Natural Theology was the reaction of William Paley (1743-1805) to Enlightenment’s skeptical David Hume (1711-1776) who denied all revelation, the teleological argument, and miracles. William Paley wrote Natural Theology and famously defended the teleological argument or the Design/Designer argument with the illustration of the watch found in the desert. Not all theologians believe Natural theology is valid. Michael Horton represents this group: “Our natural experience of God is itself an interpretation, and as the interpretation of our fallen hearts, it is corrupt. As soon as we see a glimmering ember of divine truth we smother it, and this is why there can be no true natural theology, even though we are swimming in general revelation.”[1] This is the strong presuppositional view that many great theologian like Dr. John Whitcomb held to. I will argue that Scripture presents God using both evidentialist and presuppositional approach. For example, Paul in Acts 14 at Lystra first preached the gospel in 14:7 and then employed the teleological argument in 14:15-17.
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In chapter seven, The Self-Understanding of Jesus, Craig states that “at the center of any Christian apologetic therefore must stand the person of Christ; and very important for the doctrine of Christ’s person are the personal claims of the historical Jesus. Did he claim to be divine?....Who did Jesus of Nazareth claim to be?”
Read moreReview of Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics By William Lane Craig
In chapter six, The Problem of Miracles, Craig states that some skeptics today consider Biblical miracles a pre-scientific, superstitious worldview belonging to the ancient and middle ages. Some theologians like Rudolf Bultmann sought to demythologize the Bible of miracles and rid it of this stumbling block.
Read moreReview of Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics By William Lane Craig
In chapter five, The Problem of Historical Knowledge, Craig defends the importance of history to Christianity in light of the popular and scholarly rejection of history. Craig traces historiography as a science. Historiography is defined as "the study of the way history has been and is written – the history of historical writing", which means that, "When you study 'historiography' you do not study the events of the past directly, but the changing interpretations of those events in the works of individual historians" (The Methods and Skills of History: A Practical Guide, 1988, p. 223, ISBN 0-88295-982-4). In the Medieval Period (fifth to the eleventh century), historiography waned greatly. Anselm, therefore, defended Christianity largely from the Biblical text itself.
Read moreReview of Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics By William Lane Craig
In chapter three The Existence of God, Craig states that conventional wisdom says it is impossible to prove the existence of God and that, therefore, if we are going to believe in God, we must except it by faith that God exists.
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