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Crucified the
Crucified HIGHER THINGS 2014 CONFERENCES
Retrospective Issue!
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HIGHER THINGS 2014 CONFERENCES www
. h i g h e r t h i n g s . o r g / FA L L / 2014
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Cross train your brain.
“The Core really made me think outside of the box and forced me to answer difficult questions, not accepting an “I don’t know” or “I don’t care” answer. It involved a lot of connection-making, which really helped me articulate my responses to difficult questions.”
Education should strengthen your brain, challenge you to ask questions, and build a strong foundation for your future. In Concordia University Irvine’s *nationally recognized Core curriculum, you will learn about God and service to the world through the cross of Christ. You will cross disciplinary boundaries by studying biology with theology, mathematics with philosophy, and history with literature. You will wrestle with questions and concepts of life that have endured across the centuries. You will cultivate sound academic habits and skills that apply across the curriculum, to your future careers, and life. Exercise your mind. Exercise your faith. Cross train your brain. H I G H E R T H I N G S __ 2
*Concordia University Irvine is a member of the Association for Core Texts and Courses’ Liberal Arts Institute. This prestigious institute— composed of 12 universities that include Columbia, St. John’s, Pepperdine, and Notre Dame—promotes “the integrated and common study of world classics and texts of major cultural significance” in general education programs across North America.
www.cui.edu/core
Scan here to learn more about the Core.
Contents T A B L E O F
Volume 14/Number 3 • Fall 2014
Special Features 4
Dare to Be Lutheran: What Does This Mean?
By Rev. George F. Borghardt Rev. Borghardt reminds us that “Dare to be Lutheran” is more than a motto—it’s a phrase that points us back to the Solas of the Reformation: faith alone, grace alone, Scripture alone and it declares boldly: It’s all about Jesus!
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Legacy Hardware
By Stan Lemon Higher Things’ own tech guru, Stan Lemon, reflects back on his 10 years with Higher Things and expresses his excitement about the future as HT continues to promote our basic Lutheran distinctives.
Kick Your Conference Experience into High Gear: Be a CCV
By Kaitlin Jandereski Have thoughts about being a college conference volunteer for next year’s Te Deum conference? Kaitlin is our latest, greatest cheerleader for the cause with her memorable list of the pros of being a CCV.
10 It’s Time to Silence the Whispers
By Rev. Harrison Goodman Just like Paul encourages Timothy “Let no one despise you for your youth” (1 Timothy 4:12), Rev. Goodman urges us to remember that young people aren’t the church in seed form, they already ARE the church.
12 Seven Apologists Every Christian Should Know, Pt. 2 The Convincing Case of William Lane Craig
By Rev. Mark A. Pierson Christian apologetics at its best is what you’ll be served up if you watch or listen to any debate featuring William Lane Craig, a highly regarded Christian philosopher. Rev. Pierson explains just what makes Craig such a skilled defender of the Christian faith.
14 Crucified! Photo Retrospective
Did you attend? Maybe you’re in there somewhere. Even if you haven’t yet attended a conference, you’ll get a taste of this unique experience.
20 Communion Is for Real
By Daniel Baker Regardless of your opinion of the movie, Heaven is for Real, it fared well at the box office, but Daniel, especially when reflecting back on his HT conference experiences, rejoices that Communion is as REAL as it gets: real food for our souls, real flesh and blood, and real forgiveness.
22 Uncle Walther Wants You!... to Become a Lutheran Teacher
By John Brandt Countless kids dream of being a teacher and if you are one of those, you might want to consider directing that desire toward teaching at a Lutheran school. John, a teacher himself, lays out the perks of this vocation.
Regular Features
18 HT 2015 Conferences Te Deum Registration Details!
28 Catechism Table of Duties: To the Young, the Old and Everyone
By Rev. William M. Cwirla Rev. Cwirla covers the last of our Table of Duties catechism studies. It all comes down to: faith in Christ, love for neighbor and a keen appreciation for what we have in the Small Catechism.
30 Bible Study Table of Duties: To the Young, the Old and Everyone
Be sure to check out this sample of one of our student Bible studies which links up with Rev. Cwirla’s Catechism article on P. 28.
HigherThings
®
Volume 14/Number 3/Fall 2014
Bible Studies for these articles can be found at: higherthings.org/ magazine/biblestudies.html Editor
Katie Hill Art Director
Steve BlaKey Editorial Associates
Rev. GReG almS Rev. Paul BeiSel Rev. BaRt Day Copy Editors
lu FiScHeR Dana niemi Bible Study Authors
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elizaBetH caRlSon IT Assistant
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Board of Directors President
Rev. GeoRGe BoRGHaRDt Vice-President
Rev. DR. caRl FicKenScHeR Treasurer
cHRiS loemKeR Secretary
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Stan lemon
Higher Things Things® Magazine ISSN 1539-8455 is published quarterly by Higher Things, Inc., PO Box 156, Sheridan, WY 82801. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the executive editor of Higher Things Magazine. Copyright 2013. Higher Things® and Christ on Campus® are registered trademarks of Higher Things Inc.; All Rights Reserved. Printed in the United States. Postage paid at St. Louis, Missouri. For subscription information and questions, call 1-888-4826630, then press 4, or e-mail subscriptions@higherthings.org subscriptions@higherthings.org. (This phone number is only used for subscription queries.) For letters to the editor, write letters@higher things.org things.org. Writers may submit manuscripts to: submissions@ higherthings.org higherthings.org. Please check higherthings.org/magazine/ writers.html for writers’ guidelines and theme lists.
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LUTHERAN! What Does This Mean?
By Rev. George F. Borghardt
DARE TO BE
Photo courtesy Rev. Jack A. Kozak, Hope Lutheran Church, Akron, Ohio
Dare to be Lutheran. It’s been our motto at Higher Things from the very beginning. We even trademarked it a few years ago! We dare you to be Lutheran, to live Lutheran, to grow up Lutheran, and continue to BE Lutheran. But isn’t that arrogant? Isn’t that closed-minded? Shouldn’t you be daring youth to be Christians? Isn’t that good enough? Do you seriously think that Lutherans are the only ones who are right? Don’t you think that this just feeds more of that “only Lutherans go to heaven” stereotype? A Lutheran is a Christian who believes that Jesus alone saves by grace alone, received by faith alone. We know this from Scripture alone. It’s as certain as 2+2=4. No one was ever called arrogant or closed-minded for believing that 2+2=4. It’s not five. It’s not three. Those other answers are wrong. It’s not arrogant for Lutherans to believe we’re right either. It’s absolutely true that Jesus alone saves. He alone is right. Oh, we aren’t the only people who are right. The Gospel has a way of slipping through in places you wouldn’t expect! And we should never say we are right simply because we are Lutherans or that we are right in and of ourselves. We are right by Jesus alone, by grace alone, according to Scripture alone. We confess this Gospel only by the working of the Holy Spirit in us. We don’t make ourselves right. We certainly don’t deserve to be right. We are Lutherans by grace alone. “Daring to be just a Christian” can’t be enough because so much of Christianity today is filled with all sorts of things that aren’t really Christian at all. It’s Evangelicalism. It’s filled with grace-talk that is followed immediately by works-talk. They say contradictory stuff like, “Jesus saves you by grace alone, all you have to do is this, that, and the other thing. And once you’re saved, Jesus expects you to change, to be better, to make your salvation sure or maybe you weren’t really truly Christian in the first place after all.”
That’s not daring to be Lutheran! That’s daring to be the same old sinner you were the day you were conceived, living out your inborn, selfmade religion—that’s the religion that believes what you do and don’t do will put you in God’s good graces and make Him like you. That’s no dare at all. Jesus lived His life for you. Jesus died the death you deserve on the Cross. He now lives, and true Life is found only in Him. What you do doesn’t save you— all it can do is damn you. But He was damned for you so that in Him, you will never see hell. So dare to be different. Dare to be Lutheran.
Not every Lutheran is the same, either. There is an alphabet soup of Lutheranism out there—some of which you need to dare NOT to be. If it looks like generic Christianity, worships like generic Christianity, is centered on you and not on Jesus crucified for you…it’s not Lutheran. What kind of Lutheran do I need to dare to be? The Christ’s-cross-alone, received-by-faith-alone from-Scripturealone kind of Lutheran, of course! The-
Lord-be-with-you and with-thy-Spirit kind. The Holy-Baptism-saves kind. The Lord’s-Supper-gives-me-Jesus’True- Body-and-True-Blood kind. The my-pastor-forgives-my-sins kind. The Bible-is-the-authoritative-Word-of-God kind of Lutheran. Dare to be THAT kind of Lutheran. So why is this important? I’ve not always been Lutheran. I grew up Roman Catholic. The Lord converted me my freshman year of college. I had always heard what I had to do to be saved… maybe. Only in the Lutheran church did I hear that Christ saves totally by grace alone. It changed my life. I’m mostly grown up now. I have three kids. I don’t want them to go on the same journey I went on. I want them to grow up Lutheran. I want them to believe what we believe and to receive the comfort and peace that comes only from the pure Gospel. I want them to receive the Sacrament with me. It’s important to me; it’s a matter of life and death. I’ll bet it’s important to your parents, too. For, if you are a Lutheran, why would you want to be anything else? If the Gospel has become clear to you that salvation and heaven and faith and life are all about Jesus’ cross alone without any merit or worthiness in you, why would you want to trade that for anything else? Why would you want to be anything else? Dare to confess that Jesus alone saves you. Dare to believe that His salvation is by grace alone, not by what you do or don’t do. Dare to confess that Jesus is received by faith alone. Dare to base your faith only from Scripture alone. Dare to be Lutheran! Rev. George F. Borghardt serves as the Senior Pastor at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in McHenry, Illinois. He is the President of Higher Things. His email is revborghardt@higherthings.org.
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Apologists Every Christian Should Know PART 2
William Lane Craig
Must-Reads Reasonable Faith: The standard college textbook on apologetics. ————————— On Guard: An easier (yet still robust) introductory text. ————————— A Reasonable Response: Craig answers readers’ hard questions about the truth. —————————
Three collections of essays, edited by Craig and fellow philosopher and apologist, Paul Copan, address a smattering of recent apologetic issues:
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————————— Contending with Christianity’s Critics ————————— Passionate Conviction ————————— Come Let Us Reason
The Convincing Case of William Lane
Why Philosophy What would you think
of a war general who told his enemies precisely when, where, and how he was going to strike? How about a quarterback who posted his playbook online? You would likely think such people were not only out of their minds, but also destined to lose. But what if I told you there is a Christian apologist who is so skilled at defending the faith that it makes no difference if his opponents know his every move because he is going to win anyway? If this sounds too good to be true, then it’s time for you to meet William Lane Craig. With a Ph.D. in philosophy, another doctorate in theology, and over 250 publications under his belt, Craig is well equipped to handle virtually any objection to the Christian faith. His specialty, however, is defeating atheists in formal debates. Time after time, Craig takes on the world’s top unbelievers and emerges victorious. That is not to say he wins every point, but when the dust settles and the debate is over, there is little doubt that Craig has presented a more convincing and logical case than his challenger. And this is precisely why atheists keep lining up to take their shot—they want to be known as the one who finally takes down Craig. But as some extended YouTube viewing should make clear, the odds of that happening anytime soon are slim indeed. (Perhaps this is why some refuse to debate him. The famous atheist Richard Dawkins, for example, makes drive-by insults instead of engaging Craig directly.) Since Craig’s expertise revolves around refuting those who deny the supernatural, he regularly squares off against philosophers—that group of intellectuals who, as the recent movie “God’s Not Dead” implies, can seem especially eager to dismantle people’s Christian faith. But of course, Craig is a philosopher himself, as are countless other believers. And it just so happens that his convincing case directly deals with two philosophical issues: God’s existence and miracles.
A Little Logic Can Go a Long Way The classical proof for God’s existence that Craig uses most efficiently is the Cosmological Argument. This line of reasoning seeks to demonstrate the existence of a “First Cause” of the universe: that there is Something behind the cosmos that brought space, time, and matter into existence. The argument only works, however, if the universe itself is not eternal but had a beginning. For years, many atheists denied that the origin of the universe required any explanation. They simply asserted that it had always been here. But the overwhelming evidence acquired over the past century in the field of astrophysics has helped put a stop to that. For example, it has been proven that the cosmos is expanding at a constant rate, which means it cannot have existed eternally in the past. Thus, it is now widely accepted by scientists that the cosmos began to exist, with its beginning commonly referred to as the “Big Bang.” Craig builds on this scientific information with a logical precision that appears insurmountable. His argument follows the standard form of a syllogism—a point-by-point argument in which conclusions must follow from the given premises (or statements). The classic example of a syllogism is as follows: 1. All men are mortal. 2. Socrates is a man. 3. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.
Craig:
Is Nothing to Fear Based on points 1 and 2, Socrates cannot be immortal—the third point is certain. Now consider Craig’s version: 1. Whatever begins to exist has a cause. 2. The universe began to exist. 3. Therefore, the universe has a cause. Point 1 essentially says every effect has a cause, which is true by definition. In fact, to deny point 1 results in a logical absurdity, for the alternative is that something came from nothing— that out of nothingness something created itself. It is also entirely beyond human experience, for an event occurring without a cause has never been observed. So point 1 is undeniably correct, and point 2, as stated above, is firmly established by astrophysics. Based on the laws of logic, then, the conclusion in point 3 is unavoidable. The universe must have been created by a “First Cause”—that is, by Something outside of it and prior to it—which is otherwise known as God. Skeptics and the Supernatural Apologetic literature often skips over the issue of miracles because once God’s existence is established it seems redundant to say God can do whatever He wants whenever He wants. But Craig knows that many who say, “There is a God,” are also skeptical of miraculous events. They may not be full-blown atheists, but their suspicion of supernatural claims makes them doubt much of what Jesus did. And belief in “God” without belief in the crucified and risen Christ saves no one. It is therefore important to consider Craig’s defense against two popular objections against miracles. First, there is the so-called “Yeah, right” argument. In this view, it is always more reasonable to assume
a naturalistic explanation than to think something supernatural really occurred. And this does make a certain amount of sense. After all, do you believe every claim you hear of the Virgin Mary appearing in the clouds or on someone’s tortilla? No, you likely assume it is more reasonable to think people are mistaken or are lying. Add to this the belief that science is the great myth buster which allows us to understand how the world works without superstitious explanations, and the response of “Yeah, right” sounds like a dose of healthy skepticism. The problem, however, is that a blatant refusal to believe in miracles actually amounts to an unhealthy and unscientific approach to the truth. Claims of what did and did not happen need to be investigated on their own merits, not decided before examining the evidence. Otherwise, a dogmatic commitment against the supernatural will prevent one from knowing if a miracle ever occurred, even if one actually did. For example, if Jesus walking on water is automatically dismissed as a lie from the disciples, or immediately explained as Jesus having hitched a ride on a floating piece of ice, then if He really did defy gravity you would never know it. To say, “I don’t care how many facts you provide, or how many credible witnesses there are, I simply refuse to accept the claim,” is clearly a shortsighted prejudice, especially since our understanding of science is constantly changing. Second, it is often claimed that there is uniform experience against miracles—that nobody has ever really witnessed one—and so we know miracles don’t occur. But this is a textbook case of circular reasoning. Certainly if miracles have never happened then they never have, but we can only know there is absolute
By Rev. Mark A. Pierson
uniform experience against them if we know that all reports of miracles are false. And we can only know that all such reports are false if we already know that miracles do not occur. Thus, we are arguing in a circle. Proceed with Caution, yet also with Confidence Chances are you won’t debate philosophy professors or loudmouth atheists in front of thousands. You likely will, however, have numerous opportunities to share your faith. When it comes to defending the existence of God and the miraculous, Craig has spent decades studying, lecturing, and writing on these topics, making him a thoughtful, articulate, and logical apologist from whom we can and should learn. Keep in mind, though, that if skeptics are not willing to listen to reason, or have poor critical thinking skills and no attention span, Craig’s arguments might be wasted on them. Also be mindful of the fact that philosophical issues are necessarily deep issues, requiring careful navigation and more “homework” than merely watching videos online. While philosophy remains the handmaiden of theology, and is especially useful for apologetics, there is no substitute for proclaiming and hearing the truth about God in Christ. For as the Logos, Christ reveals the astonishing logic and wisdom of His Father—that He is merciful to sinners!—which is far more significant than simply knowing God exists. Rev. Mark A. Pierson is assistant pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Long Beach, California, and has a passion for evangelism and apologetics. You can email him at markapierson@gmail.com
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