
All Rise with Abdu Murray
You’re the jury as attorney and apologist Abdu Murray puts the claims for and objections against the Christian to courtroom-level scrutiny.
Latest episodes

Nov 7, 2023 • 57min
J. Warner Wallace Returns for an Unexpected Conversation! | Ep 53
Abdu sits down with his friend, former homicide detective J. Warner Wallace, for a wide-ranging interview on the nature of evidence and persuasion, apologetics for children, the reticence of some Christians to accept apologetics, and so much more. Listen in on this masterclass as J. Warner and Abdu share much wisdom from their years of apologetics ministry. J. Warner Wallace is a Dateline featured cold-case homicide detective and a best-selling author and national speaker in the field of apologetics. He also serves as a Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview and an adjunct professor at several universities, including Talbot School of Theology, Gateway Seminary, and Southern Evangelical Seminary. Several of J. Warner Wallace's books were mentioned in this article, including Cold-Case Christianity (David C Cook, 2013, 2023), which is now in a new, updated and expanded 10th-anniversary edition, Gods' Crime Scene (David C Cook, 2015), Forensic Faith (David C Cook, 2017), and Person of Interest (Zondervan, 2021), along with children's versions of the first three books mentioned here. You can learn more about J. Warner and access his helpful resources at https://coldcasechristianity.com/ All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button.

Oct 9, 2023 • 58min
Rhett McLaughlin Expertly Appeals to Authority | Ep 52
Popular internet personality Rhett McLaughlin, of Rhett & Link's Good Mythical Morning YouTube fame, has become famous for "deconstructing" his evangelical faith. In a recent Instagram Reel, he explains why: the experts! In this episode, Abdu and Derek look at Rhett's appeals to authority and confront two thorny issues: Is expert consensus emerging or is it being crafted? And should one's faith in consensus itself be deconstructed? This episode mentions several items that you may be interested in looking at further. You can find Matt Ridley's article for The Spectator, entitled "Science fiction: the crisis in research" at https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/science-fiction-the-crisis-in-research/ . Information on Dr. Laura Favaro's repressed research can be located at https://unherd.com/2023/04/did-city-uni-censor-my-gender-research/ . You can learn more about David Hutchings and James Ungureanu's book, Of Popes and Unicorns, at https://global.oup.com/academic/product/of-popes-and-unicorns-9780190053093 . And finally, the controversial documentary, Depp v Heard, can be accessed exclusively on Netflix. All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button.

Sep 26, 2023 • 55min
"Twisted Logic"? Is Michael Shermer Right about the Cross!? | Ep 51
Michael Shermer is one of the world's foremost public atheists and critics of religious belief. In a recent tag team of tweets, Shermer sought to put on display the "twisted logic" of the biblical account of atonement, the cross, and forgiveness. In this episode, Abdu addresses Michael's objections and assumptions to see where the twisted logic truly lies. If you are interested in learning more about the cross and forgiveness, please consider starting with a classic on the topic, John Stott's The Cross of Christ (IVP, 2006). All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button. Episode 1 Link: https://youtu.be/3IfVyKJ6nI8?list=PLWzV2AIObvw_YLUoNlZz0MYHLt09-ZacK&si=t4dbpEppmavaACbR

Sep 11, 2023 • 47min
Street Smarts for a Combative New World, with Greg Koukl | Ep 50
Greg Koukl is a man who needs no introduction. He's got a new book out called Street Smarts, and it will revolutionize the way you think about engaging the culture today. Many evangelism tactics focus on harvesting, but Greg recommends gardening. Find out the key differences between the two and more on this episode of All Rise! Greg Koukl is a highly sought-after author and speaker. He is the founder and President of the apologetics organization Stand to Reason ( www.str.org ). He has written several books, including his classic Tactics, and his newest soon to be bestseller, Street Smarts: Using Questions to Answer Christianity's Toughest Challenges. If you visit www.streetsmartsthebook.com to pre-order the book, you will gain access to bonus content! All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button.

Aug 28, 2023 • 53min
Is the Gospel of Thomas Proof of the Church's Suppression of the Truth? With Wes Huff | Ep 49
Mystery gospels full of secret truths suppressed by the Church for centuries have finally been revealed! … Sounds intriguing, doesn't it? According to the millions of people who have bought books, watched movies, and read news stories with such headlines, it certainly is! We all love a good "mystery has been revealed" story, but is there anything to it, or is this just conspiratorial fiction? Today, we are joined by Bible scholar and apologist Wes Huff to investigate these claims by looking at, arguably, the most important of the so-called "suppressed" gospels, the Gospel of Thomas. Wes Huff is a popular author and speaker with Apologetics Canada, where he serves as the Central Canada Director, and is currently completing his PhD studies in New Testament and Christian Origins at the University of Toronto's Wycliffe College. Check out Wes's work, including his incredible infographics, at https://www.wesleyhuff.com/. All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button.

Aug 14, 2023 • 48min
The Gospel According to Barbie? How Ken it Be!? | Ep 48
Barbie is everywhere thanks to Greta Gerwig's recent blockbuster movie about the (in)famous doll. Some say it is anti-man propaganda that went too far while others say it didn't go far enough! Abdu and Derek discuss these reactions and some surprising was in which Barbie actually affirms the Bible, while also being confronted by it. This episode makes reference to two articles. The first, "I Saw the Movie 'They' Don't Want You to See" by Elaine Godfrey can be accessed at https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/07/sound-of-freedom-qanon-culture-war/674832/. The second, "Existential Barbie" by Annie Brownell Crawford, can be accessed at https://salvomag.com/post/existential-barbie. All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button.

Jul 31, 2023 • 1h 6min
Will AI Destroy the World!? with Michael Butler | Ep 47
Artificial Intelligence is everywhere right now, and much of the press has been concerned with one question: will AI unleash a technological revolution that inevitably ends in catastrophe? Cutting through some of the uninformed hyperbole of those who think it will destroy the world (and those who think it will save it!), Abdu and Derek discuss the issue with Michael Butler, a PhD candidate in Quantum Gravity. Listen in as they discuss the pitfalls and promises of Artificial Intelligence. In this episode, the speakers respond to comments from Adrienne LaFrance's piece in The Atlantic entitled "The Coming Humanist Renaissance." You can access it at https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/07/generative-ai-human-culture-philosophy/674165/. All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button.

Jul 17, 2023 • 47min
Does the James Webb Space Telescope debunk the Big Bang? With special guest Hugh Ross | Ep 46
Astrophysicist Dr. Hugh Ross joins us to discuss the disruption of the James Webb Space Telescope images in our understanding of the early universe. Many pop science articles hailed it as a major disruptor of the theory of the Big Bang, even debunking the notion that the universe had a beginning. Is this true? Join us as Dr. Ross and Abdu deliberate! Dr. Hugh Ross, prolific author and founder and senior scholar of Reasons to Believe, holds an undergraduate degree in physics from the University of British Columbia and a PhD in astronomy from the University of Toronto. He spent five years on faculty at Caltech before moving into his ministry where he seeks to communicate the compatibility of “God’s two books,” nature and the Bible. Check out Dr. Ross’s groundbreaking work at https://reasons.org/team/hugh-ross All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button. Don't forget to subscribe so you get this and more awesome content delivered to you

Jul 12, 2023 • 1h 9min
Deliberations: Luke and Acts are Fiction!? Hold on Paula Fredriksen! | Ep 45
Join us LIVE,Tuesday July 11 @ 1sts :00 PM EST for Deliberations Live, a bi-weekly podcast where YOU, the jury, ask questions to Abdu and Derek. Abdu and Derek discuss All Rise season 2 ep 18. Critical New Testament scholar Paula Fredriksen claims that the allegedly unknown author of Luke/Acts wrote his or her work in the second century and was not actually a travel companion of, nor all too familiar with, the Apostle Paul. But is that where the evidence truly points? Join Abdu and Derek as they investigate these claims! You can submit your questions on our social channels, through mail@embracethetruth.org, or in the chat during our livestream. We look forward to being with you this coming Tuesday and every two weeks afterward for Deliberations Live!

Jul 4, 2023 • 45min
The Gospel of Luke and Acts are Fiction!? Hold on a second Paula Fredriksen! | Ep 44
Critical New Testament scholar Paula Fredriksen claims that the allegedly unknown author of Luke/Acts wrote his or her work in the second century and was not actually a travel companion of, nor all too familiar with, the Apostle Paul. But is that where the evidence truly points? Join Abdu and Derek as they investigate these claims! This episode is in response to the comments Dr. Paula Fredriksen made on the MythVision Podcast (hosted by another Derek!), which you can view at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAQNM455AXo All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button. Have questions or critiques? Comment below or email us at mail@embracethetruth.org and your question may be answered on our live show, Deliberations! You may also submit questions during the live show in the chat. We typically answer questions about a specific episode about a week after the original air date, but we are always happy to answer any question at any time. Subscribe to our channel to be notified when we are going live.