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God vs Science

This is an edited extract from Can Science Explain Everything? by John C Lennox (January 2019). The book is the first of a series in a joint venture with the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, Zacharias Institute, and The Good Book Company. “Surely you can’t be...

Objection Overruled

By William A. Dembski & Sean McDowell This article first appeared in the Christian Research Journal, volume 31, number 5 (2008). For further information or to subscribe to the Christian Research Journal go to: http://www.equip.org. Synopsis The controversy...

A “Sign” of the Times

So sorry rabbi… Recently a friend of mine gave me a short clip out of a local newspaper to read (see below) and asked my opinion about what it said.  My friend knows that I’m a Christian and where I stand on issues of faith, but I think he was trying to get me to see...

Starting a Grassroots Apologetics Ministry

Starting an Apologetic Ministry I had the privilege of speaking with Chris Arnzen of Iron Sharpens Iron Radio about the birth of New York Apologetics and how to start an apologetics ministry.  We know that "unless the Lord builds it, it's laborers labor in vain", so...

Beware the Hebrew Roots Movement

Hebrew Roots is dangerous! In my recent radio interview with Chris Arnzen on the Iron Sharpens Iron Radio Show, I was asked a question about the Hebrew Roots movement.  Although I've heard about the movement and knew some basic information, I promised to post some...

Who was Jesus? | NY Minute

We're using the "Handbook of Apologetics" by Peter Kreeft and Ronald Tacelli to go over the arguments for the existence of God.  Today, we will be covering the above referenced subject in relation to the existence of God. Dr. Kreeft teaches logic in two major...

The Deity of Jesus: the alternative | NY Minute

We're using the "Handbook of Apologetics" by Peter Kreeft and Ronald Tacelli to go over the arguments for the existence of God.  Today, we will be covering the above referenced subject in relation to the existence of God. Dr. Kreeft teaches logic in two major...

Jesus’ Divinity leads to Trustworthiness | NY Minute

We're using the "Handbook of Apologetics" by Peter Kreeft and Ronald Tacelli to go over the arguments for the existence of God.  Today, we will be covering the above referenced subject in relation to the existence of God. Dr. Kreeft teaches logic in two major...

Divinity of Jesus Difficulties | NY Minute

We're using the "Handbook of Apologetics" by Peter Kreeft and Ronald Tacelli to go over the arguments for the existence of God.  Today, we will be covering the above referenced subject in relation to the existence of God. Dr. Kreeft teaches logic in two major...

Evolution: Science Fable, or fact?

This hilarious video on evolution illustrates the absurdity of the Theory of Evolution and the consequences that follow.  On evolution, you have no significant value or meaning.  

Saint Anselm of Canterbury

Anselm (1033-1109) was a Benedictine monk, Christian philosopher, and scholar who is recognized for many intellectual accomplishments, including his application of reason in exploring the mysteries of faith and for his definition of theology as “faith seeking understanding.”

 

Anselm was a Christian theologian. As such, he accepted the Bible as the infallible Word of God.

 

From this he concluded that God is one in essence and three in persons—the Trinity. But Anselm believed that the existence and nature of this one God (though not his triunity) could be demonstrated rationally apart from supernatural revelation. Contrary to popular understanding,

Anselm had many arguments for God’s existence. He elaborated many forms of the cosmological argument before he ever devised the ontological argument.
Anselm’s cosmological type arguments.

 

Anselm argued from goodness to God:

  1. Good things exist.
  2. The cause of this goodness is either one or many.
  3. But it can’t be many, for then there would be no way to compare their goodness, for all things would be equally good. But some things are better than others.
  4. Therefore, one Supreme Good (God) causes the goodness in all good things.

 

Anselm argued from perfection to God, an argument C. S. Lewis emulated in Mere Christianity:

  1. Some beings are more nearly perfect than are others.
  2. But things cannot be more or less perfect unless there is a wholly perfect to which they can be compared.
  3. Therefore, there must be a Most Perfect Being (God).

 

Anselm argued from being to God:

  1. Something exists
  2. Whatever exists, exists either through nothing or through something.
  3. But nothing cannot cause something; only something can cause something.
  4. And this something is either one or many.
  5.  If many, they are either mutually dependent or all dependent on one for their existence.
  6. They cannot be mutually dependent for their existence, for something cannot exist through a being on which it confers existence.
  7. Therefore, there must be one being through which all other beings exist.
  8. This one being must exist through itself, since everything else exists through it.
  9. And whatever exists through itself, exists in the highest degree of all.
  10. Therefore, there exists a supremely perfect Being that exists in the highest degree of all.

 

Adapted from:

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Anselm College

Norman Geisler in Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics.

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