Monday, February 4, 2019
638 - The Hardest Question
Spirituality Column #638
February 5, 2019
Common Christianity / Uncommon Christianity
The Hardest Question
By Bob Walters
There is plenty of evidence, even for atheists, to support
the claim that Jesus of Nazareth was a man who walked the earth some two
thousand years ago.
It takes a
Flat-Earther to say, “No; no one named Jesus called Christ ever existed.” It’s not even an interesting
conversation. Most of the world
operates on a calendar based on Jesus’s appearance “in time and space,” you
know, history. He is the most dominant,
influential, and famous figure in the western world for two millennia, and the
basic chronical of His life – the Bible – has to-date defended and withstood
every challenge of archeology and history.
Hence, “Jesus
lived” is a statement without serious controversy. “Jesus lives,” on the other hand, along with
determining who He was, what He meant, and what we’re supposed to do with Him, are
the criteria that founded and have kept the Christian conversation going for
two millennia. Anyone doubt they will
last a while longer?
I’m
guessing the conversation will last until the end when Christ returns, and I’m
happy to rely on the Bible’s drumbeat assurance that nobody “knows the hour or day” (Mark 13:32,
etc.) when that return will happen. But
I do know that if that doesn’t happen by next Wednesday, Feb. 13, there will be
several great conversations about these truths and doubts in multiple live
appearances here in central Indiana with renowned apologist, evangelist, and
author Josh McDowell.
In a five-day
speaker’s tour organized by Tom Foltz and the annual “Room for Doubt” series at
East 91st St. Christian Church in the Castleton area of northeast
Indianapolis, McDowell will speak to several groups at churches and college
campuses.
His largest
open-to-the-public gathering, free of charge, is 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, in
the E91 church main sanctuary (6049 E. 91st St., Indy). His topic is “Undaunted,” and the Room for Doubt organizers encourage folks with
questions and doubts to attend. “It’s a
great opportunity for Christians to bring non-believers or skeptical friends
and family to hear honest, intelligent, and sincere Christian response to
common questions,” commented organizer Foltz.
McDowell’s seminal
book, Evidence that Demands a Verdict,
in print since 1972, was most recently updated with his son, Prof. Sean
McDowell PhD, in 2017. I’m currently
reading the updated version and have been astounded by the amount of
archeological “clarification” and factual truth that has appeared in the last
45 years.
McDowell,
79, spent years doing thousands of Campus Crusade rallies worldwide, has aided global
humanitarian causes, authored or co-authored more than 150 books, and grew his
faith even after an agnostic, abusive upbringing.
The hardest
question for a Christian to answer of course is not, “Why do I believe?” but
“What will help someone else believe?”
McDowell has spent more than five decades helping the world to discover
that answer.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) is roughly a quarter of the way through
McDowell’s updated book … which is nearly 900 pages in all. Great read… but it’s 900 pages.
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