Comparing the Hebrew of Isaiah 9.6 to most popular English translations results in some serious questions. Why have our translations changed the tense of the verbs from past to future? Why is this child called “Mighty God” and “Eternal Father”? In this presentation I work through Isaiah 9.6 line by line to help you understand Read more about 572 Isaiah 9.6 Explained: A Theophoric Approach[…]
Seneca Harbin became a Christian later in life through reading the Bible. However, when he was attending a megachurch in Indianapolis, he starting hearing the pastor preach about Christ in a way that seemed bizarre and unbiblical. To his surprise Seneca discovered that the vast majority of Christians held to these extra-biblical speculations about multiple Read more about 569 The Cost of Truth (Seneca Harbin)[…]
Let’s face it the New Testament probably calls Jesus God (or god) a couple of times and so do early Christian authors in the second century. However, no one offers much of an explanation for what they mean by the title. Did early Christians think Jesus was God because he represented Yahweh? Did they think Read more about 521 The Deity of Christ from a Greco-Roman Perspective (Sean Finnegan)[…]
Although he’s one of the lesser known Christian authors of the fourth century, Aphrahat is extremely important for our understanding of early Persian Christianity prior to the advent of Islam in the region. Amazingly a full-length book of his survives, called The Demonstrations. In today’s interview I ask about Aphrahat’s beliefs in general and his Read more about 514 Aphrahat and Early Persian Christianity (Sam Tideman)[…]
This is part 22 of the Early Church History class. This episode aims to wrap up our early church history class. We’ll cover relics and pilgrimage, emperors Zeno and Justinian, as well as the theological battles that continued to rage in the 5th and 6th centuries. Unsurprisingly the christological controversy of the 5th century did Read more about 504 Early Church History 22: Byzantine Empire from Constantine to Justinian[…]
This is part 21 of the Early Church History class. In the fifth century Christians waged a theological civil war that ended in a massive church split. The issue was over the dual natures of Christ. How was he both divine and human? Did he have a human soul and a divine soul? Did his Read more about 503 Early Church History 21: The Dual Natures Controversy of the Fifth Century[…]
This is part 13 of the Early Church History class. Between the year 325 and 381 titanic shifts occurred that changed Christianity forever. Rather than ending conflict and ushering in a golden era of lasting peace, Constantine’s Council of Nicea ignited a theological civil war within Christianity that raged for six more decades. In today’s Read more about 495 Early Church History 13: Trinity Controversy in the Fourth Century[…]
This is part two of a two part series refuting the opening statement of a debate on the question “Is Jesus Yahweh?” This week Brand Duke and I are going to critique Samuel Nesan’s opening statement in his recent debate over the question, “Is Jesus Yahweh?” Nesan has a Master of Christian Studies at Seminari Read more about 492 Refuting Samuel Nesan’s Case That Jesus Is Yahweh[…]
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts This is part one of a two part series refuting the opening statement of a debate on the question “Is Jesus Yahweh?” This week and next week we are taking a little break from our Early Church History class to do discuss a recent debate about Read more about 491 Refuting Kyle Essary’s Case That Jesus Is Yahweh[…]
This is part 8 of the Early Church History class. Origen of Alexandria is the man behind the curtain. Although few Christians today would recognize his name, most denominations are still on a trajectory he initiated eighteen hundred years ago. His influences in theology, christology, eschatology, apologetics, textual criticism, asceticism, hermeneutics, and Christian philosophy are Read more about 488 Early Church History 8: Origen of Alexandria[…]
When COVID first broke out many endeavored to put their extra time to good use. Tom Huszti began listening to podcasts. He was intensely curious about theology. Huszti came to question several key beliefs he had imbibed as a lifelong Anabaptist, living in rural Ohio. Eventually he saw that the church’s God and the bible’s Read more about 478 Unitarian Anabaptist (Tom Huszti)[…]
Last week Dale Tuggy discussed William Lane Craig’s theory about the Trinity for an hour. In one sense this was a momentous occasion when two heavy-hitting philosophers got into the ring to duke it out. In another sense, the limited constraint of one hour barely gave either much time to warm up or process the Read more about 453 Dale Tuggy Comments on Debate with William Lane Craig[…]
In our last episode, Dr. Jerry Wierwille led us through a contextual overview of Hebrews 1 and 2 in order to situate Hebrews 1.10-12. Today, we’ll consider seven interpretations of Hebrews 1.10-12, including: Father as referent, doxology Jesus as creator of Genesis creation Jesus as creator of figurative heaven and earth (referring to people and Read more about 450 Seven Interpretive Options for Hebrews 1.10-12 (Jerry Wierwille)[…]
Hebrews 1.10-12 is a confusing passage for many of us. It seems to say that Jesus created the heavens and the earth in the beginning. Today we are beginning a three part series in which Dr. Jerry Wierwille will address this important passage in context. Our first part is Wierwille’s presentation from last year’s UCA Read more about 449 Intertextuality and Interpretation of Hebrews 1 (Jerry Wierwille)[…]
Have you heard of the Integrity Syndicate? No, not a crime syndicate, the Integrity Syndicate–the online ministry of Theophilus Josiah, my guest today. Abused and neglected by his parents and raised in a California orphanage, Josiah met God in his youth resulting in a new course for his life. Through a series of providential events, Read more about 435-Holistic Biblical Unitarian Christianity (Theophilus Josiah)[…]
Did you know that scholars who work on Jesus divide starkly into two major camps? On the one hand, the evangelicals do such great work on the existence of God, the historicity of the resurrection, and the reliability of Scripture. But, then they read the Gospels through the filter of their theological commitments, always coming Read more about 428 Looking for the Historical Jesus between Evangelical and Liberal Scholarship (Sean Finnegan)[…]
This is part 13 of the One God Over All class. What happened in the fourth century? You’ve probably heard all kinds of rumors about Arius of Alexandria and his newfangled heresy. But, was Arius really a sinful outsider who tried to corrupt Christianity? Was his idea of a Son with a beginning even new? Read more about 423 One God 13: The Fourth Century[…]
This is part 12 of the One God Over All class. If the entire bible clearly and repeatedly teaches that there is one supreme God who is over all and that Jesus is his subordinate son, then surely we should find evidence of this idea in the historical writings of Christians after the New Testament Read more about 422 One God 12: Early Church History[…]
This is part 8 of the One God Over All class. Does the bible call Jesus God? If so, how many times? This seems like such a straightforward question, but it’s pretty hard to answer. We’ll examine three types of texts in which Jesus might be called God, including those with manuscript issues, translation issues, Read more about 418 One God 8: Jesus Called God?[…]
This is part 7 of the One God Over All class. In the bible we encounter a strange phenomenon. Sometimes beings other than Yahweh are called Gods. How can we square that with monotheism–the idea that the Father is the only true God? Although most Christians are aware that the bible calls Jesus God a Read more about 417 One God 7: Jesus, God’s Agent[…]
This weekend I am presenting a paper on subordination: the idea that the Father is greater than the Son. Although this notion may seem obvious to many of us, it is little discussed in mainstream Christianity. I believe this angle may be the thin edge of the wedge to open up discussion on the Trinity Read more about The Father Is Greater Than I: Exploring Biblical Subordination[…]
Have you heard about the upcoming Unitarian Christian Alliance conference (or as I like to call it, UCA-con)? It’s going to happen next month from October 15-17. My guest today is Dr. Dale Tuggy, the chairman of the board of the UCA. Listen in as he discusses what’s on the docket for our inaugural UCA Read more about 410 Thomas Emlyn and the Unitarian Christian Alliance Conference (Dale Tuggy)[…]
Nearly a year ago, I interviewed Pastor Jeff Deuble from Sydney, Australia about his journey of discovering the genuine Jesus of the first century. At the close of that interview, he mentioned that he had written a book that makes a case for his understanding of the biblical Christ. Well, I’m happy to say that Read more about 408 Christ before Creeds Book (Jeff Deuble)[…]
Sam who asked me not to use his last name for fear that he will get kicked out of his current church, tells his story of navigating evangelical Christianity as a biblical unitarian. He shares two sad stories of excommunication from a college ministry and a local church. As you might suspect, this harsh treatment Read more about 367 Excommunicated for My Beliefs (Sam)[…]
Over at the Unitarian Christian Alliance, we’ve been hard at work putting out a bunch of short videos about who God and Jesus are. These videos are great to use as a teaching aid for adults and children. They’re also great to share with others from “traditional” Christian backgrounds to make them think. Here are Read more about Short One-God Videos[…]
Although later Christianity interpreted the handful of texts that call Jesus God as evidence that he shared the same rank, substance, and age as the Father, a more Hebrew-sensitive reading of these same verses yields more organic fruit. Instead of bringing in complex Greek philosophy to distinguish person from being and divine from human natures, Read more about Theology 13 – Jesus, God’s Supreme Representative[…]
Last time we considered Jesus’ identity as God’s messiah. Today, we’ll look at a number of texts that are sometimes misunderstood to teach that Jesus is God. We’ll go through three classifications of verses: (1) those with manuscript issues, (2) those with translation issues, and (3) those with interpretation issues. Here is the breakdown. Manuscript Read more about Theology 12 – Challenging Jesus’ Humanity[…]
Did the earliest Christians of the first three hundred years believe in the Trinity? This presentation works through the most quoted texts to show that they should not be used as proof of teaching the Trinity before a.d 325. Scroll down to see my conference paper. For more podcasts and videos challenging the Trinity see: Read more about The Trinity before Nicea[…]
How many is God? Although the ancient Shema (recorded in Deuteronomy 6) teaches that God is one, Christian theologians have put forward a number of reasons arguing for a plurality within God. We will examine a number of these words, texts, and reasonings in an effort to agree with Jesus who wholeheartedly affirmed the Jewish Read more about Theology 10 — Challenging God’s Oneness[…]
In this presentation you’ll learn about the core creed of the bible, both in the Old and New Testaments, the Shema, and how that relates to the smattering of texts in which Jesus may be called “God.” If Yahweh alone is God then how can Jesus be God too? Are there two Gods or is Read more about 163 Jesus, God’s Agent[…]
We continue our refutation of Michael Brown’s opening statement by addressing a whole smattering of texts, including Isaiah 9.6, John 20.28, Colossians 2.9, 2 Peter 1.1, Romans 9.5, and 1 John 5.20. We explain and debunk Brown’s unusual singular verb argument from 1 Thess 3.13, 2 Thess 2.16-17, and Rev 22.3-4. We briefly touch upon Read more about 162 Refuting Michael Brown’s Case for the Trinity 4[…]
We continue our refutation of Michael Brown’s opening statement by addressing some alleged pre-existence texts in John 17.5, John 12.41, Philippians 2.6-11, and Matthew 23.37. (See previous episodes here.) Lastly we spend some considerable time working through Hebrews 1, giving special attention to verses 8 and 10. To help you follow along, here is the Read more about 161 Refuting Michael Brown’s Case for the Trinity 3[…]
In this episode we tackle the next chunk of Michael Brown’s opening statement in the recent Trinity debate. We address his argument that since God’s words remain forever and Christ’s words remain forever, they must be the same (cf. Mat 24.35 vs. Isaiah 40.7-8). Next we briefly explain the grammatical issues related to Titus 2.13 Read more about 160 Refuting Michael Brown’s Case for the Trinity 2[…]
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Jerry Wierwille and I systematically refute Michael Brown’s problematic case for the deity of Christ in his recent debate with Dale Tuggy. Due to the number of texts Brown crammed into his opening statement, this will have to be a multipart series. In this episode we Read more about 159 Refuting Michael Brown’s Case for the Trinity 1[…]
Are you curious how Michael Brown thinks he did on the Trinity debate last weekend? In this post-debate interview I ask him about his strongest points as well as what he thought Dale Tuggy’s strongest points were. We talk about his reticence to use traditional trinitarian language in light of his own unique heritage and Read more about Interview 50 Michael Brown Post-Debate Review[…]
Last night Michael Brown (PhD NYU) and Dale Tuggy (PhD Brown U) debated the question, “Is the God of the Bible the Father Alone?” Tuggy affirmed while Brown denied. Both scholars recognize the inspiration and the authority of scripture over tradition. Both made an effort to found their beliefs using the bible, reason, and history. Read more about 158 Dale Tuggy vs. Michael Brown Debate: Is the God of the Bible the Father Alone?[…]
Greg Deuble grew up in the Church of Christ in Australia, went to N.S.W. Bible College in Sydney, and spent fifteen years serving as a pastor and evangelist. One day he attended a meeting during which Anthony Buzzard challenged him on his belief in the deity of Christ. Rattled, Deuble began on a quest to reassess Read more about Interview 49 They Never Told Me This in Church (Greg Deuble)[…]
Have you heard of the Christian Disciples Church? They are a biblical unitarian group scattered throughout Asia primarily. In this episode Calvin Chan, who has been with the disciples since the beginning, will tell you the story of how this group got started as a student disciple movement. He also shares about how the founder, Read more about Interview 47 Christian Disciples Church and the Only True God (Calvin Chan)[…]
This is the fourth and final part of our Misunderstood Texts about Jesus series with Bill Schlegel. In this episode he offers remarks on Philippians 2.5-6, Colossians 2.9, and Revelation 1.17. After this, I ask him one of the biggest questions on this subject: if Jesus isn’t God then how can his sacrifice possibly pay Read more about Interview 46 Misunderstood Texts about Jesus 4 (Bill Schlegel)[…]
In parts one and two, we examined ten misunderstood verses in the Gospel of John. In part three, we’ll examine seven more texts from the rest of the bible: Genesis 1.26 Isaiah 9.6 Matthew 2.2 Matthew 28.9 Matthew 28.19 (cf. 2 Cor 13.14) Romans 9.5 Acts 20.28 Repeatedly, Bill Schlegel calls us back to understand Read more about Interview 45 Misunderstood Texts about Jesus 3 (Bill Schlegel)[…]
This is part two of my series with Bill Schlegel, former professor of the Israel Bible Extension and long time bible teacher and geography expert. Last time we discussed five major texts in the Gospel of John and this time we cover four or five more: John 10.30 John 10.33 John 13.18-19 John 20.28 1 Read more about Interview 44 Misunderstood Texts about Jesus 2 (Bill Schlegel)[…]
Today we are beginning a new series called “Misunderstood Texts about Jesus” with Bill Schlegel. Professor Schlegel lived and taught the bible and geography in Israel for more than three decades. Recently, he came to change his mind on the deity of Jesus, seeing him now as God’s man rather than a God-man. Since he Read more about Interview 43 Misunderstood Texts about Jesus 1 (Bill Schlegel)[…]