Welcome to the creed episode of Three Chords and the Truth!

But don’t worry: we are not talking about the band Creed. (In case you’ve forgotten, Creed was the 1990s band whose videos were filled with embarrassingly-bad CGI and scenes in which the lead vocalist apparently couldn’t keep himself from flailing his arms wide open for most of the song.) Despite Garrick’s best efforts to focus the entire episode on the band Creed, Timothy manages to maintain sufficient focus to discuss both the Apostles’ Creed and a new secular creed. You’ve probably seen this new secular creed on a yard sign somewhere in your city: “In this house, we believe that black lives matter, women’s rights are human rights, no human is illegal, science is real, love is love, and kindness is everything.” Garrick and Timothy explore what’s wrong, what’s right, and what doesn’t make sense at all about this secular creed. In the process, they discover that even secular people will always create creeds because every human being is created for creeds.

Not only are we created for creeds as human beings, but we’re also wired for worship. Worship is the theme of the music segment this week, and U2 is the star—which is fortunate because, if this week’s song hadn’t been from a band as great as U2, Garrick would have insisted on spending the entire hour talking about Creed. Along the way, Garrick and Timothy reveal the origins of the name “U2” and discover a band called “the Virgin Prunes” that was nearly renamed “the Deuteronomy Prunes.” Your intrepid cohosts unanimously conclude that “Virgin Prunes” and “Deuteronomy Prunes” are two of the worst possible names for a band—although, if the name had been re-styled as “Deütërönömÿ Prünës” so that it had more umlauts than Mötley Crüe it might actually have worked in the 1980s. John Calvin, Friedrich Schleiermacher, and Herman Bavinck all make appearances as the dynamic duo tries to determine why U2’s song “Where the Streets Have No Name” triggers a sense of transcendence and worship within us.

This week’s question from the Infinity Gauntlet pits one superhero who communicates with insects against another who’s been infected by a radioactive arachnid. In the end, no nip from an arachnid is sufficient to stand against the capacity to shrink and expand exponentially.

Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

Timothy Paul Jones, Ph.D., is C. Edwin Gheens Professor of Christian Family Ministry at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He teaches in the areas of family ministry and applied apologetics. He has authored or edited more than a dozen books, including Why Should I Trust the Bible?; The God Who Goes Before You; Perspectives on Family Ministry; and Christian History Made Easy. Follow Dr. Jones at @DrTimothyPJones.

1. What do creeds have to do with apologetics?

2. What does "holy catholic church" mean in the Apostles' Creed?

3. Why do people create creeds, even if they don’t believe in God?

If you want to learn more about confessions of faith, one great place to start is Baptist Confessions, Covenants, and Catechisms by Timothy & Denise George. To download a sample chapter, visit http://www.bhacademic.com

B and H Academic

Creeds of Christendom: book by Philip Schaff

When Children Became People: book by Odd Magne Bakke

Scientism and Secularism: book by J.P. Moreland

Where the Conflict Really Lies: book by Alvin Plantinga

Let the Trumpet Sound: book by Stephen B. Oates

Commentary on Romans: book by John Calvin

"The Earliest Christian Confession about the Resurrection": podcast episode by Timothy Paul Jones and Garrick Bailey

The Joshua Tree: album by U2

"What's This Life For": song by Creed

"Creed": song by Third Day

"Where the Streets Have No Name": song by U2

"Out of Control": song by U2

"Sunday Bloody Sunday": song by U2

"Bullet the Blue Sky": song by U2

“Where the Streets Have No Name (Live)”: song by U2 from U2360 Tour

ThreeChordsApologetics.com

If you are interested in earning a master’s degree online or on campus that will equip you with the most comprehensive apologetics training available anywhere, go to http://www.sbts.edu/bgs/degree-programs/mdiv/apologetics/

Support the show and spread the word! Here are a few ways to do that:

1. Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

2. Leave a rating and review on iTunes to encourage other people to listen to the show.

3. If you purchase any of the books mentioned in Three Chords and the Truth, consider using the Amazon links provided in the show notes. The show will receive a small percentage of each sale.

4. Visit our Patreon site where you can support the podcast, suggest future songs or topics, and order Three Chords and the Truth merchandise.

5. Make contact with us on Twitter: @DrTimothyPJones  @GarrickBailey  @ApologeticsPod

Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast thanks B&H Academic for their sponsorship.

Music for the podcast has been licensed through Artlist.io and performed by the band Vegan Friendly—even though neither Garrick nor Timothy has ever been vegan friendly.

Brief excerpts of music played in each program are included solely for the purposes of comment and critique as allowed under the fair-use provision of U.S. copyright law. "The fair use of a copyrighted work ... for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, ... scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright" (U.S. Code § 107, Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use).

How can a good God allow so much evil and suffering in the world? And why do some people seem to suffer so much more than others? According to a recent survey of college students, the problem of evil is the question about Christianity that college students find most difficult to answer. This week, Dr. Eric Johnson joins Garrick and Timothy to discuss the difficult question of how to respond when suffering seems to stand in the way of someone's trust in God. The Eric Johnson who shows up on the program today is not—Timothy is slightly saddened to learn—the epic guitarist who plays “Cliffs of Dover.” He is, instead, a leading scholar who serves as director of the Gideon Institute of Christian Psychology and Counseling at Houston Baptist University.

This week's query from the gauntlet that snapped away half of all life commandeers the Star Wars universe into mortal combat against Middle Earth. In the end, Lucasfilm falls on its face before the combined might of Mordor, Gondor, and Smeagol.

In second half of this week's episode, Garrick pulls on his striped spandex and Timothy picks up his favorite aerosol hairspray in preparation for discussing one of the great hair metal bands of the 1980s, Stryper. This leads to a discussion of human freedom and divine sovereignty in the song "Free" from Stryper's 1986 album To Hell with the Devil. When Timothy shares what the backronym "S.T.R.Y.P.E.R." stands for, the dynamic duo can barely contain themselves; then, Timothy loses it completely when he discovers that Steve Perry is a favorite vocalist of Stryper's lead singer Michael Sweet, confirming once and for all that anything wonderful about the 1980s is only a degree or two removed from Steve Perry. (To quote Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy, "It's just like Kevin Bacon!") In the end, your intrepid cohosts regain their focus just long enough to survey the question of humanity's freedom in salvation throughout the entirety of church history. Along the way, they manage to include not only music from Stryper but also from Led Zeppelin and maybe even Aerosmith. Also they discover an amazing new possible name for their band: "Pelagian Residue."

Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

Eric L. Johnson, Ph.D., is professor of Christian Psychology at Houston Baptist University. He has taught for almost 30 years and published more than 50 articles and two books on Christian psychology, Foundations for Soul Care and God and Soul Care. The founding director of the Society for Christian Psychology, he is the director of the Gideon Center of Christian Psychology and Counseling, a new Houston Baptist University program. Follow Dr. Johnson at @DrELJohnson.

1. Does the Epicurean Trilemma present a logical problem of evil?

2. In some sense, there are three problems of evil: logical, evidential, and existential. Alvin Plantinga’s book God, Freedom, and Evil dealt a death blow to the logical problem of evil. Our focus is the existential/pastoral problem of evil. What is most important to remember when someone is facing this?

3. In what sense can we say that God understands our struggles?

If you want to dig deeper into apologetics after listening to this podcast, one great place to start is Reasons for Our Hope by H. Wayne House and Dennis Jowers. To download a sample chapter, visit http://www.bhacademic.com

B and H Academic

Foundations for Soul Care: book by Eric Johnson

God and Soul Care: book by Eric Johnson

God, Freedom, and Evil: book by Alvin Plantinga

"Sing-Along Song": song by Stryper

"Cliffs of Dover Live": song by Eric Johnson

"No Rain": song by Blind Melon

"Here We Go!": song by Roger Wood

"Don't Stop Believin'": song by Journey

"More Than A Man": song by Stryper

"Stairway to Heaven": song by Led Zeppelin

"Love In An Elevator": song by Aerosmith

"Free": song by Stryper

To Hell with the Devil: album by Stryper

ThreeChordsApologetics.com

If you are interested in earning a master’s degree online or on campus that will equip you with the most comprehensive apologetics training available anywhere, go to http://www.sbts.edu/bgs/degree-programs/mdiv/apologetics/

Support the show and spread the word! Here are a few ways to do that:

1. Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

2. Leave a rating and review on iTunes to encourage other people to listen to the show.

3. If you purchase any of the books mentioned in Three Chords and the Truth, consider using the Amazon links provided in the show notes. The show will receive a small percentage of each sale.

4. Visit our Patreon site where you can support the podcast, suggest future songs or topics, and order Three Chords and the Truth merchandise.

5. Make contact with us on Twitter: @DrTimothyPJones  @GarrickBailey  @ApologeticsPod

Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast thanks B&H Academic for their sponsorship.

Music for the podcast has been licensed through Artlist.io and performed by the band Vegan Friendly—even though neither Garrick nor Timothy has ever been vegan friendly.

Brief excerpts of music played in each program are included solely for the purposes of comment and critique as allowed under the fair-use provision of U.S. copyright law. "The fair use of a copyrighted work ... for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, ... scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright" (U.S. Code § 107, Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use).

Peter Gurry, Ph.D., is assistant professor of New Testament at Phoenix Seminary where he teaches courses in Greek Language and New Testament literature. His research interests range across Greek grammar, the history and formation of the Bible, and the history of New Testament scholarship. Gurry is the author of A Critical Examination of the Coherence-Based Genealogical Method in New Testament Textual Criticism and A New Approach to Textual Criticism: An Introduction to the Coherence-Based Genealogical Method (co-authored with Tommy Wasserman). Follow Dr. Gurry on Twitter at @pjgurry.

Elijah Hixson, Ph.D., is research associate in New Testament Text and Language at Tyndale House, Cambridge, where he is working with Dirk Jongkind to produce a textual commentary on the Greek New Testament. Hixson is the author of Scribal Habits in Sixth-Century Greek Purple Codices and editor of Myths and Mistakes in New Testament Textual Criticism (co-edited with Peter Gurry). He has served as a tutor in biblical studies at the University of Edinburgh and has written articles for Journal of Theological Studies, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, and Lexham Bible Dictionary.

1. What’s the primary point of this new book, Myths and Mistakes in New Testament Textual Criticism?

2. Here’s a claim that appears in one popular apologetics books: “Two factors are most important in determining the reliability of a historical document: the number of manuscript copies in existence, and the time between when it was first written and the oldest existing copy. When it comes to the New Testament, there are more than five thousand seven hundred Ancient Greek manuscripts in existence from as early as the second century A.D.” What about this statement is right, and what is wrong?

3. Here’s another common claim: “A fragment of John’s Gospel survives from 125 A.D., only three decades from the time the Gospel was written.” What is right and wrong about this claim?

4. What would you say to the apologist who is excited by all of this and who thinks they might want to become a textual critic?

If you want to dig deeper into the historical integrity of the New Testament, one great place to start is In Defense of the Bible, edited by Terry Wilder and Steven Cowan. To download a sample chapter, visit http://www.bhacademic.com

B and H Academic

Reformed Dogmatics, volume 4: book by Herman Bavinck

The Institutes of the Christian Religion: book by John Calvin

Myths and Mistakes in New Testament Textual Criticism: book edited by Peter Gurry and Elijah Hixson

Evidence That Demands a Verdict: book by Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell

Reinventing Jesus: book by J. Ed Komoszewski, M. James Sawyer, and Daniel Wallace

How We Got the Bible: book by Timothy Paul Jones

Misquoting Truth: book by Timothy Paul Jones

5150: album by Van Halen

The Best of Both Worlds: album by Van Halen

Balance: album by Van Halen

"Eruption": song by Van Halen

"Running with the Devil": song by Van Halen

"Love Walks In": song by Van Halen

"I Can't Drive 55": song by Sammy Hagar

"Give to Live": song by Sammy Hagar

"When It's Love": song by Van Halen

"Judgment Day": song by Van Halen

"Learning to See": song by Van Halen

"Affirmation": song by Sammy Hagar & The Circle

ThreeChordsApologetics.com

If you are interested in earning a master’s degree online or on campus that will equip you with the most comprehensive apologetics training available anywhere, click here.

Support the show and spread the word! Here are a few ways to do that:

1. Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

2. Leave a rating and review on iTunes to encourage other people to listen to the show.

3. If you purchase any of the books mentioned in Three Chords and the Truth, consider using the Amazon links provided in the show notes. The show will receive a small percentage of each sale.

4. Visit our Patreon site where you can support the podcast, suggest future songs or topics, and order Three Chords and the Truth merchandise.

5. Make contact with us on Twitter: @DrTimothyPJones  @GarrickBailey  @ApologeticsPod

Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast thanks B&H Academic for their sponsorship.

Music for the podcast has been licensed through Artlist.io and performed by the band Vegan Friendly—even though neither Garrick nor Timothy has ever been vegan friendly.

Brief excerpts of music played in each program are included solely for the purposes of comment and critique as allowed under the fair-use provision of U.S. copyright law. "The fair use of a copyrighted work ... for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, ... scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright" (U.S. Code § 107, Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use).

Has the Bible been copied accurately? Skeptics such as biblical scholar Dr. Bart Ehrman have suggested that it wasn’t. According to Bart Ehrman's book Misquoting Jesus, it makes no sense for Christians to refer to the Bible as God's inspired Word "because we no longer possess the words that God supposedly inspired. ... All that we have are error-ridden copies" far removed from the original texts. In the first half of this episode, two scholars in the field of textual criticism join Garrick and Timothy to talk about the reliability of the text of the New Testament. Peter Gurry is assistant professor of New Testament and co-director of the Text and Canon Institute at Phoenix Seminary; Elijah Hixson is a research assistant at Tyndale House in Cambridge. During the interview, Elijah shares the amazing story of how he discovered a lost snippet of Greek text in the fifth-century manuscript Codex Bezae.

A biblical theology of the city is the theme of the second half of this episode. While setting the stage for a theology of the city, your intrepid cohosts recognize that 1986 was the greatest year ever for rock and roll, and they explore the very first tune that Timothy heard when he went searching for rock and roll. That song was "You Belong to the City," written and recorded in 1985 for the soundtrack of Miami Vice. In the process of exploring the meaning and purpose of the city, Garrick and Timothy also define "fundamentalism" and discover that—despite Timothy's best efforts—rock and roll music is incapable of boiling an egg. More seriously and far more importantly, Garrick and Timothy discuss the impact of the crack epidemic and disproportionate incarceration on African-American communities in the inner city.

This episode is also a wild and reckless celebration of the lost art of mispronunciation! Before the episode was recorded, Timothy said to Garrick, "When this song was on the radio in Kansas in the 1980s, I'm pretty sure that the disc jockey pronounced the artist's last name like 'fry.'" After the recording was over, it was discovered that Timothy was slightly right but mostly wrong. That is indeed the way the name was being pronounced in the corn and soybean kingdom of Kansas in 1986, but it's not the correct pronunciation of Glenn Frey's latter nomen, which is in fact pronounced "fray"---less like a fried strip of tuber that you dip in catsup and more like what happens to the hemline of Garrick's cargo slacks when he spends too much time practicing the moonwalk on the front porch of the chapel at Southern Seminary. This week's question from the Infinity Gauntlet erupts into a deadly duel between Luke Skywalker and Harry Potter, and we deal with a deep and difficult dilemma of vital importance for the daily life of every listener: Can a non-magical weapon block a magical curse? The results of our discussion leave Luke Skywalker lying on the floor of the Death Star with a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead, whining about how he never got to go to Tosche Station with Ron and Hermione even though he finished his chores and saved the galaxy. Also "Tosche Station" would be a great name for a band.

Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

Peter Gurry, Ph.D., is assistant professor of New Testament at Phoenix Seminary where he teaches courses in Greek Language and New Testament literature. His research interests range across Greek grammar, the history and formation of the Bible, and the history of New Testament scholarship. Gurry is the author of A Critical Examination of the Coherence-Based Genealogical Method in New Testament Textual Criticism and A New Approach to Textual Criticism: An Introduction to the Coherence-Based Genealogical Method (co-authored with Tommy Wasserman). Follow Dr. Gurry on Twitter at @pjgurry.

Elijah Hixson, Ph.D., is research associate in New Testament Text and Language at Tyndale House, Cambridge, where he is working with Dirk Jongkind to produce a textual commentary on the Greek New Testament. Hixson is the author of Scribal Habits in Sixth-Century Greek Purple Codices and coeditor with Peter Gurry of Myths and Mistakes in New Testament Textual Criticism. He has served as a tutor in biblical studies at the University of Edinburgh and has written articles for Journal of Theological Studies, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, and Lexham Bible Dictionary.

1. What is textual criticism? 

2. One of the questions that Bart Ehrman asks in Misquoting Jesus is, “How does it help us to say that the Bible is the inerrant word of God if in fact we don’t have the words that God inerrantly inspired but only the words copied by the scribes—sometimes correctly but sometimes (many times!) incorrectly?” How would you respond to that question?

3. Bart Ehrman also makes the claim that “there are more variations among our manuscripts than there are words in the New Testament.” Is Ehrman’s claim true and, if it is, should it worry us?

If you want to dig deeper into the historical integrity of the New Testament, one great place to start is In Defense of the Bible, edited by Terry Wilder and Steven Cowan. To download a sample chapter, visit http://www.bhacademic.com

B and H Academic

Misquoting Jesus: book by Bart Ehrman

"A Lost Page of Codex Bezae": article by Elijah Hixson

"The Digital Recovery of a Lost Page of Codex Bezae": article by Elijah Hixson

"A Theology of Cities": article by Tim Keller

Shelby Park: neighborhood in Louisville 

Sojourn Church Midtown: church in Shelby Park

The Color of Law: book by Richard Rothstein

The New Jim Crow: book by Michelle Alexander

The City of God: book by Augustine of Hippo

"Miami Vice Theme": soundtrack by Jan Hammer

"You Belong to the City": song by Glenn Frey

"Livin' On A Prayer": song by Bon Jovi

"Danger Zone": song by Kenny Loggins

"Don't Stop Believin'": song by Journey

"Hotel California": song by the Eagles

"Take It Easy": song by the Eagles

"Tequila Sunrise": song by the Eagles

"Crooked Ways": song by Propaganda

"It's Not Working": song by Propaganda

ThreeChordsApologetics.com

If you are interested in earning a master’s degree online or on campus that will equip you with the most comprehensive apologetics training available anywhere, click here.

Support the show and spread the word! Here are a few ways to do that:

1. Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

2. Leave a rating and review on iTunes to encourage other people to listen to the show.

3. If you purchase any of the books mentioned in Three Chords and the Truth, consider using the Amazon links provided in the show notes. The show will receive a small percentage of each sale.

4. Visit our Patreon site where you can support the podcast, suggest future songs or topics, and order Three Chords and the Truth merchandise.

5. Make contact with us on Twitter: @DrTimothyPJones  @GarrickBailey  @ApologeticsPod

Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast thanks B&H Academic for their sponsorship. Music for the podcast has been licensed through Artlist.io and performed by the band Vegan Friendly—even though neither Garrick nor Timothy has ever been vegan friendly. Brief excerpts of music played in each program are included solely for the purposes of comment and critique as allowed under the fair-use provision of U.S. copyright law. "The fair use of a copyrighted work ... for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, ... scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright" (U.S. Code § 107, Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use).

According to bestselling religious scholar Reza Aslan, the New Testament Gospels “are not, nor were they ever meant to be, a historical documentation of Jesus’s life." The Gospels are, Aslan claims, fictional compositions from early Christians who re-imagined a Jewish revolutionary named Jesus as an ethereal Christ of faith.

But is it really reasonable to read the New Testament Gospels as fiction? And, if the Gospels aren't fiction, what genre are they?

In the first half of this week’s program, New Testament scholar Jonathan Pennington joins Garrick Bailey and Timothy Paul Jones to explore these crucial questions: What literary genre best describes the New Testament Gospels? And are these compositions believable as history?

Michael Jackson, the king of pop, is the star of the second half of this week’s program as Garrick and Timothy go looking for signs of grace the bestselling single of the 1980s, “We Are the World” by U.S.A. For Africa. Along the way, Timothy reveals how he would still be single if it weren’t for REO Speedwagon, Garrick divulges his deep childhood fixation on Michael Jackson’s jacket, and Jonathan Pennington just can’t fight the feeling that he belongs in the band Pink Floyd.

The dilemma drawn from the bowels of the Infinity Gauntlet this week leads to a showdown between Wakanda and Hogwarts that threatens to rend the space-time continuum. The resulting clash of ideas nearly leads to a breaking of the fellowship that binds Garrick, Timothy, and Jonathan together. In the end, a reference to REO Speedwagon becomes the potion that saves their friendship.

Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

Jonathan T. Pennington, Ph.D., is associate professor of New Testament Interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he is also director of the Ph.D. program. Pennington is the author of The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing, Reading the Gospels Wisely, and Heaven and Earth In the Gospel of Matthew. He is also on the preaching staff at Sojourn East in Louisville, Kentucky and the host of the YouTube show, "Cars, Coffee, Theology". Follow Dr. Pennington on Twitter at @DrJTPennington.

1.  What is the genre of a particular piece of literature?

2. What does the genre of books in Bible matter? Why should Christians care about their genre?

3. What genre are the New Testament Gospels? How do we know?

4. Were works in the bios genre always nonfiction or were they sometimes fictional? Why do we think that the New Testament Gospels aren't fictional?

5. Suppose someone listening to this program has a friend who is a skeptic and completely rejects the truth of the Gospels. What should a Christian do to help a skeptic see the truth of the Gospels?

6. Can you think of a particular time when God worked through the Gospels to convince you of the truth of his promises and his Word?

If you want to dig deeper into the historical integrity of the New Testament, one great place to start is In Defense of the Bible, edited by Terry Wilder and Steven Cowan. To download a sample chapter, visit http://www.bhacademic.com

B and H Academic

Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth: book by Reza Aslan

What Are the Gospels?: book by Richard Burridge

The Four Gospels and the One Gospel of Jesus Christ: book by Martin Hengel

Reading the Gospels Wisely: book by Jonathan Pennington

"Cars, Coffee, Theology": YouTube show by Jonathan Pennington

"Can't Fight This Feeling": song by REO Speedwagon

"We Are the World": song by U.S.A for Africa

"Do They Know It's Christmas": song by Band Aid 20

"Thriller": song by Michael Jackson

"The Fly": song by U2

ThreeChordsApologetics.com

If you are interested in earning a master’s degree online or on campus that will equip you with the most comprehensive apologetics training available anywhere, go to http://www.sbts.edu/bgs/degree-programs/mdiv/apologetics/

Support the show and spread the word! Here are a few ways to do that:

1. Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

2. Leave a rating and review on iTunes to encourage other people to listen to the show.

3. If you purchase any of the books mentioned in Three Chords and the Truth, consider using the Amazon links provided in the show notes. The show will receive a small percentage of each sale.

4. Visit our Patreon site where you can support the podcast, suggest future songs or topics, and order Three Chords and the Truth merchandise.

5. Make contact with us on Twitter: @DrTimothyPJones  @GarrickBailey  @ApologeticsPod

Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast thanks B&H Academic for their sponsorship.

Music for the podcast has been licensed through Artlist.io and performed by the band Vegan Friendly—even though neither Garrick nor Timothy has ever been vegan friendly.

Brief excerpts of music played in each program are included solely for the purposes of comment and critique as allowed under the fair-use provision of U.S. copyright law. "The fair use of a copyrighted work ... for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, ... scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright" (U.S. Code § 107, Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use).

It's the hotly-anticipated Hoosier Edition of Three Chords and the Truth!

In this episode, we celebrate the moderately-great state of Indiana. Timothy Paul Jones, a committed Louisvillian who dusts off his feet each time he returns from Indiana, is joined by Doug Blount and Garrick Bailey—two residents of Indiana who were transplanted into the Midwest after being uprooted from the kingdom of Texas—to discuss why so many New Atheists assume that faith and evidence stand in opposition to each other. Atheist writer Richard Dawkins has defined faith, for example, as “a state of mind that leads people to believe something—it doesn’t matter what—in the total absence of supporting evidence.” Bestselling biologist Jerry Coyne echoes this understanding and describes faith as “the acceptance of things for which there is no strong evidence.” “Faith is,” according to Christopher Hitchens, “the surrender of reason.” But is faith actually the antithesis of reason and evidence? That's the question Garrick and Timothy explore in the first half of this week's episode with Doug Blount, who completed master's and doctoral degrees in philosophy at the University of Notre Dame, an institution that may be found—according to some reports—within the borders of Indiana.

In the second half, Timothy and Garrick take a look at John Mellencamp and James Dean, two Indiana natives who are almost as popular among Hoosiers as Garrick Bailey and Doug Blount. Along the way, we analyze the hit song "Jack and Diane," solve the mystery of John Mellencamp's many names—Johnny Cougar? John Cougar? John J. Mellencamp?—and discover how psychology, economics, and the rise of the New Left created what we know today as the "teenager." Then, we consider what all of this means for student ministries in local churches today. This week's question from the Infinity Gauntlet forces a choice between Captain America's shield and one of the three Deathly Hallows. As we discuss this difficult question, we are shocked to discover that—if Garrick ever obtains a vibranium shield—his children will need invisibility cloaks to have any hope of surviving into adulthood.

Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

Douglas K. Blount, Ph.D., is professor of Christian Apologetics at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and previously served on the executive committee of the Evangelical Philosophical Society. He is currently working on a book manuscript entitled Apologetics and the Death of Modernity. Follow Dr. Blount on Twitter at @dougblount.

1. “Faith is,” Christopher Hitchens once declared, “the surrender of the mind; it’s the surrender of reason.” According to Oxford University biologist Richard Dawkins, “faith is a state of mind that leads people to believe something—it doesn’t matter what—in the total absence of supporting evidence.” Bestselling biologist Jerry Coyne echoes this understanding and describes faith as “the acceptance of things for which there is no strong evidence.” What is the basis for claims like this?

2. What is the relationship between faith and evidence?

3. In his bestselling book Faith Versus Fact, Jerry Coyne—professor emeritus at the University of Chicago—makes this further claim about faith and evidence: “Religious claims are empirical claims, and although some may be hard to test, they must, like all claims about reality, be defended with a combination of evidence and reason.” What’s the problem with his declaration that religious claims are empirical claims that must be empirically tested?

4. In 2007, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Daniel Dennett, and Sam Harris gathered at Christopher Hitchens’ home in Washington, DC, for a two-hour discussion. These four atheists became known as The Four Horsemen of the Non-Apocalypse and as representatives of a New Atheism. What impact do you think that this New Atheism has had on the culture and on apologetics?

If you're interested in learning more about how to help children and college students keep their faith, one great place to start is Perspectives on Family Ministry, edited by Timothy Paul Jones. To learn more about this book, visit https://www.bhacademic.com/product/perspectives-on-family-ministry-2/

B and H Academic

Faith Versus Fact: book by Jerry Coyne

Adolescence: book by Granville Stanley Hall

One-Dimensional Man: book by Herbert Marcuse

Soul Searching: book by Christian Smith

Sweet Bird of Youth: play by Tennessee Williams

What is a Hoosier?: article by the State of Indiana

The Four Horsemen Hour 1: documentary by Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science

The Four Horsemen Hour 2: documentary by Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science

"Summer of '69": song by Bryan Adams

"Jack & Diane": song by John Mellencamp

"Money for Nothing": song by Dire Straits

"Glory Days": song by Bruce Springsteen

"Eden is Burning": album by John Mellencamp

”Faith”: song by George Michael

John Mellencamp: album by John Mellencamp

Rebel Without a Cause: movie by Nicholas Ray

ThreeChordsApologetics.com

Support the show and spread the word! Here are a few ways to do that:

1. Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

2. Leave a rating and review on iTunes to encourage other people to listen to the show.

3. If you purchase any of the books mentioned in Three Chords and the Truth, consider using the Amazon links provided in the show notes. The show will receive a small percentage of each sale.

4. Visit our Patreon site where you can support the podcast, suggest future songs or topics, and order Three Chords and the Truth merchandise.

5. Make contact with us on Twitter: @DrTimothyPJones  @GarrickBailey  @ApologeticsPod

Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast thanks B&H Academic for their sponsorship.

Music for the podcast has been licensed through Artlist.io and performed by the band Vegan Friendly—even though neither Garrick nor Timothy has ever been vegan friendly.

Brief excerpts of music played in each program are included solely for the purposes of comment and critique as allowed under the fair-use provision of U.S. copyright law. "The fair use of a copyrighted work ... for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, ... scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright" (U.S. Code § 107, Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use).

Over the past few weeks, hundreds of thousands of Christian students have started their first semester of college. But how strong will these students' Christian faith be when they leave college? Or will they still see themselves as Christians at all? Even if these students' faith remains intact, what beliefs will be the hardest for them to believe and to defend? In this special back-to-school episode, Garrick Bailey and Timothy Paul Jones are joined by Dr. Grady Adkins and Dr. Joshua Swindall, two researchers who have spent the past year exploring which specific Christian beliefs are the most difficult for college students to believe and to defend. Now, Grady and Joshua are broadcasting the results of their research for the first time in the first half of this week's program. In the second half of the program, Garrick and Timothy dig deeper into the nature of faith by looking at biblical faith through the lens of one of the greatest rock hits of all time, "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey. Along the way, your intrepid hosts search unsuccessfully for south Detroit, contemplate what sort of people “streetlight people” might be, and discover a strange and mysterious link between the band Journey and prosperity preacher Paula White. As if this week's back-to-school episode wasn't strange enough already, the Infinity Gauntlet pits midichlorians against mutant powers, forcing a showdown between the Jedi and the X-Men that you won't soon forget.

Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

Grady Adkins, Ed.D., is Executive Pastor of Coram Deo Bible Church in Davenport, Iowa. Grady has been married to Alissa since 1998 and they have four lively, red-headed children: Landon, Reagan, Griffin, and Rowen. Joshua Swindall, Ed.D., is the headmaster at Cullman Christian School in Cullman, Alabama. Joshua and his family attend Crosshaven Church, where he serves as the student minister.

1. What Christian beliefs do college students struggle most to believe and to defend?

2. Why does college seem to have a corrosive effect on students' faith?

3. How can churches prepare children and students to persist in their faith in college, in light of what you have learned in this episode?

If you're interested in learning more about how to help children and college students keep their faith, one great place to start is Perspectives on Family Ministry, edited by Timothy Paul Jones. To learn more about this book, visit http://www.bhacademic.com

B and H Academic

The Institutes of the Christian Religion: book by John Calvin

Soul Searching: book by Christian Smith

"Don't Stop Believin'": song by Journey

"Like a Rolling Stone": song by Bob Dylan

"All Along the Watchtower": song by Jimi Hendrix

"Sweet Child O'Mine": song by Guns N' Roses

"Highway to Hell": song by AC/DC

Trial by Fire: album by Journey

ThreeChordsApologetics.com

If you are interested in earning a master’s degree online or on campus that will equip you with the most comprehensive apologetics training available anywhere, go to http://www.sbts.edu/bgs/degree-programs/mdiv/apologetics/

Support the show and spread the word! Here are a few ways to do that:

1. Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

2. Leave a rating and review on iTunes to encourage other people to listen to the show.

3. If you purchase any of the books mentioned in Three Chords and the Truth, consider using the Amazon links provided in the show notes. The show will receive a small percentage of each sale.

4. Visit our Patreon site where you can support the podcast, suggest future songs or topics, and order Three Chords and the Truth merchandise.

5. Make contact with us on Twitter: @DrTimothyPJones  @GarrickBailey  @ApologeticsPod

Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast thanks B&H Academic for their sponsorship. Music for the podcast has been licensed through Artlist.io and performed by the band Vegan Friendly—even though neither Garrick nor Timothy has ever been vegan friendly. Brief excerpts of music played in each program are included solely for the purposes of comment and critique as allowed under the fair-use provision of U.S. copyright law. "The fair use of a copyrighted work ... for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, ... scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright" (U.S. Code § 107, Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use).

In this special episode of Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast, Timothy Paul Jones and Garrick Bailey join the student ministry at Five Oaks Church, which gathers near the metropolis of Minneapolis in the wild and crazy land of Minnesota. Students from Five Oaks ask questions about how God created the cosmos, how Moses found out about the creation of the world, whether Jesus was really raised from the dead, how the books of the Bible were selected, and how a good God can allow evil. Timothy allows one question from someone who may not be a Minnesotan, which leads to a heated debate over the popularity of the name “Agnes” in the vast tracts of trees, tundra, and lakes that constitute America’s Great North. Along the way, the student minister from Five Oaks answers a question from the Infinity Gauntlet, and the students are shocked to discover that their leader likes Superman, "Baba O'Riley," and "Bohemian Rhapsody" but can't stand America.

A new giveaway in partnership with Kyser Musical Products provides you with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win one of four limited-edition capos---unless you're not a guitar player, in which case these are not capos but the most amazing clips for your family-sized bags of tortilla chips that you could ever imagine. Whether you choose to use them as capos, chip clips, hair clips, or computer cable organizers, you'll need to listen to this episode to find out how to win one. Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS. 

1. What is apologetics and why does it matter?

2. Is the creation story metaphorical or did Moses describe it exactly the way it happened? How do we know the Bible's creation story is true if it is written by someone who did not witness it?

3. How can we know that Jesus actually died on the cross and rose from the dead? What about the hallucination hypothesis?

4. How is Christianity different from other religions?

5. Who chose which books and letters that would comprise the Bible? Why is it that the Roman Catholic Old Testament is different from the Old Testament in Protestant Bibles?

6. How can we still believe that God is a loving God when tragedies occur?

If you’re interested in learning more about how to engage people who are skeptical about the truth of the Bible, one great place to start is Truth in a Culture of Doubt by Josh Chatraw and Darrell Bock. To learn more about this book, visit http://www.bhacademic.com

B and H Academic

"Baba O'Riley": song by The Who

"Bohemian Rhapsody": song by Queen

"The Star Spangled Banner": song by Jimi Hendrix

"My Passion": song by Hollis Berry and Timothy Paul Jones, performed by Encomia and Smudge

Reformed Dogmatics : Volume 1: Prolegomena: book by Herman Bavinck

The City of God: book by Augustine of Hippo

Annals: book by Publius Cornelius Tacitus

Homilies on Joshua: book by Origen of Alexandria

"Biblical Reasons to Doubt the Creation Days Were 24-Hour Periods": article by Justin Taylor

Kyser Musical Products

ThreeChordsApologetics.com

If you are interested in earning a master’s degree online or on campus that will equip you with the most comprehensive apologetics training available anywhere, go to http://www.sbts.edu/bgs/degree-programs/mdiv/apologetics/

Support the show and spread the word! Here are a few ways to do that:

1. Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

2. Leave a rating and review on iTunes to encourage other people to listen to the show.

3. If you purchase any of the books mentioned in Three Chords and the Truth, consider using the Amazon links provided in the show notes. The show will receive a small percentage of each sale.

4. Visit our Patreon site where you can support the podcast, suggest future songs or topics, and order Three Chords and the Truth merchandise.

5. Make contact with us on Twitter: @DrTimothyPJones  @GarrickBailey  @ApologeticsPod

Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast thanks B and H Academic for their sponsorship. Music for the podcast has been licensed through Artlist.io and performed by the band Vegan Friendly—even though neither Garrick nor Timothy has ever been vegan friendly. Brief excerpts of music played in each program are included solely for the purposes of comment and critique as allowed under the fair-use provision of U.S. copyright law. "The fair use of a copyrighted work ... for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, ... scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright" (U.S. Code § 107, Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use). 

One of the strongest evidences for the truth of the resurrection of Jesus is the martyrdom of his apostles in the decades that followed his death---or at least that's what many Christian apologists have claimed. But is this claim sustainable on the basis of historical evidence? Did nearly all of the first followers of Jesus really give their lives rather than turn away from what they professed and proclaimed? The answer to this question is complicated, but it's crucial for every Christian to know the facts. In the first half of today's program, Garrick Bailey and Timothy Paul Jones explore this difficult question with Sean McDowell---apologist, professor, and author of the book The Fate of the Apostles. In the second half, Garrick and Timothy go searching for divine truth in the classic hit from Kansas "Dust in the Wind." Along the way, Garrick and Timothy talk about the book of Ecclesiastes, the best and the worst high school graduation songs ever, and how Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure introduced Garrick to Kansas and Socrates. As always, your intrepid hosts dare to plunge a fist into the Infinity Gauntlet to draw forth one of humanity's most perplexing dilemmas; this week's challenge forces Obi-Wan Kenobi to face Albus Dumbledore in a duel that only one white-bearded warrior can survive. The battle also reveals a shocking gap in Sean McDowell's knowledge that could irreparably undermine his geek credibility.

Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

Sean McDowell, Ph.D., is associate professor in the Christian apologetics program at Biola University and the resident scholar for Summit California. He earned his doctorate in apologetics from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. McDowell is the author, co-author, or editor of many books including So The Next Generation Will Know (David C. Cook, 2019); Sharing the Good News with Mormons (Harvest House, 2018); and, Evidence that Demands a Verdict (Harper Collins, 2017). Follow Dr. McDowell on Twitter at @Sean_McDowell

1. What was the fate of the apostles?

2. What are some stories related to the deaths of the apostles that Christians might sometimes believe without adequate evidence?

3. Why does it matter that some people who walked and talked with Jesus may have died for their faith in him?

If you’re interested in learning more about how to engage people who are skeptical about the truth of the Bible, one great place to start is Truth in a Culture of Doubt by Josh Chatraw and Darrell Bock. To learn more about this book, visit http://www.bhacademic.com

B and H Academic

The Fate of the Apostles: book by Sean McDowell

So The Next Generation Will Know: book by Sean McDowell and J. Warner Wallace

Moral Letters (101:14): epistle by Seneca the Younger

To Marcia on Consolation (20:3): composition by Seneca the Younger

Martyrdom of Polycarp (8—9): epistle from the church in Smyrna

“Summer of ‘69”: song by Bryan Adams

"Unwritten": song by Natasha Bedingfield

"I Hope You Dance": song by Lee Ann Womack

"Right Now": song by Van Halen

"Firework": song by Katy Perry

"Photograph": song by Nickelback

"What's This Life For": song by Creed

"Good Riddance": song by Green Day

"My Last Semester": song by The Wonder Years

"Friends": song by Michael W. Smith

"Dust in the Wind": song by Kansas

"Sweet Child O' Mine": song by Guns N' Roses

"Carry On Wayward Son": song by Kansas

“I Believe I Can Fly”: song by R. Kelly

“One”: song by U2

"Vinyl Confessions": album by Kansas

Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure: movie from 1989

“The Search for the Shining Face”: exposition of Ecclesiastes 7 by Timothy Paul Jones

ThreeChordsApologetics.com

If you are interested in earning a master’s degree online or on campus that will equip you with the most comprehensive apologetics training available anywhere, go to http://www.sbts.edu/bgs/degree-programs/mdiv/apologetics/

Support the show and spread the word! Here are a few ways to do that:

1. Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

2. Leave a rating and review on iTunes to encourage other people to listen to the show.

3. If you purchase any of the books mentioned in Three Chords and the Truth, consider using the Amazon links provided in the show notes. The show will receive a small percentage of each sale.

4. Visit our Patreon site where you can support the podcast, suggest future songs or topics, and order Three Chords and the Truth merchandise.

5. Make contact with us on Twitter: @DrTimothyPJones  @GarrickBailey  @ApologeticsPod

Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast thanks B&H Academic for their sponsorship. Music for the podcast has been licensed through Artlist.io and performed by the band Vegan Friendly—even though neither Garrick nor Timothy has ever been vegan friendly. Brief excerpts of music played in each program are included solely for the purposes of comment and critique as allowed under the fair-use provision of U.S. copyright law. "The fair use of a copyrighted work ... for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, ... scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright" (U.S. Code § 107, Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use).

Avengers: Endgame has now passed James Cameron's Avatar and claimed second place on the list of highest-grossing films of all time in North America. In the previous episode of Three Chords and the Truth, Garrick Bailey and Timothy Paul Jones focused on the metanarrative and the ethical foundations of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In this episode, apologetics professor and superhero super-fan extraordinaire Sean McDowell joins Garrick and Timothy to talk about love, sacrifice, superheroes, and resurrection. In the process, Sean McDowell reveals why he didn't love Avengers: Endgame and why Garrick and Timothy might both be wrong about what would happen if Batman went to war against Iron Man. In the second half of the program, Garrick and Timothy go looking for transcendent truth in the Grammy Award-winning classic "Hotel California." Along the way, they talk about Sehnsucht, plagiarism, and that one time when Timothy was looking for the founder of the Church of Satan but couldn't find him.

Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

Sean McDowell, Ph.D., is associate professor in the Christian apologetics program at Biola University and the resident scholar for Summit California. He earned his doctorate in apologetics from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. McDowell is the author, co-author, or editor of nearly twenty books including So The Next Generation Will Know (David C. Cook, 2019), Sharing the Good News with Mormons (Harvest House, 2018), and Evidence that Demands a Verdict (Harper Collins, 2017). Follow Dr. McDowell on Twitter at @Sean_McDowell.

1. Why does the theme of sacrifice and resurrection recur in so many superhero films?

2. What has been the most significant moment from the perspective of the themes of sacrifice and resurrection in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

3. What was the most significant moment from the perspective of the themes of sacrifice and resurrection in the film Avengers: Endgame?

4. How will the rise of secularity shape the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

B and H Academic

Superheroes Can’t Save You: book by Todd Miles

So The Next Generation Will Know: book by Sean McDowell and J. Warner Wallace

The Weight of Glory: book by C. S. Lewis

Confessions: book by Augustine of Hippo

The Magus: novel by John Fowles

"Hotel California": song by the Eagles

"We Used to Know": song by Jethro Tull

"Desperado": song by the Eagles

"Life's Been Good": song by Joe Walsh

"Running on Empty": song by Jackson Browne

"Tumbleweed": song by Joan Baez

"Comfortably Numb": song by Pink Floyd

"Spider-Man": song covered by the Ramones

ThreeChordsApologetics.com

If you are interested in earning a master’s degree online or on campus that will equip you with the most comprehensive apologetics training available anywhere, go to http://www.sbts.edu/bgs/degree-programs/mdiv/apologetics/

Support the show and spread the word! Here are a few ways to do that:

1. Subscribe to Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast: Apple / Android / RSS.

2. Leave a rating and review on iTunes to encourage other people to listen to the show.

3. If you purchase any of the books mentioned in Three Chords and the Truth, consider using the Amazon links provided in the show notes. The show will receive a small percentage of each sale.

4. Visit our Patreon site where you can support the podcast, suggest future songs or topics, and order Three Chords and the Truth merchandise.

5. Make contact with us on Twitter: @DrTimothyPJones  @GarrickBailey  @ApologeticsPod

Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast thanks B&H Academic for their sponsorship. Music for the podcast has been licensed through Artlist.io and performed by the band Vegan Friendly—even though neither Garrick nor Timothy has ever been vegan friendly. Brief excerpts of music played in the second half of each program are included solely for the purposes of comment and critique as allowed under the fair-use provision of U.S. copyright law. "The fair use of a copyrighted work ... for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, ... scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright" (U.S. Code § 107, Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use).