The Tertiary Students Christian Fellowship is an evangelical student ministry that works at campuses both internationally and around New Zealand. They also have a dedicated program, called Catalyst, that serves graduates, both in the workplace and in post-graduate study.
TSCF have in the past provided quality books at their conferences but today, they have launched Catalyst Books, an online store that will provide a range of titles to assist graduates in relating their faith to life, study and work.
One of the great things about the store is that they offer books that seek to relate the Gospel directly to each academic discipline, from architecture to psychology. They also offer free shipping.
Make sure you head over to their site and take a look.
It was with great excitement that I purchased Olive Tree’s iPod Touch Bible software (well, the reader was free) and ESV Study Bible with 80,000 notes and maps and commentary and other stuff. Better still, the discount of the product was 25% with an additional 10% for being a first time customer.
The software itself is still evolving (yes, evolution can just mean change over time) but even at this early stage it is very good. Three “touches” will take you to any verse in the entire Bible. Split screen action means that you can have the Bible text in the top section of the screen and a synced commentary in the bottom section. Maps can be zoomed in and out using the two finger salute, I mean pinch.
To be perfectly honest, few things shock me these days, for good or for bad, but the touch screen interface on the iPod Touch is astonishing. It is so good that I have found myself using my laptop very little as the Touch does email, RSS, MP3s, web browsing, and Bible study! It is an online device as it has built-in wifi and connects in a few seconds after the instant-power-on is actuated.
What is going to happen next is quite fascinating. The Apple iPad will be an iPod Touch on steroids and the Bible study tools developed for the iPad will be nothing short of amazing I suspect. Imagine carrying a library in a digital book: maps, commentaries, multiple translations, original language tools, Spurgeon’s and MacArthur’s books libraries, all John Piper’s free eBooks, and of course an RSS feed to Manawatu Apologetics! I wonder if my Pastor would be hip enough to use one of these mega-devices?
This audio book is free this month here: http://christianaudio.com/product_info.php?products_id=2028
Narrated by Mark Driscoll & published by Crossway
In his distinctively edgy—yet theologically sound—style, Pastor Mark Driscoll addresses the nine most pressing questions posed by visitors to the Mars Hill Church website.
Inspired by 1 Corinthians, in which Paul answers a series of questions posed by the people in the Corinthian church, in 2008 Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle polled the visitors of his church’s website to determine their most pressing questions. Visitors were allowed to vote up to 10 times per day, and in the end, 893 questions were asked and 343,203 votes were cast. The top nine questions are now each answered in this audio version of Religion Saves.
After an introduction devoted to the misconception that religion can save us, Driscoll tackles questions relating to birth control, humor, predestination, grace, sexual sin, faith and works, dating, the emerging church, and the regulative principle. Because the purpose of this audiobook is to address commonly asked questions, all listeners will find relevant, engaging material, presented in Driscoll’s distinctively edgy – yet theologically sound – style.
Oh, and the coupon code to get it free is “FEB2010″
An incredibly exciting device, long speculated by many people, has finally been revealed to the masses. You can check out the videos of both the keynote speech by Steve Jobs, and the iPad video here:
http://www.apple.com/nz/ipad/#video
This device will no doubt revolutionize the way many of us access information. The great pricing will guarantee that millions will buy it, and the consuming masses guarantee lots of dollars for the numerous developers that will be writing software for the beast right now as you read.
I did a quick search for Bible software and found this:
Of course, this will not run on the iPad right now … I am having you on … in fact it will run this app right now as the iPad will run iPhone and iPod Touch applications without modification.
However, the Olive Tree company will no doubt modify this app to use the large screen and make tremendous improvements to a product that is already highly rated by users on the Apple store.
Given the base price is $499 USD, these should land in New Zealand for about $700 NZD I would expect 
Here’s hoping!
I feel so lost…I’m not sure what I believe anymore. Can you help me?
For every teenage or college-age person who shares these thoughts, many more hide similar feelings inside. This generation’s faith is constantly under attack from the secular media, skeptical teachers, and unbelieving peers. You may wonder, How can I help?
Working with young adults every day, Sean McDowell understands their situation and shares your concern. His first-rate team of contributors, including Dan Kimball, Josh McDowell, and Brian Godawa, shows how you can helps members of a new generation plant thier feet firmly on the truth. Find out how you can talk them through the process of…
- formulating a biblical worldview and applying scriptural principles to everyday issues
- articulating their questions and addressing their doubts in a safe environment
- becoming confident in their faith and effective in the witness
The truth never gets old, but people need to hear it in fresh, new ways. Find out how you can effectively share your answers to life’s big questions with a new generation.
Available online are the FREE study and a FREE chapter, both in PDF format. You can find both on this page:
http://www.conversantlife.com/apologetics-for-a-new-generation
UPDATE: This is an excellent discussion with lots of argy-bargy from Prof. Atkins. What I so liked about this discussion is that Atkins is an honest atheist and does not beat around the bush. These guys should should do a full moderated 3-hour debate — it would be so beneficial to those interested in this debate. Meyer too was brilliant.
Justin Brierley from the Christian radio program Unbelievable has put together an amazingly high-quality debate. I made a rough transcript, so please see below for that.
The MP3 file is here. (60 minutes)
The following is from the Unbelievable website:
Intelligent Design theorist Stephen Meyer vs. Atheist scientist Peter Atkins debate Intelligent Design.
The documentary film “Expelled” is presented by US Actor Ben Stein and makes the case that scientists who question Darwinian orthodoxy and support Intelligent Design are being “expelled” from academia.
As the UK edition of the DVD is released we ask “Is freedom of thought at stake or is Intelligent Design out of bounds when it comes to biological science?”
Stephen C Meyer is co founder of the Discovery Institute in the USA and a major proponent of Intelligent Design.
Peter Atkins is Professor of Chemistry at Oxford University and an outspoken atheist.
They both feature in “Expelled” and join Justin to debate the pros and cons of Intelligent Design theory.
Mark Haville who is bringing the film to the UK also joins the discussion.
Thinking Christians should subscribe to Justin’s podcasts here to get a regular dose of scholarship:
http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/AudioFeed.aspx.
PS. Justin Brierley also interviewed William (Bill) Dembski and Lewis Wolpert a couple of weeks ago on the same radio show.
Professor John Frame writes about this book:
“With doctorates in both New Testament and mathematics, and with a solid commitment to orthodox Reformed theology, Vern Poythress is uniquely qualified to write on the theology of science. Further, he is one of the most insightful theologians writing today. As you read this book, you will be amazed at the ways in which a biblical perspective illumines the work of science. Poythress deals, of course, with all the traditional science-Bible issues, like the days of Genesis. But he also shows that a biblical worldview is essential to the work of science itself, for scientific law can be nothing other than the law of the God of Scripture. This is by far the most important book you can read on this subject. I recommend it without reservation.”
Dr. Stephen Meyer from the Discovery Institute and writer of the much acclaimed Signature in the Cell writes:
“Poythress shows how a proper understanding of biblical theology makes possible not just one but many credible harmonizations of biblical and scientific truth. Along the way, he provides an insightful defense of the theory of intelligent design as a viable scientific research program. His examination of the mathematical beauty inherent in the universe gives yet another compelling reason to acknowledge the wisdom and design that lie behind physical reality.”
HT to Christian News for this item.
You can download this, and other PDF books by Poythress here:
http://www.frame-poythress.org/poythress_books.htm
Well, well,well, NZers often get accused of importing the worst from America, but in this case we have imports from the UK. Not that I am saying that this is worst — I hardly think so. I would much rather listen to Richard Dawkins than Oprah Winfrey! In fact, when MCAS was interviewed for the local paper a few years ago, one of the main points we wanted to get across was that we wanted “the God issue” to be brought back into public discussion. And this bus campaign will do exactly that. Hallelujah!
Check out their website here: http://www.nogod.org.nz/
Stuff article here: http://www.stuff.co.nz/oddstuff/3149823/Theres-probably-no-God-coming-to-a-bus-near-you
Related Websites
Apologetics 315 (cutting edge apologetics news)
Beretta (NZ philosophy blog)
MandM (NZ philosophy blog)
Thinking Matters (NZ Christian Apologetics blog)
A dvd by Dr John Blanchard
Based on the book of the same title – which is available for purchase online.
Part of a series of dvds by John Blanchard (same time & venue).
Sponsored by
Grace Reformed Baptist Church
Palmerston North
A dvd by Dr John Blanchard
Part of a series of dvds by John Blanchard (same time & venue):
- Saturday 31st October: Does God believe in atheists?
- Saturday 28th November: Is God past His sell-by date?
Sponsored by
Grace Reformed Baptist Church
Palmerston North
Antony Flew’s book (with Roy Abraham Varghese) There is a God : how the world’s most notorious atheist changed his mind is not in the Massey library, however it is available throught the BONUS+ system here:
http://bonus.newcastle.edu.au/search/i?9780061335297
The following is cut and pasted (emphasis added) from Bill Craig’s latest newsletter. Lots of exciting stuff happening around the world. I am especially interested in On Guard which sounds like a must-have item!
Meanwhile, I continue work on a couple of book projects. Chad Meister and my book God Is Great, God Is Good, which is a wide-ranging response to the so-called New Atheism represented by the likes of Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, and Richard Dawkins, is currently in press and should be out very soon with Inter-Varsity Press.
I’m also working with the editors and designers at David C. Cook on my On Guard, which will be a training manual for laymen in defending their faith. Because there are so many graphics in this book in the form of pictures, side bars, boxes, and so on, Cook is taking the unusual step of asking their designers to design every single page in the book to ensure an attractive and engaging appearance. So I’m very pleased at the efforts they’re putting into this book.
My scholarly research continued to advance this month. Prof. Ken Perzyck, who organized the conference I spoke at in New Zealand last year (see the July 2008 newsletter), directed me to an article by a Swedish philosopher who provided just the insight I needed to solve a problem I’ve been working on for some time now. I think it was a real breakthrough moment in my research, and I feel confident to move forward on it.
Check out Bradley’s blog and details of his new book here.
The name of the book is “Seeking God in Science: An Atheist Defends Intelligent Design”.
Bradley Monton is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
If anyone wants to buy me a copy, I will gladly accept
by James W. Sire
Dr. Sire begins his talk by asserting that the mechanism of belief is inescapable in life. In addition, the question of why we believe what we do has been of ultimate importance for all people, at all times, and in all places. Arguing that we must learn to make the fine distinction between reasons to believe and causes of belief, Dr. Sire examines the social, psychological, genetic, and religious theories of belief by employing this distinction to each category. Finally, Dr. Sire argues that what one believes must cohere to reality, and he offers several arguments that the Christian faith is a system of belief that does just this.
MP3: http://static.veritas.org/media/files/vt-sire_ucsb.mp3
Probably not, but who knows. From the article:
The new system, Wolfram Alpha, showcased at Harvard University in the US last week, takes the first step towards what many consider to be the internet’s Holy Grail – a global store of information that understands and responds to ordinary language in the same way a person does.
Although the system is still new, it has already produced massive interest and excitement among technology pundits and internet watchers.
Computer experts believe the new search engine will be an evolutionary leap in the development of the internet. Nova Spivack, an internet and computer expert, said that Wolfram Alpha could prove just as important as Google.
…
Dr Wolfram, 49, who was educated at Eton and had completed his PhD in particle physics by the time he was 20, added that the launch of Wolfram Alpha later this month would be just the beginning of the project.
…
The engine, which will be free to use, works by drawing on the knowledge on the internet, as well as private databases. Dr Wolfram said he expected that about 1,000 people would be needed to keep its databases updated with the latest discoveries and information.
…
Wolfram Alpha has been designed with professionals and academics in mind, so its grasp of popular culture is, at the moment, comparatively poor. The term “50 Cent” caused “absolute horror” in tests, for example, because it confused a discussion on currency with the American rap artist.
I use Wolfram’s website now and again and it is pretty good.
He will be at “Church in Vogel”, 127 Vogel Street, Palmerston North on Tuesday 31st March thru Thursday 2nd April. Each evening’s session will start at 7pm and topic will be ……… “In The Beginning – GOD”, a study on the first 11 chapters of Genesis.
More info can be found at www.ariel.org.nz or by contacting info@ariel.org.nz.
Or you can call Llew King on 06 357 0092.
Offerings will be taken.
Check it out here.
Here are the details:
Here are 15 short sessions on critical thinking by Randall Ridenour from Oklahoma Baptist University. This is available as an iTunes podcast, but is not working right now. All the files can be found here however. These are m4b files, which, when played through Quicktime, have slides that go along with the lesson. It is recommended that you view and listen through your Quicktime player.
01 – Arguments
02 – Conditionals
03 – Perception
04 – Memory
05 – Sources
06 – Emotions
07 – Relevance
08 – Fallacies
09 – Probabilities
10 – Conditional Probabilities
11 – Samples
12 – Applications
13 – Heuristics
14 – Biases
15 – DissonanceEnjoy
The entire curriculum of The Theology Program is now for free on iTunes as well as all the electives. Here is some of the material: Introduction to Apologetics & Apologetic Methods with Robert Bowman; Christian Philosophy with Paul Copan. All on MP3 via iTunes!
From http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable, here is the MP3:
http://media.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/6e95c37b-33f7-4fdf-adb2-b628ab78914b.mp3
