Tag Archive for: J. Warner Wallace

Are there contradictions between the gospel accounts? If so, how can we trust the central tenet of Christianity–the Resurrection of Jesus? Last week, J. Warner Wallace and his son Jimmy Wallace joined Frank to discuss their exciting new graphic novel, ‘Case Files: Meaning and Murder‘. For this midweek podcast, J. Warner Wallace returns to share how he used his skill set as a detective to investigate the claims of the New Testament gospels and compares his findings to those of atheist/agnostic New Testament scholar, Bart Ehrman.

Together, Frank and Jim answer questions like:

  • What’s necessary to prove an event occurred in the past?
  • Why weren’t first-century historians bothered by textual differences found in the Gospels?
  • Why is it better to have four different gospel accounts vs. one harmonization?
  • Why would God allow these textual differences?
  • What surprised Jim the most the first time he read the Gospels as an atheist?
  • Why do detectives separate eyewitnesses?
  • When doing detective work, why does Jim prefer it when the stories are “messy”?
  • Does the evidence always determine the verdict? In other words, why do Jim and Bart come to different conclusions when it comes to the Resurrection of Jesus?
  • Why is bias against the supernatural a double-standard for materialist atheists?
  • What’s the best way to test an eyewitness?
  • If the Gospels are contradictory and can’t be trusted, why do critics like Erhman conclude that much of the New Testament is true and that the disciples really believed they saw the resurrected Jesus?
  • How are atheists disagreeing with themselves and agreeing with Christians when it comes to alternative explanations for the resurrection?

And so much more! If you normally listen to podcasts on 2x speed you may need to slow it down for this one and take some notes!

If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!

Resources mentioned during the episode:

BOOK: Cold-Case Christianity
GRAPHIC NOVEL: Case Files: Murder & Meaning (don’t forget to grab your pre-order bonuses!)

 

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Why are so many people fascinated with evil stories of murder, and true crime? And more importantly, can we use that fascination to point them to Jesus? Christianity is the only worldview that answers the problem of evil adequately, and now there’s a new graphic novel that tackles this big question in a way that’s both artistic and compelling!

This week, Frank sits down with cold-case detective and bestselling author, J. Warner Wallace, along with his son and co-author, Jimmy Wallace, to discuss their new book, ‘Case Files: Murder and Meaning‘. As a father-son duo with deep roots in law enforcement, they’re using their real-life experiences to craft a crime story that sneaks apologetics into an action-packed graphic novel. Tune in as they address questions like:

  • Why do so many police officers become cynical, and what does that reveal about human nature?
  • How did their experience in law enforcement help Jim and Jimmy to write this story?
  • What makes ‘Case Files’ different from other apologetics books?
  • How can storytelling help people wrestle with questions about morality and justice?
  • What are some of the biggest misconceptions that the public has about police and detective work?
  • How did the George Floyd and BLM riots radically shift the police world?
  • What are some of the common internal and psychological struggles of police officers?
  • How did Jim overcome his season of identity crisis once he retired?

Be sure to pre-order your copy of ‘Case Files: Murder and Meaning‘ and then head to Jim’s website to grab some exclusive bonus resources! If you know anyone who loves crime stories, comics, or big questions about life, this book might just be the tool that sparks some amazing faith conversations!

If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!

Resources mentioned during the episode:

Jim’s website: ColdCaseChristianity.com

J. Warner Wallace & Jimmy’s New Book: CaseFilesGraphicNovel.com

The Truth in True Crime: https://a.co/d/0fE9crT

Cold-Case Christianity: https://a.co/d/dABS4uA

Person of Interest: https://a.co/d/69NoUEw

 

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By Al Serrato

We all intuitively seek the best explanation for a set of facts or circumstances. It’s called abductive reasoning. Detectives make use of this method of reasoning when endeavoring to solve a crime; they put the pieces together so that a picture of what occurred emerges in sufficient detail to have confidence that it is true. Parents do it when they notice that a freshly baked pie has a piece missing and little Johnny has crumbs on his fingers and fruit staining his lips. Perfect knowledge is not required to know with sufficient certainty what occurred.

Abductive Reasoning in Christian Apologetics

As it relates to apologetics, abductive reasoning is a formal way of supporting the case for the validity of Christian truth claims. Though there are dozens of pieces of evidence to support the belief that the Resurrection took place, many apologists will make the case using a “minimal facts” approach. These generally undisputed facts include that Jesus lived, that he was put to death on a Roman cross, that his tomb was later found empty, and that his followers experienced encounters with him which were, simply put, life changing. These followers included skeptics who knew him well, such as his brother James; zealots who were persecuting his followers, such as Paul; and numerous men and women who had been following him during his earthly ministry.

A Cumulative Case

What best accounts for these well-established facts? Could it be they were all hallucinating? That makes little sense as we know that hallucinations do not occur in mass settings. Were they simply mistaken about who it was they were seeing? This too lacks explanatory appeal as mistaken identification is not plausible for family members and close friends and certainly not for many such people. Was it simply wishful thinking? While his followers no doubt missed him dearly, it is not reasonable to conclude that they would face death by insisting that he was still alive, when they knew he was not. Nor would wishful thinking explain the change in those who were initially persecuting Jesus’ followers, nor for those who only became followers after his death. Seeing that the cumulative case points to the fact of the Resurrection can be a powerful way to support the faith.

Losing the Case Before the Courtroom

But many remain unconvinced. When I have encountered such people, I have found that by and large they do not employ abductive reasoning as described above. They have not assessed and considered the piles of evidence from history to determine what other reasonable inference would better fit the known facts. Instead, they begin with the presupposition that miracles – which of course include resurrection from the dead – simply cannot occur. Consequently, any explanation of the historical facts and events which posit a miracle are to be rejected out of hand. The case is lost before it is even considered.

In short, many argue that relying on the possibility of a miracle is simply an admission of ignorance. If you cannot first explain how the miracle occurred, they argue, you should not be able to rely on it.

We can know THAT it happened without knowing HOW it happened.

This challenge to provide an explanation for the “best explanation of the facts” – that is, to explain the miracle – is clever but misplaced. There are many circumstances in which we can know something to be true, or to work, without knowing how it is that this is so. Take our ability to reason or our native sense of fair play: I make use of these things even though I have no way of explaining how reason works, or why I should be able to rely on it to reach true conclusions. I cannot explain how I know that “playing fair” is something that should matter to me. Consciousness is another example: in operating rooms around the world, anesthesiologists make use of drugs that can put people “under” and then restore them to consciousness without knowing how it is that this occurs. They understand the effect these drugs have on the cellular level, and they can measure differences in brain wave activity, but understanding how a grouping of brain cells goes from conscious to unconscious and back is still beyond scientific understanding. Though not usually considered as such, consciousness and reason are themselves “miraculous” – no sufficient naturalistic processes can account for them.

So, if the evidence that a man was put to death and then appeared again in a re-animated and enhanced body is sufficiently credible, then the fact that we cannot currently “explain” how it occurred does not prove that it did not occur. Consider for a moment the many medical “miracles” that have occurred. There are countless cases in which a disease process stops, or reverses, for reasons that are unclear, at least at present. As knowledge and technology advance, some of these miracles will be explained through naturalistic mechanisms. But how can the skeptic possibly know that this will always be the case? Would this not require perfect knowledge on his part, in order to know with certainty that departures from the laws of nature can never occur?

There is nothing wrong with wanting to know more, with seeking more knowledge and more information to get the “how” questions answered. There is nothing wrong with trying to rule out all naturalistic explanations before considering the supernatural. And it may be, in the end, that additional knowledge will modify, or perhaps even change, some of our views.

But refusing to go where the evidence leads because of a belief that supernatural events are “impossible” is a reflection of underlying bias, not an expression of enlightened thinking.

Recommended resources related to the topic:

Miracles: The Evidence by Frank Turek DVD and Mp4

Two Miracles You Take With You Everywhere You Go by Frank Turek DVD, Mp3 and Mp4

Early Evidence for the Resurrection by Dr. Gary Habermas (DVD), (Mp3) and (Mp4)

Debate: What Best Explains Reality: Atheism or Theism? by Frank Turek DVD, Mp4, and Mp3 

 


Al Serrato earned his law degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1985. He began his career as an FBI special agent before becoming a prosecutor in California, where he worked for 33 years. An introduction to CS Lewis’ works sparked his interest in Apologetics, which he has pursued for the past three decades. He got his start writing Apologetics with J. Warner Wallace and Pleaseconvinceme.com.

 

Can Christians learn to love the same way God loves? Cold-case homicide detective turned Christian apologist, J. Warner Wallace, answers that question for us in his brand-new book ‘The Truth in True Crime: What Investigating Death Teaches Us About the Meaning of Life.’ But how exactly did researching some of his own murder investigations lead him to discover the truth about God’s nature and His love for humanity?

For this midweek podcast episode, Jim returns to talk more about his new book and to share what he’s learned about marriage, justice, grace, and mercy through his deep study of contemporary true crime. What key quality is needed to be successful in life? Why do so many police officers struggle in their marriage? Why is pride such a dangerous sin? What’s the distinction between shame and guilt? All of these questions and more will be addressed as Frank and Jim wrap up this intriguing and insightful two-part discussion!

To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.

You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.

Order Jim’s Book: The Truth in True Crime

Listen to Part 1 of the discussion: The Truth in True Crime with J. Warner Wallace

 

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Have you ever wondered why America is so obsessed with death and murder, or why some of today’s most popular podcasts, shows, and TV networks are all centered around the topic of true crime? What’s the reason for our curiosity with murder and what life lessons can we learn from studying even the worst of these true crime stories?

If you’re a true crime junkie, this is the podcast episode for you! This week, our favorite cold-case homicide detective turned Christian apologist and author, J. Warner Wallace, sits down with Frank to talk about the inspiration behind his brand-new book, ‘The Truth in True Crime: What Investigating Death Teaches Us About the Meaning of Life‘, which explores 15 life-truths that he discovered through his study of the Scriptures and some of his most notorious murder investigations. During their conversation, Frank and Jim will answer questions like:

  • Why are women especially drawn to the genre of true crime?
  • How do men and women view identity differently?
  • What is the true cause of trauma and PTSD?
  • What are two common ways that identity is formed in people?
  • How does humility contribute to human flourishing?

Later in the episode, Jim will open up about his own personal journey through an unexpected season of identity crisis and reveal the most shocking discovery he made while writing the book. Be sure to pick up your copy of ‘The Truth in True Crime‘ and come back next week to hear the conclusion of Frank and Jim’s discussion on how true crime exposes certain truths about human nature.

To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.

You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.

Order Jim’s Book: The Truth in True Crime

 

Download Transcript

 

We don’t possess the original New Testament papyrus scrolls. They deteriorate too quickly to have survived this long. So how do we know that the manuscripts we have now are accurate representations of the originals? Is it reasonable to believe that they have been corrupted and embellished to falsely say that Jesus rose from the dead?

Detective J. Warner Wallace joins Frank to answer those questions. He cites a technique that law enforcement uses to ensure that evidence from murder or any crime isn’t corrupted. It’s called the Chain of Custody. Is there a chain of custody that secures the evidence about the identity of Jesus from the time of the eyewitnesses all the way to the fourth century when manuscript evidence was more abundant? Listen to find out. This is fascinating!

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What is the true meaning of Christmas? As Christians, we know it has little to do with trees, presents, and reindeer. But what is it really about? Why is there a Christmas at all? Frank goes to an unlikely place to highlight why Christmas exists — the book of Galatians. There, the Apostle Paul fights for the truth of the gospel — the “good news”— the news that Christ has come to take our sin upon Himself and offer us forgiveness and righteousness for free. The greatest news in the history of the world is that God saves us by grace. Christianity would not be unique if it was just another works-based way to get to God. Grace sets people free from guilt, from rituals, from anxiety, and, most importantly, from our sins. Join Frank as he unpacks this from the first book of the Bible Paul ever wrote, with the most important message he ever wrote.

If you want to send us a question for the show, please email us at Hello@CrossExamined.org.

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How do you find God’s will for your life? God sends you hints and nudges so you know what school to go to, what job to take, and who to marry. After all, God’s sheep “hear his voice”, we are “led by the Spirit”, and God gives us “peace” when we discover his will through “a still, small voice”.

That’s the traditional Christian view. But is that view biblical? Sorry, but the answer is no!

Greg Koukl, president of Stand to Reason and CIA instructor, joins Frank to show us why this view is wrong, and to offer us the true biblical view of finding God’s will for your life. Along the way, Greg addresses all the scriptures typically used to defend the traditional view and shows why they don’t work.

While some people may be upset because they think the true biblical view takes God away from them, the biblical view is actually liberating and will help you become a more mature disciple of Christ. This podcast is certainly one of the most practical and important we’ve done recently, so please don’t miss it!

For much more on this topic, be sure to read Greg’s three-part series called Does God Whisper?

If you want to send us a question for the show, please email us at Hello@CrossExamined.org.

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About a century ago the editor of the London Times asked his readers to write in to answer the question, “What’s wrong with the world?” G.K. Chesterton wrote back two words: “I am.” Chesterton was a Christian writer, poet, illustrator, and debater who went on to write more than 80 books and thousands of essays. One of his books had a profound impact on C.S. Lewis. You’ve probably heard several of Chesterton’s quotes even if you don’t recognize the name.

Ethan Nicolle, who is also one of the brilliant minds behind the Babylon Bee, has made it easy to read 14 of Chesterton’s best essays in his new book called Chesterton’s GatewayHe joins Frank on this podcast to share some of the best insights and humor from Chesterton on issues such as wonder, progressivism, religious freedom, and our inane tendency to abandon traditional morality for new fads, among other topics. As you’ll see, Chesterton was well ahead of his time predicting much of what has happened in the world and our modern culture even though he died over 85 years ago. We think you’ll enjoy this one!

Get the book here: https://amzn.to/3pGXvon

If you want to send us a question for the show, please email us at Hello@CrossExamined.org.

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How is it just for God to punish people for eternity when they’ve only committed temporal sins? Isn’t that overkill? Is Hell just temporary? Is it loving for God to “send” people to Hell? Frank answers those questions and others on this sensitive topic.

Plus, he dives into some of the objections leveled at the evidence that authenticates both the New Testament and the recently found burial box of the High Priest Caiaphas. Yes, we’ve actually discovered the grave and bones of the man who sentenced Jesus to die! But is the box real or a fake? Find out in this week’s episode of the ‘I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be An Atheist’ Podcast.

If you want to send us a question for the show, please email us at Hello@CrossExamined.org.

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