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.

Join us LIVE,Tuesday June 27 @ 11:00 AM EST for Deliberations Live, a bi-weekly podcast where YOU, the jury, ask questions to Abdu and Derek. Abdu and Derek discuss All Rise episodes 16 and 17. Ricky Gervais claims atheists just believe In one less god--Bart Ehrman claims the gospels are anonymous! 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!

Comedian Ricky Gervais claims that we are all essentially atheists with regard to 2,999 gods, and that atheists just have the courage/integrity (?) to go one god further. But is this a meaningful statement? Abdu and Derek address other claims made by Gervais, including what would happen if all science and history books disappeared and where God came from. This episode is in response to the comments Ricky Gervais has made in interviews, writing, and scripted television. Each of the claims responded to here are represented in his interview with Stephen Colbert: Ricky Gervais And Stephen Go Head-To-Head On Religion. https://youtu.be/P5ZOwNK6n9U 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.

On June 13 @ 1:00 EST Abdu Murray will be joined LIVE by astrophysicist and founder of Reasons to Believe, Dr. Hugh Ross, to answer your questions about science, faith, and the Bible. Recently, Dr. Ross appeared on Abdu’s podcast, All Rise, to discuss claims made by popular astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson about the Bible’s alleged scientific errors (https://youtu.be/op2epgYmwko). Their dialogue sparked a lot of conversation and controversy. Be a part of the follow-up conversation with Abdu and Dr. Ross on Tuesday, June 13 @ 1:00 EST by going to Abdu’s YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@AbduMurrayOfficial, and clicking “subscribe”!

Bart Ehrman claims that the Gospels are anonymous because the names attached to them are too convenient and were added a century later, and because the disciples of Jesus were too illiterate to write such exquisite Greek texts. Has Dr. Ehrman overstated the case? This episode is in response to the comments that critical New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman has made in writing and to interviewers, such as in the video highlighted in our episode: Bart Ehrman on the Bible's Authors ( https://youtu.be/pDfYA21lDic ). Also mentioned in this episode was Simon Gathercole's article "The Alleged Anonymity of the Canonical Gospels" in The Journal of Theological Studies (2018), Craig Evans' Jesus and the Manuscripts (Hendrickson Academic, 2020), and Brant Pitre's The Case for Jesus (Image: 2016). 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.    

Join us for Deliberations Live, a bi-weekly podcast where YOU, the jury, ask questions to Abdu and Derek. For this episode, we will ask "Is Bill Maher right? Jesus is based on pagan myths?" By now everyone has heard some version of "Jesus is based on [enter ancient deity here]." But these claims were debunked for nearly a century before being resurrected recently. And now, because overwhelming evidence debunked the older claims, new proponents have suggested different deities as the template for Jesus. Are these new claims any more successful than the older ones? 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!

By now everyone has heard some version of "Jesus is based on [enter ancient deity here]." But these claims were debunked for nearly a century before being resurrected recently. And now, because overwhelming evidence debunked the older claims, new proponents have suggested different deities as the template for Jesus. Are these new claims any more successful than the older ones? Find out in this new, packed episode of All Rise! Abdu interacts with several videos in this episode. They are: "Jesus, the Pagan Sun God" on the CAESAR'S MESSIAH channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG7Ls1ZySp8 "Osiris: The Risen God & Prototype of Christ" on the Atheologica channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xqqjMoXRqc "Are Jesus and Osiris the SAME?" on The Eleusinian Society channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tT-ZveXRf0 Two videos from Todd Gates, "Why I'm no longer so sure about Zoroastrianism's influence on Christianity" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkSBb9S-248 and "Why Zoroastrianism might *not* be one of the religions that influenced the Bible's authors" at https://youtu.be/-_HCu2_dbt0 Abdu references an earlier episode of All Rise entitled "The burden of proof," which you can watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9aPyUmmcSU Some of the works consulted for this video include Ronald Nash's The Gospel and the Greeks (P&R, 2003); Stanley Porter and Stephen Bedard's Unmasking the Pagan Christ (Clements, 2006); Edwin Yamauchi's Persia and the Bible (Baker Academic, 1997); the multi-authored Come Let Us Reason (B&H Academic, 2012); and Lee Strobel's The Case for the Real Jesus (Zondervan, 2009). 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. 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.

Join us LIVE,Tuesday May 16 @ 1:00 PM EST for Deliberations Live, a bi-weekly podcast where YOU, the jury, ask questions to Abdu and Derek. For this episode, we will ask "Can you handle the Truth? " Abdu discusses our complicated relationship with truth. Quite often, people simply seek verification for what they already hope is true. To complicate matters, painful disruptions in our lives make it more difficult for us to recognize what is good and true. So, how do we begin to escape the cycle of confirmation bias to find real truth? LIVE this Tuesday at 1:00 EST!" 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! #jackisback #atheist #apologetics #debate #livedebate #christianity

Abdu discusses our complicated relationship with truth. Quite often, people simply seek verification for what they already hope is true. To complicate matters, painful disruptions in our lives make it more difficult for us to recognize what is good and true. So, how do we begin to escape the cycle of confirmation bias to find real truth? 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.

Join us LIVE every other Tuesday @ 1:00 PM EST for Deliberations Live, a bi-weekly podcast where YOU, the jury, ask questions to Abdu and Derek. For this episode, we will ask, "Is the Shroud of Turin a medieval fraud? Could it really be the image of Jesus? Abdu is joined by special guest Bob Rucker to answer your questions on the Shroud of Turin LIVE this Tuesday at 1:00 EST!" 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! #shroudofturin #shroud #atheist #apologetics #debate #livedebate #christianity