Convincing Proof

Greg Welty recently wrote a book on Alvin Plantinga in the "Great Thinkers" series. Alvin Plantinga is a renowned Christian philosopher whom you should be familiar with. He was at the forefront of a Christian renaissance in academic philosophy in the latter half of the 20th century. Welty's book is a great short introduction to Plantinga's work. One place where Adam disagrees with Plantinga is on the idea of "Reformed Epistemology." Some descriptions of Reformed Epistemology seem to look down too much on human reason. While we certainly don't want to downplay or dismiss the vital work of the Holy Spirit, we don't want to settle for basing everything on feelings or intuitions either. In his book Warranted Christian Belief, Plantinga seems to dismiss the idea that philosophy can be useful in determining if Christianity is true, and Adam thinks he is incorrect to do that.

The moral argument for God’s existence says God is the best explanation for the fact that there are objective moral truths. Objective morality means that there are moral truths that exist beyond anybody’s own individual preferences, beliefs, or opinions. Objective morality seems self-evident; we intuitively know that some things are right and others are wrong. So, what’s the best explanation for morality? Where does it come from? Some atheist philosophers like Erik Wielenberg argue that even though morality is objective, it doesn’t need a personal source like God. However, morality is very personal, and so it would make sense that morality comes from a personal source; thus, it is proposed that God, existing as a trinity in loving relationships, provides the best explanation for the existence of objective morality. To go deeper with the subject of morality and where it comes from, check out Adam's five-part course on that here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTEkXbr4qlVNf0CV9uraiQuhhW1zmI8lM To watch Adam's debate with Erik Wielenberg, you can find that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg2WK-IIrd8 Links to Adam's other debates about morality will be posted here when they become available in mid-2024. Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like nearly all ministries, including Jesus’ ministry (Luke 8:3), Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Thank you! 0:00 Basic Form of the Moral Argument 4:16 Subjective vs. Objective Truths 14:08 Responding to Arguments for Subjective Morality 26:00 What We Are and Aren't Saying 32:34 What Attributes Would the Source of Morality Have? 38:29 Does Morality Have a Transcendent Source? 44:00 Atheists Who Believe in Objective Morality 50:05 Divine Love Theory of Morality

Some people might say that evolution is proof that God doesn't exist and that Christianity isn't true. Evolution is the idea that natural selection acting on random genetic mutations can explain all the diversity of life. We know that natural selection does happen since it has been observed taking place, but how powerful is this process? Can natural selection produce new types of organisms? One scientist, Michael Behe, argues that natural selection is not powerful enough to produce new species. Based on studying things like fruit flies and malaria interacting with sickle-cell anemia, Behe says that there seems to be a limit to what natural selection can produce. If this is true, then it indicates that evolution, on a large scale, is false. If evolution is false, then certainly it can’t prove that there is no God. However, even if evolution is true, it still doesn’t prove that there is no God or that Christianity isn't true. Large-scale evolution still can’t explain the origin of life in the first place, and in addition, there are many other good arguments for God’s existence that aren’t related to evolution at all. Adam's two-part article on the question of evolution and Christianity can be found here: Part 1: What if Evolution Is False? - https://convincingproof.org/does-evolution-prove-that-christianity-is-false-part-1/ Part 2: What if Evolution Is True? - https://convincingproof.org/does-evolution-prove-that-christianity-is-false-part-2/ Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like nearly all ministries, including Jesus’ ministry (Luke 8:3), Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Thank you! 0:00 Does Evolution Prove There Is No God? 3:24 Do We Actually Understand Evolution? 16:15 Is Evolution Powerful Enough to Create New Organisms? 23:32 Genetic Mutations Are Essential for Evolution 27:17 Behe's Irreducible Complexity Argument 36:20 Behe's Edge of Evolution Argument 46:28 Does Imagination Count as Science? 51:52 What if Evolution Is True? 56:17 Would That Make Christianity False?

The first-cause argument for God’s existence, often called the “cosmological argument,” says that God exists because the universe had a beginning. If the universe had a beginning, then the universe needs a first cause. In fact, there have been many first-cause arguments made by philosophers in different cultures, such as Aristotle’s unmoved mover. Based on the evidence from modern scientific discoveries, such as Einstein's general theory of relativity and Hubble's red-shift observation, scientists agree that the universe did have a beginning. Since the universe began to exist, then the universe must have a cause. But what is this cause? From the first-cause argument, we can infer that this cause is God. To watch the talk about the relationship between faith and reason mentioned around 1:55, click here: https://rumble.com/v4d1qy8-are-faith-and-reason-enemies.html To learn more about the lawsuit Adam mentioned around 32:00, you can watch this press conference: https://rumble.com/v2867vk-adam-lloyd-johnson-speaks-at-religious-freedom-press-conference-with-govern.html Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like nearly all ministries, including Jesus’ ministry (Luke 8:3), Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Thank you! 0:00 Why Even Study Reasons and Evidence for Faith? 6:41 What is Apologetics? 14:55 Three Steps in My Apologetic Method 18:26 History of the First-Cause Argument for God 26:50 Modern Scholars Who Defend the First-Cause Argument 34:51 Defending the Premises of the First-Cause Argument 42:58 Evidence that the Universe Had a Beginning 49:19 The Big Bang Theory 54:12 How Does This Point to God?

The design argument for God’s existence argues that God exists because things like the universe, earth, and life look like they have been designed. Through observation, we can see that every design has a designer, but how do we detect design? When something is both complex (it has multiple parts) and specified (the parts are not randomly arranged), it can be said to be designed. One way we notice design in the universe is by the fine tuning of its physical constants. We also notice design in the way that the earth is very specifically situated in our galaxy and solar system to allow life to exist. Finally, we notice design in the way life contains information in DNA. All of this evidence of design points to the existence of a designer, an intelligent supreme being like God.

It may be surprising to hear that postmodernism and presuppositionalism could be similar. Postmodernism is a philosophy that, among other things, is very committed to the idea that truth is relative in some sense. Presuppositionalism is the idea that we should start doing apologetics by assuming (or presupposing) that God exists and the Bible is His Word. So, how could these two ideas be related? Both postmodernism and presuppositionalism were overreactions to philosophical modernism. Both movements tended to downplay the importance of using reason in forming our beliefs and instead focused on other means, such as our inner feelings (postmodernism) or blind faith (presuppositionalism). James K. A. Smith is an example of a presuppositionalist who has recognized and even promoted this connection. Resources mentioned: Adam's Philosophy Class, explaining the roots of modernism and postmodernism: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTEkXbr4qlVMKIVGtsvM1ODMffPh8Hgfr Paper "Created to Know" about the epistemologies of Francis Schaeffer and Michael Polanyi: https://convincingproof.org/created-to-know/ Video explaining how God used reason in the Bible: https://youtu.be/8EUzE15gQ6c James K. A. Smith, "Who's Afraid of Postmodernism?" Book https://www.amazon.com/Afraid-Postmodernism-Church-Postmodern-Culture-ebook/dp/B00B8540TI/ Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like nearly all ministries, including Jesus’ ministry (Luke 8:3), Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Thank you! 0:00 The Term "Christian Worldview" 4:24 Christians Influenced by Wrong Thinking 7:55 What Is Presuppositionalism? 12:59 Who's Afraid of Postmodernism? 16:29 Both Movements Overreacted to Modernism 20:34 How Modernism Crashed and Burned 29:02 Both Movements Look Down on Reason 37:14 Mistakes of Presuppositionalism 44:38 We Have No Choice But to Begin with Reason 50:54 Is the Bible Presuppositional? 54:31 Francis Schaeffer Would Not Agree with James K. A. Smith

Often times today, people talk about faith and reason as if they're in conflict. They'll say things like "Having faith is just choosing to believe something without any evidence!" Others might say something like "Reason has failed to give us certainty, so we have to just take a leap of faith!" These sentiments, and others like them, have a long history within Western culture, arising from the philosophies of modernism and postmodernism. Modern thinkers esteemed reason and denigrated faith, while postmodern thinkers elevated faith and questioned reason. But are faith and reason really opposed to each other? Here is the article about Francis Schaeffer mentioned at 45:06: https://convincingproof.org/created-to-know/ The Apologetics and Philosophy classes can be found here: https://convincingproof.org/category/classes/ Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like nearly all ministries, including Jesus’ ministry (Luke 8:3), Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Thank you! 0:00 Introduction 6:05 Three Eras of Western Culture 15:23 One Incorrect View: Prideful Reason 19:58 Another Incorrect View: Blind Faith 25:56 The Biblical Balance: Faith and Reason 33:13 Jesus and the Apostles Pointed to Evidence to Establish Faith 39:36 It's Good and Healthy to Ask Questions about Our Beliefs 44:25 About Convincing Proof Ministries

Adam Lloyd Johnson continues his interview with Dr. Tim Stratton of Free Thinking Ministries. In this part, Adam and Tim discuss the FreeThinking Argument, which argues that human beings have what is called "libertarian free will." Tim uses this argument to respond to two types of people who claim human beings don't have free will: 1) atheists who are naturalists and thus believe nature determines our thoughts and actions and 2) Christians who affirm a form of divine determinism, meaning that God determines our thoughts and actions. It all boils down to epistemic responsibility: are we the cause of (and thus responsible for) the thoughts that we think? In other words, are we doing our own thinking or is something or someone else determining our thoughts for us? The paper that Tim published with noted philosopher J. P. Moreland: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/10/988 FreeThinking Ministries Website: https://freethinkingministries.com FreeThinking Ministries YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/FreethinkingMinistries Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like nearly all ministries, including Jesus’ ministry (Luke 8:3), Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Thank you!

The film "Everything Everywhere All at Once" won several academy awards earlier this year, including one for Best Picture. Like many films and other works of art, this film communicates philosophical and cultural ideas. Namely, postmodern existentialism is front and center. The daughter in this movie has an existential crisis where she fears that there is no meaning and purpose in life and wants to end it all. Following from this, the message of the film is that you should find what gives you meaning and makes life subjectively meaningful to you, because that's seen as the only alternative to concluding that life has no meaning. Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like nearly all ministries, including Jesus’ ministry (Luke 8:3), Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Thank you!

In this sermon from the Fall of 2015, Adam Lloyd Johnson uses primarily two texts, Matthew 22:15-22 and Romans 13:1-7, to explore how Christians should relate to the government. What is the purpose of government? What is the church's role in influencing those in government? Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:3), my missionary work with Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads you to invest in my work, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Your support is greatly appreciated!

On September 5, 2023, Adam Lloyd Johnson appeared on Point of View, hosted by Kerby Anderson, to talk about the apologetic significance of his book "Divine Love Theory" and also about an article he wrote for the Worldview Bulletin Newsletter called "The Best Explanation for Moral Truth." The Best Explanation for Moral Truth Article: https://worldviewbulletin.substack.com/p/the-best-explanation-for-moral-truth Original interview: https://pointofview.net/shows/tuesday-september-5-2023/ Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:3), my missionary work with Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads you to invest in my work, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Your support is greatly appreciated!

In the final part of this series examining Bart Ehrman's book "Did Jesus Exist?", Adam discusses how claims of miraculous events can be considered by historians. History is a measure of how certain we are about events in the past; having absolute certainty about historical claims is impossible. However, historians have developed many criteria for evaluating how certain we can be that something actually happened, and these criteria are how facts about Jesus are evaluated. Using Ehrman's writings, Adam argues that Jesus' miracles claims, including His resurrection, meet the criteria that Ehrman lays out for something to be considered historically reliable, although Ehrman himself does not accept this conclusion. While Ehrman would say that it is outside the historian's purview to evaluate miracle claims, Adam thinks that miracles can be evaluated in the same way as any other historical claims—by looking at the evidence. At the very least, we can conclude, along with Ehrman, that reports of Jesus' miracles are not simply legends that developed many years later. Rather, they were proclaimed by Jesus' earliest followers. Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:3), my missionary work with Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads you to invest in my work, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Your support is greatly appreciated! Contents 0:00 Introduction: The Miracle Test 2:25 Bart Ehrman's Book "Did Jesus Exist?" 3:58 The CSI Effect: Is Absolute Certainty Possible? 9:18 Criteria that Increase Certainty 11:37 All the Sources About Jesus 17:32 What Facts Do All Scholars Affirm About Jesus? 20:28 What Does It Mean That "All Scholars" Agree? 23:55 Do Jesus' Miracles Meet Ehrman's Criteria? 26:16 Speeches in the Book of Acts Mention Miracles 30:10 Material in Paul's Letters Talks About Miracles 33:28 So, Why Doesn't Ehrman Believe in Jesus? 39:55 Ehrman Doesn't Believe God Exists 41:58 Can Historians Evaluate Miracle Claims? 47:24 Should We Ever Believe in Miracles? 51:00 Conclusion: Jesus' Miracles Aren't Simply Legends

As we keep going in this series using Bart Ehrman's book "Did Jesus Exist?" to examine the historical evidence for Jesus, Adam takes a look at the evidence contained in the letters written by the Apostle Paul. The historical evidence for Jesus in these letters is some of the earliest that we have for Jesus, particularly the evidence from early creeds contained in Paul's letters. These creeds are dated by scholars to have been written within 2-3 years of Jesus' death, and they contain statements relating to Jesus' miracles, death, and resurrection. Some skeptics might object to using Paul's letters for this type of historical analysis. They might say that Paul's letters can't be trusted because they have been corrupted with errors or that you can't use the Bible to prove the Bible. But these objections are misguided. Also, some Christians might say that critically evaluating the Bible is wrong because it is tantamount to doubting God. However, this type of objection is also misguided. Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:3), my missionary work with Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads you to invest in my work, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Your support is greatly appreciated! Contents 0:00 Main Argument Jesus Is God 2:19 Why Use Bart Ehrman's Book? 5:04 What Books Did the Apostle Paul Write? 8:59 What Does Paul Say about Jesus? 11:49 Creeds Written Before Paul's Letters 17:11 Paul Talked with Eyewitnesses of Jesus 22:31 The Last Supper Creed in 1 Corinthians 11 27:12 The Death & Resurrection Creed in 1 Corinthians 15 31:59 Objection #1: Paul's Letters Have Been Corrupted with Errors 38:54 Objection #2: You Can't Use the Bible to Prove the Bible 43:15 Objection #3: Christians Shouldn't Critically Evaluate the Bible Because That's Doubting God

In this series exploring the evidence presented in the book "Did Jesus Exist?" by Bart Ehrman, Adam discusses the historical usefulness of New Testament books besides the Gospels that were not written by Paul. This would include books such as the book of Acts, Hebrews, 1 and 2 Peter, Jude, Revelation, and 1-3 John. As Ehrman demonstrates, these books can be treated as early, independent sources that contain many corroborating details about the life of Jesus and how He was viewed by His followers. Some of these books even contain material that predates the books themselves, going back much earlier to a time closer to Jesus' death. Many of these books contain attestation that Jesus was a miracle worker and that He rose from the dead, but can historians believe that? Are miracle claims even open to historical investigation? Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:3), my missionary work with Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads you to invest in my work, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Your support is greatly appreciated! Contents 0:00 Review of Previous Material 5:03 What about the Gospel of John? 9:52 Can We Use New Testament Books NOT Written by Paul? 12:04 Does the Book of Acts Discuss Jesus? 19:19 Speeches in Acts Are Earlier than Acts Itself 28:09 Can Hebrews Be Used as a Historical Source? 31:42 The Writings Attributed to Peter Are Independent 35:52 Even the Short Book of Jude? 36:32 Surely Revelation Isn't Historical, Is It? 38:58 Are 1, 2, and 3 John Independent Sources? 41:36 Are Miracles Within the Scope of Historical Inquiry?

Adam continues this series examining Bart Ehrman's book "Did Jesus Exist?" by looking at how Ehrman and other scholars view the New Testament gospel accounts. Viewed purely as historical documents, the gospels provide a wealth of information about the life of Jesus, much of which is corroborated by other gospel accounts. However, some people have objected to using the gospels as historical sources. Reasons they usually give for this are that the gospels have been corrupted, that they were written by Christians and are thus biased, that they're not independent, or that they were written too long after Jesus' life. However, scholars like Ehrman do not believe that any of these are valid reasons to dismiss the gospels as containing valid historical information about Jesus. Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:3), my missionary work with Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads you to invest in my work, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Your support is greatly appreciated! Contents 0:00 The Main Argument Jesus Is God: Miracles 2:40 Why Look at What an Agnostic Scholar Says? 8:03 Using the New Testament Gospels as Historical Sources 10:46 Objections to Using the Gospels as Historical Sources 13:40 Objection #1: The Gospels Have Been Corrupted by Copying Errors 18:42 Objection #2: Some People Believe They Are God's Word 27:15 Objection #3: They're Written by Christians so They're Too Biased 30:45 Objection #4: They're Not Independent Sources 37:43 The Q Source: An Extra Gospel? 48:22 Objection #5: They Were Written Too Long After Jesus' Life 53:11 Ehrman's Respect for Christian Scholars 55:17 How Early Do Scholars Date the Sources Used in the Gospels? 1:01:14 In Conclusion, How Does Ehrman View the Gospels?

Continuing on in this series using Bart Ehrman's book "Did Jesus Exist?" to examine the historical evidence for Jesus, Adam takes a look at sources about Jesus found outside the Bible. Ancient Roman authors such as Pliny the Younger, Suetonius, and Tacitus talk about Jesus, as does the famous Jewish historian Josephus. There are also early Christian sources of interest such as Papias, Ignatius, 1 Clement, and even the Gospel of Thomas. Ehrman says we can use all these sources to establish and corroborate basic facts about the life of Jesus. Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:3), my missionary work with Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads you to invest in my work, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Your support is greatly appreciated! Contents 0:00 Introduction: Main Argument Jesus Is God 2:34 Bart Ehrman’s Book “Did Jesus Exist?” 6:11 What Gives Historians Certainty? 9:40 What Do Historians Affirm about Jesus? 13:05 All the Historical Sources for Jesus 18:12 Roman Source: Pliny the Younger 22:13 Roman Source: Suetonius 24:29 Roman Source: Tacitus 28:12 Jewish Source: Josephus 35:47 Concerns About Using Christian Sources 39:11 Christian Source: Papias 43:33 Christian Source: Ignatius 46:14 Christian Source: 1 Clement 47:50 Christian Source: Gospel of Thomas 51:48 Christian Source: Gospel of Peter 54:54 Christian Source: Papyrus Egerton 2 56:19 Pagan Myths Are Not Sources on Jesus 58:55 Many Gnostic Sources Are Not Credible 1:01:49 Conclusion: Laying a Foundation

This is the beginning of a series examining the historical evidence for Jesus presented in Bart Ehrman's book "Did Jesus Exist?" In this video, Adam gives an overview of how historians and scholars of ancient history evaluate the evidence we have concerning the life of Jesus. Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:3), my missionary work with Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads you to invest in my work, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Your support is greatly appreciated! Contents: 0:00 Argument that Jesus Is God from Miracles 5:10 Bart Ehrman’s Book “Did Jesus Exist?” 10:34 Why Study a Book by an Agnostic? 14:10 Structure of the Argument 23:13 Should We Disregard Christian Scholars? 27:13 Historically Evaluating the New Testament 31:05 The Limits of Historical Investigation 35:22 Criteria for Historical Reliability 37:45 Criterion #1: Multiple Sources 41:04 Criterion #2: Independent Sources 41:54 Criterion #3: Corroborating Sources 43:35 Criterion #4: Early Sources 45:18 Criterion #5: Extensive Sources 46:30 Criterion #6: Non-biased/Dissimilar Sources 54:12 Misusing the Criterion of Dissimilarity 58:00 How Do Historians Think about Sources? 1:02:27 Facts that “All Scholars” Agree On

Adam Lloyd Johnson explores the historical evidence presented in Bart Ehrman’s book “Did Jesus Exist?” Ehrman wrote this book to respond to people who don’t think Jesus even existed as a person in history. However, Ehrman shows that there is good historical evidence that Jesus did indeed exist, and some of this evidence can be dated very early, within two or three years after Jesus’s death. Since Ehrman is not a Christian, his affirmation of these facts can be a powerful tool in making the historical case that Jesus is God. To watch the whole series on using evidence from Bart Ehrman's book to make the case for Jesus, see here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTEkXbr4qlVPGF3Qa2td7jZtRQhhIkcha Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:3), my missionary work with Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads you to invest in my work, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Adam Lloyd Johnson recaps his trip to the Evangelical Theological Society/Evangelical Philosophical Society annual conference in Denver. He recounts some of the interactions he had with fellow philosophers and apologists such as William Lane Craig of @ReasonableFaithOrg and Tim Stratton of @FreethinkingMinistries. Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:3), my missionary work with Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads you to invest in my work, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Your support is greatly appreciated!

In this lecture by Dr. David Baggett at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln on March 30, 2022, he discusses C. S. Lewis' novel "Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold." Dr. Baggett explores the theme of shame in this story through the character of Orual and relates how shame affects our relationship with the world and those around us. For more from David Baggett on C. S. Lewis' "Till We Have Faces," read his article "Till We Have Faces, Self-Knowledge, and Learning to Die" here: https://www.moralapologetics.com/wordpress/till-we-have-faces-self-knowledge-and-learning-to-die. Visit Moral Apologetics at https://www.moralapologetics.com for more resources by David Baggett, Adam Lloyd Johnson, and others about the moral case for Christianity. Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:3), my missionary work with Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads you to invest in my work, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Your support is greatly appreciated! Contents 0:00 Introduction by Adam Johnson 2:21 Preliminary Comments 4:39 Guilt and Shame 7:19 Synopsis of Till We Have Faces 12:50 Orual's Backstory of Being Shamed 16:16 What Is Shame? 19:47 Does Orual Experience Shame? 21:46 Orual's Complaint Against the Gods 26:07 Probing Orual's Wound 30:12 Orual's Three Complaints 34:45 Victims and Victimizers 39:03 Curing the Ultimate Shame 41:22 Turning Undeserved Shame to Honor 44:47 Mortality as a Source of Shame 50:25 Mister Rogers and Jeffrey Erlanger 54:52 What the Characters Represent 56:57 Is God a Good God? 58:21 Orual Goes from Sympathetic to Selfish 1:01:03 Some Shame is Deserved 1:04:37 Lewis Meant to Explore the Idea of Shame

Dr. David Baggett, the director of the Center for the Foundations of Ethics at Houston Christian University (formerly Houston Baptist University), delivered this lecture at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln on March 29, 2022. In this lecture, Dr. Baggett discusses the substance of moral knowledge and offers several possibilities for its justification. He then reviews evolutionary debunking arguments that have been put forward as defeaters for moral knowledge, after which he defends a theistic explanation for the existence of moral knowledge. Visit Moral Apologetics at https://www.moralapologetics.com for more resources by David Baggett, Adam Lloyd Johnson, and others about the moral case for Christianity. Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:3), my missionary work with Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads you to invest in my work, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Your support is greatly appreciated! Contents 0:00 General Structure of Moral Arguments 3:05 What Propositional Knowledge Is 6:01 What Moral Knowledge Is 9:22 Justifications for Moral Knowledge 11:23 Strategy 1: Deliberative Indispensability 15:19 Strategy 2: Proper Basicality 18:41 Strategy 3: Phenomenal Conservatism 21:19 Types of Defeaters 23:06 Evolutionary Debunking Objection 26:16 Naturalistic Origins Thesis 27:54 Evolutionary Debunking Examples 34:45 Naturalism Is Assumed 40:41 Can Theism Answer Debunking? 42:29 Variants of Debunking 45:07 Rejecting the Naturalistic Origins Thesis 47:17 Theism as a Solution 53:10 Conclusion: A Case for Theism

Episode 9 of the Convincing Proof Podcast. Adam Lloyd Johnson responds to comments made by William Lane Craig about his Divine Love Theory. Craig critiqued Adam's Divine Love Theory for not also including an explanation of God's justice. Craig thought Adam's Divine Love Theory too closely resembled an idea called the 'Identity Thesis,' which claims that God's moral nature is reducible to just His love. Adam responds that his Divine Love Theory is only an explanation for moral value and moral obligation, not God's moral nature as a whole, and thus it does not need to take special account of God's justice. Adam's Worldview Bulletin article on his Divine Love Theory: https://worldviewbulletin.substack.com/p/divine-love-theory-how-the-trinity/ Watch William Lane Craig's critique here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeD8tkdMk3s Watch a longer response with FreeThinking Ministries here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNvOD8F1QdA Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:3), my missionary work with Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads you to invest in my work, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Does the idea of the Trinity even make sense? Some have alleged that the idea of God or the idea of God being a Trinity is incoherent or contradictory. They say that God can't possibly be both three and one at the same time. But can He? And what about Christians who disagree about the Trinity? Some Christians tend to emphasize God's oneness and unity more, while others emphasize His threeness and internal relationships more. So which views are correct? Can they be reconciled? You can find the book "Two Views on the Doctrine of the Trinity" that I recommended here: https://www.amazon.com/Two-Views-Doctrine-Trinity-Counterpoints-ebook/dp/B00H6Y0RS8/. Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:3), my missionary work with Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads you to invest in my work, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Your support is greatly appreciated! Contents 0:00 Is the Idea of God Incoherent? 5:07 Why do Some Think the Trinity is Incoherent? 7:10 Where Did the Idea of the Trinity Come from? 14:42 God is One Being and Three Persons 21:47 Two Views on the Trinity 26:34 Classical and Social Trinitarianism Compared 34:58 Extreme Differences Between Views 49:47 Adam’s View on the Trinity 55:31 Why Conclude the Trinity Is Not Incoherent?

Dr. Erik J. Wielenberg, an atheist philosopher and Professor of Philosophy at DePauw University, and Dr. Adam Lloyd Johnson, a Christian philosopher and director of the Ratio Christi chapter at UNL, discuss the foundation of morality and whether or not God is necessary to explain the existence of objective moral values and duties. This debate was held on September 27, 2020, at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, hence the requirement that all participants, including speakers, wear face coverings. To order a copy of Erik Wielenberg's book "Robust Ethics," which explains his theory of godless normative realism, visit this link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0198812000/. To order a copy of Adam Lloyd Johnson's book responding to Erik Wielenberg's theory, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity Is the Source and Foundation of Morality," visit its page here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0825447577/. You can also order a copy of the book mentioned during the debate of which both Adam and Erik are authors: "A Debate on God and Morality: What is the Best Account of Objective Moral Values and Duties?" at https://www.amazon.com/dp/0367135655/. Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. Like Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:3), my missionary work with Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads you to invest in my work, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Your support is greatly appreciated! Contents 0:00 Introduction 2:49 How Do You Know Each Other? 5:26 What Do You Both Agree On? 10:39 Why Do You Believe that Morality Is Objective and Real? 16:54 What Is the Historical Context of Your Position? 23:01 Why Do You Think God Does or Doesn't Exist? 28:48 What Do You Appreciate about Each Other's Position? 33:05 TO ADAM: Is the Goodness of the Love in the Trinity a Moral Axiom? 38:48 TO ERIK: Do Atheists Reject Your Theory Because It’s Non-Natural? 43:14 TO ADAM: Without the Triune God, Does Human Love Have No Value? 48:19 TO ERIK: Do You Have Evidence to Believe Moral Axioms Exist? 52:24 TO ADAM: Why Is Anyone Obligated to Obey God? 56:47 TO ERIK: Are Moral Axioms Really a Good Stopping Point? 1:02:40 TO ADAM: Are We Morally Obligated Only if We’ll Be Punished for Not Doing Something? 1:07:12 TO ERIK: How Is Our Knowledge of Moral Axioms Not Just a Lucky Coincidence? 1:13:25 Questions from the Audience 1:13:41 What Methods Should We Use to Answer New Moral Questions? 1:18:50 What Would Make You Change Your Mind about God's Existence? 1:22:54 TO ERIK: What Is the Downside in Your View to Breaking a Moral Law? 1:27:20 TO ADAM: Would You Believe in the Trinity if You Weren't a Christian? 1:31:23 TO ERIK: What or Who Defines Right and Wrong for You? 1:35:57 TO ERIK: Should We Base our Laws on Moral Goodness? 1:40:36 TO ADAM: Could God Command People to do Different Things? 1:47:18 TO ERIK: Do You Morally Distinguish Between Animals and Humans? 1:51:40 Conclusion

Adam believes that his Trinitarian Moral Theory is a better explanation for the existence of objective morality than Erik Wielenberg’s theory of Godless Normative Realism. Why does Adam think his theory is better? The Trinitarian Moral Theory contains five elements that are important for moral truth to be objectively real that Wielenberg’s theory lacks. First, the Trinitarian Moral Theory posits the existence of an ultimate moral standard, God, to which humans can be compared. Second, it offers an objective purpose for human beings that contextualizes morality. Third, it provides a social context for moral obligation, since moral obligations arise out of social relationships. Fourth, it recognizes a personal authority at the head of the chain of moral obligation to whom human beings are obligated. Finally, it grounds all moral truth in an ultimate foundation. Taken together, these features of the Trinitarian Moral Theory make it a more plausible explanation for objective morality than Wielenberg’s theory. Click here https://linktr.ee/convincingproof/ for articles, podcasts, and other resources from Convincing Proof that give good reasons and evidence to believe that Christianity is true. You can find resources on apologetics, theology, philosophy, ethics, and more. You can order a copy of my book, "Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality," from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Love-Theory-Foundation-Morality/dp/0825447577/. Like Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:3), my missionary work with Convincing Proof is funded by a large team of people, most of whom are investing a small amount on a monthly basis. If God leads you to invest in my work, you can donate to Convincing Proof Ministries by visiting this link: https://convincingproof.org/donate/. Your support is greatly appreciated!