May 13th Apologetics Book Club Meeting

Join us on May 8th at the Athenian Diner, 864 Washington St, Middletown, at 6:30 pm. This month the meeting focuses on two topics.

“The first question which should rightly be asked,” wrote G.W.F. Leibniz, is “Why is there something rather than nothing?” For the first topic, we look at the argument from contingency for the existence of God. This philosophical argument leads to the conclusion that God is the explanation for the existence of the universe, and implies that God is an uncaused, unembodied mind who transcends space and time, and who exists necessarily.

But wait, there’s more: Second, Jesus asked “Who do you say that I am?” How do you answer that question? Before we can explain Christianity to an unbeliever, we need to be clear about this issue. Here we look at the primary historical sources, including the New Testament documents, applying objective academic tools such as the criteria of authenticity -- tools developed outside the context of religious studies. That is, we look at the primary sources, not with a presumption that they are true, but from a neutral perspective, and show that they are true in relevant part, using a skeptic’s own tools. We review the explicit and implicit radical personal claims of Jesus, and their significance in the context of his time and ours.

For the first topic, we will read and discuss Chapter 3 of On Guard, which can be downloaded here: @[NjQyMTgzOTU5MjA4MTA3Omh0dHBzXGEvL2RyaXZlLmdvb2dsZS5jb20vb3Blbj9pZD0wQjVtV1BiakVwcmwxWkRGQ2RtMDNXRmRTTFdNJmF1dGh1c2VyPTA6Og==:https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5mWPbjEprl1ZDFCdm03WFdSLWM&authuser=0]

For the second topic, we will read and discuss Chapet 8 of On Guard, which can be downloaded here:
@[NjQyMTgzOTU5MjA4MTA3Omh0dHBzXGEvL2RyaXZlLmdvb2dsZS5jb20vZmlsZS9kLzBCNW1XUGJqRXBybDFVR3BaVFZoc1VEQlBiRkUvdmlldz91c3A9c2hhcmluZzo6:https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5mWPbjEprl1UGpZTVhsUDBPbFE/view?usp=sharing]

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For more information, email Joe Busher at jmbusher@yahoo.com