In my prior post I made the point that in terms of ultimate truth claims, the pluralist is just as exclusive as anyone else. But there’s another kind of pluralism available to us: social pluralism, or what’s often called “principled pluralism.” In 2013 the American Inclusivist Project published a paper called “Principled Pluralism” that called for Americans to “move beyond mere …
Exclusivism Part 3: The Pluralist Fights Back
In my prior post I accused the pluralist of being just as exclusive as anyone else. The committed pluralist is claiming that pluralism is true, and that therefore non-pluralists such myself and other high-identity adherents to their respective worldviews such as Muslims, Atheists, and Catholics, hold views that are false.* The pluralist, however, insists she’s being misunderstood. The whole point of pluralism, …
Exclusivism Part 2: Can It Be Avoided? By Anyone?
In my prior post I stated my belief that historic Christianity is true, which, if correct, defeats the truth claims of all competing views such as atheism or Islam. Critics tend to say of exclusivists like myself that we are the cause of much unnecessary strife and polarization in our world — even war. But can exclusivism be avoided? By …
Exclusivism Part 1: The Label Nobody Wants
I am what’s sometimes called a traditional or “historic” Christian. It means I’m trying to stand in a line that stretches back to the Reformation, to the early church, to the twelve Apostles, and to Jesus himself.* One of the main beliefs of historic Christians such as myself is that the Apostles and early church were in a unique position …
Notepad Apologetics, Short Lesson #6: Secular Humanism (part 1), an Introduction
Secular Humanism is the view that says values and meaning are rooted in human ability and potential rather than anything religious or divine. But can values and meaning actually be grounded on a purely human platform? After all, the Bible states that all human beings have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3). And that no …
Notepad Apologetics, Short Lesson #6: Secular Humanism (part 5), My Meeting with Bart Campolo (continued)
In my prior post I told how well-known Humanist Bart Campolo pressed me on the question of how a nonChristian spouse could live with the indignity of being thought “worthy of hell” by a Christian spouse. I have to admit, I’d never thought of the situation that way before. I said to Bart that I personally wouldn’t be insulted if …
Notepad Apologetics, Short Lesson #6: Secular Humanism (part 3), My Critique
In my prior post I offered an affirmation and two brief explanations (from a Christian perspective) of Humanism. In this post I offer some observations that are more critical. Again, the claim of Humanists is that we can be good without God . . . And in fact we’re doing just that. Just watch us . . . So if I …
Notepad Apologetics, Short Lesson #6: Secular Humanism (part 4), My Meeting with Bart Campolo
This is the fourth installment in my series on Secular Humanism (or simply Humanism), inside the larger series of “Notepad Apologetics.” My prior post offered four critiques of Humanism. Theorizing about these matters is one thing but live interaction with a true Humanist is another. I met well-known Humanist Bart Campolo recently at the University of Cincinnati, where he serves as …
Notepad Apologetics, Short Lesson #6: Secular Humanism (part 2), My Responses
In my prior post, I asked how Christians should respond to the claim of Secular Humanism, embedded in the title of the popular book, Good Without God, by Harvard/MIT Humanist Chaplain Greg Epstein. In the book Epstein names some famous figures who he claims were fellow Humanists, including Thomas Jefferson, Winston Churchill, Jean-Paul Sartre, and John Lennon. What they all …
Notepad Apologetics, Short Lesson #5 (part 3): Slavery and the Bible
In my last post I presented the idea of God as a gradualist. He works on social reforms incrementally — at the speed of humanity rather than the speed of divinity. The incarnation is the ultimate example of God “walking at our pace.” This post is about God’s work on the problem of slavery. Main Point: The Bible shows forward progress …