Modern/Postmodern Objections

1. Part 5
Modern Objections

2. Pre-Modern World

3. Pre-Modern Worldviews
1.Revelation is main source of knowledge
2.Revelation can not be scrutinized.
3.Revelation is mediated
4.Authority comes from heaven
5.Authority and laws are relative
6.No di
ff
erence between Secular & Sacred
7.Super Natural taken for granted.

4. Humans
Alchemists
Witches
Prophets
Priests/Rabbis
God Angels
Demons Ghosts
Physical
World
Rituals
Rituals
Rituals
R
i
t
u
a
l
s
Spiritual
World
Supernatural
Supernatural
Supernatural
Supernatural Spiritual
World

6. Enlightenment

7. Modern Worldview
1. Reason is main source of knowledge
2. Revelation can be scrutinized
3. Revelation is accessible to everyone
4. All authority comes from man
5. Laws are universal and absolute
6. Di
ff
erence between the secular and sacred
7. All phenomenon has rational explanation

9. Rationalism
1. No such thing as miracles
2. Only truth in Bible is that which can be veri
fi
ed
3. Reason is the source of all truth

10. Rationalism
The view that regards reason as the chief source and test of knowledge.
Holding that reality itself has an inherently logical structure, the rationalist
asserts that a class of truths exists that the intellect can grasp directly. There
are, according to the rationalists, certain rational principles—especially in logic
and mathematics, and even in ethics and metaphysics—that are so
fundamental that to deny them is to fall into contradiction.
Blashard, Brand. 2015. “Rationalism” Encyclopedia Brittanica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/rationalism

11. Limits of Rationalism

12. Robert Lee Moore Bldg. University of Texas
32nd Floor Theoretical Physics
Basement Laboratories

13. I only believe what I
can see, feel, hear,
and touch!

14. COVID 19

15. I only believe what
can be reasonably
explained

17. Davisson - Germer Electron Beam Experiment (1927)

18. Davisson and Germer Electron Beam Experiment (1927)

21. Conclusions
• Electrons are particles and waves!
• Matter is both particles and waves.
• We CANNOT grasp what an atom looks like.

22. CHARGE
• Truth is scienti
fi
c
• Science can be proved
• Religion is not scienti
fi
c
• Religion cannot be proved

23. Problem
• Science is proved
scienti
fi
cally
• Historical truth is
proved with legal
proofs

24. Biblical truth is
founded on
historical events
Archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon

25. Response
All facts are open
to interpretation
Archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon

26. Are facts really
open to interpretation?

27. Facts are not open
to interpretation
Holocaust Scholar Deborah Lipstadt

28. Denial (2016) Rachel Weisz

29. Facts are not
open to
interpretation
Holocaust Scholar Deborah Lipstadt

30. Science Disproved the Bible

31. 1. Ignores the scientists who believed
• Galilei Galileo 1564 - 1642
• Isaac Newton 1642 - 1746
• Robert Boyle 1627 – 1691
• Antoine Lavoisier 1743 – 1794
• Leonhard Euler 1707 – 1783
• Michael Faraday 1791 – 1867
• James Clerk Maxwell 1831 – 1879
• Gregor Mendel 1822 – 1884
• Arthur Compton 1892 – 1962

32. 2. Disregards literary genre’
Prose, Poetry
He will cover you with his pinions, and
under his wings you will
fi
nd refuge; his
faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
(Ps 91:4–6 ESV)

33. 3. Assumes Miracles Impossible
Natural law always true
“I am the LORD…who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall
be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be
built, and I will raise up their ruins’…who says of
Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall ful
fi
ll all my
purpose’;’”
(Isaiah 44:24–28 ESV)

34. 4. Ignores Bible’s Agreement With Science
a. A Genetic Eve
b. A Global Flood
c. An origin of time and space
d. An intelligent designer
e. Scienti
fi
c evidence of life after death

35. a. Genetic Eve

36. Allan Wilson Mark Stoneking
Rebecca Cann
Discovery of Mitochondrial Eve
The Journal Nature, 1987

37. National Geographic “Scienti
fi
c Adam & Eve” (2009)

38. b. Global Flood
Gilgamesh Epic

39. Ancient Flood Myths
• Sumeria - Gilgamesh Epic (2100 BC
• India - Satapatha Brahmana Legend (6th Century BC)
• Greece - Plato’s Story of Timaeus (360 BC)
• China - Gun-Yu Myth (2300 BC)
• Choctaw Indians - The Choctaw flood story
• Eskimo, Inuit, Inca

40. “Evidence for a Flood”
Tre
fi
l, J. (2000). Smithsonian Magazine.

41. c. Origin of Time and Space

42. Rationalist Worldview

44. Began with single event
Energy, Matter, Time, Space, and even laws of physics

45. Eye of the Octopus
d. Intelligent Designer

46. Chordata
Cephalopod
Homo Sapien
NO EYE
Bilaterians
Molluscs

47. Vertebrates
Cephalopod
Homo Sapien
Bilaterians
Invertebrates
NO EYE EYE

48. e. Evidence of life
after death

49. Humans are all
chemicals and
sparks

52. 4. Bible Agrees with Science
a. A Genetic Eve
b. A Global Flood
c. An origin of time and space
d. An intelligent designer
e. Scienti
fi
c evidence of life after death

53. Jesus never claimed to be God!

54. Aug 27 2020

55. 1. Old Testament never predicted a Divine Messiah

56. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6, ESV)

57. El Gibbor = Mighty God
(Isaiah 9:6, ESV)

58. The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right
hand, until I make your enemies your footstool”
Psalm 110:1, ESV

59. Yahweh said to Adonai
Psalm 110:1, ESV

60. 2. Jews never expected a Divine Messiah

61. Intertestamental Literature
• 1 Enoch 37-71
• 4 Ezra 3-14
• Dead Sea Scrolls Melchizedek Fragment (11Q13)
• Dead Sea Scrolls Self-Glori
fi
cation Hymn (4Q471B)
• Dead Sea Scrolls Son of God Fragment (4Q246)

62. There were many Jews who believed
i n … s o m e t h i n g q u i t e l i k e t h e
incarnation [of God]…Jesus when he
came, came in a form that many,
many Jews were expecting
(Boyarin, 2013)

63. I claim the Messiah’s divinity…is
clearly found in the messianic
l i t e r a t u re o f Q u m r a n a n d
in
fl
uenced the emergence of
Christianity
(Knohl I., 2000, p. 52).

64. When I
fi
rst began thinking about a
divine human within Judaism it was
an enigma: Jews were monotheists
and believed in only one God. How
could they say Jesus was God?
(Erhman, B., 2014)

65. Now I argue that it was possible Jews
thought there were divine beings who
became human…there were Jews…who
thought it was altogether acceptable to
worship a divine being.
(Erhman, B., 2014)

66. 3. Jesus himself said he was God

67. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day.
He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You
are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before
Abraham was, I AM.”
(John 8:56–58 ESV)

68. So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid
himself and went out of the temple.
(John 8:59 ESV)

69. Eigo eimi = I AM (John 8:58)
Eigo eimi = I AM (Exodus 3:14, Septuagint)

70. But John was written late! (90 AD)
Karen Armstrong

71. The high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah,
the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am,
and you will see the Son of Man seated at the
right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds
of heaven.”
Mark 14:61–62 ESV

72. The high priest tore his garments and said, “What
further witnesses do we need? You have heard his
blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all
condemned him as deserving death.
(Mark 14:63–64 ESV)

73. Behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one
like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of
Days and was presented before him. And to him
was given dominion… that all peoples, nations, and
languages should worship him
Daniel 7:13–14 ESV

74. Behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one
like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of
Days and was presented before him. And to him
was given dominion… that all peoples, nations, and
languages should worship him
Daniel 7:13–14 ESV
Pelach = serve a deity

75. Divine Messiah
1. Old Testament predicted divine messiah
2. Some Jews expected a divine messiah
3. Jesus claimed to be the divine messiah

76. Aug 27 2020

77. 1. Old Testament never predicted a Divine Messiah

78. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6, ESV)

79. El Gibbor = Mighty God
(Isaiah 9:6, ESV)

80. The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right
hand, until I make your enemies your footstool”
Psalm 110:1, ESV

81. Yahweh said to Adonai
Psalm 110:1, ESV

82. 2. Jews never expected a Divine Messiah

83. Intertestamental Literature
• 1 Enoch 37-71
• 4 Ezra 3-14
• Dead Sea Scrolls Melchizedek Fragment (11Q13)
• Dead Sea Scrolls Self-Glori
fi
cation Hymn (4Q471B)
• Dead Sea Scrolls Son of God Fragment (4Q246)

84. There were many Jews who believed
i n … s o m e t h i n g q u i t e l i k e t h e
incarnation [of God]…Jesus when he
came, came in a form that many,
many Jews were expecting
(Boyarin, 2013)

85. I claim the Messiah’s divinity…is
clearly found in the messianic
l i t e r a t u re o f Q u m r a n a n d
in
fl
uenced the emergence of
Christianity
(Knohl I., 2000, p. 52).

86. When I
fi
rst began thinking about a
divine human within Judaism it was
an enigma: Jews were monotheists
and believed in only one God. How
could they say Jesus was God?
(Erhman, B., 2014)

87. Now I argue that it was possible Jews
thought there were divine beings who
became human…there were Jews…who
thought it was altogether acceptable to
worship a divine being.
(Erhman, B., 2014)

88. 3. Jesus himself said he was God

89. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day.
He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You
are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before
Abraham was, I AM.”
(John 8:56–58 ESV)

90. So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid
himself and went out of the temple.
(John 8:59 ESV)

91. Eigo eimi = I AM (John 8:58)
Eigo eimi = I AM (Exodus 3:14, Septuagint)

92. But John was written late! (90 AD)
Karen Armstrong

93. The high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah,
the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am,
and you will see the Son of Man seated at the
right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds
of heaven.”
Mark 14:61–62 ESV

94. The high priest tore his garments and said, “What
further witnesses do we need? You have heard his
blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all
condemned him as deserving death.
(Mark 14:63–64 ESV)

95. Behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one
like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of
Days and was presented before him. And to him
was given dominion… that all peoples, nations, and
languages should worship him
Daniel 7:13–14 ESV

96. Behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one
like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of
Days and was presented before him. And to him
was given dominion… that all peoples, nations, and
languages should worship him
Daniel 7:13–14 ESV
Pelach = serve a deity

97. Divine Messiah
1. Old Testament predicted divine messiah
2. Some Jews expected a divine messiah
3. Jesus claimed to be the divine messiah