Faith & Reason Conference (10-15 May 2010 – South Africa)

Sorry for the late advertising of this event. I don’t know what I was thinking not too advertise it sooner.  

Please go! It will be worth it, I promise!

South African Christians are in for a rare treat this week.  AntWoord apologetics ministry is facilitating the Faith and Reason Conference.

Most South Africans are unlikely to be familiar with the name William Lane Craig and so would not recognise how influential this world-renowned American speaker and author is. When it comes to things American, we are mostly over-stimulated by its entertainment culture and sometimes bemused by its political intricacies, but for the most part we are ignorant of great American and Christian thinkers such as Dr. Craig. It would be a momentous oversight, though, especially for Christians who realise the importance of both their intellectual life and their faith, not to take note of Dr. Craig’s upcoming visit to South Africa. You are therefore invited to attend several events as part of the annual Faith & Reason Conference in South Africa. Dr. Craig and others will address audiences and take part in debates in the Western Cape and Gauteng.

The Americans are excellent communicators. The layperson will have no trouble in understanding the presentations.

Background

Can we, as (post)modern Christians, still faithfully do what Peter instructs us to do… “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” I Peter 3:15 (NIV)

Many South Africans have endeavored to give reasonable answers to the challenges being posed. This has resulted in varying degrees of success in defending the truths of the Christian faith. Some believers, however, are still too afraid to think about their faith. They unwittingly prefer a “blind” faith, often causing them to suppress the doubts they might have and which leave them vulnerable to intellectual attack. At the same time there are many thinking believers who hunger for an Evangelical discussion on the real issues and questions we are faced with in this day and age.

The FRC offers an ideal opportunity for deliberations with professors of the Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES) on some of the key questions facing us in a South African context.

The team members welcome conversation with the public. All your questions will be answered in a warm and sympathetic manner.

—————–

Potchefstroom (with Michael Licona)

MONDAY, 10 May 2010      (North- West University – Potchefstroom)

14:00 – 15:30     The Death Of Jesus As Challenge To Islam – Prof. Michael Licona  @(“Sinodesaal” – Faculty of Theology)

19:00 – 20:30    The Historicity of the Resurrection – Prof. Michael Licona   @  (JCC G34 – Dawie Dup)

Michael Licona and Pieter Craffert

TUESDAY evening, 11 May 2010    (University of Johannesburg)

Was Jesus Raised Physically From the Dead?

19:00 – 20:30    A Discussion:   Prof. Michael Licona & Prof. Pieter Craffert  @  (University of Johannesburg, Lecture hall B-Les 103)

Cost: None

Philosophy Colloquium (University of Pretoria)

Tuesday evening,   11 May 2010    @  (University of Pretoria, Human Sciences Building (HSB) 4-1)

17:30 – 20:30      The Department of Philosophy presents the following colloquium:  Is the New Atheism Intellectually Tenable?

(Keynote Speaker:   Prof. William Lane Craig)

GAUTENG debate:   William Lane Craig vs Sakkie Spangenberg (with Michael Licona vs Hansie Wolmarans)

19:00 – 21:00     “How should we understand the narratives about Jesus’ resurrection?”

Wednesday evening, 12 May 2010  @   (Musaion auditorium, University of Pretoria)

Participants:

Prof. William Lane Craig, Prof. Michael Licona
Prof. Sakkie Spangenberg, Prof. Hansie Wolmarans

Cost: R20 at the door

GAUTENG Conference 2010

Friday, 14 May  2010     @   (kerksondermure, c/o Hendrik Verwoerd Ave & Hippo Ave, Zwartkop X4, Centurion.

18:30 – 19:00      Registration (R20 suggested donation at church)
19:00 – 20:30      Can We be Good Without God? – Dr. William Lane Craig

Saturday, 15 May 2010    @   (kerksondermure, c/o Hendrik Verwoerd Ave & Hippo Ave, Zwartkop X4, Centurion.

08:00 – 08:30     Registration   (R100, please register on or before 13 May for lunches to be ordered.   Click here for registration instructions, or email to faith-and-reason@live.com, Udo: 082 730 3933)

08:30 – 08:40     Welcome
08:40 – 09:40     Plenary 1 (Auditorium)
Renewing Your Mind: The Importance of Right Thinking Theologically, Doctrinally
and Biblically – Ray Ceirvo
09:40 – 09:55     Break (15 min)
09:55 – 10:55     Plenary 2
Does Evil and Suffering Disprove God? – Dr. William Lane Craig
11:00 – 12:00     Parallel session 1
· Tearing Down Strongholds: The Need for Apologetic Ministry in the Local Church – Ray Ciervo (Auditorium)
· (Topic pending) (Side Room)
12:00 – 13:00     Lunch (1 hour)
13:00 – 14:00     Plenary 3 (Auditorium)
Should We Believe Only What Can Be Scientifically Proven?
- Dr. William Lane Craig
14:05 – 15:05     Parallel session 2
· (Topic pending) (Auditorium)
· The Resurrection and Why It Matters – Mike Willenborg (Side room)
15:05 – 15:20     Break (15 min)
15:20 – 16:00    Panel Q&A & Closing

All sessions will be video recorded.

Pre-order your copies at antwoorde@yahoo.com

Posted by: DTW News Desk | On this date: May 10th, 2010 | Tags: antiChrist, AntWoord Apologetics Ministry, Apostasy, Apostolic, bible, Can We be Good Without God, Christ, Christian, church, contemplative, DiscerningtheWorld, DiscerntheWorld, End Times, error, Faith, Faith & Reason Conference, False Prophet, False Teaching, Gauteng, God, heresy, Holy Spirit, Jesus, man of Lawlessness, Manifestation, meditation, North-West University, Pastor, Potchefstroom, Pretoria, prophetic, Reformation, Religion, Revivals, Scientifically Proven, South Africa, Spirituality, Tearing Down Strongholds, The Death Of Jesus, The Historicity of the Resurrection, Theology, truth, Was Jesus Raised Physically From the Dead, Western Cape, Youth - Categories: All Religions Lead to One God, Ancient Knowlege, Wisdom, Apostasy, Falling Away from Christian Faith, Atheism, Atheist, Change, Alteration, Modification, Charismatic, Pentecostal Church, Conferences, Meetings, Seminars, Gatherings, Consciousness, Awakening, Awareness, Cosmic Christ, Planetary Buddha, The Christ, Crucifixion, Bodily Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Dialogue, Discussion, Debate, Discernment, Discerning, Dominion Theology, Kingdom Now Theology, Reconstructionism, Dutch Reform Church DRC, Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk NGK, Eastern Religions, Eastern Mysticism, Ecumenism, Interfaith, Religious Unity, Education, College, School, University, Seminary, Emerging Church Movement (ECM), New Evangelical, Postmodernism, Enlightenment, Illumination, Spiritual Wisdom, Transcendental, Evangelism, Evangelical Christian, Fundamentals, Global Community, Humanity, Planetary Citizens, Global Peace Plan, Global Peace Keeping Force, Gnosticism, Dualism, Monism, God, Divinity, Godliness, Godhood, Gods Plan, Gods Purposes, Gods Reign, Good Works, Acts, Deeds, Dead Works, Hansie Wolmarans (Prof), Humanism, Humanist, Immortality, Eternal Life, Innerself, God Realization, Islam, Allah, Mahdi, Sufism, Mohammed, Muslim, Koran, Jesus Christ Word of God made Flesh, Jesus Seminar, Historical Jesus, Kingdom of Heaven, Kingdom of God, Heaven on Earth, Last Days, Eschatology, Law of Attraction, Return, Karma, Law of Love, Law of Grace, Liberal, Liberalism, Theological Modernism, Michael Licona (Prof), Mike Willenborg, Missions, Missionaries, Morals, Values, Ethics, Principles, Mystics, New Mystics, Dark Ages, New Age, Age of Aquarius, New Dawn, New Apostolic Reformation NAR, New Atheism, New Breed, New Thought, Higher Life Movement, New Wine, New Wineskin, New World Order (NWO), One World Religion, One World Government, One World Currency, Occult, Mysticism, Secret, Hidden, Esoteric, Organisation, Institute, Society, Paganism, Neopaganism, Pantheisim, Panentheism, Paradigm Shift, Radical Change, Peace, Security, World Peace, Pieter Craffert, Protestant Church, Protestant Reformers, Psychiatry, Psychology, Philosophy, Social, Information, Ray Ciervo, Reconciliation, Restoration, Universalism, Repentance of Sin, Forgiveness, Atonement, Salvation, Roman Catholicism, Catholic, Rome, Vatican II, The New Evangelization, Nostra Aetate, Pope, Sakkie Spangenberg, Sharing, Ubuntu, Compassion, Socialism, Redistribution of Wealth, Utopian, Strongman, Strongholds, The Divinity of Jesus Christ, The Substitutionary Theory of the Atonement, The Verbal Inerrancy of Scripture, The Virgin Birth, Theological Doctrine, Christology, Trance, Altered States of Consciousness, Transformation, Reformation, Trinity, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, Uncategorized, Unity in Diversity, Multi Ethnic, Multi Lingual, Multi Religious, William Lane Craig (Dr), Word of Faith, Latter Rain, Manifest Sons of God, Prosperity Gospel, New Order, Manchild Company, Word of God as Final Authority |

16 comments to Faith & Reason Conference (10-15 May 2010 – South Africa)

• Elmarie

  10 May, 2010 at 8:38 pm

  Thank You Team!!!

  
• Amanda

  10 May, 2010 at 8:48 pm

  From Wikipedia:

  William Lane Craig (born August 23, 1949) is an American philosopher, theologian, and Christian apologist known for his contributions to the philosophy of time, philosophy of religion, and historical Jesus studies. He is one of the most visible contemporary proponents of natural theology, often participating in debates on the existence of God. In 1979, Craig authored The Kalam Cosmological Argument, which is today the most published-on contemporary argument for theism in philosophy. While Craig holds that theism can be demonstrated, he also embraces the Plantingian view that argument is unnecessary for justified belief in God. A leading philosopher of space and time and metaphysics, Craig advocates a tensed or A-Theory of time and a Neo-Lorentzian interpretation of the Theory of Relativity. An enthusiastic proponent of Molinism, Craig’s theological research has focused on divine omniscience, as well as divine eternity and aseity. As a New Testament scholar, Craig’s work has centered on the accounts of Jesus’ resurrection. He has propounded an historical apologetic which argues inferentially from the particulars of early Christianity to what Craig calls “the resurrection hypothesis.” An ardent defender of the Christian faith, and a seasoned debater, Craig has been called “the finest Christian apologist of the last half century.” He is currently a Research Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University.

  As a warm-up exercise you can read Dr. Craig’s article in Christianity Today God Is Not Dead Yet

  You might think from the recent spate of atheist best-sellers that belief in God has become intellectually indefensible for thinking people today. But a look at these books by Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens, among others, quickly reveals that the so-called New Atheism lacks intellectual muscle. It is blissfully ignorant of the revolution that has taken place in Anglo-American philosophy. It reflects the scientism of a bygone generation rather than the contemporary intellectual scene.

  After that you can register on his website for free and gain access to a wealth of articles and audio material. Hey, they never taught me in church about a reasonable faith! Why not?

  
• Amanda

  11 May, 2010 at 8:55 am

  Professor Spangenberg gee die volgende inligting ter wille van agtergrond:

  In some circles of academic theology it is claimed that the ecumenical creeds of Christianity influence people’s understanding of the Bible. Christians read the biblical texts through the lenses of the fourth and fifth century Greek and Latin fathers of the Church (especially those of Augustine, Ambrose and Jerome). Doing so, according to critical scholars, is to read more into the texts than the texts themselves communicate. Responsible readings of the texts dealing with Jesus’ resurrection are those which focus on the Second Temple Jewish context in which these stories were told.

  This claim seems to imply that the credal understanding of Jesus’ resurrection, among other things, a physical and bodily resurrection, is far removed from the Jewish cultural mindset of first century Palestine as well as disconnected from the message which the historical Jesus preached.

  It has been observed that scholars work within different paradigms and that these contribute to misunderstanding and hamper meaningful communication. This is also the case with biblical scholars and theologicans. They do not all work within the same theological paradigm.

  The debate will focus on these issues and try to answer the question: What did the writers of the New Testament try to communicate to the readers concerning Jesus’ resurrection?

  ’n Kritiek deur Tom Lessing op “Ek staan in verwondering voor God” geskryf deur Prof Sakkie Spangenberg van die Departement Ou Testament aan Unisa (Die kerkbode, 20 September 2002)

  Ek het met verwondering Prof. Sakkie Spangenberg se brief onder die opskrif “Ek staan in verwondering voor God.” (Die Kerkbode van 20 September 2002) gelees. Wat my veral verbyster, is sy uitspraak:

  “dat ons verwaand en arrogant is om te dink dat ons God met woorde kan omskryf. God is ‘n misterie oor wie ons ten beste maar moet swyg. Dis wanneer ons uitsprake begin maak oor presies wie en hoe God is dat krisisse ontstaan. Wanneer ons die misterie van God met tong en tand verpulp tot ‘n braaksel van stellings en dekrete (apologie aan Elisabeth Eybers) begin ons verby Hom leef.”

  Dit is mos gans onmoontlik om “in verwondering voor God te staan” as Hy vir jou ’n misterie is en jy nie weet “wie of hoe” Hy is nie. Die emosie van verwondering oor iemand kan alleenlik in ’n mens se binneste opwel wanneer jy daardie persoon leer ken het; wanneer die intrinsieke karaktereienskappe van daardie persoon vir jou kenbaar geword het. Hoe kan ’n man bevoorbeeld met verwondering praat oor die skoonheid van sy aanstaande vrou as hy haar nog nie gesien het nie, en hoe kan hy haar innerlike skoonheid (persoonlikheid) bewonder as hy nog nie met haar kennis gemaak het nie?

  Om sy “verwondering voor God” verder te omskryf haal Prof. Spangenberg met groot nederigheid vir Job aan om sy vlietende lewensbestaan te midde van die ewigheid van die kosmos te omskryf, “Volgens hoorsê het ek van U te wete gekom.” Let baie fyn daarop dat Prof. Spangenberg slegs die eerste gedeelte van Job se uitroep van verwondering aanhaal. Ag! dit is tog so ooglopend kenmerkend van iemand wat ander mense minag wat “Bybelse uitsprake begin omvorm tot ewige waarhede,” maar sy eie uitsprake met groot bravade tot ewige waarhede verklaar wanneer hy lustig uit dieselfde Bybel aanhaal. Maar wag so ’n bietjie, om sy eie standpunt rotsvas in die gemoedere van mense te sementeer, onderskryf hy slegs ’n halwe waarheid deur net die eerste helfte van Job se uitroep aan te haal. Dit is darem nie mooi van hom nie. Om die waarheid te sê, hy is “downright” oneerlik.

  
• Elmarie

  11 May, 2010 at 6:08 pm

  Amanda

  Thanks for info on Sammy Tippet and link to Angus and Elza and the whole box of bad apples

  And soooo Pretoria is hit by Tsumani wave of false prophets at Elza’s Moreletta. This weekend as well. Is this in prep of GDOP?? This is not for Christians, BEWARE!!!.

  
• Elmarie

  16 May, 2010 at 12:29 pm

  Sooory I was too tired last night to make any contact.

  Ok back from the conference long ago yikes and it was only yesterday.lol lol

  I must say there was allot to take in and I was so so tired when we got home I went straight to bed lol lol lol

  It was well worth it and wonderful to know that there are young people who stand for the truth and ready to defend the faith. attendance was about 600-800 people. with more than half young people.

  On the Q&A side it was mainly the black young people asking questions. Their questions asked was proof to me that there is truly a big searching for the truth in the younger generation.

  I will give more info a bittie later once I have digested all hmmmmmmmm Im still chewing on all the wonderful info given.

  Apologetics in ministry is still in baby shoes here in SA but can go far and it is also my prayers that it does go far.

  
• Elmarie

  16 May, 2010 at 3:05 pm

  I want to thank the guys of Antwoord who arranged this past conference and they need our support.

  Herewith a some info of what they do.

  Welcome

  Welcome to the home page of the AntWoord ministry. In Afrikaans the word ‘antwoord’ means ‘answer’ and that is what we aim to do. We are a South African Apologetics ministry and we endeavor to provide answers to questions someone might have about the Christian faith. We are deliberately focusing on the development of material in Afrikaans due to a lack of availability of such resources. We are however a bilingual ministry and we are more than willing to provide any of our services in English if so required. If you are interested to know more about us, please contact us via e-mail at antwoorde@yahoo.com

  We would love to hear from you and we enjoy correspondence with interested parties. If you are interested in apologetics or if you have questions about the Christian faith or need a Christian perspective on an issue of the day, the website we recommend most highly is Leadership University. It is a site maintained by Campus Crusade for Christ and it contains information on a wide range of topics from many different sources.

  The Importance and Task of Christian Apologetics

  “To commit one’s life, habits, thoughts, goals, priorities – everything – to a certain worldview with no questions asked is, from the antagonist’s point of view, to build one’s life upon a very questionable foundation.” Ravi Zacharias

  In today’s intellectual climate postmodern thought asserts that there are no ultimate answers. The Christian faith challenges this assertion and thoughtful Christians seek to engage people at the fundamental level of how and why they view the world as they do and discover the inadequacies of certain ideas. It is the task of Christian apologetics in particular to reestablish a confidence in the possibility of finding a greater understanding of the truth about life and the world we live in.

  Christian apologetics therefore aims at articulating the Christian worldview in an explicit and rational way. This endeavor is in contrast to the thinking of a great many people (including Christian believers) who do not feel any great need for reasoned explanations for what and why they believe as they do. At best many people have merely adopted the beliefs of certain authoritative figures in their lives (teachers, pastors, parents, etc.) and at worst they have indiscriminately absorbed the ideas of the culture at large. It is often religious people specifically who regard their inexorable obedience to authority and unquestioned acceptance of certain beliefs as a great virtue and even proof of genuine faith. The problem is that, though not necessarily the case, such a view of what faith is can lead to mere mechanical obedience and an unquestioned faith can be indistinguishable from superstition and false beliefs.

  The task of Christian apologetics is to show that the rationality of an informed faith is very different from the irrationality of a blind faith. Apologetics points to the fact that faith is based on what is reasonable to believe, and that, though faith is not the same as reason (since faith goes beyond what reason alone can settle), it does not set itself against reason. The task of Christian apologetics, however, is not to show that Christian beliefs can be proven true in any undeniable and coercive way. It merely aims at establishing the basis from where a person may reasonably hold belief in the Christian concept of God and have knowledge of such a God, with the same intellectual integrity required in any other area of knowledge and aspect of life.

  This website is aimed at providing the framework for informing and equipping people in the task of apologetics.
  http://www.antwoord.org.za/english

  
• Deborah (Discerning the World)

  16 May, 2010 at 3:37 pm

  ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

  ” If you are interested in apologetics or if you have questions about the Christian faith or need a Christian perspective on an issue of the day, the website we recommend most highly is Leadership University. It is a site maintained by Campus Crusade for Christ and it contains information on a wide range of topics from many different sources”

  Bill Bright – Campus Crusade for Christ – http://www.discerningtheworld.com/category/bill-bright-campus-crusade-for-christ/

  Now I am upset. So much for antwoord.org :(

  
• Elmarie

  16 May, 2010 at 3:55 pm

  Deborah (Discerning the World)

  oooooi argh nooooooo!!! yes I see. :-(

  hmmmmmm

  
• Elmarie

  16 May, 2010 at 4:18 pm

  Deborah (Discerning the World)

  Me and A doing inspection now.

  
• Deborah (Discerning the World)

  16 May, 2010 at 4:53 pm

  *sniffs*

  
• Amanda

  16 May, 2010 at 4:55 pm

  DTW

  The website that AntWoord links to has a very good apologetics resource page here. It will be a painstaking job to go through that to see if there is objectionable material in there, but it looks legit. I saw nothing there by Bill Bright or the new wave teachers. I don’t think a link to that page implies that AntWoord endorses Bill Bright, but you could you e-mail them and ask.

  
• Deborah (Discerning the World)

  16 May, 2010 at 5:03 pm

  Amanda

  I will do that. They do however know it is maintained by Campus Crusade for Christ – so they should know what they are about. If not, then they will know after I have emailed them.

  
• Elmarie

  16 May, 2010 at 5:22 pm

  Deborah (Discerning the World)

  Also waiting for email answer.

  No more sniffs he he you take care there.

  
• Deborah (Discerning the World)

  16 May, 2010 at 5:26 pm

  Email:

  from: DiscerningTheWorld
  to: AntWoord Bediening
  date: 16 May 2010 17:24
  subject: Campus Crusade for Chirst?

  Hello guys

  Got a question or 3 for y’all that concerns me a bit.

  On your website you say, “We would love to hear from you and we enjoy correspondence with interested parties. If you are interested in apologetics or if you have questions about the Christian faith or need a Christian perspective on an issue of the day, the website we recommend most highly is Leadership University. It is a site maintained by Campus Crusade for Christ and it contains information on a wide range of topics from many different sources.” http://www.antwoord.org.za/english

  Do you endorse Bill Bright and the Campus Crusade for Christ who are part of the New Apostolic Reformation?

  Also I see you quote Ravi Zacharias “To commit one’s life, habits, thoughts, goals, priorities – everything – to a certain worldview with no questions asked is, from the antagonist’s point of view, to build one’s life upon a very questionable foundation.” Ravi Zacharias

  Did you know that Ravi Zacharias has joined sides with Robert Schuller as they spoke together at the “Rethink Conference 2009″ http://www.rethinkconference.com/why.php

  Ravi also at the National Day of Prayer in Washington, D.C. agreed to not pray in the name of Jesus as these were the rules laid down by the prayer breakfast organisation team. That is just NOT cricket!!

  Just thought I would let you know. I would like feed back on this because I have been promoting you on my blog and the comments are wideeeee open – even for you guys to come and let us know your thoughts on this: http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2010/05/10/faith-reason-conference-10-15-may-2010-south-africa/

  Kind Regards

  Deborah

  
• Elmarie

  16 May, 2010 at 8:15 pm

  Deborah (Discerning the World)

  Thank you Debs!!

  
• Elmarie

  24 June, 2010 at 3:32 pm

  Update:
  Ray Ciervo’s latest news letter. Thank you Faith and Reason, we will keep you in our prayers. God willing please come back to SA next year we need more truth!!

  

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