I love to fantasize about a Greg Bahnsen/Christopher Hitchens debate. It's tempting to wonder why God didn't leave the good Dr. here long enough to engage some of the current crop of atheist "intellectuals". Oh well, at least he was here long enough to show us how to expose their silliness. And we do have the Whites, Wilsons, and Koukls etc... of the world. So I guess he has provided; but it is still a tantalizing thought.
Do you have the mp3's of the very famous and taught-in-seminary-apologetics-classes debate between Bahnsen and Gordon Stein? Stein was the 1980's equivalent of Hitchens, et al.
I found your blog when I searched for pictures of Luther. Very good to read! Bahnsen is preaching the gospel of Platonic reality more than anything in this clip; love the discussion of logic, but it seems to engender an endless debate. From my perspective, what really separates the 'believers' and 'unbelievers' is just that - belief - and I refuse to accept that the belief is based entirely on logic; rather, it is based on faith. When the 'believer' meets the 'unbeliever' on the plane of logic to discuss God, it's rather removed from his actual faith in God. In other words, I believe in God b/c of faith - logical arguments may very well strengthen that belief in my own mind, but they are not the reason for my belief. The thoughts that my 'logic' about God uses lead to a different conclusion than that of the 'unbeliever'; if all it took was explaining those thoughts to the 'unbeliever', convincing him would be easy. The difference, as I see it, is the predetermined belief (requiring faith) that God is real, or in the unbeliever's case, the predetermined belief that God is not real (though that is a belief that CAN be arrived at purely by logic; not that 'unbelievers' necessarily do arrive there through logic). Is that logical (ha)?
It sounds like you would enjoy studying Bahnsen. He has been described as the greatest debater of the 20th century and was certainly the greatest Christian debater.
Bahnsen derived his method from his teacher, Cornelius Van Til. So while it may be tinged with Platonism it is more indebted to Kant but only ultimately owing the Scriptures.
The tag line most often associate with him and his proof for the existence of God is "the impossibility of the contrary." In other words, if God doesn't exist, then nothing else can have any possible explanation.
He left us about 1,500 lectures and many books which can be found here:
http://www.cmfnow.com/mp3-bahnsen.aspx
The lectures are only $2 apiece and quite the bargain at that rate!
I refuse to accept that the belief is based entirely on logic; rather, it is based on faith
Well first, I'm glad you liked the Luther tidbits here on the blog.
Bahnsen would probably say belief in God is a.... presupposition, or founding truth claim.
The Bahnsen / Van Til crowd did a good service for the church by pointing out that each human being has a set of unproven core beliefs, which are accepted on... faith.
I love to fantasize about a Greg Bahnsen/Christopher Hitchens debate. It's tempting to wonder why God didn't leave the good Dr. here long enough to engage some of the current crop of atheist "intellectuals". Oh well, at least he was here long enough to show us how to expose their silliness. And we do have the Whites, Wilsons, and Koukls etc... of the world. So I guess he has provided; but it is still a tantalizing thought.
ReplyDeleteAndrew,
ReplyDeleteDo you have the mp3's of the very famous and taught-in-seminary-apologetics-classes debate between Bahnsen and Gordon Stein? Stein was the 1980's equivalent of Hitchens, et al.
If you don't have it, I'll send you a link.
Bahnsen "owned" Stein in that one!
Peace.
James,
ReplyDeleteSorry to not have informed you of Bahnsen on YouTube.
I thought you knew.
Peace.
I found your blog when I searched for pictures of Luther. Very good to read! Bahnsen is preaching the gospel of Platonic reality more than anything in this clip; love the discussion of logic, but it seems to engender an endless debate. From my perspective, what really separates the 'believers' and 'unbelievers' is just that - belief - and I refuse to accept that the belief is based entirely on logic; rather, it is based on faith. When the 'believer' meets the 'unbeliever' on the plane of logic to discuss God, it's rather removed from his actual faith in God. In other words, I believe in God b/c of faith - logical arguments may very well strengthen that belief in my own mind, but they are not the reason for my belief. The thoughts that my 'logic' about God uses lead to a different conclusion than that of the 'unbeliever'; if all it took was explaining those thoughts to the 'unbeliever', convincing him would be easy. The difference, as I see it, is the predetermined belief (requiring faith) that God is real, or in the unbeliever's case, the predetermined belief that God is not real (though that is a belief that CAN be arrived at purely by logic; not that 'unbelievers' necessarily do arrive there through logic).
ReplyDeleteIs that logical (ha)?
Hi The Pedagogue,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you would enjoy studying Bahnsen. He has been described as the greatest debater of the 20th century and was certainly the greatest Christian debater.
Bahnsen derived his method from his teacher, Cornelius Van Til. So while it may be tinged with Platonism it is more indebted to Kant but only ultimately owing the Scriptures.
The tag line most often associate with him and his proof for the existence of God is "the impossibility of the contrary." In other words, if God doesn't exist, then nothing else can have any possible explanation.
He left us about 1,500 lectures and many books which can be found here:
http://www.cmfnow.com/mp3-bahnsen.aspx
The lectures are only $2 apiece and quite the bargain at that rate!
Good luck in your searching.
Peace.
I refuse to accept that the belief is based entirely on logic; rather, it is based on faith
ReplyDeleteWell first, I'm glad you liked the Luther tidbits here on the blog.
Bahnsen would probably say belief in God is a.... presupposition, or founding truth claim.
The Bahnsen / Van Til crowd did a good service for the church by pointing out that each human being has a set of unproven core beliefs, which are accepted on... faith.
Sorry to not have informed you of Bahnsen on YouTube.
ReplyDeleteWell, most people don't realize I actually have other books besides Luther in my library.