Tag Archives: Liberty University

Jul 21

Theology Matters: Apologetic Method

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Nearly a month ago James White dedicated 2/3′s of a Dividing Line broadcast to discussing the biblical basis for apologetics. He focuses primarily on Colossians 2:2-8, 1 Peter 3:15, and 1 Corinthians 1:18-24. The key thing to remember is that your theology will determine they way you do apologetics. The things you believe about man’s fallen nature and the extent of the effects of sin on his capacity to reason and evaluate evidence will guide how you present evidence for God’s existence. The question, for the Christian, becomes what does the Bible say about these things?

I listened to this episode twice (the second time I transcribed it) and was blown away by how true it is that when you turn to the Scriptures you are forced to re-evaluate your apologetic method. Below is the video of this discussion, followed by my transcript. Please forgive any errors that I have missed while editing. I pray this will help both presuppositionalists and evidentialists think about the role of theology in their defense of the Christian Faith.

Transcript of The Dividing Line, June 24, 2010

And good afternoon, welcome to The Dividing Line….

For by Him, all things were created, in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, or rulers or authorities. All things have been created through Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the Church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He, Himself will come to have first place in everything.

This text from Paul’s epistle to the Colossians describes the relationship that Jesus holds to all created things. The apostle exhausts the Greek language to attempt to communicate the fact that there is nothing outside of the creative work of Jesus Christ. Listen to what he lists:

“All things were created” – Now you would think that would be enough, but mankind has an amazing ability to find ways around even the plainest statements. So Paul explains what he means by “all things.” He means things “in the heavens and on earth.” That’s pretty much everything. He means things “visible and invisible.” He means things such as “thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities.” All things have been created through Him and for Him. Continue reading →

Jun 25

Ergun Caner Will Not Continue as President of Liberty Seminary

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Today the following was released from Liberty University regarding Ergun Caner:

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, found discrepancies related to matters such as dates, names and places of residence.  Dr. Caner has cooperated with the board committee and has apologized for the discrepancies and misstatements that led to this review.  Dr. Caner’s current contractual term as Dean of Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary expires on June, 30, 2010.  Dr. Caner will no longer serve as Dean of Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.  The university has offered, and Dr. Caner has accepted, an employment contract for the 2010-2011 academic year. Dr. Caner will remain on the faculty of Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary as a professor.

Dr. Caner has been under heat from an increasing number of Evangelicals (as well as some Muslims) who have found discrepancies in his accounts of his life and activity as a Muslim before coming to Christ. A timeline (long, but useful) of Ergun’s activity is available that takes us through the events in questions and shows Ergun’s, shall we say, aversions to truthfulness.

James White has responded to Liberty’s above statement on aomin.org. On March 5th, White made available a list of questions for Caner to answer in Liberty’s investigation:

1) Where was Ergun Caner born? Why has he given conflicting information on this matter? Did he ever live in Istanbul, Turkey? When? At what age, and for how long? Did he attend a madrassa there?

2) When did his family move from Sweden to the United States? Why has he given conflicting information on this? What was his father’s actual role in the building or design of mosques in Ohio? Why has Ergun Caner publicly said that before moving to the United States he had always lived in a “majority Muslim” nation? Is Sweden a Muslim nation? Continue reading →

May 05

Did Ergun Caner Lie?

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Ergun Caner at North Alabama Bible Conference

This is the kind of topic I want to blog about but haven’t, until now (obviously). I just read an article from the Associated Baptist Press titled Liberty U. backs seminary president amid charges of misrepresentation, by Bob Allen. It is a summary article of the controversy over Caner’s contradictory statements regarding his personal history and conversion story. Before you read further you should know I am not adding new information to what has been said in the last few weeks and months. If you are unaware I recommend the following links:

My primary introduction to this issue has been on The Dividing Line podcast. What I see in this issue is more and more people coming to see Ergun Caner as a liar. Consider the following ideas

There is a disagreement between two people or groups. One wishes to examine all of the available evidence, take the time to sort through the details of what was said, and synthesize them to see if they cohere. The other side remains silent. Who do you trust? Continue reading →