A Bunch Of Reasons Christianity Is True: special guest Jonathan McLatchie
May 16, 2019
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Jonathan McLatchie, an apologist and content creator, dives into the compelling reasons for believing in Christianity. He explores the validity of biblical prophecy, highlighting examples like Isaiah 53, and discusses the extraordinary unity of the Bible across diverse authors. The conversation touches on Jesus's divine status, historical contexts of biblical teachings, and the intersection of science and faith through concepts like genetic design. McLatchie emphasizes the transformative power of the resurrection and encourages further exploration of apologetics.
The podcast introduces a cumulative case for Christianity, demonstrating how various forms of evidence collectively affirm the faith's truth.
Prophecy is emphasized as a crucial line of evidence, showcasing specific Old Testament predictions fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ.
The remarkable unity of the Bible, written by over 40 authors, suggests divine inspiration through its coherent message across diverse contexts.
Undesigned coincidences found in Gospel accounts highlight their historical reliability, confirming that the narratives are rooted in genuine experiences and testimonies.
Deep dives
Importance of Evidence for Christianity
The episode emphasizes the substantial evidence supporting Christianity, which many people may be unaware of. A cumulative case for Christianity is introduced, illustrating how various forms of evidence can work together to affirm the truth of the faith. It is highlighted that recognizing these evidences collectively can lead to a more impressive and persuasive understanding of Christianity. The conversation sets the stage for exploring multiple arguments supporting the belief in Christianity’s validity.
Role of Prophecy in Christianity
Prophecy is presented as a key line of evidence for Christianity, demonstrating that predictions made in the Scriptures were fulfilled in Jesus. The discussion refers to examples from the Old Testament, such as Deuteronomy and Isaiah, emphasizing how prophetic texts outline the coming of the Messiah. Specific instances, such as the predicted destruction of Tyre, highlight how prophecies are not merely vague predictions but fulfillments grounded in detailed imagery. This ability to predict one's future with accuracy underscores the Divine nature attributed to the Scriptures.
The Unity of the Bible
The podcast discusses the remarkable unity of the Bible, which comprises 66 books written by over 40 authors across different continents and centuries. The coherence of the biblical narrative suggests a divine guidance behind the compilation of these texts, with intricate harmonies interwoven throughout. Specific examples of how different authors address similar theological concepts without collusion exhibit a consistency that strengthens the claim of divine inspiration. This uniqueness reinforces the argument for Christianity by illustrating a cohesive message despite the diverse origins of the biblical texts.
Undesigned Coincidences and Historical Reliability
The idea of undesigned coincidences is explored as another layer of evidence supporting the historical reliability of the Gospel accounts. This concept arises when independent accounts from different authors reveal subtle details that interlock and corroborate each other. Such coincidences indicate that the authors did not fabricate their narratives but instead recorded genuine events and testimonies with remarkable accuracy. The episode highlights how these coincidences bolster the credibility of Gospel accounts by demonstrating that they resonate with factual history.
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
The resurrection of Jesus is presented as a foundational claim of Christianity that demands historical scrutiny. The podcast argues that the apostles' firm conviction regarding Jesus’ resurrection serves as strong evidence for its truth, particularly given their willingness to die for this belief. Supporting evidence for their experiences, such as the appearances of Jesus to various individuals post-resurrection, highlights the multi-sensory nature of their encounters. This accumulation of evidence positions the resurrection as a central pillar justifying belief in Christianity.
The Argument from Fine-Tuning
The episode covers the concept of fine-tuning in both biological and cosmological contexts as compelling evidence for God's existence. Fine-tuning refers to the precise conditions necessary for life to exist in the universe, which seems highly improbable without intelligent design. The discussion explores various constants and parameters within the universe, demonstrating that even slight variations would result in an inhospitable environment for life. This intricacy strongly suggests that a purposeful creator must have established these conditions, supporting theism over atheistic views.
Philosophical Reflections on the Trinity
A philosophical argument for the Trinity emerges from discussions about the nature of God as love. The podcast asserts that a Unitarian conception of God poses challenges, particularly regarding the existence of love prior to creation, which necessitates more than one divine person. It posits that the introduction of multiple persons in the Godhead does not detract from God's unity but rather fosters a greater expression of love. Consequently, this exploration suggests that the idea of a triune God is a logical necessity for a God characterized by perfect love.
Cumulative Case for Christianity
The episode concludes by summarizing the cumulative case for Christianity, emphasizing how individual pieces of evidence collectively affirm the faith. By presenting numerous arguments, including prophetic fulfillment, biblical unity, undesigned coincidences, historical reliability, the resurrection, and fine-tuning, the discussion illustrates the robustness of the evidence supporting Christianity. Each piece of evidence bolsters the others, creating a multi-faceted approach that strengthens the overall argument. Ultimately, this cumulative framework invites open engagement with the truth claims of Christianity.
Most people don't realize that there are lot of good reasons to think Christianity is true. This video is meant to introduce you to a bunch of them and to help you get thinking about something called "the cumulative case for Christianity". Check the rest of this description for links to further resources you can use to learn to better master these arguments.
Jonathan McLatchie's links - YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr6nvYFyoCk5DsRgYRrhC_g
and his web site http://Apologetics-Academy.org
More on PROPHECY in my "Evidence for the Bible" playlist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjnwldgqN8c&list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuhA0RPKZFHVcjIMN_-F596
The UNITY OF THE BIBLE is taught in depth in this series on "Jesus in the Old Testament" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWlpQauXiTU&list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHsHyvMtfgOgSPU6zEnCvxUO
Learn about UNDESIGNED COINCIDENCES briefly in this YT video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ito1Xc6KxBM
OR in detail in the wonderful book by Lydia McGrew https://amzn.to/2Q9iLRu (Amazon affiliate link)
For a resource on the GENERAL RELIABILITY OF THE GOSPELS please see Peter Williams NEW book (I've read it and it is fantastic) https://amzn.to/2W6Y8KS (Amazon affiliate link)
Also see a video lecture by him with less information than the book. https://youtu.be/wi2_VNz_pKw
For the HISTORICITY OF THE BOOK OF ACTS check out this book.
https://amzn.to/2Q3SfZs (Amazon affiliate link) it is quite pricey but thorough. Here is a short video by Dr. Craig Keener summarizing some of these points https://youtu.be/A_ZUGzPZwhk
For NATURAL THEOLOGY (philosophical and science related arguments for God) see the following.
-- William Lane Craig's books - "On Guard" is a more pop-level work https://amzn.to/30oeoX7 (affiliate)
whereas "Reasonable Faith" is much more in challenging and equally rewarding. https://amzn.to/2VHcXEN (affiliate)
Here are links to specific videos related to Natural Theology arguments.
-- Kalam Cosmological. Short clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CulBuMCLg0 the same but in greater detail https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ58aloF7Bc
-- The Leibnizian Cosmological Argument https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2ULF5WixMM
-- The Ontological Argument briefly explained https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBmAKCvWl74 and here given in great detail with objections answered. https://youtu.be/2t8xFlRM0vY
-- Fine Tuning in Biology https://evolutionnews.org/2011/11/the_finely_tuned_genetic_code/?fbclid=IwAR3lkFxXROqPKYaan-5683LQuNpfrVj41A61qqq2R2BcfQMgFJmtff9686Y
-- Fine Tuning of Our Universe. Short video explanation https://youtu.be/EE76nwimuT0 Long video defending this in detail. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMn0RvVq4oY
Argument from philosophy for the Trinity. Short clip here https://youtu.be/qtl2dvgGDxk In greater detail here https://amzn.to/2HkNp7o (affiliate)
-- Argument from the Resurrection of Jesus. Lecture by Dr. William Lane Craig https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NAOc6ctw1s
I hope these resources are of great use to you and that they lead you or help you lead others to Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life and no one comes to the Father except through Him. He is the central truth we need to know so that we can be forgiven by God and receive relationship with God and eternal life. Its simple, and its true.
If you want to help me (Mike Winger) continue producing free ministry content online then consider clicking here. https://biblethinker.org/index.php/donate
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