BRITS REALLY HAVE SOME neat ways of saying things. Although British slang and their euphemisms take getting used to, they have a great way of getting right to the point. Debbie's sorted for Tuesday night because she's found a babysitter. Any guesses on what this means? It means everything is set for going out because …
No “Scorched-Earth” Approach
THE TERM "SCORCHED-EARTH" is used to describe a military policy in which all houses, crops, factories, utilities, etc., in an area are destroyed so that an enemy cannot use them. Putin's invasion of Ukraine is a recent example of this tactic. The United States literally "scorched" the earth during the Vietnam War. The Napoleonic Wars …
Apologetics in Post-Christian Culture
APOLOGETICS HAS ITS ORIGIN in Greek rhetorical argument where the proponent presents an ordered defense, including the reasons he or she has for belief in a particular philosophy or religion. There are several ways in which an apologetic can be fashioned. Methods specific to an apologetic for Christianity are Classical, Evidential, Cumulative, and Presuppositional. Each …
Change in Direction
TIMES CHANGE, WE CHANGE. God never changes. There is a sustained reality in the universe (some refer to this as "metanarrative") that defines and upholds all that exists. All religions speak of this. It is the responsibility of every Christian to present for consideration the story of Christianity as more than "just another worldview" among …
History of the Church Part Six: Reaching a Post-Christian Culture
Steven Barto, B.S. Psy., M.A. Theology This is the last in a six-part series on the history of the Christian church. THE LECTURE HALL WAS filled with a low murmur as the professor walked in and placed his soft leather briefcase on the lectern and opened it. He took out a small stack of blank …
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History of the Church Part Five: Colonialism and Evangelism
Steven Barto, B.S., Psy., M.A. Theology SO FAR WE HAVE explored how the Christian church began, the "marks" and underlying doctrine of the Christian church, Islamism and the Crusades, and the impact of dissension and the Protestant Reformation. In Part Five, I will expound on colonialism and evangelism. Of concern to many individuals over the …
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Podcast Just One Week Away!
I am excited about launching the podcast. Due to some orthopedic issues, I had to delay the launch. Now, I am waiting for delivery of an adapter I need to plug my Blue Yeti USB microphone into the XLR port on the mixer panel. Podcast episodes will be posted on this WordPress blog. I will …
Religious Pluralism and Post-Christian Society
Written by Steven Barto, B.S., Psy., M.A. Theology Religious pluralism says all religions are equally valid paths to GodThe Law of Non-Contradiction says two mutually exclusive claims to truth cannot both be trueReligious pluralism fails this Law of logicTwo mutually exclusive religious claims cannot both be true THE VAST MAJORITY OF Americans believe in God …
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Upcoming Podcast!
I am in the process of starting a podcast regarding the same categories and issues discussed on this blog. I have not yet decided the frequency of postings, but ideally I would like to do one every day. The podcast episodes will be hosted by WordPress, and possibly one other mainstream host site. I am …
The Practical Application of Narrative Apologetics
Written by Steven Barto, BS Psy STORIES OFFER APOLOGETIC possibilities that are more effective than approaches that rely on rhetorical argument. Certainly, this is because stories engage audiences that would otherwise choose to pass on logical discourse. C.S. Lewis believed a well-told story opens the imagination to new ways of thinking and believing. He believed …
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