Alpha & Omega Ministries Apologetics Blog
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Yesterday on the Third Jumbo DL in a Row
07/29/2011 - James White
Finished off 4.5 hours of live DL's this week with another 90 minute edition. This time I broke it into three half-hour segments. First segment finished off the lengthy e-mail to which I dedicated a total of 2 hours of response. The second segment continued our examination of the Fernandes/Comis debate, continuing our response to Dr. Fernandes' opening statement. The third segment began a review of a series of debates on Oneness theology featuring Roger Perkins. I focused upon the use of Greek resources by defenders of Oneness theology. Hope this week's worth of programs have been helpful to folks! Here's the program.14:04:38 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
Design: A Live, Free Event
07/29/2011 - Jeff Downs
On Monday, August 1 beginning at 7pm Dr. Jonathan Sarfati will lecture on the the campus of Greenville Seminary on the topic "Design, Deluge and Dilemma." This Monday event is free and open to the public and, will be broadcast live on SermonAudio.Q & A will follow the lecture, and questions can be submitted via twitter. Since I know next to nothing about twitter, I'm quoting here from a letter sent out yesterday "Guests with Twitter accounts who are "following" the seminary (@GPTSeminary) can submit brief questions to: @GPTSeminary using hashtag #Creation2011."
For further information about this event and the entire week's event on the issue of Creation click here. Last week I had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Joseph Pipa, to ask a few questions about this event. You can watch the interview here.
06:13:20 - Category: Christian Worldview - Link to this article -
Today on a Bonus Jumbo Dividing Line
07/27/2011 - James White
We continued our response to a lengthy email I received regarding God's sovereignty, theodicy, the nature of Adam and Eve, judgment, etc., in the first 45 minutes of the program today, followed in the last half by, I believe, a whopping four minutes of Dr. Phil Fernandes' opening statement (which means I provided a lot of commentary, including a fairly lengthy discussion of 1 John 5:1, the relationship of faith and regeneration, etc.). Here's the program.Tomorrow...ANOTHER jumbo DL, but at the regular Thursday afternoon time slot, going from 4 to 5:30pm. I hope to split this one up into three sections: half an hour finishing up the email response, half an hour on the Fernandes/Comis debate, and then I wish to launch into the Slick/Perkins debate on the Trinity vs. Oneness theology in the last half hour. Something for almost everyone! How long will the jumbo DL's last? I don't know, but might do one on Tuesday just to leave a half hour for calls, too.
15:26:02 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
Today on a Jumbo Sized Dividing Line
07/26/2011 - James White
Today's DL was 90 minutes in length to give me time to launch into two new studies. First, I began responding to a lengthy e-mail relating to the grounds upon which God can justly judge men in light of His sovereignty. Then, after 45 minutes on that I moved into a review of the Fernandes/Comis debate on the Five Points of Calvinism, starting out with some general comments on the very broad topic and the role Federal Visionism played in the debate. Then we got into Dr. Fernandes' opening statement. We will pick up with both topics again tomorrow on a follow up jumbo edition, which should begin sometime between 11 and 11:30am, depending on when I complete an interview I am doing that was already scheduled. Then we will have another jumbo edition on Thursday at our regular time! That makes for 4.5 hours of live programs this week! Could be a record, but I think this is important material to cover thoroughly. Here's the program.And don't forget the WayBack Machine, streaming Dividing Lines from 1998 onward 24/7! See your new flash player here.
15:56:25 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
New Features on the Wayback Machine
07/25/2011 - Rich Pierce
If you don't know what the Wayback Machine is you need to check this page out. We have digitized almost every Dividing Line program since our first program on September 26, 1998. These programs are now running in succession twenty four hours a day and seven days a week using our live webcast link. The neat thing about the above page is that now it tells you about what is currently playing. It also gives you a link to that show in the store if you want to buy it to listen again. This is all a part of the phase II portion of this project which is about halfway complete. As this phase continues we hope to update the time stamp in order to tell you when the next recording will begin and what it will be. Phase III will be the most exciting part yet, giving you a full listing of every program in order along with a "request" link where you can request a recording to be moved up in the order and played ahead of the regular schedule. If you decide that you don't want to wait for the program to play you will also have the link to that item in the store for purchase. Of course our regular "live" programs will still be at their regular times and encore presentations will play overnight for those listening around the world on the same stream.Once the third and final phase is complete the Wayback Machine will be operating at full power. This will allow us to start scheduling "special programming" where we will schedule weekly time slots where we will depart from the Dividing Line rotation and drop in complete recordings of the numerous debates that Dr. White has done over the years. For those of you on the other side of the planet from us we haven't forgotten about you as we will schedule these events overnight as well.
We are excited about how the Wayback Machine is coming along as well as the very positive response to it. We hope it will become a major tool for spreading the gospel around the world.
Blessings
19:39:48 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
A Report from Down Under, and Half a Radio Free Geneva
07/20/2011 - James White
Started off the program today talking to our good friend David Ould who is in town, visiting from Sydney. We talked about life as a Sydney Anglican, etc., for the first half of the program. Then we launched back into our Radio Free Geneva examination of Bob Coy's sermon against Calvinism. Here's the program.And don't forget the WayBack Machine, streaming Dividing Lines from 1998 onward 24/7! Just listen in at our regular DL link, here.
20:46:07 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
2010 Conference on the Word of God
07/20/2011 - Jeff Downs
I recently uploaded all the audio from the 2010 GPTS Spring Theology Conference in which Dr. White participated. He is a run down of the lectures:"Englishing the Bible - English Bible Translations and its Purposes", Dr. Ben Shaw
"The Westminster Assembly and Scripture," Chad Van Dixhoorn
"Holy Spirit + Holy Men = Holy Bible", David Murray
"A More Sure Word - The Self-Athenticating Nature of the Bible", Tony Curto
"The Modern Roman Catholic View of Scripture" Mark Herzer
"Critique of Bart Ehrman", James White
"Salvation-Sanctification and Spectacles", David Murray
"Why Creeds if the Bible is the Sufficient and Final Rule of Authority?" Joseph Pipa
"Critique of Peter Enns", James White
and 4 Q&A Sessions
Click here to listen to the lectures. Here is a picture of all the speakers, with (notice) the Baptist on the left!
09:30:56 - Category: Christian Worldview - Link to this article -
A Milestone and Priorities
07/20/2011 - James White
So I worked it out so that I would hit a cycling milestone this morning at the top of one of my all-time favorite local rides (well, really, one of my all time favorite rides, period), that of the climb up South Mountain. But as I was just about to hit that milestone, 60,000 miles logged since I started on May 4, 1993 (with a seven year break between late 98 and June of 2005), an important point came up in the debate I was listening to. Roger Perkins, a future Oneness debate opponent, was debating a Church of Christ representative, and they were getting into Greek---well, as much as you can do so when you don't actually read the language and are limited to throwing Strong's numbers and Thayer's definitions at one another anyway. Knowing this will come up soon on the DL (I will be reviewing these debates fully between now and October) I tuned in...and didn't even think to look down at my Garmin 800 computer until I was a full mile past the 60,000 mile mark! I sort of laughed at myself, thanked the Lord for the health and safety I have enjoyed in 2.25 trips around the globe at the equator, stood up and started attacking the next climb in the early morning desert heat, continuing listening closely to the Oneness debate. Here's a nice Garmin read out of my ride.08:48:43 - Category: Personal - Link to this article -
Today on a Radio Free Geneva
07/19/2011 - James White
Started off with Brother Jack's sub-six minute sermon on Calvinism. I'd love to give you the link, but as soon as I contacted him about it, he pulled it. But, Zeb the Calvinist had saved it on his Droid, so...we reviewed it, rather fully. It was titled, "Calvinists Don't Believe in Any of the Solas." Then we moved back to Bob Coy's sermon from Calvary Chapel, Ft. Lauderdale.Here's the program.
Don't forget that we will be doing another Dividing Line tomorrow at the normal 4pm MST time slot. We will have a special guest for the first portion of the program, and then launch back into Radio Free Geneva.
And don't forget the WayBack Machine, streaming Dividing Lines from 1998 onward 24/7! Just listen in at our regular DL link, here.
18:52:24 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
Last Thursday in the Dividing Line
07/16/2011 - James White
Held off on continuing our Radio Free Geneva examination of Bob Coy's sermon against Calvinism. Instead, we addressed a couple of e-mail questions, then took the time to listen to some comments from Abdullah Kunde on the issue of the transmission of the text of the New Testament. Then took come calls, including one on Romans 5, and one from Alfred on the hypostatic union. Here's the program.And don't forget the WayBack Machine, streaming Dividing Lines from 1998 onward 24/7! Just listen in at our regular DL link, here.
16:17:51 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
The Irrationality of Wahhabi Type Islam
07/16/2011 - James White
David Wood just posted this video---given how often David "blasphemes" the "Prophet," he better watch this one multiple times. Of course, any criticism, even if it is based upon historical facts, Islamic sources, etc., is considered to be an "insult" to "the Prophet." This form of Islam is truly the Religion of Perpetual Outrage. It is next to impossible to reason logically with such folks. Thankfully, not all Muslims would take this fellow seriously. But why they would not is the real question.09:36:42 - Category: Islam - Link to this article -
Checking the Cultural Barometer
07/13/2011 - Colin Smith
Some of you might be aware of the show "Sister Wives" that runs on the cable station TLC. If you don't, it is a reality show centered around a polygamous household. I believe they either belong to an off-shoot of the LDS Church, or they are not affiliated with any particular LDS Church but follow the beliefs of the original founders. In any case, the man is a practicing polygamist, has children by each of his four "wives," and has chosen to use reality TV as a vehicle to show that polygamous relationships can "work," and the children raised within that environment can be just as healthy and happy as children raised in a "traditional" home. Sound familiar? Well, it seems the man is now going to court to try to have polygamy tolerated. He's not seeking to have polygamy legalized--he just wants the government to leave them alone to live their lives according to their beliefs.
According to the article on CNN (linked below):
One case that could figure as important in the case is the Lawrence v. Texas case in 2003, when the majority of the Supreme Court struck down laws banning consensual sex between same-sex couples. That case involved two consenting adults who didn't seek recognition of their relationship, were not involved in any crimes and whose behavior was private, Turley [his attorney] said.
If you have heard Dr. White address homosexuality, and in particular if you listened to his dialog with Dr. Michael Brown on the subject of "gay marriage" and the homosexual agenda, you will know that he and others have drawn parallels between the arguments used by "gay rights" activists to legitimize their behavior, and the arguments used by others (polygamists, pedophiles, etc.) to justify their behavior, for a while. Now we have a legal challenge to polygamy law that is in part based upon the freedom allowed to same-sex couples. If this challenge succeeds, hold on to your seats. You know where this will go.
May the Lord have mercy on us.
Here's the CNN article: Reality TV Sister Wives to Challenge Utah Anti-Polygamy Law.
08:41:36 - Category: Misc - Link to this article -
The Year of Shameful Silence: Norman Geisler, Ergun and Emir Caner, and Veritas Seminary
07/12/2011 - James White
On July 8, 2010, I posted the following video on my blog. We all know that at that time the Caners, and Dr. Geisler, were monitoring what we were saying about the newly released excuses that, until just a few days ago, were posted on Geisler's website (the links have now disappeared but the articles are still there as of this posting, such as here). Dr. Geisler, along with Ergun and Emir Caner, are fully aware of the questions posed in this video. A year has now passed without a word of explanation, without the first attempt, by any of them, to answer these basic, straightforward questions. Meanwhile, Ergun Caner, having moved from Liberty to Arlington Baptist Bible College, continues to speak at apologetics conferences for Veritas Seminary (see here) on the topic of Islam.It is very difficult to put much stock in conferences where these men are speaking, given their glaring unwillingness to speak truthfully regarding these matters. How can they consistently criticize, for example, the Mormons for their continued ignoring of the mountains of evidence against Joseph Smith while they themselves ignore these questions and the full refutation of the excuses offered by Caner and promoted by Geisler? Simple honesty and integrity, one would think, would force them to respond, but what of the integrity of their statements concerning Islam? How can they continue to ignore this huge and glaring contradiction in their oft-repeated proclamations of the need to pursue truth at all costs? Do they really believe that time covers over all things, including the Great Evangelical Cover-Up?
I have taught at many conferences, and spoken with thousands of people (note that I do not claim, therefore, to have done thousands of debates!). I cannot imagine that Caner and Geisler get through too many of these conferences without someone asking them about these issues. It is sad to consider how they have shown such disrespect for the truth, for the "discernment" ministry, and the reputation of the gospel itself, in how they have sought to bury Ergun Caner's misdeeds.
14:59:42 - Category: Misc - Link to this article -
Today on a Radio Free Geneva: Bob Coy and Calvinism, Part 2
07/12/2011 - James White
We continued on with our survey and examination of Bob Coy's "What's the Point" sermon. Only covered a few minutes, since we took the time to go into such things as foreknowledge, etc. May press on with part 3 on Thursday, or, may take a break to answer some e-mail questions, I haven't decided. We will see! Here's the program.And don't forget the WayBack Machine, streaming Dividing Lines from 1998 onward 24/7! Just listen in at our regular DL link, here.
14:36:52 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
On Staying Cool in Phoenix
07/11/2011 - James White
I can say I am not disappointed that I was in the cool of Alaska last week when we hit 118 here in Phoenix, but I was here in 1990 when we hit 122, so I can honestly claim to be a "veteran" the record heat in the Valley of the Sun. My alarm clock is going off these days, normally with a "3" at the start of the time, so as to get out in the "cool" of the day (i.e., mid to upper 80s) before the sun rises and starts to scorch everything in its path. A good friend made sure I have a really bright light for those early morning rides in the darkness.Heat is just a part of life here in Phoenix. Some folks love it, some hate it, but that's just the way it is. With the heat comes the absolute necessity of air conditioning, especially if you have electronic devices operating, such as the computer I am using to write this entry, upon which I also am writing my books. Or, if you listen to the Dividing Line, or have discovered that we are now running a 24/7 "Wayback" machine airing the DL's from 1998 onward, those broadcasts come off of computers right here in our small offices in Phoenix. And those computers need air conditioning.
Which brings me to the reason for this brief note: I am sitting in my office right now, cool and comfortable. The air is quietly cycling above me (we had a storm last night, so it barely cracked 102 today). In fact, it is very quiet today...because it is a brand new unit. The old unit decided to start making loud moaning noises a few days ago. We knew it was old. Every time the compressor kicked in lights flickered for miles. OK, not really, but my UPS under my desk would pop every time it turned on, meaning it was really pulling a huge load. The AC guy said, "It's on its last legs." We had a choice, either replace the compressor and get only a one year warranty (and continue paying large bills using an old, non-efficient unit) or pony up close to $5,000 for a new unit with a ten year warranty (and the hope of electrical savings of half of that or more over that time period). Well, you do not play games with the Arizona heat, nor do you run the risk of frying the precious computer equipment you have been entrusted with to do the work of the ministry. Hence the shiny big box on the roof above me.
We do not send out fund raising letters. We do not spend 20-30% of the DL seeking to instill guilt in you if you don't support A&O. And nobody has ever been interrupted during dinner by a fund raising cold call seeking monies for this work. That just isn't how we do things. We are small and, we like to think, lean and mean when it comes to the financial aspects of things. But every once in a while we let folks know about needs. Well, here's one. $5,000 to keep the offices usable all summer and the DL going regularly. (I might note the unit heats as well, but Rich will tell you I simply do not turn heat on during the winter on "my side" of the offices).
There are other costs coming up as well that we would ask you to pray about. We are praying toward a trip to London and Germany next April. We truly wish to take up the invitation we received to debate at the South London mosque, the largest physical mosque in London. Flying across the proverbial pond takes money, but we really wish to bless the saints in Germany, and we will need your help to do it as well.
So if you can help us to press forward in the work of the ministry, we would greatly appreciate it. We do not have a group of large donors who make all of this work. We have regular folks who think what we do is important and they want to see it continue. Your partnership in ministry is greatly appreciated.
17:56:53 - Category: Misc - Link to this article -
Calvin on the Christ-less Unitarianism of Islam
07/11/2011 - James White
Saw this over on the Reformed Baptist Fellowship Blog:16:34:13 - Category: Islam - Link to this article -
Does 1 John 3:5 Speak of the Father or the Son?
07/09/2011 - James White
18:17:43 - Category: Exegesis - Link to this article -
Passion and Discipline in Apologetic Encounters
07/08/2011 - James White
15:18:25 - Category: General Apologetics - Link to this article -
Today on a Radio Free Geneva!
07/07/2011 - James White
We began our review of Pastor Bob Coy's "What's the Point?" sermon at the Calvary Chapel of Ft. Lauderdale (found here) from October 28, 2007. Got to his use of Lazarus as an example of a dead man being able to respond obediently to God (yes, that was his assertion). We will pick up with the next portion of the sermon next Tuesday! Here's the program.And don't forget the WayBack Machine, streaming Dividing Lines from 1998 onward 24/7! Just listen in at our regular DL link, here.
18:59:31 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
Today on a Warm Dividing Line
07/05/2011 - James White
Well, it was hot in Phoenix today, and our AC was not working, so that's why it was a "warm" Dividing Line! First program back after my trip to Alaska, so, I meandered a bit. Announced we will be doing a Radio Free Geneva on Thursday, and took calls on various topics, including teaching kids about the sinfulness of man from Romans 1, and sola scriptura. Here's the program.21:28:20 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
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