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.
What is Logos? A look at John 1:1-3
Theology and Christian ApologeticsIntroduction One of my favorite passages in the gospels is the prologue of John (1:1-18). I particularly find the first three verses, John 1:1-3, and the use of the “Word”, or Logos in Greek, interesting. In those three verses, a type of creation narrative arises, revolving around Logos, in which Logos is described as being […]
3 Reasons to Believe in God
2. Does God Exist?In presenting apologetics there are certain points I focus on in order to systematically examine the evidence for the truth of Christianity. While there are many other areas of interest and concern for the apologist, these areas are essential in determining the veracity of the Christian religion. These main features of Christianity include: The […]
How to Talk with Kids about Jesus
4. Is the NT True?I used to think I knew how to talk with kids about Jesus to help them establish a lasting faith. It seemed simple enough. Read the Bible. And absolutely, the Bible is where we should begin. Reading the Bible together regularly is the best way to open a dialogue with your kids about Jesus. Everything […]
3 Simple Ways the Birth of Jesus Changed the World
Theology and Christian Apologetics“When we see Jesus as he is, we must turn away or else shamelessly adore him. That must be kept in mind for any authentic understanding of the power of Christian faith.” This quote, from Dallas Willard’s book, “The Divine Conspiracy,” challenged me the moment I read it this week. There is no better time […]
Humbly He Came
4. Is the NT True?There are a lot of things that are true but are hard to believe, but the fact that the Creator of our universe has pooped in a diaper is a big one. I mean, really think about that. And if your first reaction is to think that the opening line of this post sounds crass […]
Historical Bias, Objectivity, And The Truth Of Christianity
4. Is the NT True?“Historians are biased and choose what they report. As such, history can’t be known.” That’s a typical objection to the ability to know history. If such objections prove that we can’t know history, then we can’t know that Christianity is true since it is known through history and historical claims. In his prologue, Luke says, […]
Was Jesus Really Born of a Virgin? Does It Matter?
4. Is the NT True?“It doesn’t really matter if Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit or by Joseph’s seed. What matters is that Jesus came to earth, died, and was resurrected.” This is more or less what was said in a conversation I had several years ago with a now self-proclaimed progressive Christian. At the time, he was […]
What Really Happened at the Council of Nicea?
CrossExaminedFor many years, the Council of Nicaea has been the subject of much confusion among laypeople. The misapprehensions which have come to be associated with the council of Nicaea have, in part, been fueled by popular fictional novels such as Dan Brown’s notorious The Da Vinci Code. No matter what group you are dealing with in […]
Jesus: Santa Claus for Adults?
4. Is the NT True?It’s common for atheists to be a “Grinch” over the Holidays and exclaim that Jesus is just a “Santa Claus for adults!” When I hear that claim, I immediately respond with a question: “What do you mean by that?” If one means that children often believe in fictional fairy tales and adults believe in fact-based evidence, […]
Pastoral Counseling and the Resurrection of Jesus
Theology and Christian ApologeticsWhen reflecting on over forty years of pastoral ministry carried out in numerous forms and contexts, two recurring realities emerge as most prominent in my experience. First, people are often profoundly troubled and deeply hurting amid the moral chaos and cultural decay of a sin-stricken world, resulting in a brokenness that reaches the deepest recesses […]
Do you Dare to Really Know Jesus?
4. Is the NT True?If you would consider to dare to know Jesus, I invite you to give Him some serious thought today. Whether you’re a Christian or not, you probably claim to know Jesus, at least in broad strokes. In fact, worldwide, no one person has influenced history more than Jesus. The way we even measure history has […]
Biblical Archaeology: Bethsaida, Birthplace of Jesus’ Apostles
4. Is the NT True?The possible birthplace of three of Jesus’s disciples has been discovered. Or, at least, revised. The city is Bethsaida. Besides being another place-name mentioned in the Bible, this town was also the home to three of the apostles, Peter, Andrew and Philip. “Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida” (John 1:44). […]
The Widening of God’s Mercy – Book Review
4. Is the NT True?, Culture and Politics, Legislating Morality, Culture & PoliticsIn the mid-1990’s a Theology professor at Duke Divinity School, named Richard Hayes, wrote a book called The Moral Vision of the New Testament: Community, Cross, New Creation, A Contemporary Introduction to New Testament Ethics. It made waves in the Evangelical world because it was the first time a relatively liberal theological scholar took a definitive […]
Did the Idols of the Old Testament Actually Have Power?
3. Are Miracles Possible?, Theology and Christian ApologeticsOne of the questions that people ask when they read through the Old Testament is “did those little statues that people worshipped actually have any power behind them?” Many scholars agree that people believed that the idols themselves did not hold power but instead represented the pagan gods. The Old Testament itself has two major […]
Dear Christian: Please Don’t Unhitch Your Faith From the Old Testament
Theology and Christian ApologeticsHow should Christians understand the Old Testament? Since the birth of Christianity, this has been a topic of hot debate, and to this day many Christians don’t really understand how their faith in Jesus interacts with what they read in the Old Testament. It can be tempting to ignore it—or throw it out altogether. Many […]
Made into Christ’s Image or Do You Make Christ into Your Image?
Jesus Christ, Theology and Christian ApologeticsBy Brian Chilton In a Patristic Exegesis class at Liberty University, Dr. Ken Cleaver was discussing the average-sized heights of individuals in first-century Israel. For the most part, the average height of most individuals was around 5’ 2”. It is quite likely that Jesus would have been much shorter than what most Americans would have […]
Is Deconstruction the Same Thing as Doubt?
Legislating Morality, Culture & PoliticsA clip from Skillet frontman John Cooper has recently been making the rounds on social media. In it, Cooper is heard saying that “it is time to declare war on this idolatrous deconstruction Christian movement.” And just like that, the Christian community split. One set of people claims that Cooper is causing further harm to […]
Top Apologetics Books for Beginners
Theology and Christian ApologeticsSean McDowell, professor of Christian Apologetics at Biola University, on his blog, lists the top ten apologetic books for beginners with short descriptions of each. He includes: Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis More Than a Carpenter, by Sean and Josh McDowell The Reason for God, by Tim Keller The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel Cold-Case Christianity, […]
The DNA Replisome: A Paradigm of Design
2. Does God Exist?The DNA replisome is one of the most remarkable molecular machines, involving a complex of different proteins, each of which is very specifically crafted to fulfill its role in the process of replicating the genome in preparation for cell division. The rate of DNA replication has been measured at a whopping 749 nucleotides per second[1] […]
Scientism -The idea that science is the only path to knowledge
1. Does Truth Exist?You have probably heard it said, “You have to prove that scientifically.” Or even in news reports that “studies have shown . . . ” Or maybe you have heard that science is the final or ultimate source of knowledge. Behind these sentiments may lie a belief called “scientism.” This mentality has even been put simply: […]
Why I am Pro-Life
Legislating Morality, Culture & PoliticsBefore I go any further, I must state that this is not an attempt to apply guilt or condemnation to any woman who has had an abortion, or any man who has encouraged it. The Good News is that grace is extended to all willing to accept it by grace, through faith in Christ. With […]