Part Six: Questions about Issues of Christian Practice
Part 6
QUESTIONS ABOUT ISSUES OF CHRISTIAN PRACTICE
Some believe that our practices or the “practical” does not merit our thoughtful attention because it consists of intellectually unserious business. But that is a myth. For those of us who operate in academic contexts, one can be tempted to think that the most important intellectual ideas are those that are studied in a classroom, in a publication, or in a research lab alone. But that is often not the case. How we live, including our habits and practices, require as much of a mind to reason as do solving the great questions of the universe. For the Christian, it is scandalous if we fail to drink deeply from the waters—no, ocean!—of Christian wisdom and understanding and not apply such insight to the relevancy of thinking Christianly about the manner in which we live; to fail in this area is, perhaps, to be swayed by the temptation that the “Christian mind” merely equals “thinking as a Christian about academic ideas.”
The questions in this part reveal how Dr. Craig seeks to cultivate and apply Christian reflection to issues of practical import. I am especially pleased to present his answers in this part because (1) I think they help to show he has something practical to say that can be beneficial to others and (2) it models how a seasoned intellect of his caliber (for goodness’ sake, the guy has two PhDs!) can care and contribute to knowledge and wisdom on matters that affect us all, or at least affect those that we know.
By interacting with the questions and answers of Part Six, you can benefit in the following ways.
In section 1, you can come to discern
• The value and benefits of accurately diagnosing the movements of our society.
• Why we do not really live in a “postmodern society.”
• Why it is costly to marry a non-Christian.
• Why self-control and not being defined by the fulfillment of our desires is a calling for both the homosexual Christian and the heterosexual Christian.
In section 2, you can come to experience
• How to maintain physical stamina.
• How to prepare for marriage.
You can discover further background to these issues, grow your understanding, and become even more skillful in your communication of what you learn by interacting with some of these valuable resources:
Dig Deeper into Dr. Craig’s Work
BEGINNER
Craig, William Lane. “Vision in Life.” Biola University, La Mirada, Calif.: http://bit.ly/VisionInLife.
Craig, William Lane. “On a Healthy Marriage and Grad School.” National Faculty Leadership Conference (June 1, 2008). http://bit.ly/HealthyMarriage.
Craig, William Lane. “What Is the Meaning of Failure for a Christian.” Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, Marietta, Ga. (2007). http://bit.ly/FailureJFBC.
INTERMEDIATE
Craig, William Lane. “A Christian Perspective on Homosexuality.” http://bit.ly/PerspectiveOnHomosexuality
Craig, William Lane. “Creatio ex nihilo: A Critique of the Mormon Doctrine of Creation.” http://bit.ly/MormonCritique.
Craig, William Lane. “Who Is the Real Jesus? The Jesus of the Bible or the Jesus of the Qur’an?” http://bit.ly/JesusQuran.
Supplemental Recommended Resources
BEGINNER
Cabal, Ted, gen. ed. Apologetics Study Bible. Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007.
Moreland, J. P. Love Your God with All Your Mind. Rev. ed. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2012.
INTERMEDIATE
Austin, Michael W. and R. Douglas Geivett, eds. Being Good: Christian Virtues for Everyday Life. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2012.
DeYoung, Rebecca Konyndyk. Glittering Vices: A New Look at the Seven Deadly Sins and Their Remedies. Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2009.
Groothuis, Douglas. Christian Apologetics. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 2011. Chapters 6–7, 23–24, 26.
Rae, Scott B. Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.
Sire, James W. The Universe Next Door. 5th ed. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 2009.
Smith, R. Scott. Truth and a New Kind of Christian. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2005.
Sweis, Khaldoun A. and Chad V. Meister. Christian Apologetics. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012. Chapters 51–54.
ADVANCED
Kelly, Stewart E. Truth Considered and Applied: Examining Postmodernism, History and Christian Faith. Nashville: B&H Publishers, 2011.
Penner, Myron B., editor. Christianity and the Postmodern Turn. Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2005.
Roberts, Robert C. and W. Jay Wood. Intellectual Virtues: An Essay in Regulative Epistemology. Oxford: Clarendon Press; New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.