Search — Theology Explorer

abortion Ronald Dworkin Life's Dominion

Pro-abortion advocates Ronald Dworkin and Faye Wattleton concede abortion kills a developing human

Mike cites ideological opponents who admit the reality of what abortion does

The unborn is human — it has its own unique human DNA, distinct from both parents, present from conception

Establishing the 'Human' quality of the unborn with genetic evidence

embryo DNA human species

abortion SLED acronym human value

SLED — E: Environment does not determine human value

Third SLED argument addressing the claim that location (inside vs. outside the womb) determines moral status

abortion zygote contraception

Contraception vs. abortion — the moral question is whether conception has already occurred

Q&A — question about whether normalizing contraception contributes to disregard for infant life

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-30

Revelation 22:12 — "repaying each one for what he has done" does not teach levels of heaven or works-based salvation

Q&A: questioner asks whether Revelation 22:12 implies different levels or places in heaven based on works.

1 Corinthians 3 Revelation 22:12-14 1 Corinthians 3 Revelation 22:12-14 Heavenly rewards

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-30

Bible translation recommendation: Mike favors ESV and NASB, and advises reading multiple translations when a passage turns on a single word

Q&A: questioner asks which Bible translation Mike recommends, especially given the Hebrew/Greek issues discussed.

ESV NASB NKJV

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-13

Torah (law) vs. commandments: the words overlap but depend on context

Viewer asking how to differentiate between the law and the commandments

Psalm 119 Mosaic law Torah law vs. commandments

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-13

Sabbath observance: Mike does not believe Christians are required to keep the Sabbath

Viewer asking about proper Sabbath observance

Mosaic law Sabbath New Covenant

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-13

A pastor considering a church of a different denomination should front-load doctrinal disagreements before accepting the role

Viewer who is a young preacher considering pastoring a church with doctrinal differences from his own convictions

pastoral ministry church and denomination integrity in ministry

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-20

Four categories of worthy sources in Papias's framework

Mike breaks down what Papias considered authoritative sources for Jesus tradition.

Richard Bauckham Papias eyewitness hierarchy

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-20

The genre of the Gospels: from assumed mythology to recognized Greco-Roman biography

Historical shift in scholarly understanding of the literary genre of the Gospels.

Jesus Seminar Gospel genre demythologization

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-20

Q&A: Did New Testament writers invent Gospel narratives from OT prophecies? — Refuted by extra-biblical confirmation of historical facts

Q&A from a persistent atheist questioner (Doug) suggesting Gospels were reverse-engineered from OT texts.

Isaiah 53 Psalm 22 Pentecost apologetics fulfilled prophecy

Mike Winger idea 2019-03-13

Proper epistemology for trusting Scripture: demonstrate Bible is from God, then trust it — rather than requiring external proof for every claim.

Mike's methodological note on the Exodus question.

Biblical inspiration Biblical epistemology Apologetics methodology

Mike Winger idea 2019-03-13

1 Timothy 2:12 — "teach" and "exercise authority" may be two aspects of the same role, not two separate prohibitions.

Exegeting the grammar of 1 Timothy 2:12.

1 Timothy 2:12 1 Timothy 2:12 Women in ministry Complementarianism

problem of evil Cameron Bertuzzi logical problem of evil

Problem of evil as the strongest argument for atheism: suffering and evil as evidence (not logical disproof) against God's existence

Discussion of atheist arguments

problem of evil moral argument for God Cameron Bertuzzi

Argument from morality as a compelling Christian argument: moral facts (e.g., torturing children for fun is wrong) require a grounding explanation

Cameron presents the moral argument as interesting for its emotional grip, parallel to the problem of evil

problem of evil moral realism nihilism

Mike's response to the problem of evil: if evil disproves God, then the moral framework that makes evil "evil" also collapses, creating a self-defeating argument

Mike shares his own perspective on the problem of evil

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

Hebrews 11:1 Hebrews 11:1 Peter Boghossian Faith

The false definition of faith makes Christian claims appear unreasonable before dialogue even begins

Mike explains the downstream effect of Boghossian's redefinition

Peter Boghossian Street Epistemology Socratic method

The SE tactic in practice: be friendly, don't disclose your agenda, and ask "how do you know that?" repeatedly

Mike describes the practical method of Street Epistemology

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?")

Josh McDowell Evidence That Demands a Verdict Sean McDowell

Mike takes one audience question: book recommendations for atheists — Josh McDowell's Evidence That Demands a Verdict and More Than a Carpenter

Q&A section, only one question received from non-believers

Evangelism Gospel Street Epistemology

Closing appeal: false intellectual barriers constructed by Street Epistemology prevent people from seriously considering the gospel

Mike's closing statement

Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Primary source citation: Sean McDowell's book "The Fate of the Apostles" as the main resource for this content

Mike credits his primary source before diving into the evidence

Sean McDowell martyrdom The Fate of the Apostles

Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Tacitus (Annals, 109 AD) as non-Christian confirmation of early Christian persecution, crucifixion of Christ under Pontius Pilate, and the movement's origin in Judea

Mike quotes Tacitus as an external, non-Christian source confirming early persecution

crucifixion of Jesus Pontius Pilate early Christian persecution

Mike Winger idea 2019-04-10

Non-believer "Snoopit" acknowledges double standard: uses "trust" for human faith but "belief without evidence" for Christian faith

Examining skeptic responses to the poll

faith belief without evidence double standard in faith definitions

Mike Winger idea 2019-04-24

Q&A: Advice for a homeschool mom — expose kids to real-world ideas rather than sheltering them; the principle of strategic exposure

Audience question from a homeschooling mother

apologetics Sam Harris parenting

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-01

David Hume as possible earlier source of the idea behind the slogan

Mike traces the philosophical lineage of the slogan back to the 18th century.

David Hume Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence Miracles

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-01

Problem 3: The slogan results in rejecting any claim you want — confirmation bias

Third of five critiques of the slogan.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence Existence of God Epistemology

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-08

Near-death experience books should be tested against Scripture and not used to supplement or replace it; the danger is NDE narrators becoming gurus with insider knowledge

Response to a question about the theological accuracy of books like 23 Minutes in Hell and 90 Minutes in Heaven

Scripture authority spiritual discernment near-death experiences

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-08

It is not the Christian's job to change minds; our responsibility is to present truth and build a case, while God holds unbelievers accountable for their own response

Sidebar comment after discussing apologetic prophecies

evangelism apologetics human responsibility

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

Exodus 12:49 does not teach that all Gentiles were under the Mosaic Law—it refers to resident aliens within Israel

Response to a Hebrew Roots proof text about Gentiles and the Law

Exodus 12:49 Hebrew Roots movement Gentiles and the Law Exodus 12:49

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

Romans 2:12 establishes that some people were never under the Law of Moses; Gentiles are accountable through conscience

Biblical evidence for different accountability standards for Jews and Gentiles

Romans 2:12 Gentiles and the Law Romans 2:12 conscience and natural law

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

Q&A: Jesus likely knew his messianic identity by age 12 (Luke 2 temple incident), but what he knew before that is uncertain

Theological question about the development of Jesus's self-awareness

Luke 2:49 incarnation hypostatic union Luke 2:49

biological fine-tuning intelligent design Antony Flew

Antony Flew's conversion from atheism due to biological complexity

Winger cites Antony Flew as a historical example of someone persuaded by biological complexity to abandon atheism.

Mormonism polytheism monotheism

Why natural theology arguments point to the God of Christianity, not Hinduism

McLatchie explains why the cosmological and design arguments favor the Abrahamic God over polytheistic conceptions.

John 21 Paul Peter Origen

Martyrdom of Peter and Paul as evidence for the sincerity of resurrection belief

McLatchie cites the willingness of the apostles to die for their testimony as evidence they genuinely believed in the resurrection.

Mary Magdalene empty tomb criterion of embarrassment

Empty tomb evidence — women as primary witnesses

McLatchie presents the role of women as primary witnesses to the empty tomb as evidence for its historicity.

argument from silence Torah observance Jewish believers

Key principle: those already observing the law simply continued; there was no teaching to stop -- and no teaching to start for those who were not observing it

Summary principle from Acts 1-9

salvation by grace Law of Moses dietary laws

The gospel alone makes Gentiles clean -- the law was not a prerequisite for salvation, and Acts 10-11 establishes this clearly

Summary argument from Acts 10-11

Leviticus 17-18 Acts 15:20 John Polhill table fellowship Apostolic Decree Leviticus 17-18

The four Apostolic Decree commands correspond to Leviticus 17-18, which lists things God judges Gentile nations for -- suggesting these were universal moral standards applicable even outside the law

Analysis of the four commands and their OT background

Acts 15 Acts 21 Acts 15 Torah observance Acts 21

Acts 21 addresses the opposite error: not telling Jews to stop obeying the law. Acts 15 covered Gentiles; Acts 21 covers Jews. Both errors must be avoided.

Introduction to Acts 21 analysis

1 Corinthians 9:20-21 Law of Moses law of Christ under the law

1 Corinthians 9:20-21 — Paul uses "under the law" four times, clearly meaning Jews/Jewish law observance

Surveying Pauline uses — third instance

false teaching 119 Ministries charitable interpretation

Are Hebrew Roots teachers false teachers? Winger extends charity, attributing error to wrong assumptions not bad faith

Q&A: question about false teaching

Law of Moses Sabbath Mosaic covenant

What does being under the Law of Moses actually entail? An all-or-nothing covenant

Q&A: explaining the scope of Mosaic law