Archive for category: Misc

It’s been a busy day around the A&O headquarters. Had a great DL on some really important topics (I will blog that next). Then I was invited (and I accepted, despite what this is going to mean as to preparation time and effort) to join my good friend and brother Michael Brown in a televised two-on-two debate with Sir Anthony

The Internet is such a huge “place.” It takes forever to clean up evidences of your past—if you are trying to do that, anyway. I was just referred to this press release on Ergun Caner’s own website (better click fast, it will be gone before long!). Note this further example of the mysterious “misstatement” that Ergun Caner seemed to me

This endorsement sheet was just posted to Norman Geisler’s website, which seems to be the new clearing house for the defense of Ergun Caner (who has gone silent since his removal as Dean of LBTS). It is titled “In Support of Dr. Ergun Caner By Noted Christian Leaders.” As if in fulfillment of the words of Phil Johnson this morning

My little fellowship includes a couple whose native tongue is Arabic. Rudy Jabouri was born in Baghdad. He has been following the Caner Scandal, and sent me some of this insights. I asked if I could share them with my readers and he agreed. I wanted to let you guys know that southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq are my families

A must read, though this section is ominous: Caner himself is stonewalling while a handful of his most outspoken supporters are doing their best to demonize his critics. If Liberty continues officially to offer sanctuary to Caner, he will eventually be able to weather the controversy without ever actually admitting any specific wrongdoing. Evangelicals—who have no stomach for protracted controversies

And for Emir Caner, and of course, we’d love to hear from Ergun Caner (though rumor has it he is under orders to stay quiet—whose orders, I do not know). Dr. Caner is scheduled to teach at two upcoming conferences sponsored by Veritas Evangelical Seminary, of which Norman Geisler is Provost. The first is July 24th in Littleton, Colorado, and

Is lying in the pulpit not a “moral” failure? How did we get here in the evangelical church? Some thoughts.

Norman Geisler has still not given up on defending Dr. Ergun Caner (link to his further defense), stating that “a number of unjustified attacks have come to my attention.” He has responded with 7 points to the 9 numbered points in my previous post (link to my previous post) , collapsing four of my numbered points into two of his

Norman Geisler has posted a statement that, though unsigned, is supposed to represent a statement from Kregel Publications. It is the standard party-line statement, but it includes this amazing line: “Moreover, evidence presented on anti-Caner Web sites, such as the legal documents related to his parents’ divorce proceedings, confirm that his father was a devout Muslim who did his utmost

Ironically, while Norman Geisler includes an attack upon all of us who have sought to bring out the problems in Ergun Caner’s claims upon a misapplication of Matthew 18 (as we will note again later), I know I have not heard privately from Norman Geisler about this issue at all. Evidently, a double standard is being employed. For the sake

We have heard so much of the angry “friends of Ergun” that I feel it would be well to let others speak. No names, just the heartfelt expressions of brothers and sisters who see what is important and are just as amazed as I am at the games being played about a serious subject. I wanted to send you this

Dr. Geisler provided a number of items of response in his “defense” of Dr. Ergun Caner. I’d like to highlight a few additional items that Dr. Geisler seems to have overlooked. These are some troubling issues in addition to the many that Dr. Geisler identified. I don’t know whether Dr. Geisler’s “defense” of Dr. Caner intentionally omitted these, or he

I almost never post stuff like this, but this has got to be the most classic commercial ever. The expression of the chess player is absolutely perfect. Clear, yet understated. And as a USCF member (United States Chess Federation) who is enjoying the World Cup (go Netherlands!), the combination is absolutely classic.

Some folks hate Calvinism so much they lose touch with reality. Here’s an example. Note in the combox that though I specifically addressed the Matthew 18 issue (the Caner situation is NOT a Matthew 18 situation to begin with) only a few hours later one person asks the question again…completely ignoring everything I said about it. But note the original

I had planned on writing this post as the only item posted on the blog today. Well, man proposes, God disposes. Yesterday I received a note from an insightful Muslim correspondent regarding the Ergun Caner situation. He noted that in his talking with other Muslims the idea that I have pursued the Ergun Caner scandal information due to the Calvinist/Arminian

The Charge that no Knowledgeable Muslim Would Mis-cite the Hadith as Caner Did.—It is charged that Caner often cites the Hadith without mentioning the actual name of the collection.  But, as even Muslim scholars admit, there is no “official” way to cite the Hadith.  It is often cited without reference to the collection.  Just as the citation of the hadith

The Charge that Caner could not have Offered his Muslim Prays in the School Bathroom as he said he did.—This was neither a shameful or unacceptable practice for Muslims, as some critics claim.  The Islamic Hadith allows it, and it is done by devout Muslims to this day as has been pointed out by former Muslim Hussein Wario (www.husseinwario.com). It

The Charge that He Could Speak Arabic When He Can’t.—He only claims to be able to speak Arabic the way most non-Arabic Muslims do.  Although he was raised in Sweden by a Swedish mother, Ergun learned enough Arabic (as most Muslims do) to read the Qur’an and speak it in prayer.   Please compare this excuse with the reality of each

Norman Geisler has posted a lengthy defense of Ergun Caner on his website. It is a collection of all of the attempts to explain Caner’s myths over the past few months, but it ignores major portions of the data that exists relating to Caner’s claims. It is a sad spectacle to see the man best known for the defense of

Yes, I’m sick of this entire thing. I want it to go away. I want to be working on uplifting things, preparing for my fall debates, writing, researching…doing the things of ministry. But here I sit preparing to slam many more doors in my face. Why? Simple. Truth is costly. When I have told Christians and non Christians alike over

I have talked to a lot of journalists since last Friday, but so far the best article I’ve read came from William Wan and is found in the Washington Post here. Mr. Wan had even written back to me to double check some facts, and I found that encouraging. I do find it indicative of this entire scandal that one

I just learned that Christopher Hitchens has announced he is undergoing chemotherapy for esophogeal cancer. Here is his announcement. I fully expect this to lead to the cancellation of our August 30th debate, though I do not yet have that official word. I have listened to many, many hours of Christopher Hitchens speaking. I’ve read his attacks upon my faith,

During the Dividing Line today the UPS man came by our offices. Upon completing the program, which was focused upon the Caner Scandal, I opened the box to discover my brand new copy of The God of Calvinism by our ol’ buddy, Louis Ruggiero. I had not ordered it for the content of the book, as we saw Lou’s exegetical

I will be addressing Liberty’s seven-sentence political statement on the DL in less than an hour, but I was just directed (HT: JD) to one of the most amazing statements I have read so far in response to the demotion of Ergun Caner by Liberty University. There are some folks that we all knew were completely disconnected from the space-time

Two interesting items from the news today. First, Christianity Today picked up a set of quotes from yours truly that appeared in the local Lynchburg paper. Under the title “Liberty University cuts Caner as seminary dean” the CT article summarizes the actions Liberty took (and only announced at the end of business late Friday afternoon–a classic political move designed to

After a thorough and exhaustive review of Dr. Ergun Caner’s public statements, a committee consisting of four members of Liberty University’s Board of Trustees has concluded that Dr. Caner has made factual statements that are self-contradictory. However, the committee found no evidence to suggest that Dr. Caner was not a Muslim who converted to Christianity as a teenager, but, instead,

The local Lynchburg paper called to get a comment on the action of Liberty in not renewing Ergun Caner’s contract as Dean of the seminary, but in extending a one-year teaching contract to him. The reporter indicated that he is not expecting further details from Liberty. He asked questions, such as who was on the committee, etc., but they declined

This was just reported by the News and Advance out of Lynchburg: Liberty University announced today that Ergun Caner will no longer be dean of the university’s Baptist Theological Seminary. After an investigation conducted by four members of Liberty’s Board of Trustees, the university said it found that Caner has made “factual statements that are self-contradictory” concerning “dates, names and

I really dislike dishonest men, so when I was directed to the accusation, posted by a critic who has a long track record of incredible prejudice and bigotry, accusing us of “withholding” videos from debates, I was properly incensed. Why do these people insist upon personal attack before doing the first bit of research? Of course, this isn’t a “Muslim”

Waiting for my flight home here at the airport in Detroit. I was referred to this blog article by a student at Liberty. I noted the following: Within the first 20 minutes of class Ergun is chatting about the accusations against him, but made it clear that he isn’t worrying about the issue or looking in to it…yet…well never mind.