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God and Logic Part 2: Do Laws of Logic Have Divine Attributes?

Unknown-2In my critical thinking class, in addition to learning the minutia of validity and invalidity, we are also exploring the relationship between God and logic. Needless to say, this is a topic that most standard textbooks on logic or critical thinking neglect. It is for this reason that I assign Vern Poythress’s book Logic: A God-Centered Approach to the Foundation of Western Thought. In this book Poythress includes 10 chapters reflecting on God and logic (insert: cheer and excitement here). While I appreciate the attention given to the issue, I often find Poythress’s treatment overly simplistic and, and at times, confused.

God and Logic Part 1: The Logical Euthyphro

imagesWhat does God have to do with logic? It seems that the reality of the laws of logic force God into a dilemma. Either God is subject to the laws of logic or he is not. If God is subject to the laws of logic, then God is not absolutely sovereign. If God is not subject to the laws of logic, then God is illogical. Either way, God is less than worship worthy. Or so it would seem.

The Vice of Self-Confidence

Unknown-3Society is terribly insistent on the virtue of self-confidence. We attend seminars to get it. We go on diets to get it. We work out to get it. We go to church to get it. We seek praise to get it. We religiously post to Facebook to get it. Yet, with every poorly “liked” post, or failed diet, it wanes. Like caffeine, no matter how long we hope to have it, it eventually ebbs away.

EPS Symposium on Faith and Scholarship

Screen Shot 2014-09-25 at 1.54.58 PMFor the last two decades, I’ve been wrestling with the question of how the Christian faith intersects with the academy. I’ve recently written a book, The Outrageous idea of the Missional Professor, in which I set forth some of my findings. (see the companion website here). One of my essays from the book deals explicitly with the topic of the integration of faith and scholarship. An excerpt of that essay can be seen here. Today, at the evangelical Philosophical society website, an online symposium was posted in which scholars interact with my original essay. I am humbled and gratified for the opportunity to be pushed, critiqued, and encouraged by these scholars. In this post, I’ll highlight the abstract for each of these essays and point you to the full text.

Atheism, Arrogance, and Intellectual Vice

imagesThis past June in Vancouver, the atheists Lawrence Krauss and Richard Dawkins were recorded speaking about the despicable (Christian philosopher and theologian) William Lane Craig at the Imagine No Religion 5 Conference. As I listened to this brief (less than 3 minute) rant, I was amazed at the arrogance of the two. It was a brief window into a not often enough talked about aspect of some within the new atheist movement: smug arrogance and a corresponding intellectual viciousness.

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