The Anatomy of Deconversion

Anatomy of Deconversion, Apologetics, apostasy, Christianity, Deconstruction, discipleship, Doubt, Evangelism, Gospel, John Marriott, JonathanMclatchie.com, Theology and Christian Apologetics
For many years, I have had a fascination for the reasons why people deconvert from the Christian faith. I have, without exaggeration, viewed many hundreds of deconversion testimonies on YouTube, purchased and read books by deconverts, followed the blogs of deconverts, and personally interacted with many who have either given up their Christian faith or are considering doing so. I was therefore interested to pick up The Anatomy of Deconversion: Keys to a Lifelong Faith in a Culture Abandoning Christianity, by John Marriott, a professor of philosophy at Biola University. [1] Marriott’s doctoral dissertation focused on the subject of deconversion, so he is certainly well qualified to speak about the issue at hand. In this book review, I will offer a summary of the research conducted by Marriott (outlined in the first…
Read More

Can We Believe in a God Who Cannot Be Observed?

2. Does God Exist?, Apologetics, Atheology, BellatorChristi, Brian Chilton, Christianity, Divine Hiddenness, Evidence for God, Gospel, Problem of Evil
Recently, I came across quite a few people who have asked a similar question. Some have been patients, congregants, and even other pastors who have been approached with the same kind of questions. The question that resonates with so many is this: “If I cannot see God, how can I believe in him?” Or, in other words, “Can I believe in a God who cannot be seen or observed?” The question is an important one. It addresses ontology and metaphysics (that which exists), epistemology (How do I know what exists?), and relationality (does God desire a relationship with us?) This question is not a new one either. It is rooted in an apologetics issue known as the problem of divine hiddenness, or simply the hiddenness of God. The problem of…
Read More

I’m Not a Christian Nationalist—I’m an American Nationalist Because I Follow Jesus

Apologetics, Christian Nationalism, Christianity, Church & State, FreeThinkingMInistries, Gospel, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Politics, Religious Freedom, Theocracy, Tim Stratton
Over the past several years, one of the most controversial phrases in American politics has been Christian Nationalism. Depending on who you ask, the term now refers to everything from patriotism to theocracy, to racism, to authoritarianism, to simply displaying an American flag in church. The phrase has become so elastic that it often communicates more confusion than clarity. For that reason, I have largely stopped using it. So, let me be clear. No, I am not a Christian Nationalist. I am an American Nationalist precisely because I am a committed follower of Jesus Christ. At first glance, that may sound contradictory. It isn’t. Words Matter Years ago, I defended what I understood “Christian Nationalism” to mean. At the time, I argued that if the phrase simply meant affirming America’s…
Read More

Where Do You Go When Your Child Asks a PhD Level Question?

Apologetics, Christianity, Doubt, Family Apologetics, Gospel, Hillary Ferrer, Jonathan McLatchie, MamaBearApologetics.com, moms, Relational Apologetics, TalkAboutDoubts.com, Theology and Christian Apologetics, tough conversations
[Editor’s Note: This blog was originally posted at MamaBearApologetics, so its tone and original audience and intent are for moms ministering to their children. That said, the content applies to all sorts of discipleship settings – pastors, parents, teachers, and more]. We all know those conversations are coming. Whether it’s from your college freshman, agnostic uncle, deconstructing niece, or a seasoned atheist brother-in-law, you’re dreading that conversation. You may feel intimidated or just ill-equipped. But guess what!? You are not alone! Too many of us are under the misconception that we have to have the answers for every question, every challenge to Christianity that could come our way. But not having the answer doesn’t mean you have failed, and it doesn’t mean that the answer isn’t out there. We are…
Read More

The Coming Battle for America’s Soul

Apologetics, Christian Conservative, Christianity, Democratic Socialism, FreeThinkingMInistries, Gospel, John Ferrer, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Political Commentary, Political Theology, Politics
[Editor’s Note: I wrote the following post on social media, and it was picked up by Tim Stratton at FreeThinkingMinistries.com. The opening section, below, has been added to clarify how this kind of political commentary bears upon Christian theology and apologetics.] A Brief Theology of Politics     You’re about to hear a rant on Democratic Socialism. So, I want you to hear the heart behind that rant first. As a Christian, I care about people. Caring about people, I have to care about politics, at least insofar as it affects people. I want people to follow Christ. I want to see marriages restored, families healed, within thriving communities, and a flourishing society. All of that, for me, stems from the humanitarian heart of Christ’s life and teaching. And bringing my Christian…
Read More

Nine Clarifications Before Critiquing Old Testament Slavery

Apologetics, Christianity, Gospel, Is God Good? Biblical Ethics, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Old Testament, Sean Redfearn, slavery, Theology and Christian Apologetics
Slavery in the Old Testament is a favourite topic among critics who wish to denigrate the moral character of the God of Israel. In my experience, critics will predominantly cite Exodus 21:20-21 or Leviticus 25:44-46 to appeal to a notion of horrendous oppression towards foreign slaves within the nation of ancient Israel – even though there are, by my count, at least 20 other passages in the Torah that are relevant to having a well-informed conversation on the topic. Still, the above two passages need to be engaged with, and I refer readers to a host of excellent resources that respond to the claim that the Old Testament endorses chattel slavery.[1] What do you mean by Old Testament slavery? In this article, I wish to propose a simple tactic for…
Read More

A BRICKMAKER Defense for God’s Existence

2. Does God Exist?, 3. Are Miracles Possible?, Apologetics, bellatorchristi.com, Brian Chilton, Brickmaker, Christian Apologetics, Christianity, God’s existence, Gospel
Recently, several people have approached me and asked if there are good, simple ways to defend the existence of God. Some have said, “You cannot see God, so how do I know for sure that he’s there?” This seems to be one of the most pressing issues that I have seen as of late. In my book Layman’s Manual on Christian Apologetics, I offered a five-point acronym to defend God’s existence; the acronym was called BRICK (BVG theorem, right conditions, information, compassion and ethics, and the Kalam cosmological argument). [1] The book was published in 2019. Since then, I have come across numerous other reasons to believe in God’s existence. With a few adaptations, we can expand BRICK to a BRICKMAKER defense. Let’s take a look at ten good reasons for believing in God’s existence.…
Read More

Who Do You Say That I Am, James Talarico? Part II: Luke 1:31–38 Is Not About Mary’s Consent To Create

abortion, Apologetics, Christianity, consent, Democrat Party, Gospel, James Talarico, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Mother Mary, Progressive Christianity, Ryan Crews, Texas Politics, virgin birth
Series Introduction: James Talarico is not the first politician to invoke the Christian faith or the Bible to score political points. He is, however, the first I am aware of who has been enrolled in seminary while running for office. Talarico is certainly popular among prospective voters, but he has received significant scrutiny from pastors and academics because of his theological statements. He may be a faithful representative of his denomination, but he has brought the views of that denomination into the limelight due to the widespread publicity of his senatorial race. We do not elect political candidates for their religious beliefs, though we may have reason to support or oppose a candidate when their religious beliefs affect their policy positions. Talarico is a politician and not a pastor, and…
Read More

New Evidence for Christianity from “God: The Science, The Evidence”

2. Does God Exist?, Apologetics, Arguments for God, BellatorChristi, Brian Chilton, Christianity, Cosmological Argument, design argument, Evolution, God: The Science the Evidence The Dawn of Revolution, Gospel, Michel-Yves Bolloré, Olivier Bonnassies, scientific apologetics
Michel-Yves Bollore’ and Olivier Bonnassies recently wrote a massive treatise defending the existence of God titled God: The Science, the Evidence—The Dawn of a Revolution. Three things are very intriguing about this book. First, neither Bollore nor Bonnassies is a theologian. In fact, both are notable scientists. Bollore serves as a computer engineer and has a master’s and a doctorate from the University of Paris Dauphine. Bonnassies is a graduate of Polytechnique (X86) and the Institut Catholique de Paris with a license in theology. Bonnassies started up numerous businesses over the span of his career. Second, both Bollore and Bonnassies approach the topic of God from a strictly scientific perspective. In their massive tome, they offer many reasons to believe in the God of the Christian faith. Their main argument is that…
Read More

4 Rebuttals to the Muslim Case Against Christianity

4. Is the NT True?, Apologetics, Christianity, christology, debate, Gospel, Islam, Jason Jimenez, Jesus, StandStrongMinistries.Org, Theology and Christian Apologetics, Trinity
What if someone boldly claimed that Jesus himself said He wasn’t God? How would you tackle this intriguing challenge? Let’s dive into this thought-provoking dilemma together. Recently, a viral video titled “Christianity DEBUNKED in Less Than 1 Minute” sparked this very debate presented by a Muslim named Hamza. Essentially, here’s how Hamza frames his argument: If the Father is the only true God, then Jesus cannot be God. If Jesus is God, he must be lying about the Father being the only true God. If Jesus is lying, he cannot be God. Therefore, Jesus debunks Christianity. In this article, I will present four rebuttals to Hamza’s case concerning John 17:3. These responses aim to provide a solid counterargument while offering a reasonable defense and explanation of the divinity of Jesus…
Read More