External, Ancient Evidence in Support of the New Testament by Harry Stark

If you've been on social media to share the Christian good news, you've likely encountered people who claim we have little or no ancient evidence in support of the New Testament. To the contrary, we have an abundance of ancient Christian and non-Christian sources in support of Jesus' social environment, peers, life, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection, …

Against the Heresies of @Gracetoyou’s John MacArthur on the Blessed Ever-Virgin Mary

Today we will discuss modern day heresies by explaining ways the ancient church fathers combatted the same heresies. To combat gnostic and heretical views in the early church, church fathers such as Saint Irenaeus, Saint Jerome, and Origen wrote books entitled “Against Heresies,” “Against Helvidius,” “Against the Pelagians,” and “Against Celsus.” Numerous church councils further …

Judeo-Christian Values Form the Foundation of Western Society

What are Judeo-Christian values and have they crumbled in the West? Judeo-Christian values come from the Jewish and Christian scriptures. Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis affirms God’s ownership of creation and the way we’re …

Geological, Astronomical, and Historical Reasons for the Date of Jesus’ Crucifixion

Can we estimate the date of Jesus’ crucifixion? Yes, we can. The ancients have left us with multiple historical, geological, and astronomical reasons to support April 3 of 33. Let’s begin with Jewish expectations. 10. In the 6th century B.C., the prophet Daniel predicted the fates of four kingdoms while he was exiled by the …

What Does Atheism Have to Offer? The Atheist Value Proposition

Over the past few hundred years, the move to "secular rational modernism" has supplanted "traditional religious" views in many parts of the West. Atheists sometimes think Christianity will one day be toppled and atheists of the past century such as Lenin, Stalin, Pol Pot, and Mao Tse Tung certainly gave that effort their best shot. …

Our Lady at Lourdes and the Immaculate Conception

Where did the Catholic doctrine of the immaculate conception originate? I once believed the immaculate conception refers to the conception of Jesus. Rather, it refers to Mother Mary’s conception without original sin. This doctrine has ancient roots in the 2nd century when Irenaeus and Justiin Martyr referred to Mary as the “new Eve.” The first …

The Rich Man, Lazarus, and C.S. Lewis’ Great Divorce

Though I’m well acquainted with both C.S. Lewis’ “Great Divorce” and Jesus’ “Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus,” I had never connected the two until today. This feat was achieved at my church. Luke 16:19-31 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. …