Voting for the 2011 Executive Committee of the Evangelical Philosophical Society (EPS) has begun today. I am pleased to announce that this blog’s Matthew Flannagan has been nominated as one of the seven candidates for the three vacant executive committee positions. Matt is the only New Zealander to have been nominated – so proud of him 🙂
If you are a member of the EPS make sure you check out the full candidate list and vote!
A common objection to belief in the God of the Bible is that a good, kind, and loving deity would never command the wholesale slaughter of nations. In the tradition of his popular Is God a Moral Monster?, Paul Copan teams up with Matthew Flannagan to tackle some of the most confusing and uncomfortable passages of Scripture. Together they help the Christian and nonbeliever alike understand the biblical, theological, philosophical, and ethical implications of Old Testament warfare passages.
Today's New Atheists proclaim themselves our culture's party of reason. It is a claim they cannot sustain. Reason is the New Atheists' weakness, not their strength and in fact, the Christian faith is a far better place to look for True Reason. Making their case accessible to the first-time inquirer as well as the serious student, this top-flight team of writers presents a sound defense and a strong introduction to the true reason uniquely found in Christianity.
The book begins by examining foundational philosophical approaches to the Bible as well as the methodological challenges those philosophies create for interpreting the Bible. It then addresses textual and historical challenges and how to deal with them. Finally it looks at ethical, scientific, and theological challenges demonstrating the Bible's moral integrity in relationship to contemporary moral emphases.
Many philosophers have considered the strengths and weaknesses of a virtue-centered approach to moral theory. Much less attention has been given to how such an approach bears on issues in applied ethics. The essays in this volume apply a virtue-centered perspective to a variety of contemporary moral issues.
The challenge of a seemingly genocidal God who commands ruthless warfare has bewildered Bible readers for generations. A range of expert contributors engage in a multidisciplinary approach that considers this issue from a variety of perspectives: biblical, ethical, philosophical and theological.
The nineteen essays here raise classical philosophical questions in fresh ways, address contemporary challenges for the church, and will deepen the thinking of the next generation of apologists. Packed with dynamic topical discussions and informed by the latest scholarship.
While New Atheists like Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and others proclaim loudly their rationality, clear thinking, and incontrovertible scientific arguments, others are beginning to wonder how genuinely rational they are. Have they proved anything? Have they argued convincingly? Have they pinpointed any real challenges to the credibility of Christian faith?
Do you have to be a Christian to become a member? How would they test for it? I’m an atheist but still want to have some influence on Christian politics.
As far as i’m aware, you have to sign the statement of faith to be a member of the EPS.
Which is fair enough…
I would sign it just so I can get in.
A tad dishonest don’t you think? why should an atheist feel it necessary to infiltrate a specifically Christian organization and wittingly sign a statement of faith in the infallibility of scripture unless he had ulterior motives?
Congratulations Matt
Because I have a something to achieve and can only do it by taking this path.
What about Glenno? Is he a member? Has he nominated?
It seems to be fitting recognition for the dedication and scholarly work done. Well done Matt, and to Madeleine also.
i am interested too.. Great blog!