“Should a Christian be interested in conspiracy theories?”……Who killed JFK? What is the Illuminati? Was there equipment on the space shuttle that caused earthquakes? If God reveals the answer to any of these speculations, we should be thankful He has brought light to our mysteries. If not, we should leave well enough alone—especially if dwelling […]
“What are redaction criticism and higher criticism?”……Redaction criticism and higher criticism are just a few of many forms of biblical criticism. Their intent is to investigate the Scriptures and make judgments concerning their authorship, historicity, and date of writing. Sadly, most of these methods end up attempting to destroy the text of the Bible.……Biblical criticism […]
“What is source criticism?”……Answer: Source criticism is a specialized field of biblical studies that seeks to determine the sources used to develop the final form of the biblical text. The source critic reads the book of Genesis, for example, and asks, “Where did the author get this information? What written documents and/or oral traditions contributed […]
“Religious syncretism?”……Syncretism, as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary, is “the reconciliation or fusion of differing systems of belief.” This is most evident in the areas of philosophy and religion, and usually results in a new teaching or belief system. Obviously, this cannot be reconciled to biblical Christianity.……Religious syncretism often takes place when foreign beliefs […]
The Atrakhasis Epic Spelt many different ways, the Atra-Hasis Epic is a Mesopotamian ancient record of Creation and the Flood dating from the seventeenth century BC, named after Atrahasis the “exceedingly wise” figure of narrative. It is of interest, particularly to biblical archaeologists, as there are similarities with the record of Creation and the Flood […]
“What is the theory of punctuated equilibrium?”……Answer: “Punctuated equilibrium” refers to a concept in evolutionary biology that is both controversial and widely misunderstood. Both punctuated equilibrium and its alternatives have significant drawbacks, either in plausibility or evidence. Punctuated equilibrium seeks to reconcile the idea of natural evolution with the missing links in the fossil record. […]
“What does the Bible say about uniformitarianism vs. catastrophism?”……Geologically speaking, uniformitarianism is the idea that geological processes (rates of erosion and uplift, etc.) are essentially the same today as they were in the unobservable past. We can, therefore, make accurate determinations about the past simply by observing the present. This principle is often summed up […]