Wednesday, June 30, 2010

A Quick Update on Hitchens

Christopher Hitchens is reportedly undergoing treatment for cancer. James White comments on the situation. Although I disagree with White's take on the evidentialist's/classicist's apologetical method, my sentiments on Hitchens are the same. He is a funny and intelligent man and, while he currently rejects the Christian faith, none of us should ever delight in the suffering of others. Let's keep him in our thoughts and prayers.

5 comments:

  1. Praying for Christopher right now. I would like to invite you to come over to my blog and check it out. God bless, Lloyd

    ReplyDelete
  2. James White: "He has surprised me many times, showing an insight into the errors of his evidentialist Christian opponents that many others lack."

    Doug Benscoter: "Although I disagree with White's take on the evidentialist's/classicist's apologetical method."

    Would it be too much to ask for a (hopefully, quick) precis of what this disagreement is about?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Ilion,

    That's not a problem. White associates himself with presuppositionalism, which is an apologetical view distinct from evidentialism. The latter views proofs of God's existence as distinct from Special Revelation. In other words, can we demonstrate God's existence by reason alone, apart from the Bible? The evidentialist (or classicist, in my own case) believes we can, whereas the presuppositionalist believes that the very use of reason not only presupposes that some type of God exists, but that the Biblical God exists.

    Does that help?

    For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presuppositional_apologetics

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks, Mr Benscoter.

    I've been accused of being a presuppositionalist, or at least of making a presuppositionalist argument; but, in fact, my argument for God, similar to, but I believe stronger than Lewis' and Reppert's "Argument From Reason," (sketched here) concludes some of the key suppositions of the presuppositionalists.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sure thing. You can call me Doug. I'll take a look at your essay.

    ReplyDelete