Theology For the Rest of Us | Quick Answers to the Questions About God and the Bible

In this episode, Kenny tackles the reality that there will be various opinions and convictions from different people in our lives and churches as we make attempts to return to some sense of normalcy in the coming weeks and months. This is going to require wisdom and grace. Instead of demands, expectations, social pressures, harshness, judgmental attitudes, or virtue signalling, Christians ought to actually lead the way with kindness, grace, and diplomacy in the midst of this unique season that may have the potential to be filled with some awkward moments. Resources Navigating Different COVID-19 Recovery Convictions (By Costi Hinn) Coronavirus and Christ (By John Piper) What Courage Might Corona Unleash? (By Marshall Segal) Let the Lily Have Today (By Marshall Segal) Voices: Restraint: Being a Christian Presence on Social Media (By Joshua Sharp)

In this episode Kenny discusses the concept of apologetics as being the defense of the Christian faith and the Biblical worldview. We are called to defend and give reasons for why we believe the Gospel and in the Bible and why we embrace the theological implications that come with both. Then Kenny unpacks the two primary types of apologetics: classical and presuppositional. In classical apologetics we seek to give evidences for existence of God, the resurrection of Christ, and the authencity of the Bible. Often times these evidences comes from the worlds of science, history, philosophy, ethics, textual criticisms, and occasionally even politics. Presuppositional apologetics is different in that rather than giving evidences, we seek to expose the flawed presuppositions that people have even before they begin a conversation about matters of faith. Both forms of apologetics are valuable if used rightly.

In this episode Kenny discusses the concept of intelligent design, which asserts that the universe was indeed intentionally created and fashioned by some supreme creator or intelligent being. Kenny also discusses the trends and philosophies which are a part of the intelligent design movement in North America today and how Evangelical Christians ought to respond to the movement.

There are various opinions about how we ought to approach our study of the origins of humanity. And there are various pieces of data coming from different genres of science that impact that studying. The world of genetics gives us more information about our origins than most genres of science and it helps us understand humanity and chunks of the created order around us. In this episode, Kenny tackles two questions from listeners by diving into his understanding of human genetics and how that informs how we view evolutionary theory. Kenny unpacks the differences between micro-evolution and macro-evolution, explains why this distinction ought to be embraced, and how the world of genetics bolsters the argument for such a distinction. This episode also includes several elementary metaphors to explain the position being asserted. He also answers the question as to whether we ever ought to embrace something that is not directly taught in the Bible?

In this episode, Kenny explains the Kalam Cosmological Argument and why it is a strong defense for the idea and existence of a supreme Creator. This apologetic argument asserts that since the universe has a beginning, it must also have something (or someone) that caused it to begin in the first place. Additional Resources: The Kalam Cosmological Argument [YouTube Video from Reasonable Faith] Responding to the 11 Common Objections to the Kalam Cosmological Argument

In this episode, Kenny responds to a reviewer comment that accuses Kenny of denying creation. Kenny responds by making clear what he believers and why. Kenny also explains his motivations for the recent episodes about creation (and related topics). More importantly, Kenny uses this correspondence to reflect on how Evangelicals approach certain theological topics and he also explains why he believes that overly fundamentalistic ideologies can be harmful to the unity of the body of Christ.

In this episode Kenny interviews world-renowned philosopher and best-selling author J.P. Moreland about his new book "Scientism and Secularism." The book is about some of the worldviews that have now become mainstream and dominant in the worlds of philosophies and science, that Dr. Moreland says are incoherent and detrimental. In the interview Dr. Moreland unpacks the concept of scientism as being the philosophy that all data and information must directly come from a genre of science in order for it to be considered viable or trustworthy in an apologetics dialogue. Dr. Moreland explains why this philosophy ought to be rejected and how to respond to this way of thinking. Dr. Moreland asserts that data from many other sources ought to be considered in this conversations, including data from the worlds of politics, ethics, morality, psychology, and religion. J.P. Moreland is the Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University in La Mirada, California. He's taught there for more than 35 years. He has earned four earned degrees; an undergraduate degree in chemistry, two graduate degrees in philosophy and theology, and then earned his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. He's been a church planter and has been involved in the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) for many years. Before serving as a college professor he served as a bioethicist for PersonaCare Nursing Homes, Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Moreland has made numerous media contributions including to PBS, Christianity Today, and WORLD magazine. He has authored more than 30 books and more than 70 articles in scholarly journals across North America. Check out J.P. Moreland's website Get a copy of his newest book: Scientism and Secularism

The fine-tuning argument is a philosophical and scientific argument that asserts that the universe is perfectly fine-tuned for life as we know it. When we rationally and objectively observe the universe, we see that the universe has been perfectly crafted and intentional designed in a manner that is literally the most ideal environment for human life to exist and flourish. This is especially seen through the newest developments and discoveries from the genres of cosmology and physics. According to many physicists, the fact that the universe is able to support life depends delicately on various forces and fundamental characteristics, that if they were altered by even a small amount life as we know it simply could not exist. Even religious scientists and philosophers must concede that this could have all happened by accident. However, all honest observers, religious or non-religious, must admit that the statistical probability that this happened all by itself by accident is simply minuscule, and that it actually defies logic that it came about by random chance. In this episode, Kenny explains this argument and shares various pieces of data that demonstrate why the fine-tuning argument is so compelling. Bibliography, Sources, and Additional Resources Christopher Hitchens Fine Tuning (Conversation with Doug Wilson) [YouTube Video] PragerU: Does Science Argue for or Against God? [YouTubeVideo] COLLISION: Christopher Hitchens vs. Douglas Wilson [DVD] Atheists Humbled by Order in Universe [YouTube Video] Leonard Susskind - Is the Universe Fine-Tuned for Life and Mind? [YouTube Video] The anthropic significance of the existence of an excited state of 12C (article by M. Livio, D. Hollowell, A. Weiss, and J.W. Truran) An anthropic myth: Fred Hoyle’s carbon-12 resonance level (article by Helge Kragh) The Origin and Fine-Tuning of the Universe (William Lane Craig) [YouTube Video] Humanity Is No Cosmic Accident: Science Shows We’re Far from Ordinary (article By Eric Metaxas) Is the Universe Merely a Statistical Accident? (article by Larry Dossey, MD) How Many Galaxies Are in the Universe? [YouTube Video] Improbable Planet: How Earth Became Humanity's Home (book by Hugh Ross)

In this episode, Kenny interviews world-renowned astronomer and best-selling author Hugh Ross about various topics related to Old-Earth creationism and Old Testament hermeneutics. Dr. Ross is well-known for his defense of the "day-age" creationist position. In this interview Dr. Ross dialogues with Kenny about variations of Old-Earth Creationism, the literary framework hypothesis of Genesis 1, the creation accounts in the book of Job, the Garden of Eden, the extent of Noah's flood, and the most appropriate way to navigate the book of Genesis. The interview ends by touching on the Neanderthals, proto-humans, and Dr. Ross' opinion of the Leviathan and the Behemoth. Dr. Ross is the founder of Reasons to Believe, an organization that creates and provides various resources that show that science and faith are not enemies. Dr. Ross and his team have lectured at more than 300 universities across North America. Dr. Hugh Ross has an undergraduate degree in physics and later earned a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Toronto. For several years he continued his research on quasars and galaxies as a postdoctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology. Dr. Ross has made countless media appearances, including The Dennis Prager Show, FOX News, The 700 Club, The Eric Metaxas Show, Coast to Coast AM with George Noory, and numerous podcasts. He has also appeared in numerous magazines and news articles such as Christianity Today, Charisma magazine, and The Wall Street Journal. Outside of Reasons to Believe, Dr. Ross teaches as an adjunct professor at both A.W. Tozer Seminary and Southern Evangelical Seminary. He also serves as a minister of apologetics at Sierra Madre Congregational Church where he conducts a weekly apologetics class. He and his wife live in Southern California. Check out Reasons to Believe's Website Check out Kenny's favorite books by Dr. Ross: Navigating Genesis and The Creator and the Cosmos Follow Dr. Ross on Facebook and Twitter  

When it comes to the origins of the Earth, the most prominent perspective held by many contemporary American Evangelicals is the concept of Young-Earth Creationism. This is the idea that God created the universe and everything in this universe in six literal calendar days (six consecutive 24-hour periods). The Young-Earth position asserts that God created everything approximately 6,000 years ago (although some Young Earth Creationists say that it may have happened as far back as 10,000 to 15,000 years ago) and most Young-Earth creationists argue that the science and date that seem to point to an Old-Earth (billions of years old) is science that is being done with flawed presuppositions therefore always leads to flawed conclusions. In this episode, Kenny interviews podcaster and apologist Steve Schramm. They discuss the Biblical reasons why someone might embrace the Young-Earth position as well as discussing various related topics such as the global flood, the Garden of Eden, and the various hermeneutical approaches to Genesis. Steve is an avid proponent of the Young-Earth position. He seeks to train Christians to become confident and passionate about wholeheartedly serving Jesus as well as defending the Christian faith. Check out Steve Schramm's website: Steveschramm.com Check out his resource website: The Creation Academy Follow Steve Schramm on Facebook and Twitter Additional Reading Tyler Vela's response to Steve Schramm: "Rejoinders to a YEC Response" (Part 1) Tyler Vela's response to Steve Schramm: "Rejoinders to a YEC Response" (Part 2) Steve Schramm's Response to Tyler Vela: "Defending a Young Earth" (Part 1) Steve Schramm's Response to Tyler Vela: "Defending a Young Earth" (Part 2) Additional Organizations with Young-Earth Resources Institute for Creation Research Answers in Genesis

Many people in our contemporary society claim to be focused on the "evidence" only, therefore they refuse to embrace anything that seems non-scientific, which would cause them to potentially reject the existence of the supernatural realm or would refuse to ever appeal to the supernatural realm for explanations. This approach often demands that people only use natural or physical explanations when explaining trends or phenomenons in our natural world. This is the philosophy of naturalism, which typically goes hand-in-hand with the common evolutionary theories being promoted today. However, if someone actually embraces the common Darwinian evolutionary theories, then there are actually very good reasons to not trust human mental faculties and to therefore question every closely held belief, including naturalism itself. In this episode, Kenny explains why and how evolutionary theory can actually be used as an argument against naturalism. Additional Resources Quick Video: The Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism (Center for Philosophy of Religion) [YouTube Video] Lecture: "An Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism - Alvin Plantinga at USC" [YouTube Video]

In this episode, Kenny interviews Ben Stanhope about the topic of the Leviathan and the Behemoth, as mentioned in the Old Testament. In this interview Ben discusses the Ancient Near Eastern manuscripts that have been recently discovered that give us greater insights into these Old Testament references. Ben Stanhope studied apologetics at Biola University and he then studied apologetics and theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he also served as a Garrett Fellow. He is now studying manuscript archaeology and textual criticism at the Center for the Study of Manuscript Cultures at Hamburg University in Germany. Check out Ben Stanhope's YouTube channel: Pixels and Papyrus

In this episode Kenny answers the question, "Are Dinosaurs Mentioned in the Bible?" The primary Bible passages that Kenny examines are Job 40 & 41.

The questions about the historicity and legitimacy of Adam and Eve are important ones, with serious theological ramifications directly impacting how we view sin, sin nature, and the Gospel. In this episode, Kenny interviews the world-renowned author and Bible scholar Dr. Jack Collins, wherein he tackles the question, "Did Adam and Eve Really Exist?" C. John “Jack” Collins is Professor of Old Testament at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, and was a Senior Research Fellow for The Creation Project. He served as the Old Testament Chairman for the English Standard Version (ESV) translation of the Bible, he worked on the ESV's Old Testament translation team helping to translate the Scriptures from Hebrew to English, and he has authored (or co-authored) several books on a variety of Bible topics. Before diving into the world of Bible scholarship, Dr. Collins had a science background. He earned a BS (computer science) and a MS (systems engineering), both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After that, he earned an M.Div. from Faith Evangelical Lutheran Seminary and a Ph.D. in Biblical Hebrew linguistics from the School of Archaeology and Oriental Studies at the University of Liverpool. Recommended: Did Adam and Eve Really Exist?: Who They Were and Why You Should Care (by Dr. C. John Collins) Creation Debate: Dr. Albert Mohler and Dr. Jack Collins [Video] ESV Study Bible Reading Genesis Well: Navigating History, Poetry, Science, and Truth in Genesis 1-11 (by Dr. C. John Collins) Four Views on the Historical Adam (multiple contributors, including Dr. C. John Collins) Dr. Collins' Contributions at "Sapientia" [Blog Articles]

Whenever discussing creationism, the topic of dinosaurs will always inevitability always come up as a part of the conversation. In this episode Kenny answers the question, "What happened to the dinosaurs?" He gives three potential responses to this question that are held by evangelicals. Afterwards, Kenny then dovetails into a brief conversation about dragons and whether or not the legends and myths that speak of dragons are actually exaggerated narratives and tales about the dinosaurs and dinosaur-like creatures that were living in pre-modern history, co-existing with humans.