not your goal, then you will not find it.

If you are honest with yourself in this moment, what are you ultimately after? Truth or Space?

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Posted on Tuesday,

How to Have a Conversation About Bible Contradictions

Tis the season for skepticism about the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth and the Bible. Are you ready?

Imagine that you’re meeting with a couple who is exploring Christianity at your local coffee shop and they raise the objection, “How can you trust the Gospels when they are full of contradictions?” What would you say? Here’s a simple game plan for navigating this opportunity.

First, ask them to give you a specific example of a contradiction. And if they list one, ask them why they think it is a real contradiction. Most people have just heard this slogan and repeat it . . . make them do some work here.

Next, respond to their objection. As you do, share that we must be careful not to impose twenty-first-century historical standards on a first-century text. Explain the important distinction between accuracy and precision. We live in the age of scientific precision and digital everything. The practice of first century biographers was to record an accurate summary based on eyewitness testimony.

In fact, there were no quotation marks in the Greek language. Capturing “the gist” of something was completely acceptable. The bottom line is that the earliest biographers of Jesus could be historically accurate without being as precise as we might like them to be. It’s also important to point out that differences don’t necessarily equal errors because of various perspectives at work.

Finally, ask them if (1) they have understood your answer and (2) if they are satisfied with your explanation. Again, wait for a response here. If so, great. If not, why not?

It might seem at some point that they’re not really interested in an answer—it may be worth asking them what would satisfy them in this case. It could be that they have an unrealistic standard they are applying to the biographical writings contained in the Bible—especially the Gospels.

If you have offered a reasonable or plausible solution to the apparent contradiction, then it’s up to them at that point. Remember, just because they may not be convinced on the spot, doesn’t mean your conclusions are not reasonable.

Sometimes we get nervous when people raise objections to our faith. But having a game plan gives us confidence to engage. After all, we don’t need to worry because we have the truth on our side. We just need to be ready.

READ: Newsweek Attacks the Bible…

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Posted on Friday,

Talking About Truth At Charleston Southern University

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Recently I had the privilege of speaking to the students and faculty at Charleston Southern University. It was a great trip and I was impressed with the students I was able to interact with. I spoke on How to Think Christianly in a Post-Christian Culture, How Can Jesus Be The Only Way To God?, and 5 Things Every Student Needs To Live Well. I also really enjoyed an informal round table with the thoughtful faculty at Charleston Southern. There was a lot I took away from this time speaking with students, but I will just make a few observations.

First, students want to engage the tough questions. They don’t just want pat answers. Next, this generation is passionate and wants to follow God and do big things for him. Lastly, there is increasing confusion about moral and spiritual truth in our culture and Christians are unconsciously absorbing it. The remedy for this is equipping and training. Students are fully capable of having mature conversations about topics that matter.

Here is a short video conversation I had with the campus pastor, Jon Davis, about truth, integration, and my book Think Christianly.

Here is the audio to the chapel message.

Invite me to speak to your group.

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Posted on Tuesday,

Is the Bible Sexist, Racist, Homophobic, and Genocidal?

Does the Bible endorse slavery? Is the Bible anti-women? Does God hate homosexuals? Is the God of the Bible a genocidal monster? These are challenging questions for Christians to answer. In this new resource, I respond to four of the most culturally taboo issues of our day when it comes to the Bible. These objections often leave Christians speechless. This e-Book (for only .99 cents) summarizes the key arguments you need to know in order to thoughtfully, lovingly, and biblically respond when you encounter these emotional objections.

Understanding the cultural and historical background of the Bible’s description and view of these controversial issues give insight into the modern context. This is a concise and readable resource to help clear up some of the modern confusion and skepticism regarding the Bible’s stance on these important topics.

My hope is that you will find answers and encouragement in these pages and be better equipped to engage people about your faith.

Question: Which of these questions is most challenging for you to answer? Leave a comment below!

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