Jacksonville Theology Conference 2013: Express Your Interest!

I explained in my previous post that I may have the opportunity to defend annihilationism in a live, in-person debate at a conference potentially being planned in Jacksonville for early 2013. The organizers have decided to test the waters, so to speak, to see if there’s sufficient interest to go ahead and fully plan the event: hire speakers, rent facilities, etc. Here’s an excerpt from this link:

Last weekend, one of the site owners [Dee Dee Warren] called me to ask if I was up for another conference. She has an opportunity to do a formal 3-hour debate on eschatology (end-time philosophy) with another popular online theologian who will be promoting a book in early 2013 and she thought it would be a good event to build a conference around…By the time we were ready to hang up, we had decided to contact some public figures and invite them to participate, planned a benefit banquet with a keynote speaker, discussed local worship musicians who have music projects coming to market right around that time, and considered creating an expo-style venue for local ministries to raise awareness and for speakers to do book/media signings…

…The first step in this process is to test the market. If we’re the only ones excited about such an event, then it wouldn’t make much sense to go forward. So, we’re praying for clear direction and we’re asking you to tell us what you think of this concept. Your input at this crucial phase of our planning can make all the difference…

…It is our sincere hope that we can draw about 500 people to this event and that process begins right here. If we don’t get 250 responses in the next 2 weeks, the project may never see the light of day…

If you’re interested in meeting Dee Dee and me, seeing us debate (and moderate one another’s debates), or if you just want to be a part of what promises to be a very fruitful, edifying conference, YOUR HELP IS NEEDED! Please go here and express your interest in the event!

Traditionalist Needed for In-Person Debate

As my friend and fellow podcaster Dee Dee Warren explains in this episode of The Preterist Podcast, she will be participating in a live, in-person debate in Floriday early 2013, defending the preterist interpretation of the Olivet Discourse. Dee Dee and her opponent graciously accepted my offer to moderate, and so I began planning to fly my family from one end of the contiguous states to the other to participate in one debate as moderator.

As it turns out, it is very possible that I will be participating in a second debate as well, in which Dee Dee and I will switch roles, she serving as moderator, me defending the annihilationist understanding of final punishment. I’m turning to you readers and listeners for help finding a traditionalist opponent for that debate.

Nothing is set in stone yet, but it’s looking like both our debates would take place in Jacksonville, Florida, on a weekend in late February or early March, 2013. They will likely be part of a weekend-long convention focused on biblical theology in general, being presently organized. The organizers of the event are hoping to get one or more renowned speakers to speak on a variety of topics. (I know I’m being somewhat vague; I’ll post more details if and when they become available.)

If you know anybody who might be interested in appearing at such a conference, to represent the traditional view of final punishment in a live, in-person debate opposite an annihilationist, please contact whomever you have in mind, including a link to this post and my contact information.

Coming Soon: Dr. Brown Debates Israel

Dr. Michael L. Brown is the host of the daily, nationally, syndicated talk radio show, “The Line of Fire,” as well as the host of the Jewish-outreach, documentary TV series, “Think It Thru,” which airs internationally on the INSP network. He’s the author of twenty books, including, Our Hands Are Stained with Blood: The Tragic Story of the “Church” and the Jewish People, which has been translated into more than twelve languages, the highly-acclaimed five-volume series, Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus, a commentary on Jeremiah (part of the revised edition of the Expositor’s Bible Commentary), and several books on revival and Jesus revolution. His newest book is A Queer Thing Happened to America: And What a Long, Strange Trip It’s Been.

Coming soon, Dr. Brown joins me to debate the status of Israel with listener to my show and fellow podcaster Travis Finley, host of “The Glory of God & Kings” podcast. Dr. Brown has graciously agreed to an hour of informal, conversational debate with Travis, some time in early July. Travis will be affirming the following proposition: “Israel—whether the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, or as a body politic—is no longer uniquely chosen by God, and no longer holds a special status in God’s economy.” Dr. Brown will be denying (as I do).

Stay tuned for what is sure to be a very interesting discussion!

Coming Soon: Interview with Philip Payne

Philip PayneDr. Philip B. Payne is well known for his studies on New Testament Textual Criticism, the Parables of Jesus, and Man and Woman in the Teachings of Paul. He and his wife Nancy were missionaries in Japan with the Evangelical Free Church, where they ministered to students in the Kyoto Christian Studies Center and lectured on New Testament in various Japanese Seminaries. On the one hand, because I’ve been a student of 日本語 (Japanese) myself, I feel a sense of kinship with Dr. Payne. On the other hand, my being a complementarian puts me at odds with Dr. Payne when it comes to the roles of men and women in the Church.

One in ChristComing soon, Dr. Payne joins me to challenge me and my listeners with his position in the debate between complementarianism and egalitarianism, as put forward in his book, Man and Woman, One in Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study of Paul’s Letters. I must admit, his treatment of the topic is the first I’ve come across from his perspective which seems to try and take the original text of the New Testament seriously. You and I may disagree with him when the interview is over, but it probably won’t be for the typical reasons we disagree with egalitarians. Stay tuned!

Calling Contentious Credobaptists!

OK, obviously I’m not looking for someone truly contentious, but it made for a clever (arguably) alliteration. In all seriousness, now that we’ve had an infant baptism debate between a Protestant and an Eastern Orthodox, I think it would be useful to have a debate between two Protestants, one a creedobaptist, the other a paedobaptist. I think I have a listener who’d be interested in representing the Presbyterian perspective. If you or anybody you know might be interested in representing the Baptist perspective, please contact me. I’d love to set something up!

Episode 84: When You Believe

Debate topic: “Infants are not the proper subjects of the ordinance of baptism.” Jamin Hübner, founder of www.RealApologetics.org and author of The Portable Presuppositionalist, affirms. Eastern Orthodox Rev. Pr. Laurent Cleenewerck, editor of The Eastern / Greek Orthodox New Testament, denies. This episode is part 2 of their debate, including the second round of cross-examination, closing statements and listener Q&A; listen to episode 83, “God Bless the Child,” for part 1’s opening statements, rebuttals and first round of cross-examination.

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Coming Soon: Interview with Sam Shamoun

Sam Shamoun is a Christian Apologist to Islam. Additionally, he engages in debates as an informed apologist refuting accusations and attacks leveled by Muslims against Christianity. He writes at http://answering-islam.org/, and coming soon Sam joins me to demonstrate for us that Muhammad was a false prophet, and that the Qur’an is of human, rather than divine, origin. Stay tuned!

John Gill on Sola Scriptura

Apparently, on November 2nd, 1750, John Gill preached a sermon entitled, “The Scriptures: The Only Guide in Matters of Faith.” Were Gill alive today, he and I would have our disagreements, to be sure. But if this sermon is any indication, he and I would have agreed on the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. Here are some selected quotes:

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Some of the Best Advice I’ve Received…

I got an email today from someone who heard of my upcoming debate with Joshua Whipps (a.k.a. Razor’s Kiss) of Choosing Hats, in which he told me he’s praying for me and gave me some of the best advice I’ve received. I take it seriously, and to heart, and I think I’ll find some way to crystalize this in the form of a notecard I can carry around in my pocket or something, as I think it’s that important. I’ve kept the sender anonymous.

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Episode 83: God Bless the Child

Debate topic: “Infants are not the proper subjects of the ordinance of baptism.” Jamin Hübner, founder of www.RealApologetics.org and author of The Portable Presuppositionalist, affirms. Eastern Orthodox Rev. Pr. Laurent Cleenewerck, editor of The Eastern / Greek Orthodox New Testament, denies. This episode is part 1 of their debate, including their opening statements, rebuttals and first round of cross-examination; listen to episode 84, “When You Believe,” for part 2’s second round of cross-examination, closing statements and listener Q&A.

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