Cave To The Cross Apologetics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhEuXN125CA

We are joined today by Katie Roome who is the founder and writer of Periapsis Press. We sit down and talk about Christianity, sci-fi, & indie publishing. Is there a difference between the genres; and what do they tell us about God’s story and humanity? So we’re talking nerdy today!

Periapsis Press offers long-form, positive reviews for independent authors in the science fiction and fantasy genre. While not every book is “Christian fiction” the books’ themes and values “do not come in conflict with our Christian worldview”.

We discuss the importance of reading things through the lens of a Christian worldview and why sci-fi and fantasy are great avenues to explore the ultimate story of God and our place in it. We, of course, have to talk about how bad Christian fiction is – and indie fiction as well. However, Periapsis Press is a place to show that’s not always the case and in the struggles of indie authors, there are positives. We also talk about how to be a good reader and reviewer. And book recommendations!

Here’s the spot where I usually list the nerd references. Ya, that’s just the whole episode.

00:00 – Introduction

The episode link is cavetothecross.com/ep169/

Periapsis Press – https://periapsispress.com/

Stories Are Soul Food Podcast

Uriel’s Revenge by David Roome

The Fountain Mechanism by David Roome

What about Evil? A Defense of God’s Sovereign Glory by Scott Christensen

Drosselmeyer – Curse Of The Rat King by Paul Thompson

Periapsis Press Review

War Of The Worlds by H.G. Wells

Jeff Wayne’s The World Of The Worlds

The Devil’s Dictum by Frederick Gero Heimbach

Periapsis Press Review

How Black the Sky by T. J. Marquis

Periapsis Press Review

Out Of The Deep by T. J. Marquis

Periapsis Press Review

Recovering The Lost Art Of Reading by Leland Ryken & Glenda Faye Mathes

The Guns Of The South by Harry Turtledove

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Check Out Other Interviews We’ve Done – We’ve interviewed authors from the books we’ve read like Greg Koukl, Dr. Jason Lisle, Andreas J. Köstenberger, and others. We’ve interviewed pastors and podcasters and economists. CLICK HERE to check them all out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJa2yKjI8OE

One of the biggest questions that comes from the Greater-Glory Theodicy is this – Was The Fall necessary? Because that’s what it seems to imply. Well, that’s actually what it comes right out and says. It’s nothing to blush at or be embarrassed about. It’s the necessary outcome for God’s purposes.

To focus on the negative, however, is to miss the “glory” of the Greater-Glory Theodicy. In this episode, we cover four of them and cover what is the purpose of evil as it relates to magnifying and displaying God’s glory more fully than if The Fall never occurred.

00:00 – Introduction

The episode link is cavetothecross.com/ep168/

What about Evil? A Defense of God’s Sovereign Glory by Scott Christensen

“As an Amazon Associate, we earn income to support us from qualifying purchases.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJa2yKjI8OE

Now that we’ve laid out the Greater-Glory Theodicy that Scott Christensen has presented we unpack what it actually does that others don’t. In this theodicy, God’s Glory seen in evil is established. This doesn’t come from a novel, clever way to get around popular theories. This comes from the overall presentation of Scripture of who God is and what His greatest desire is.

What’s God’s purpose for creating the universe and all life including human life? What’s God’s purpose for revealing who He is through direct revelation to His image-bearers? What is the purpose of Christ’s incarnation and atonement? It is the same reason why God allows evil into the world.

00:00 – Introduction

The episode link is cavetothecross.com/ep167/

30:23 – Did Moses See God Face To Face? – Bible Contradiction Explained!

What about Evil? A Defense of God’s Sovereign Glory by Scott Christensen

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cnhkqSLfwY

We’ve knocked down the standard explanations. We’ve established who God is and what He desires. We’ve told His story in history from a story tale. Now, we get to tackle what Scott Christensen believes is the best explanation for evil with all those elements put together – The Greater-Glory Theodicy.

In this episode, we break down the three premises and conclusion of the Greater-Glory Theodicy and see that the conclusion is supported by them. From there we begin to cover some of the details embedded in the argument. One of them being is to figure out whether or not God is required to save anyone by giving His Grace to them.

Join us on our quest for a biblically-based theodicy.

00:00 – Introduction

The episode link is cavetothecross.com/ep166/

What about Evil? A Defense of God’s Sovereign Glory by Scott Christensen

“As an Amazon Associate, we earn income to support us from qualifying purchases.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCOUCzVT0_M

After setting the scene with Creation and The Fall, we are now able to see what God’s purpose with evil is. Following the story paradigm, we see God’s story played out in the rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement. Each part covers an evil plot point where God is able to reveal Himself more fully to His creation.

Throughout God’s story of redemption, we see a repeated pattern of man attempting to cover his sin on his own or go his own way. Ultimately, and every time, he fails. Fortunately, God comes in and provides a much better and fuller way. This goes from Adam through the Jewish nation and culminates at the person and ministry of Jesus Christ. He comes, conquers, and rules in such a way that the twists and turns makes the story that much more compelling.

And the application point is that within the story which contains evil, God is in complete control AND He uses His creation in His relation to them to carry out His victory and removal of evil. His Kingdom will reign over all creation – even of Mars.

00:00 – Introduction

The episode link is cavetothecross.com/ep165/

Short Clips From Episodes

What about Evil? A Defense of God’s Sovereign Glory by Scott Christensen

Gulag Archipelago by Alekandr Slzhenitsyn

“As an Amazon Associate, we earn income to support us from qualifying purchases.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVGV6nyAG0A

What is evil’s purpose in God’s story? To begin to understand the answer we look at the fact that God’s written story, The Bible, is more than just propositions and commands – it is also stories.

As it is the first story by the original Author we can call it a monomyth. This isn’t myth like Greek or Roman myths. It differs in many ways and in this episode we cover those differences. The historical declarations made at specific times and places along with the purpose of the stories and how they are told make God’s story different than pagan myths.

From there we begin unfolding God’s story so that we can understand evil’s purpose in God’s story. In the beginning God. Then He builds the set. Then He casts His cast and crew. Then the conflict is quickly introduced and the villain emerges!

And the shirt Patrick is wearing? It’s only The War Of The Worlds printed in its entirety on it. What a story that includes an evil conflict!

00:00 – Introduction

The episode link is cavetothecross.com/ep164/

What about Evil? A Defense of God’s Sovereign Glory by Scott Christensen

God Dwells Among Us: Expanding Eden to the Ends of the Earth by GK Beale

Taking Hold of God – Reformed and Puritan Perspectives on Prayer by Joel R. Beeke & Brian G. Najapfour

1984 by George Orwell

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

The Odyssey by Homer

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp0imFHpNmg

Now that we looked at what myths are and what the monomyth of God’s story is; we look at what the structure of God’s story is – as well as all other stories follow. The shared collective consciousness of humanity reflects what it cannot help – the reflection of their Creator who is a Storyteller in their structure and desire to tell stories.

Looking at Freytag’s Pyramid of storytelling we see the five parts of a story all myths and important stories take on. Seeing either comedy or tragedy, the end goal is to convey an important concept or cultural value in the end.

We give a lot of examples from movies and book genres to show that our stories can be tied right back to our Creator. We create because He creates. We teach how He teaches. And evil has a place in the story and teaching.

00:00 – Introduction

The episode link is cavetothecross.com/ep163/

What about Evil? A Defense of God’s Sovereign Glory by Scott Christensen

God Dwells Among Us: Expanding Eden to the Ends of the Earth by GK Beale

MOVIE – The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

MOVIE – Assume The Position With Mr. Wuhl

“As an Amazon Associate, we earn income to support us from qualifying purchases.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg8s7WtwPf0

The term “myth” has a colloquial understanding of being made up or fake. But that’s not the true meaning of the word. Myths are stories told in a worldview used to relay information to a group and that story is made to stick. This universal concept derives itself from God. God as the monomyth Storyteller sets up our theodicy to explain why evil exists.

Looking at societies and tribes and even families and neighborhoods, humanity to a source of storytellers. We have more books today than at any other point in time because we have not yet run out of stories to tell. Science fiction informs our ideas of the future while relating to the reader of today. Fantasy gives us tales of adventure and mystery with the spice of magic. Even our factual based stories of war and politics are not told in a mundane way. The facts are accompanied with hopefully a good story. Taking the fun out of history is the job of schools.

Man is a storyteller by nature. With the Christian worldview, we know that we get our nature from God. In God’s communicative character, we find Him as our ultimate Storyteller. And in His story, there are bad guys and evil afoot.

00:00 – Introduction

The episode link is cavetothecross.com/ep162/

What about Evil? A Defense of God’s Sovereign Glory by Scott Christensen

Bandersnatch – C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and the Creative Collaboration of the Inklings by Diana Glyer 

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Light Keepers Series

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lPCw3o21Bk

In this episode, we responds to a great listener question about how to bring apologetics into the church. The question is specifically from a pastor’s point of view but we answer it in a way to be useful for the pastor, elder, deacon, Christian teacher, or layperson to be useful to his/her local church and build up the body of Christ.

With all the things the church needs to address – sound doctrine, exegesis, sanctification/morality, etc. it can feel a little overwhelming for pastors to hear about things like apologetics or textual criticism or church history and be told that “the Church needs to cover these topics as well”. What if that pastor or teacher or layperson doesn’t feel particularly equipped to deal with those things especially on top of all the other responsibilities?

Is the only response to make a general suggestion to the congregation that they can read about it in books about apologetics? Do you want to direct your people to random YouTube searches? Or what about people who don’t think they need to hear about these topics?

Well here’s a random YouTube show who encourages you to read books about apologetics especially for those who may not be interested in the depth of the topic – to provide their answer.

00:00 – Introduction

The episode link is cavetothecross.com/ep161/

Finding Truth by Nancy Pearcey

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Tactics by Greg Koukl

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Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZrpIA4Mx7k

Continuing to look at God’s responsibility when it comes to evil, we look at God’s responsibility in the Fall of mankind. Both sides of the choice debate have to recognize the Fall as something unique and comes with their own set of questions. Which side is the most consistent AND the most biblical?

Genesis 50 offers up one of the best biblical views of divine determinism as well as the moral responsibility of man for evil alone but God’s decree of that same evil. Evil does not exist independently from God. God is not reacting to evil. God is not surprised by evil. God is not being forced to deal with evil. There is no conflict in determinism when approached fairly.

Then we look at the Fall and see that Adam and Eve seem to offer up a special case and because of the limits to the metaphysical nature of man pre-Fall, we come up with a mystery. With all that being said, we still see that God is still sovereign in the Fall. It was not an accident and it was not God being a puppet master and forcing Adam & Eve to sin.

This chapter is really preparing the way for Christensen to present his own theodicy that incorporates all the issues he’s presented so far along with the biblical narrative truth God provided.

00:00 – Introduction

The episode link is cavetothecross.com/ep160/

What about Evil? A Defense of God’s Sovereign Glory by Scott Christensen

What About Free Will? Reconciling Our Choices with God’s Sovereignty by Scott Christensen

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