Search — Theology Explorer

Hebrews 11:1 Romans 1:19-20 John 20:24 apologetics methodology Hebrews 11:1 Romans 1:19-20

Pivot to objections: addressing 'but what about?' passages that skeptics use to support the faith-without-evidence definition

Mike transitions from positive case to handling counter-passages.

Hebrews 11:1 faith Hebrews 11:1 Amy Hall

Hebrews 11:1 — introduction and reference to Amy Hall's article at STR.org

Mike begins addressing the most commonly cited 'faith without evidence' passage.

Hebrews 11:1 hermeneutics faith Hebrews 11:1

Hebrews 11:1 is a description of what faith looks like, not a definition of why or how we believe

Mike's core exegetical argument about the nature of Hebrews 11.

Hebrews 11:7 hermeneutics eschatology Noah

Hebrews 11: 'not seen' means future realities not yet occurring, not things lacking evidence — illustrated by Noah building the ark

Mike's second exegetical argument about the meaning of 'unseen' in Hebrews 11.

Hebrews 11:8 Hebrews 11:11 Sarah Abraham faith

Abraham and Sarah in Hebrews 11: faith as trust in specific divine promises, not evidence-free belief

Further examples from Hebrews 11 illustrating that the characters had specific reasons to believe.

Hebrews 11 Moses Sarah evidence-based faith

The Hebrews 11 heroes had concrete reasons for their faith: direct speech from God, angelic visitations, inherited testimony

Mike argues that the faith-figures in Hebrews 11 are not examples of 'faith without evidence.'

Romans 1:19-20 evidence-based faith cosmological argument Romans 1:19-20

Romans 1:19-20 — creation itself is the evidence through which God is perceived; not faith without evidence

Mike addresses the second counter-passage sometimes used to support faith-without-evidence.

John 20:24-29 hermeneutics faith Thomas

John 20:24-29 — Thomas passage: 'not seen' does not mean 'without evidence'

Mike addresses the Thomas story as the third counter-passage.

John 20:24-27 Jehovah's Witnesses resurrection body Thomas

Thomas's demand to see the nail marks refutes Jehovah's Witness teaching that Jesus rose in a different body

Side point made while explaining the Thomas narrative.

John 20:27-28 resurrection evidence-based faith Thomas

Jesus gives Thomas evidence first, then commands belief — a model of evidence-based faith

The climax of Mike's Thomas analysis.

John 20:24-29 resurrection Thomas Matt Dillahunty

Thomas's rebuke was for ignoring available evidence, not for demanding evidence — modern believers have the same pre-appearance evidence

Mike draws the application of the Thomas story to contemporary Christian faith.

evidence-based faith skepticism Christian apologetics

Skeptical objections to Christianity are often based on misunderstanding, misrepresentation, and bad scholarship rather than genuinely superior evidence

Mike's meta-level assessment of the state of skeptical arguments against Christianity.

personal testimony faith spiritual apprehension

Dictionary definition of faith: Google's two definitions — 'complete trust or confidence' vs. 'strong belief based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof'

Mike moves from Scripture to the dictionary to examine the secular definition of faith.

faith Christian apologetics definition of faith

Webster's dictionary definitions of faith: 'allegiance,' 'loyalty,' 'belief and trust in God' — the 'firm belief in something for which there is no proof' definition exists but does not represent biblical Christianity

Mike examines Webster's multiple definitions of faith.

faith apologetics methodology sloppy thinking

Why Christians accept the bad definition: 'sloppy thinking' — illustrated by the peanut butter sandwich experiment

Mike explains how well-meaning Christians end up using imprecise language that harms their apologetic position.

faith apologetics methodology sloppy thinking

Skeptics take advantage of Christians' sloppy language; Christians must speak precisely about faith

Mike's conclusion on the source of the problem and call to action.

Greg Koukl William Lane Craig apologetics resources

Recommended apologetics ministries and resources for Christians who want a robust, evidence-based faith

Mike provides a resource list for viewers who want to deepen their apologetics.

personal testimony evidence-based faith comparative religion

Evidence for Christianity spans multiple disciplines: Scripture, philosophy, history, science, and personal experience

Mike summarizes the scope of Christian evidential resources before moving to Q&A.

Holy Spirit personal testimony apologetics methodology

Q&A: How to explain to non-believers that the Holy Spirit's presence is a reason for faith

Viewer question from Cam 94.

John 13:2 omnipotence Satan spiritual warfare

Q&A: Can Satan, as a non-omnipotent being, put thoughts into people's minds?

Viewer question from Joy Chintons.

John 3:36 obedience hermeneutics faith and works

Q&A: Connection between belief and obedience in John 3:36 — belief leads to obedience; lack of obedience implies lack of faith

Viewer question from Jacob Englet about John 3:36 and James 2:14-26.

James 2:14-26 faith James 2:14-26 faith and works

James 2:14-26 — faith without works is dead; Mike references his dedicated video on Catholic vs. Protestant interpretations

Part of Jacob Englet's question on faith and obedience.

Dr. Ragnar study Dr. Rosenfeld family instability

Q&A: Response to atheist videos on the Dr. Ragnar study and the lurking variable of family instability

Viewer question from Brian Stevens about a sociological study and atheist video responses.

hermeneutics biblical interpretation contextual reading

Q&A: How to know you have the proper interpretation of Scripture — hermeneutics and contextual reading

Viewer question from Eric Seagardia.

epistemology evidence apologetics methodology

Q&A: Distinction between 'evidence' and 'proof' — Mike is skeptical that they must be rigorously distinguished

Viewer question from Martin Gradwell.

Romans 1:19-20 personal testimony Romans 1:19-20 natural theology

Q&A: Personal testimony — Bradley Wilcox found God through science and history; Mike shares friend Travis's conversion testimony

Viewer comment on creation as evidence; Mike illustrates with a personal conversion story.

Isaiah 53 Bible as historical document Isaiah 53 Pontius Pilate

Q&A: How to use the Bible as evidence with non-believers who don't accept it as God's word — the prophecy approach

Viewer question from Kate about apologetic method.

evidence-based faith faith trust

Closing summary: faith is simply trust; the reasons for faith are a separate discussion from the nature of faith itself

Mike's concluding definition and summary of the session.

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-30

Greek term anomia (lawlessness) does not exclusively mean violation of the Mosaic law — it has diverse NT usage

Mike makes a focused philological argument about the Greek word anomia.

1 John 3:4 Equivocation fallacy 1 John 3:4 Anomia

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-07

Problem of evil is actually evidence for God, not against him

Mike responds to the objection from the problem of evil.

apologetics problem of evil evidence for God

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-27

Multiple attestation of empty tomb across 4 Gospels plus Acts sermons

Establishing historicity of the empty tomb through independent sources

Empty tomb Historicity Multiple attestation

Cameron Bertuzzi argument from contingency theism

Cameron presents the "mansion analogy" for building a cumulative case for Christianity: theism first, then Christianity

Discussion of best arguments for Christianity

atheism epistemology burden of proof

Definition of atheism debate: classical (affirming God does not exist) vs. modern redefinition as "lack of belief" to avoid burden of proof

Q&A question from Isaiah Armstrong about the definition of atheism

monotheism empty tomb post-resurrection appearances

Q&A: If an atheist accepts that a creator God exists, why should that God be the Christian God? Answer: cosmological arguments narrow the field to monotheism; historical evidence for the resurrection identifies Christianity specifically

Q&A question from Emily Towler about identifying which God among creation stories

Capturing Christianity Christian apologetics Cameron Bertuzzi

Cameron Bertuzzi's ministry goal: expose the intellectual depth of Christian belief; counter the cultural assumption that atheism has all the intellectual high ground

Cameron shares his goals for Capturing Christianity

Peter Boghossian Street Epistemology Doubt

Street Epistemology defined as a procedure to instill doubt in people's beliefs about God and religion

Mike explains what Street Epistemology actually is as a method

Atheism A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian

Boghossian redefines atheism to make it a claim about evidence rather than a position about God's existence

Mike turns to the second major redefinition in chapter 2

Atheism Peter Boghossian Redefinition of terms

Boghossian redefines agnosticism so that it is absorbed into atheism, eliminating it as an independent category

Mike covers Boghossian's third major redefinition

Atheism A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian

Summary of chapter 2: Boghossian redefines faith, atheism, and agnosticism to rig the intellectual playing field

Mike synthesizes his analysis of chapter 2

Peter Boghossian Street Epistemology Faith

The two foundational false pillars of Street Epistemology: (1) faith = belief without evidence, (2) faith is an epistemology

Mike synthesizes the two central errors he has identified

Circular reasoning A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian

Page 30: Boghossian's principal argument against faith is circular — it presupposes his false definition

Mike analyzes Boghossian's core argument structure

A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian Faith

Chapter 3: doxastic closure — Boghossian continues the assault on faith while romanticizing Street Epistemology

Mike transitions to chapter 3 of the book

A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian Faith

Page 43-44: Boghossian claims faith removes wonder and curiosity; Mike counters that faith enhances his intellectual engagement

Mike quotes and rebuts pages 43-44

A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian Street Epistemology

Pages 44-45: Boghossian romanticizes the Street Epistemologist as a hero rescuing people from the faith "virus"

Mike reads from pages 44-45

Apologetics A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian

The book assumes religious people have not thought through their beliefs — which Mike says is demonstrably false

Mike identifies a core assumption embedded in the book

David Hume A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian

Boghossian self-contradicts by quoting David Hume approvingly: "A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence"

Mike identifies a self-contradiction on page 45

Street Epistemology Psychological manipulation Socratic method

Guest John explains why the SE questioning tactic is effective but potentially manipulative: it exploits inability to articulate beliefs under surprise

Video clip from guest John (from "What Do You Mean?")

Apologetics Capturing Christianity Cameron Bertuzzi

Cameron Bertuzzi (Capturing Christianity): inability to answer a question doesn't mean Christianity is false; testimony is a legitimate epistemic basis

Video clip from Cameron Bertuzzi with pastoral/apologetic advice for Christians facing SE