• Home
  • About Me
  • Blog
    • Apologetics
    • Atheism
    • Bible
    • Devotion
    • Church
    • Evangelism
    • Hiddenness of God
    • Leadership
    • Philosophy
    • Religious Pluralism
    • Science and Faith
    • Theology
  • My Books
  • Video
  • Talks
  • Invite Me
No Result
View All Result
Rick Mattson Outreach Ministry
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Blog
    • Apologetics
    • Atheism
    • Bible
    • Devotion
    • Church
    • Evangelism
    • Hiddenness of God
    • Leadership
    • Philosophy
    • Religious Pluralism
    • Science and Faith
    • Theology
  • My Books
  • Video
  • Talks
  • Invite Me
No Result
View All Result
Rick Mattson Outreach Ministry
No Result
View All Result

A Defining Moment

August 20, 2022

Recently on a college campus in the midwest I was informed by InterVarsity staff about a certain philosophy professor — “in fact, he’s sitting over there” — who sometimes talks with our students.

He’s an atheist, of course.

I went over and introduced myself and sat down.

He had no idea what to expect from this stranger from Minnesota. Nor was I quite sure what I was getting into.

But after a few minutes of dishing up Kant and Hume with some Descartes on the side, we were off and running.

Two observations after a lively hour of discussion:

1. Scattered: Atheist Professor (AP) lacks an organizing center. His views are patchwork.

2. Defining moment for AP: came not simply through philosophical speculation but by “losing” a female friend to Christianity when they were both teenagers. Subsequently, his reading of a Billy Graham book “gave me no guidance for becoming a better person. It was all about conversion.”

I’d like to be friends with AP. I found him to be engaging and enjoyable as we traded polemics regarding faith, ethics and the existence of God.

But for Christians there is something more important in this encounter than rational case-making. And that is . . . our manner.

Would the Christian — me, in this case — care for AP through careful listening and respectful body language (i.e, my manner)?

Would I truly hear AP’s defining moment above all the philosophical chatter?

And would an aging intellectual come to trust a Christian again after losing faith in us 50 years ago?

Share120Tweet75
Rick Mattson

Rick Mattson

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

About Me

Rick Mattson Outreach Ministry

Rick Mattson

Evangelist & Writer

Hello & welcome to my blog! My name is Rick Mattson and I'm a traveling evangelist/apologist.

SUBSCRIBE! You'll be notified by email whenever a new post comes out
Loading

Categories

  • Apologetics (152)
  • Atheism (47)
  • Bible (32)
  • Church (67)
  • Devotion (102)
  • Evangelism (52)
  • Hiddenness of God (9)
  • Leadership (65)
  • Philosophy (7)
  • Religious Pluralism (14)
  • Science and Faith (3)
  • Theology (1)

Popular

  • Apologetics for Kids

    Apologetics for Kids

    328 shares
    Share 131 Tweet 82
  • Tradition as a Guardrail

    326 shares
    Share 130 Tweet 82
  • Muslim Dialogue

    312 shares
    Share 125 Tweet 78
  • Objective Truth is Back

    306 shares
    Share 122 Tweet 77
  • What I’m Working On: Part 1 of 3: Inside-to-Out

    306 shares
    Share 122 Tweet 77
Facebook Twitter

© 2022 Site by 5BCreative

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Blog
    • Apologetics
    • Atheism
    • Bible
    • Devotion
    • Church
    • Evangelism
    • Hiddenness of God
    • Leadership
    • Philosophy
    • Religious Pluralism
    • Science and Faith
    • Theology
  • My Books
  • Video
  • Talks
  • Invite Me