My dear brother in the Lord, Dale Stenberg, and I recently started our own podcast, called Reformasium. The focus of the podcast is to equip the Christian in the pew – the laymember – in the areas of evangelism and apologetics. We’ll of course discuss other matters, but that’s where our heart is and what we seek to edify the Church in. Please check out the Reformasium website to find out more and listen to our first episode! Be sure to check out the “Meet the Hosts”, “About the Pod”, and “Our Beliefs” pages. We pray that you will be edified and God will be glorified.
Audio & Video
Kurt Eichenwald’s Attack on the Bible Soundly & Thoroughly Refuted
Newsweek’s recent article on the Bible, The Bible: So Misunderstood It’s a Sin, has garnered a lot of attention, both on the web and the media. It has especially grabbed the attention of some leading evangelical apologists and theologians who decry the article as nothing but a caricature and misrepresentation of the facts; and indeed, that is exactly what it is. Any Christian who is at least vaguely familiar with Church history, the transmission of the text of Scripture, and the fundamentals of the faith will find the article, written by Kurt Eichenwald, difficult to take seriously. But there is a sense in which we must take this article seriously. This is nothing but a “hit piece” intended to cast further doubt on the Bible and muzzle the voice of Christians in our nation. As Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr. noted in his article, “He [Eichenwald] has an axe to grind, and grind he does” (Newsweek on the Bible–So Misrepresented It’s a Sin). Eichenwald’s accusations are essentially the same as what you will likely hear on the web and in college halls every day. That’s why we must be quick to answer, ready to silence the foolishness represented in this article. Leave it to Dr. James White to help us in this area of apologetics. Dr. White provides a sound and thorough refutation of Eichenwald’s gross misrepresentations, both of the Christian community and the Bible itself.
Part 1
Part 2
Video: Full Interview of Dr. James White on Textual Criticism by Steven Anderson
Steven Anderson, a King James Only advocate, interviewed James White as part of a video documentary on the (supposed) corruption of non-KJV translations. The documentary only contains a very brief segment of the 2.5 hour interview that took place between them. The following video is the full interview.
Video: Dr. James White on How to Reach Muslims with the Gospel
Dr. James R. White presents to Apologia Church a lecture on how to reach Muslims with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Steven Lawson on the Life & Ministry of Charles Spurgeon – A Stalwart Calvinist
Creation/Evolution Debate: Ken Ham vs. Bill Nye (Tonight)
As many already know, tonight (2/4/2014) is the widely anticipated debate between Ken Ham (young earth creationist) and Bill Nye (atheistic evolutionist). I want to direct people’s attention to Creation Today. They will be having a pre-debate discussion/show and a post-debate discussion/show. You can view these HERE. The actual debate can also be viewed at that same link.
Let us pray for our brother Ken Ham, and pray that the Lord will use this debate to demonstrate the foolishness of evolution (e.g. Ps. 14:1; Rom. 1:18-23) and to save many souls for His glory.
Video: “Where Does Sin Come From?” (by Tim Conway)
In this video Tim Conway, pastor of Grace Community Church (San Antonio, TX), responds to the question “Where does sin come from?”. This question ultimately pertains to the relationship of man’s sin and God’s sovereignty. Conway’s approach in answering this important question is sound and his conclusion biblical. First he points out the errors people make in attempting to answer this question, then he allows Scripture to speak for itself. He goes through a plethora of Scriptures that clearly demonstrate the sovereignty of God over all things, including the sin of man, though God is not the author of sin, but man is responsible for the sinful decisions they make. If this is a question you’re struggling with, then I highly recommend you watch this video.
Two Debates on the Bible & the Quran (James White vs. Adnan Rashid)
These two debates focus on foundational issues between Christians and Muslims — the reliability of the Bible and the Quran. These are, after all, the holy books of Christians and Muslims respectively. Both claim to be the word of God. Both cannot be right. The first debate focuses on the reliability of the Bible, particularly the New Testament. The second debate focuses on the reliability of the Quran. In these debates James White demonstrates the importance of having a free transmission of the texts or manuscripts of the Bible, establishing the ability to recognize the original writings (i.e. the autographs). Further, Dr. White, yet again, demonstrates that Muslim apologists must utilize a double standard in their apologetical approach, using one standard to argue against the Bible, while using a different standard to argue in favor of the Quran. This especially comes out in the second debate, which is very exciting to watch.
Debate 1: Is the Bible Corrupted?
Debate 2: Was the Quran Reliably Transmitted?
Two Great Debates on Roman Catholic Dogma: Mariology & the Papacy
These are indeed worthwile debates. Although they took place quite some years ago, they are sure to last. Why? Because God’s truth endures forever, and James White, as always, does an excellent job defending the truth of God’s word (the Scriptures) against these man-made Traditions of the Roman Catholic Church. James White makes a very strong biblical and historical case against these teachings, demonstrating in the process that the Scriptures are clear and sufficient for matters of faith and practice. Only those who wish to hold on to their Traditions will continue to find in the Scriptures what is clearly not there. Gerry Matatics’ hermeneutical approach to supporting the Marian dogmas from Scripture is a good example of how far one must use their imagination in an attempt to do so. I also found it interesting that almost every time James White asked Matatics a pivitol question with regard to the biblical support and historicity of the Marian dogmas, Matatics would resond with “It’s irrelevant.” With regard to the debate on the papacy, James White and Rob Zins (tag-team debate) make a very striking observation that the Roman Catholic side must rely on a long string of texts and arguments to arrive at their Tradition of the papacy; yet, there is always a better, exegetical alternative to the Roman Catholic perspective. Simply put, Roman Catholics must read their Tradition into the text of Scripture. If one were to read the Scriptures apart from the Traditions of the Roman Catholic Church, they simply would not, at least from an honest consideration of the text, come to the conclusions that Roman Catholics do. With that being said, here are the links to the debates:
Islam: From A-Z (Video Lectures by Dr. James White)
Lately James White has been focused on Islam, engaging in debates with Muslims and teaching about Islam both on his Dividing Line and at various churches. The following are two videos of Dr. White lecturing on the history and theology of Islam to a Christian audience. They are very informative. Also, be sure to check out Dr. White’s new book, What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Quran.
Part I:
Part II:
Videos: Lectures on Polemics (by James R. White)
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I believe James White to be the greatest apologist of our day. I truly believe that. These video lectures, which I believe were given at Reformed Baptist Seminary, give some insight as to why I believe this about Dr. White. Not only is he passionate about apologetics/polemics, and not only does he have extensive experience in this line of work, but he always maintains a focus on the gospel, takes the time to study his opponents, presents clear and theologically consistent argumentation, is thoroughly familiar with the biblical languages and church history, etc. Simply put, James White knows his stuff. So I was very excited to come across these videos of Dr. White lecturing on apologetics/polemics. If you’re considering getting into the field of apologetics, then I highly recommend these videos to you. James White gives some very helpful insight into this sphere of ministry.
Now, there are a total of 17 lectures, which you can audit or take for credit at either Reformed Baptist Seminary (above), Midwest Center for Theological Studies, or Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies. I was only able to find the first three on Vimeo. Also, be sure to visit Dr. Whites’ ministry site, Alpha & Omega Ministries.
Lecture 1:
Lecture 2:
Lecture 3:
Mariology & Mary Debate: James White vs. Robert Fastiggi
This is an excellent debate on a very serious matter. The thesis of the debate is basically this: Does the devotion given to Mary detract from the glory of Christ? Robert Fastiggi (Roman Catholic) says no. James White (Reformed Baptist) says yes. Call me bias, but Dr. White did a fabulous job in this debate, demonstrating from Catholic resources that the teaching of and devotion to Mary by Roman Catholics does indeed detract from the glory of Christ’s redeeming work. Dr. Fastiggi’s argument basically amounts to him quoting Catholic sources that say that devotion to Mary is not to detract from Christ; but simply saying this doesn’t make it so (a point James White repeatedly brings up). Actions do speak louder than words. Dr. Fastiggi also makes various attempts to support Catholic dogma on Mary by referencing passages of Mary in the Scriptures, but his points require a stretch of the imagination. Watch the debate yourself to find out what I mean.
The following is from the Compendium: Catechism of the Catholic Church, which will give you an idea of the view and devotion that Catholics have of Mary, as well as a foretaste of some of the things discussed in the debate:
Mary, Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church
196. In what sense is the Blessed Virgin Mary the Mother of the Church?
The Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of the Church in the order of grace because she gave birth to Jesus, the Son of God, the Head of the body which is the Church. When he was dying on the cross Jesus gave his mother to his disicple with the words, ‘Behold, your mother’ (John 19:27).
197. How does the Virgin Mary help the Church?
After the Ascension of her Son, the Virgin Mary aided the beginnings of the Church with her prayers. Even after her Assumption into heaven, she continues to intercede for her children, to be a model of faith and charity for all, and to exercise over them a salutary influence deriving from the superabundant merits of Christ. The faithful see in Mary an image and an anticipation of the resurrection that awaits them and they invoke her as advocate, helper, benefactress and mediatrix.
198. What kind of devotion is directed to the holy Virgin?
It is a singular kind of devotion which differes essentially from the cult [i.e. rites and ceremonies of religious worship] of adoration given only to the Most Holy Trinity. This special veneration directed to Mary finds particular expression in the liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and in Marian prayers such as the holy Rosary which is a compendium [i.e. summary, epitome] of the whole Gospel.
199. In what way is the Blessed Virgin Mary the eschatological icon of the Church?
Looking upon Mary, who is completely holy and already glorified in body and soul, the Church contemplates in her what she herself is called to be on earth and what she will be in the homeland of heaven.
Hopefully the biblically literate Christian will immediately see that the titles and works attributed to Mary by Roman Catholics essentially parallel that of Christ and the Holy Spirit (see Jn. 14:16-17; 15:26; 16:13-15; Rom. 8:33-34; 1 Cor. 15; Col. 3:1-4; 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 Jn. 2:1-2). I know of no other way of responding to this, except that this is utter blasphemy. And, yes, it certainly does detract from the glory of Christ.
Debate: Is the Bible the Only Infallible Rule of Faith? (James White vs. Tim Staples)
Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) is a foundational doctrine of the Christian faith. Every false sect of Christianity (to include Roman Catholicism, which Staples represents in this debate) denies this fundamental doctrine; and they must, otherwise many of their teachings must be set aside as the tradition of man. What does sola Scriptura mean, and how is it defended? James White does a wonderful job in this debate clarifying the teaching of sola Scriptura, defending it, and pointing out the errors of Roman Catholicism, which rejects this doctrine. The Q/A session is especially exciting. It actually gets quite heated.
I will point out now that Staples misrepresents sola Scriptura (and James’ actual argumentation quite often) and uses a double-standard argument (listen out for this in the debate). Staples also takes a cheap shot by repeatedly associating White with Jehovah’s Witnesses, who deny biblical orthodoxy and repeatedly twist the Scriptures. This is simply ridiculous and childish, as White has repeatedly debated JW’s and is far from being anything like them in his faith and hermeneutic. In the course of the debate Staples affirms that the Church is not a Bible-based Church, but the Bible is a Church-based book. I would ask you to think seriously about the implications of this, and how it meshes with Scripture. Does the word of God come about by the Church or does the Church come about by the word of God? To say that the Bible is a Church-based book is to make the Church authoritative over the Bible.
Thank you James White for your continual defense of the authoritative and sufficient word of God (the Holy Scripture).
Video: Debate On Predestination, Election & the Will of God (James White vs. Michael Brown)
It is the battle of the colors: White vs. Brown. While I disagree with Michael Brown’s position in this debate, I do have great respect for the man; and this debate is a good example of why. Unlike so many others who have debated the Calvinist position, Brown truly seeks to accurately represent Calvinism and argue from a well thought out study (i.e. exegesis) of Scripture. While I think James White does a wonderful job pointing out Brown’s inconsistencies and short-falls, Brown certainly brings something to the table. Another pleasant reality to the debate is that James White and Michael Brown are close friends who have worked together in the stance for biblical truth and the biblical gospel. They are friends, and this comes out in the debate. That being said, their differences are important, and both of them approach the debate with a serious demeanor.
A couple problems I have with Brown’s argumentation is that he repeatedly refers to the Calvinist position as a view that God “programs” what will take place. This is a poor choice of words that doesn’t properly speak to the Calvinist belief in God’s sovereignty in all things. Let us not forget that Calvinists do believe in the moral and personal responsibility of mankind, a concept not communicated in the “program” accusation. Further, Brown does briefly fall into the poor argumentation found in so many other rebuttals by non-Calvinists, that we Calvinists can’t go up to someone and say, “Christ died for you.” This is an argument that begs the question and is without any Scriptural basis (the apostles never witnessed like that).
Overall, this is a friendly and engaging debate on some very key issues. Both sides reference Scripture extensively and seek to accurately represent the opposing viewpoint.
Audio: Baptism Debate (White vs. Shishko)
James White and Bill Shishko engage in a very important debate on who are the proper recipients of baptism. White takes the position that repentance and faith is a necessary prerequisite for all who receive baptism (credobaptism). Shishko takes the position that children of believing parents are to receive baptism (paedobaptism). James White emphasizes the need to be consistent in one’s hermeneutic procedure, and I believe he demonstrates such consistency in this debate (you be the judge). Although Shishko emphaszied the concept of household baptism, White demonstrates, without question, that those who were baptized in the “household passages” actually repented and believed. [Source: reformedman YouTube channel]
Part One:
Part Two:
Audio: Baptism Debate (Schreiner vs. VanDrunen)
Presbyterians and Baptists (namely Reformed Baptists) have much in common. Still, the places where we differ are important, and we must engage in discussion and debate about those differences. Baptism, namely its recipients, is an important area of disagreement. In this debate, Thomas Schreiner (credobaptism) and David VanDrunen (paedobaptism) present their case for their respective positions, followed by questioning and rebuttal. I make this debate available here because I find it to be a good representation of these two views. Albeit, one should consider multiple voices and books when it comes to this issue. While I side with Schreiner on this issue (i.e. only those who repent and believe the gospel are to receive baptism), I don’t necessarily agree with every single thing he says, or every point of articulation. Nevertheless, I believe he presents a strong case.
I would like to point the listener to a major problem I find with the paedobaptism position, which I think comes out very clearly in VanDrunen’s argumentation. One of the major contentions I have with the paedobaptist position is that they cannot interpret the New Covenant on its own terms. They, as VanDrunen demonstrates in this debate, continually seek to understand the New Covenant on the terms of the Old Covenant. However, the terms of the New Covenant are clearly different in some respects (see Jer. 31:31-34; i.e. “new;” “not like the covenant that I made with their fathers;” “no longer;” “for they shall all know me”). While continuity certainly exists between the covenants, there is also significant discontinuity, which paedobaptists tend to ignore, fail to realize, or minimize. For those of you who wish to dig deeper into the Baptist (credobaptist) position, I recommend you read Covenant Children Today: Physical or Spiritual?, by Alan Conner.
Part One:
Part Two:
Video: The Forgotten Trinity (by James White)
This lecture by James White is based on his book, The Forgotten Trinity. He discusses the three foundational truths or teachings of the doctrine of the Trinity, that if you eliminate just one of them, you go off into some heretical error. Learn these foundations! Then he spends some time explaining how to explain or defend the Trinity when talking with adherents of other religions (e.g. Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses). This is a really important and educational lecture. Also, if you don’t already have his book, then I highly recommend it. The Trinity is a central doctrine of the Christian faith, yet far too few Christians understand its Scriptural basis and can defend it. You may also check out a blog post I did on the Trinity a while back: Trinity: A Practical Overview & Encouragement for Further Study.
Video: James White on the Reliability of the New Testament Text
This topic is becoming an increasingly important one, as many liberal and atheistic scholars are attacking the reliability of the New Testament text (or manuscripts). Unfortunately, this is an area that the mass majority of laymen are not educated in, and therefore are unable to provide a defense. Many have already fallen prey to these attacks on the NT, and therefore live in doubt of the Bible they hold in their hands, or have outright left the Church. In this video, James White supplies a scholarly, yet clear, defense of the NT Scriptures (i.e. the Greek manuscripts that underly your English translation).
Videos: The Son’s Glory (by Paul Washer)
In these videos Paul Washer teaches on what is one of the greatest subjects to occupy our minds with — the glory of Jesus Christ. It is important that we regularly contemplate the preciousness of our Lord and Savior, to fill our hearts with His beauty. Such contemplation can only lead to more intimate communion and worship with our great and glorious God.
Covenant Theology Foundations (by Samuel Renihan)
Samuel Renihan presents an excellent (simple, clear, biblical) presentation on Covenant Theology from a Reformed Baptist perspective. He begins by looking at the Abrahamic Covenant and then traces it throughout redemptive history and the other covenants. You may listen to this sermon here.
Reformed Baptist Daily 