Search — Theology Explorer

internal contradiction abortion safe legal rare

Critique of 'keep abortion safe, legal, and rare' — internal contradiction if the unborn is not a person

Mike uses Hillary Clinton's famous phrase to expose inconsistency in the pro-choice position

abortion human rights embryo

The unborn has three qualities shared with all humans: Living, Human, and Whole

Mike's three-part framework for establishing the moral status of the unborn

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

abortion moral status SLED acronym

Introduction of the SLED acronym — four categories of differences between the unborn and born humans, none of which are morally relevant

Framework for responding to objections based on differences between embryos and adult humans

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

Abortifacient birth control — if it kills a conceived zygote, it is abortion not contraception

Q&A — follow-up question about abortifacient forms of birth control

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-30

Hebrew Roots Movement is not monolithic — four distinct subgroups identified along a spectrum from optional Torah-keeping to rejecting Jesus entirely

Mike breaks down the internal diversity within the movement to caution against a single label.

Torah observance Hebrew Roots Movement Salvation by works

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-30

119 Ministries contradicts itself: early they say Torah-keeping is not required for salvation; later they imply it is, calling non-observance "denying the faith"

Mike plays two clips from 119 Ministries showing an internal contradiction between their opening disclaimer and their later conclusion.

1 John 2 Torah observance Salvation by works Apostasy

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 2019-02-07

Transition to full-time online ministry

Mike announces he is adding a donation button to BibleThink.org to support transitioning to full-time ministry.

full-time ministry BibleThink.org seek first the kingdom of God

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-07

Recommended apologetics resources: websites and books

Q&A asking for top suggested books and sources for apologetics and evangelism.

evangelism apologetics Josh McDowell

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-07

Arguments against naturalism as evidence for the supernatural

Mike lists arguments against naturalism as another category of evidence for God.

apologetics evidence for God naturalism

Catholicism Molinism middle knowledge

Luis de Molina and Molinism: middle knowledge reconciles divine sovereignty and human free will

Viewer asking about Molinism and Luis de Molina

Mosaic law Sabbath New Covenant

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

Viewer asking about proper Sabbath observance

Revelation 2 2 Corinthians 7 Ephesus repentance justification

Repentance functions in both justification and sanctification

Viewer asking whether repentance is part of justification or sanctification

Christian worldview abortion Christians and politics

Christians should engage in politics as salt and light; political views must be biblically tested

Viewer asking whether Christians should get involved in politics, referencing Martin Luther King Jr.

eyewitness testimony Gospel historicity apologetics preparedness

Most Christians assume Gospel eyewitness origins without being able to defend it

Mike identifies a gap in typical Christian preparedness against scholarly skepticism.

Gospel historicity community tradition view oral history view

The two competing models: community tradition view vs. oral history view

Mike introduces the framework for the rest of the lecture.

Papias Hierapolis Vernon Bartlett

Vernon Bartlett on Papias's unique geographic position for collecting traditions

Scholarly support for why Papias's location made him a reliable collector of early tradition.

Richard Bauckham Papias eyewitness hierarchy

Four categories of worthy sources in Papias's framework

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

1 Timothy 1 Richard Bauckham elders (early church) apostolic appointment

Richard Bauckham's identification of elders vs. disciples and the function of elders in preserving doctrine

Scholarly framework for understanding Papias's use of "elders."

Richard Bauckham Josephus historical method

Ancient historians' three-tiered hierarchy of sources: first-person, interrogated eyewitness, written account

Historical methodology framework used by ancient historians, applied to understanding Papias.

Richard Bauckham Jesus Seminar community tradition view

Bauckham's argument: Papias assumes oral tradition's value depends on derivation from living eyewitnesses

Theoretical implication of Papias's framework for evaluating the community tradition view.

Luke 1:1-4 Luke Josephus Gospel reliability ancient historiography

Luke does not criticize prior Gospel narratives; he adds to them with more data

Distinguishing Luke's prologue from other ancient authors who criticize predecessors.

Luke 1:2 Acts 1:21-22 eyewitness testimony Luke 1:2 Acts 1:21-22

"From the beginning" (ap archēs) eyewitnesses in Luke 1:2 defined by Acts 1:21-22

What Luke means by "from the beginning eyewitnesses."

empty tomb Gospel historicity Gospel of Peter

Second-century legends (Gospel of Peter) feature absurd embellishments absent from canonical Gospels

Contrast between canonical Gospels and known legendary accounts to illustrate the difference.

Gospel historicity Gospel genre Greco-Roman biography

Charles Talbert (1977) identified the Gospels as ancient biography; Richard Burridge confirmed it

The scholarly turning point on Gospel genre.

Bart Ehrman Gospel reliability harmonization

Bart Ehrman's argument that harmonizing the Gospels means writing a new Gospel — Mike's refutation

Q&A addressing Ehrman's specific anti-harmonization argument.

1 Corinthians 7:14 hermeneutics sanctification 1 Corinthians 7:14

Q&A: 1 Corinthians 7:14 — "sanctified" is a dictionary term, not a theological one; no automatic salvation for unbelieving spouse

Q&A on the meaning of sanctification language in Paul's marriage instruction.

1 John 2:16 Prosperity gospel Lust of the eyes Lust of the flesh

Prosperity gospel critique: misappropriates OT promises to Israel, ignores Jesus's teachings on suffering and cross-bearing.

Continuing the prosperity gospel discussion.

Matthew 6 Matthew 6 Seek first the kingdom Wealth and Christianity

Distinction between being wealthy and pursuing wealth; Matthew 6 "seek first the kingdom" as the proper framework.

Wrapping up the prosperity gospel question.

Galatians 3:28 Genesis Galatians 3:28 Genesis Complementarianism

Genesis establishes equal image-bearing of men and women; Galatians 3:28 establishes equality in salvation — different roles do not imply different value.

Broader biblical framework for gender equality and distinct roles.

Bill Johnson False teachers Bethel Music

Using materials from false teachers: distinction between promoting a false teacher's work vs. using theologically sound songs/content from a problematic source.

Question about whether to stay in a church that uses materials from false teachers.

Galatians 5:22-23 Benny Hinn Galatians 5:22-23 Fruit of the Spirit

Slain in the Spirit is unbiblical; drunk/slain/shaking in the Spirit are all contrary to "self-control" as fruit of the Spirit.

Continuing the critique of charismatic practices.

1 Samuel 28 Samuel Demons / evil spirits 1 Samuel 28

Witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28): the appearance of Samuel was an exception, possibly demonic; the medium herself was shocked it worked.

Continuing the ghosts discussion with a biblical example.

1 Timothy 2:5 John 20:17 1 Timothy 2:5 John 20:17 Jesus as mediator

1 Timothy 2:5 mediator concept underlies John 20:17 — Jesus is the one mediator between God and man.

Continuing the John 20:17 discussion.

Mike Winger idea 2019-03-14

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

problem of evil moral realism nihilism

Mike Winger idea 2019-03-27

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?")

Street Epistemology Psychological manipulation Socratic method

Mike Winger idea 2019-04-10

Reed (Street Epistemology YouTuber) argues that "belief without evidence" functions as a costly loyalty signal within religious in-groups

Examining another atheist's social-psychological theory of faith

Street Epistemology The Elephant in the Brain faith as loyalty signal

Mike Winger idea 2019-04-10

How Old Testament believers were saved by faith before Christ — Romans 4 and Genesis 15:6

Q&A: JoseCJ asks how OT believers were saved before Christ's work on the cross

Romans 4 Genesis 15:6 justification by faith Abraham salvation by faith

Mike Winger idea 2019-04-10

Abraham and David in Romans 4 as Old Testament examples of justification apart from works

Exegesis of Romans 4 on OT salvation

Romans 4 Genesis 15:6 David Abraham Romans 4

apologetics fact-checking trust

Gen Z fact-checks in real time — credibility and truth-telling are now more important than ever for teachers and pastors

McDowell describes speaking at Berkeley and observing real-time fact-checking

Mormonism youth ministry Trinity

Apologetic mission trips: exposing youth to real intellectual and religious conflict as a discipleship strategy

McDowell describes the mission trip model developed with Brett Kunkle and J. Warner Wallace

parenting discipleship worldview

Practical idea: worldview movie nights — watch culturally relevant films with kids and discuss them

McDowell shares a practical tip while waiting for Q&A questions to come in

Romans Paul youth ministry Romans

Q&A: Rooting youth in the person and work of Christ — requires both good theology (who Jesus is) and practical application (how to live it out)

Audience question about how churches can help youth be rooted in Christ

Equivocation fallacy Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence Definition of extraordinary

Problem 2: No clear definition of what "extraordinary" means — equivocation fallacy

Second of five critiques.

Resurrection of Jesus Richard Swinburne Prior probability

Richard Swinburne has done serious academic work on the prior probability of the resurrection

Mike cites a scholar who has engaged the probability question rigorously.

Epistemology Prior probability Confirmation bias

Practical illustration: reliable coworker Jeff missing work — evidence overcomes prior probability

Mike uses an everyday scenario to illustrate how evidence should override prior probability.

Apologetics Evangelism Limits of apologetics

Apologetics is useful and important but should not be overstated — it works differently for different people

Mike's pastoral qualification on the limits of apologetics.