A6. Question Time
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The document discusses several questions related to apologetics and Christianity. It asks if one needs to be personally convinced of an argument to use it with others. It also questions whether specializing in a particular worldview is worthwhile for developing good apologetics. Finally, it addresses the claim that Christianity borrowed core beliefs from first-century Mithraism, examining the evidence for and against this claim. The document analyzes the historical reliability of the Bible and external evidence from early Christian writers to support its authenticity.
A6. Question Time
- 1. Question Time 1
- 2. Should we be personally convinced of the validity of an apologetic argument to use it with someone? ?
- 3. Is it worth specialising in a particular worldview – researching it thoroughly to develop good apologetics? ?
- 5. Truth 1
- 7. coherent
- 8. relevant
- 9. biblical
- 10. Grace 2
- 11. gentleness
- 12. respect
- 13. openness
- 14. Witness 3
- 16. live and speak with integrity
- 17. leave people wanting more
- 18. make use of others
- 19. keep learning
- 20. trust the Holy Spirit to work
- 21. pray!
- 22. Has Christianity taken a number of its core beliefs from first-century mithraism? ?
- 23. Who is Mithras?
- 24. Mithra = Persian god
- 25. Mithras = Roman god
- 26. heroic slayer of a sacred bull
- 27. ‘born of a virgin’
- 28. born from a rock
- 29. born on 25 December
- 30. Jesus wasn’t born on 25 December
- 31. Mithraic festivals in summer
- 32. Messianic figure
- 33. no evidence
- 34. twelve disciples
- 35. two companions
- 38. ‘. . . and us, too, you saved by spilling the eternal blood . . .’ 200 AD
- 39. miracles
- 40. which ones?
- 41. bread & wine sacrament
- 42. bread & wine were staples
- 43. who’s copying?
- 44. earliest evidence of Mithraism in ~AD 80
- 45. What about the Bible? ?
- 46. Gospels – internal evidence
- 49. honesty of the authors
- 50. issues raised
- 51. Gospels – external evidence
- 52. Jesus Died AD 30; 9 authors—most writing independently; Gospels written before AD 70
- 53. Emperor Tiberius Died AD 37 1 author: Tacitus wrote around AD 110
- 54. Alexander the Great Died 323 BC 1 author: Arrian wrote around AD 130
- 55. Gospels – external evidence
- 56. Early Christian writers quoted from the Gospels
- 57. • Clement (AD 96) refers to Matthew, Mark & Luke • Ignatius (AD 108) refers to all four gospels • Polycarp (AD 110) refers to all four gospels • Josephus (AD 90) • Pliny (AD 98-117) • Tacitus (AD 110) • Suetonius (AD 120)
- 58. Evidence for the whole Bible
- 59. Jesus’s view of the Old Testament
- 60. The Bible’s claims for itself
- 63. Changed lives