235 Why Believe? [Part 2] with Dr. Tawa Anderson

apologetics, apologetics profile, watchman fellowship, Christianity, deconstruction, Tawa Anderson, Daniel Ray, evangelism, defend the faith, atheism, agnostic, skeptic, postmodern, gospel, God, Jesus

With the advent of modern transportation and communication technologies, we are daily inundated with news, information, and ideas from all over the world. Such easy access to so many ideas and concepts wholly foreign to our own can, at times, be overwhelming without having an anchor of truth to which we may cling. Even as believers, much of what makes the news today, much of what you hear coming from other religions, secular science or contemporary sociology tends to dismiss the Christian faith or simply disregard it as irrelevant.

Our guest again this week, Dr. Tawa Anderson of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, gives us some encouraging reminders about why Christianity is true and how we can defend it in this day and age of skepticism and clashing worldviews.

Dr. Tawa Anderson was raised in a non-Christian home and came to faith in high school. He was called to ministry and served as English Pastor at Edmonton Chinese Baptist Church from 2001-2008. After completing his PhD, Dr. Anderson taught at Oklahoma Baptist University from 2011-2022 before joining the faculty at NOBTS. Tawa is the author of Why Believe? Christian Apologetics for a Skeptical Age (B&H Academic, 2021) and co-author of An Introduction to Christian Worldview: Pursuing God’s Perspective in a Pluralistic World, (IVP Academic, 2017).

Related Links: Free access to some related Watchman Profiles:

• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Atheism by Dr. Robert M. Bowman, Jr: www.watchman.org/Atheism
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Agnosticism by W. Russell Crawford: www.watchman.org/Agnostic
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Divine Hiddenness by Daniel Ray: www.watchman.org/Hidden
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Relativism by Parker Stilley: www.watchman.org/Relativism
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Deconstruction by Daniel Ray: www.watchman.org/Deconstruction

Additional Resources

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Apologetics Profile is a ministry of Watchman Fellowship For more information, visit www.watchman.org © Watchman Fellowship, Inc.

The world often appears to us as though it is spinning out of control. Words don't mean what they used to mean. We live amidst a great deal of moral and societal confusion. Statistics are cited that seem to show an increasing number of people who no longer believe in God. The central message of the Christian faith, the deity, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, no longer seems to be credible to our postmodern world.

The good news is that the Gospel is as relevant and powerful today as it was when it was first proclaimed centuries ago. On this episode, we talk with professor of philosophy and apologetics at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary about his 2021 book Why Believe? Christian Apologetics for a Skeptical Age (B&H Academic, 336-pages bit.ly/WhyBelieve2). Tawa's work provides Christians and non-believers alike timely and insightful reminders about why Christianity remains defensible and credible, even in a world that seems to be spiraling out of control.

Dr. Tawa Anderson was raised in a non-Christian home and came to faith in high school. He was called to ministry and served as English Pastor at Edmonton Chinese Baptist Church from 2001-2008. After completing his PhD, Dr. Anderson taught at Oklahoma Baptist University from 2011-2022 before joining the faculty at NOBTS. Tawa is the author of Why Believe? Christian Apologetics for a Skeptical Age (B&H Academic, 2021) and co-author of An Introduction to Christian Worldview: Pursuing God’s Perspective in a Pluralistic World, (IVP Academic, 2017).

Related Links: Free access to some related Watchman Profiles:

• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Atheism by Dr. Robert M. Bowman, Jr: www.watchman.org/Atheism
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Agnosticism by W. Russell Crawford: www.watchman.org/Agnostic
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Divine Hiddenness by Daniel Ray: www.watchman.org/Hidden
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Relativism by Parker Stilley: www.watchman.org/Relativism
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Deconstruction by Daniel Ray: www.watchman.org/Deconstruction

Additional Resources

FREE: We are also offering a subscription to our 4-page bimonthly Profiles here: www.watchman.org/Free.

SUPPORT: Help us create more content like this. Make a tax-deductible donation here: www.watchman.org/give.

Apologetics Profile is a ministry of Watchman Fellowship For more information, visit www.watchman.org © Watchman Fellowship, Inc.

Effective evangelism and apologetics includes understanding what your non-Christian neighbor truly believes. On part two of our conversation with evangelist and apologist Eric Hernandez, author of The Lazy Approach to Evangelism: A Simple Guide for Conversing with Nonbelievers, we will glean more insight into Eric's experiences and engagement with non-Christians and learn how we too can be more effective in our own personal defenses of our faith in Christ.

Eric Hernandez is an apologist, evangelist, and the Apologetics Lead and Millennial Specialist for The Baptist General Convention of Texas (www.TexasBaptists.org). He has spoken and debated the merits of Christianity on university college campuses throughout the U.S. and is the author of The Lazy Approach to Evangelism: A Simple Guide for Conversing with Nonbelievers. Eric holds an associate degree in social science, a bachelor’s degree in theology, and a certificate in apologetics from Biola University.

Related Links: Free access to some related Watchman Profiles:

• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Atheism by Dr. Robert M. Bowman, Jr: www.watchman.org/Atheism
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Agnosticism by W. Russell Crawford: www.watchman.org/Agnostic
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Divine Hiddenness by Daniel Ray: www.watchman.org/Hidden
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Relativism by Parker Stilley: www.watchman.org/Relativism
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Postmodernism by Aaron Shamp: www.watchman.org/Postmodernism

Additional Resources

FREE: We are also offering a subscription to our 4-page bimonthly Profiles here: www.watchman.org/Free.

SUPPORT: Help us create more content like this. Make a tax-deductible donation here: www.watchman.org/give.

Apologetics Profile is a ministry of Watchman Fellowship For more information, visit www.watchman.org © Watchman Fellowship, Inc.

What comes to mind when you hear the terms "apologetics" and "evangelism"? On the next two episodes of the Profile, we talk with apologist and evangelist Eric Hernandez about his latest book The Lazy Approach to Evangelism: A Simple Guide for Conversing with Nonbelievers. Eric helps us simplify gospel conversations, dispel some stereotypes of evangelism and apologetics, and shows us how he believes they really go hand-in-hand.

Eric Hernandez is an apologist, evangelist, and the Apologetics Lead and Millennial Specialist for The Baptist General Convention of Texas (www.TexasBaptists.org). He has spoken and debated the merits of Christianity on university college campuses throughout the U.S. and is the author of The Lazy Approach to Evangelism: A Simple Guide for Conversing with Nonbelievers. Eric holds an associate degree in social science, a bachelor’s degree in theology, and a certificate in apologetics from Biola University.

Related Links: Free access to some related Watchman Profiles:

• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Atheism by Dr. Robert M. Bowman, Jr: www.watchman.org/Atheism
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Agnosticism by W. Russell Crawford: www.watchman.org/Agnostic
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Divine Hiddenness by Daniel Ray: www.watchman.org/Hidden
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Relativism by Parker Stilley: www.watchman.org/Relativism
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Postmodernism by Aaron Shamp: www.watchman.org/Postmodernism

Additional Resources

FREE: We are also offering a subscription to our 4-page bimonthly Profiles here: www.watchman.org/Free.

SUPPORT: Help us create more content like this. Make a tax-deductible donation here: www.watchman.org/give.

Apologetics Profile is a ministry of Watchman Fellowship For more information, visit www.watchman.org © Watchman Fellowship, Inc.

FREE BOOK: Courtesy of IVP Academic, we are giving away two brand-new copies of the third edition of Win Corduan's landmark book, Neighboring Faiths - A Christian Introduction to World Religions. Just drop host Apologetics Profile host Daniel Ray an email with a current mailing address to DRAY@WATCHMAN.ORG. We will select at random two listeners and notify you by email if you have been selected.

What is the best way to share the Gospel with someone from another religious tradition? There is no one right way, no simple formula for how to do it. But it is necessary to keep in mind the concept of contextualization. How cognizant are we of the biblical cultures and times? The cultures and beliefs of those with whom we are sharing the Gospel? Or, the assumptions and biases of our own culture and beliefs? Here on part two of our conversation with author, scholar, and world-religions expert Dr. Win Courduan, we examine some basic premises about contextualization and how Jesus "fits into" other faith traditions.

Winfried Courduan (PhD, Rice University) is professor emeritus of philosophy and religion at Taylor University, Upland, Indiana. He has led many undergraduate tours focusing on the lived religious traditions of various parts of the world. He is the author of several books, including Handmaid to Theology, Reasonable Faith: Basic Christian Apologetics, Neighboring Faiths (3rd Edition), and A Tapestry of Faiths.

Related Links: Free access to some related Watchman Profiles:

• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Animism by James C. Ventress: www.watchman.org/Animism
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Pantheism by Dr. Douglas Groothuis: www.watchman.org/Pantheism
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Shi'a Islam by Dr. Mike Edens: www.watchman.org/Shia
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Tibetan Buddhism by Dr. C. Fred Smith: www.watchman.org/TB

Additional Resources

FREE: We are also offering a subscription to our 4-page bimonthly Profiles here: www.watchman.org/Free.

SUPPORT: Help us create more content like this. Make a tax-deductible donation here: www.watchman.org/give.

Apologetics Profile is a ministry of Watchman Fellowship For more information, visit www.watchman.org © Watchman Fellowship, Inc.

FREE BOOK: Courtesy of IVP Academic, we are giving away two brand-new copies of the third edition of Win Courduan's landmark book, Neighboring Faiths - A Christian Introduction to World Religions. Just drop host Apologetics Profile host Daniel Ray an email with a current mailing address to DRAY@WATCHMAN.ORG. We will select at random two listeners and notify you by email if you have been selected.

Jesus was asked, "Who is my neighbor?" The answer to the question for us today is no different than it was in the culture of Jesus' day. Our neighbors today include a broad range of people from many different countries who hold to a wide variety of different beliefs and religious traditions. How can we as Christians intelligently engage our non-Christian neighbors of so many different faiths? There is no one simple formula, but there is wisdom and experience of those who have engaged with people of other faith traditions. Our guest this week and next on the Profile is author, scholar, and world-religions expert Dr. Win Corduan, who took the time to share with us some of his invaluable wisdom and insight from decades of traveling the world and engaging people of other religions.

Winfried Courduan (PhD, Rice University) is professor emeritus of philosophy and religion at Taylor University, Upland, Indiana. He has led many undergraduate tours focusing on the lived religious traditions of various parts of the world. He is the author of several books, including Handmaid to Theology, Reasonable Faith: Basic Christian Apologetics, Neighboring Faiths (3rd Edition), and A Tapestry of Faiths.

Related Links: Free access to some related Watchman Profiles:

• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Hinduism by C. Fred Smith: www.watchman.org/Hindu
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Islam by James K. Walker: www.watchman.org/Muslim
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Baha'i by Robert Pardon: www.watchman.org/Bahai
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Zen Buddhism by Jason Barker: www.watchman.org/Zen

Additional Resources

FREE: We are also offering a subscription to our 4-page bimonthly Profiles here: www.watchman.org/Free.

SUPPORT: Help us create more content like this. Make a tax-deductible donation here: www.watchman.org/give.

Apologetics Profile is a ministry of Watchman Fellowship For more information, visit www.watchman.org © Watchman Fellowship, Inc.

NOTE: Parts 1 and 2 of this podcast are also available in video format on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/4T56TJA0aOY. If you would like to know more about having Bill and James present a similar debate for your church or university ministry, contact Dr. Brady Blevins at BBlevins@watchman.org.

On this final installment of A Christian and Atheist Discuss God, atheist Bill Cluck and Christian James Walker answer questions sent in by you our listeners and those questions they did not get to in the live debate:

• What should a struggling Christian do?
• How does an atheist explain the fine tuning of the universe?
• What about dinosaurs and humans? Did they live together?
• And is the Bible trustworthy or just a collection of fabrications and half-truths?
• What best explains the origin of the New Testament and the Christian faith? An empty tomb or a documentary hypothesis?

Come and hear what Bill and James have to say.

Bill Kluck is the co-founder of the Atheist & Christian Book Club, former evangelical Christian, and avid pickle ball player. Bill sells professional sports memorabilia in the DFW Metroplex. Bill holds a BA in history from Virginia Tech.

James Walker is a former fourth-generation Mormon, Christian co-founder of the Atheist & Christian Book Club and president of Watchman Fellowship, Inc. James holds a BA in Biblical Studies and an MA in theology from Criswell College. He is the author of What the Qur'an Really Teaches about Jesus (uhop.me/Quran) and The Concise Guide to Today's Religions and Spirituality (uhop.me/Religions). He speaks in churches through the country on a Christian perspective on world religions, cults, the occult counterfeit Christianity, the occult, controversial doctrines and practices.

Related Links: Free access to some related Watchman Profiles:

• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Atheism by Dr. Robert M. Bowman: watchman.org/Atheism
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Agnosticism by W. Russell Crawford: watchman.org/Agnostic
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Naturalism by Daniel Ray: watchman.org/Naturalism
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Bart Ehrman by Dr. Rhyne Putman: watchman.org/Ehrman

Additional Resources

FREE: We are also offering a subscription to our 4-page bimonthly Profiles here: www.watchman.org/Free.

SUPPORT: Help us create more content like this. Make a tax-deductible donation here: www.watchman.org/give.

Apologetics Profile is a ministry of Watchman Fellowship For more information, visit www.watchman.org © Watchman Fellowship, Inc.

NOTE: This podcast is also available in video format on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/4T56TJA0aOY. The complete Q&A for this discussion will air on Monday, April 8, 2024. If you have a question for Bill or James please TEXT the word Ask to 817-204-5066 NO LATER THAN APRIL 2nd. Bill and James will answer the remaining questions from the live event (Parts 1 and 2) as well as the new questions from our podcast audience at that time.

Is belief in God just a matter of evidence? What kind of evidence counts for God's existence? The cosmos? the Bible? What about the problem of evil? This week and next on the Profile, we feature president of Watchman Fellowship James K. Walker's live conversation with his friend, Bill Kluck, who is a member of Metroplex Atheists. Bill and James discuss the fine tuning of the cosmos, the problem of evil, and the Resurrection of Jesus in front of a full house at Pleasantview Baptist Church here in Arlington, Texas. We hope the discussion will inspire both skeptic and believer alike to have civil and meaningful conversations about the big questions pertaining to God.

Bill Kluck is the co-founder of the Atheist & Christian Book Club, former evangelical Christian, and avid pickle ball player. Bill sells professional sports memorabilia in the DFW Metroplex. Bill holds a BA in history from Virginia Tech.

James Walker is a former fourth-generation Mormon, Christian co-founder of the Atheist & Christian Book Club and president of Watchman Fellowship, Inc. James holds a BA in Biblical Studies and an MA in theology from Criswell College. He is the author of What the Qur'an Really Teaches about Jesus (uhop.me/Quran) and The Concise Guide to Today's Religions and Spirituality (uhop.me/Religions). He speaks in churches through the country on a Christian perspective on world religions, cults, the occult counterfeit Christianity, the occult, controversial doctrines and practices.

Related Links: Free access to some related Watchman Profiles:

• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Atheism by Dr. Robert M. Bowman: watchman.org/Atheism
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Agnosticism by W. Russell Crawford: watchman.org/Agnostic
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Naturalism by Daniel Ray: watchman.org/Naturalism

Additional Resources

FREE: We are also offering a subscription to our 4-page bimonthly Profiles here: www.watchman.org/Free.

SUPPORT: Help us create more content like this. Make a tax-deductible donation here: www.watchman.org/give.

Apologetics Profile is a ministry of Watchman Fellowship For more information, visit www.watchman.org © Watchman Fellowship, Inc.