CrossExamined Blog
Tackling today’s toughest questions, these posts explore topics on God, morality, science, and culture.
Whether you’re a skeptic or believer, each article challenges your worldview and sharpens your thinking. Engaging, thought-provoking, and unapologetic, this is a place to dig deeper and follow the truth wherever it leads.
Forgery in the Bible: Were 1 and 2 Timothy really forged? Part II
4. Is the NT True?, Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Erik Manning In his letter to the Romans, we learn that Paul was accused of lying in order to bring more glory to God. Some slanderously claimed that Paul would say, “let us do evil that good may result.” Paul, not known to mince words, responded tersely: “their condemnation is just!” (Romans 3:4-8) For […]
Materialism Cannot Explain the Origin of Life on Earth
2. Does God Exist?, Atheism, Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Bob Perry As I’ve discussed elsewhere, Darwinian Evolution tells a great story. But that story is wholly disconnected from the actual evidence of life on Earth. That’s especially true when it comes to the origin of life. To be fair, Darwinian Evolution insists it has nothing to do with the question of the origin […]
The two kinds of skeptics and how to deal with both
Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Erik Manning We can gain knowledge about the subject of Christian apologetics until our eyes bug out of our heads. But knowing how to apply that information in our everyday lives is another animal. And a big part of learning effective communication is knowing our audience. I’m old enough to remember those cheezy WWJD […]
Conversations with Jehovah’s Witnesses
Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy J. Brian Huffling “There are some Jehovah’s Witnesses in the neighborhood if you want to talk them,” my wife said. I was excited. I have had numerous and long-standing discussions with Mormons, but never anything meaningful with Jehovah’s Witnesses. After a while, they finally came to my door. While I couldn’t talk to them […]
Tacitus — Ancient Roman Historian — Reports on Jesus
Jesus Christ, Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Ryan Leasure Most of what happened in the ancient world went unrecorded. Think about it. People from bygone eras didn’t have technology like YouTube, TV, or the internet — much less the printing press. It’s sad, really. We’ll never know about 99.99% of what happened back then. The less than 1% we do know […]
Apologetics as Conversation
Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Mikel Del Rosario Hey, Can We Talk? Seeing apologetics as a conversational ministry There’s an Indian proverb that says, “You don’t cut off a man’s nose and give him a rose to smell.” I first heard this from Ramesh Richards, who applies this idea to apologetics. He says that sometimes, in the midst of […]
Do Humans Have Intrinsic Value?
Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Luke Nix Introduction Whether humans possess intrinsic value or instrumental value is a debate that often runs parallel to discussions about the true worldview. This debate also often fuels the passion behind worldview discussions because it has implications for ethics and morality, which are directly tied to how people ought to live and how […]
Peripheral Visions: Even Science Needs More Than Science to Work Properly
Philosophy of Science, Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Terrell Clemmons Jon Headley has a confession to make. “I’m a 30-year-old man, but until a few years ago, I had no real understanding of the theory of evolution.” “Ah,” the ex-Christian continues after relieving himself of this confessional burden, “it feels good to get that off my chest.” And with that, the musician […]
Correcting four myths about the history of the Crusades
Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Wintery Knight Here is an interesting article from the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. Intro: The verdict seems unanimous. From presidential speeches to role-playing games, the crusades are depicted as a deplorably violent episode in which thuggish Westerners trundled off, unprovoked, to murder and pillage peace-loving, sophisticated Muslims, laying down patterns of outrageous oppression that […]
Forgery in the Bible: Were 1 and 2 Timothy really forged?
4. Is the NT True?, Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Erik Manning 2 Timothy 3:16 says that all Scripture is “God-breathed.” Of course for Christians, this would include 2 Timothy, as well as the rest of the pastoral epistles. Skeptics find this verse to be ironic because many biblical critics think that the pastoral epistles were forgeries. These letters claim to be written by […]
4 Ways Parents Bore Their Kids Out of Christianity
Apologetics for ParentsBy Natasha Crain The highlight of my summer was a family RV vacation to Kings Canyon National Park. Behind our campground flowed a gorgeous river that I returned to multiple times over the course of our trip. Each time I went, I sat and pondered the “big questions” of life. There’s something about the majesty […]
12 Reasons to Trust The New Testament
4. Is the NT True?, Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Bob Perry If you claim to believe the Bible, you better be able to trust that what it says is true. Trusting the Bible means knowing two things. First, that the original authors recorded historically accurate information. And, second, knowing that the Bible we have today contains what the original authors wrote down. “Textual […]
Jesus’s Understanding of Human Nature in Luke 17
Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Brian Chilton Some have claimed that Jesus was not a theologian. Granted, he did not sit down and write out a systematic theology book. However, the teachings of Jesus denote a deep theology that resonated with his understanding of God, Jesus’s own identity, God’s judgment, and of God’s salvific plan. In addition, one can […]
5 Steps Every Christian Should Take When Talking with Skeptics about Miracles
3. Are Miracles Possible?, AtheismBy Jeremy Linn When talking with skeptics about the resurrection of Jesus, it seems obvious to go straight to the historical evidence for the resurrection. But for many skeptics, there is an intellectual barrier that needs to be broken down before historical evidence can even be considered. The barrier is: A strong skepticism towards miracles. I […]
There Is No Rise Unless He Is Risen
3. Are Miracles Possible?, Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Alex McElroy If you are creating a building, the structure is important, but the foundation is most important. If a rock goes through the window, it can be replaced. If there is a leak in the roof, it can be patched. However, if there is a crack in the foundation, the building will be […]
Why the Gospel of Thomas isn’t in the Bible
Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Ryan Leasure There’s a common refrain among liberal scholars that says the church suppressed dozens of Gospels. The reason they say? It’s because those books share scandalous information about Jesus that the church wanted to hide. They didn’t want the world to know sketchy details like Jesus tortured other kids as a child or […]
Respectfully Engaging with Hindus
Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Mikel Del Rosario Let’s talk about respectfully engaging with Hindus. Why? More than a billion people around the world say they’re Hindus. That’s about 15 percent of the world. So if you haven’t met someone at least interested in some aspect of Hindu culture, you may soon. The more we engage with our neighbors, […]
Is It Biblical to Have an Evidential Faith?
Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Luke Nix Introduction Is biblical faith blind or reasonable? This is one of the most hotly debated questions between believers and unbelievers. While most who say that faith is blind are unbelievers, I have also heard many Christians claim this as well. The claim is that faith and reason are at odds with one […]
What Christian Parents Should Learn from Marty Sampson Losing Faith
Apologetics for ParentsBy Natasha Crain My blog has been quiet since earlier this year because I was finishing my next book (Talking with Your Kids about Jesus; March 2020). Now that I’ve turned it into the publisher and my kids are heading back to school, it’s time to resume blogging! I debated what my first post should […]
Can We Be Good Without God?
Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Ryan Leasure This past weekend, two mass-scaled shootings transpired on American soil. El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio experienced unspeakable carnage. Two men, fueled by hatred for mankind, slaughtered dozens of innocent people in cold blood. In response, people of all stripes spoke out against these atrocities. Men and women, democrat and republican, Christian […]
How Do We Know The Truth Is Out There?
1. Does Truth Exist?, Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Bob Perry There are two kinds of truth. One depends on our opinion of things. This is called subjective truth. The other depends on the way the world actually is. This is called objective truth. Most people never think about the difference between the two. And that makes any discussion of the concept of […]