The Peter S. Williams Podcast

My talk on New Testament Archaeology at the 2022 European Leadership Forum in Poland (with the Q&A times edited out).

My May 2022 appearance on the Pints With Jack podcast (S5E43), re-hosted here with permission: 'Today with apologist Peter S. Williams we consider the related ideas of “Logical Positivism” and “Verificationism” which were popular in Lewis’ day and which are still alive and well today...'

For Pints With Jack see: www.pintswithjack.com/

For this episode on the Pints With Jack website and YouTube Channel, see: www.pintswithjack.com/s5e43/#

Audio of my "paper" for the hybrid in-person and virtual Fifth International Interdisciplinary C. S. Lewis Conference, "Of This and Other Worlds", hosted by Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iaşi, Romania. My talk was pre-recorded and presented to the conference on Thursday 18th November 2021.

Audio from a video for NLA University College course module: 'A Christian Worldview and Science in Apologetic Perspective'.

In this session we’re thinking about communicating about science and the Christian worldview in Church contexts, by thinking about preaching.

Recommended Resources

• YouTube Playlist, ‘Preaching’ www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQhh3qcwVEWijz8HKf3ms2rm5SLiwASZu
• Timothy Keller, Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism (Hodder & Stoughton, 2015)
• Gregory Koukl, Tactics: A Game Plan For Discussing Your Christian Convictions, Updated & Expanded (Zondervan, 2020)
• Tim McBride, Catching the Wave: Preaching the New Testament as Rhetoric (IVP, 2016)
• Quentin Schultze, An Essential Guide to Public Speaking: Serving Your Audience with Faith, Skill, and Virtue (Baker Academic, 2006)
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Preaching for Spiritual Formation: Luke 7:36-50’ (2021) http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/preaching-for-spiritual-formation-luke-736-50/
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Peter S. Williams - Discipleship in 3D: Change for head, heart and hands’ (2019) https://youtu.be/QTyEo0JgIBI
• Joe Carter & John Coleman, How To Argue Like Jesus: Learning Persuasion From History’s Greatest Communicator (Crossway, 2009)

Audio from a video for NLA University College course module: 'A Christian Worldview and Science in Apologetic Perspective'.

In this session we look at the biblical picture of creation in the context of ancient mythology.

Recommended Resources

• YouTube Playlist, ‘Ancient Near Eastern Myths’ https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQhh3qcwVEWjAgMpzoXxQVGtiFb8-uLku
• YouTube Playlist ‘Genesis’ www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQhh3qcwVEWhQcmE4OsKJWhtnzA65up7t
• YouTube Playlist, ‘Human Origins’ https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQhh3qcwVEWggUTIWUFS7jpMSdPFKyVUw
• YouTube Playlist, ‘Young Earth Creationism’ https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQhh3qcwVEWitFuSuMLz5fmhRGBHR8-_O
• Matthew Barrett et al. Four Views On The Historical Adam (Zondervan, 2013)
• J. Daryl Charles, ed. Reading Genesis 1-2: An Evangelical Conversation (Hendrickson, 2013)
• Charles Halton ed. Genesis: History, Fiction, or Neither? Three Views On The Bible’s Earliest Chapters (Zondervan, 2015)
• Douglas Jacoby, ‘How Long are the “Days” of Genesis 1?’ www.douglasjacoby.com/qa-1502-long-days-genesis-1/
• John Lennox, Seven Days That Divide The World: The Beginning According to Genesis and Science. 10^th Anniversary edition (Zondervan, 2021)
• Paul Marston, ‘Understanding the Biblical Creation Passages’ www.lifesway.net/understanding_the_biblical_creation_passages.html
• Todd Patterson, ‘How Can the Creation Account in Genesis 1 be Both History and Literature?’ www.toddjana.com/how-can-the-creation-account-in-genesis-1-be-both-history-and-literature/
• Peter S. Williams, Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade, 2020), chapter 3
• Peter S. Williams, A Faithful Guide to Philosophy: A Christian Introduction to the Love of Wisdom (Wipf and Stock, 2019), chapter 16

Audio from a video for NLA University College course module: 'A Christian Worldview and Science in Apologetic Perspective'.

In this session we take a look at the history of science as a discipline and look at the historical relationship between science and Christianity.

Recommended Resources

• YouTube Playlist, ‘The Theological Roots of Science’ https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQhh3qcwVEWh3jDVYqFFzWSnTbtlUeCg3
• Allan Chapman, Slaying The Dragons: Destroying Myths In The History Of Science And Faith (Lion, 2013)
• James Hannam, God's Philosophers: How the Medieval World Laid the Foundations of Modern Science (Icon, 2010)
• Michael Newton Keas, Unbelievable: 7 Myths About the History and Future of Science and Religion (ISI, 2018)
• John Lennox, Has Science Buried God? Second edition (Lion, 2009), chapter 1
• Stephen C. Meyer, The Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries That Reveal the Mind Behind the Universe (HarperOne, 2021), chapters 1-3

Audio from a video for NLA University College course module: 'A Christian Worldview and Science in Apologetic Perspective'.

What should we think about the nature of our minds, and how does scientific research into our brains factor into our self-understanding?

Recommended Resources

• YouTube Playlist, ‘Mind-Body Dualism, Free Will & Related Issues’ https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQhh3qcwVEWh0MdW-hlHBPyLRWgFjzhPT
• John Lennox, Has Science Buried God? Second edition (Lion, 2009), chapter 3
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Faithful Guide To Philosophy 11: Mind Body Problem’ https://youtu.be/7-_fe-yASHg
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Faithful Guide To Philosophy 13: Freedom & Responsibility’ https://youtu.be/j5ZlyKJXVVE
• Peter S. Williams, A Faithful Guide to Philosophy: A Christian Introduction to the Love of Wisdom (Wipf and Stock, 2019), chapters 11-13

Audio from a video for NLA University College course module: 'A Christian Worldview and Science in Apologetic Perspective'.

This session introduces the scientific theory of 'Intelligent Design'.

Recommended Resources

• Ann Gauger et al, Science and Human Origins (Discovery Institute, 2012)
• Stanley N. Gundry, ed. Creation, Evolution And Intelligent Design (Zondervan, 2017)
• John Lennox, Has Science Buried God? Second edition (Lion, 2009), chapters 5-11
• Stephen C. Meyer, The Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries That Reveal the Mind Behind the Universe (HarperOne, 2021)
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Faithful Guide To Philosophy 6: Paley, Hume & Design (Teleology I)’ https://youtu.be/q4QgBnBNFSU
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Faithful Guide To Philosophy 7: Intelligent Design (Teleology II)’ https://youtu.be/pD68pTUkogY
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Richard Dawkins v the Case for God - a critical guide’ (2021) http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/richard-dawkins-vs-the-case-for-god-a-critical-guide/
• Peter S. Williams, ‘The design argument in biology after Darwin’ (2019) http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/the-design-argument-in-biology-after-darwin/
• Peter S. Williams, ‘The Design Inference from Specified Complexity Defended by Scholars Outside the Intelligent Design Movement – A Critical Review’, Philosophia Christi (Volume 9, Number 2, 2007) https://epsociety.org/library/articles.asp?pid=54
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Atheists Against Darwinism: Johnsons’ “Wedge” Breaks Through’ http://www.peterswilliams.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Atheists-Against-Darwinism-May-09.pdf
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Intelligent Designs on Science’ http://www.peterswilliams.com/2016/02/09/intelligent-designs-on-science/
• Peter S. Williams, Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade, 2020), chapter 7
• Peter S. Williams, A Faithful Guide to Philosophy: A Christian Introduction to the Love of Wisdom (Wipf and Stock, 2019), chapters 6 & 7

Audio from a video for NLA University College course module: 'A Christian Worldview and Science in Apologetic Perspective'.

We consider questions about the evolution and Darwinism.

Recommended Resources

• Ann Gauger et al, Science and Human Origins (Discovery Institute, 2012)
• Stanley N. Gundry, ed. Creation, Evolution And Intelligent Design (Zondervan, 2017)
• John Lennox, Has Science Buried God? Second edition (Lion, 2009), chapters 5-11
• Stephen C. Meyer, The Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries That Reveal the Mind Behind the Universe (HarperOne, 2021)
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Faithful Guide To Philosophy 6: Paley, Hume & Design (Teleology I)’ https://youtu.be/q4QgBnBNFSU
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Faithful Guide To Philosophy 7: Intelligent Design (Teleology II)’ https://youtu.be/pD68pTUkogY
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Richard Dawkins v the Case for God - a critical guide’ (2021) http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/richard-dawkins-vs-the-case-for-god-a-critical-guide/
• Peter S. Williams, ‘The design argument in biology after Darwin’ (2019) http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/the-design-argument-in-biology-after-darwin/
• Peter S. Williams, ‘The Design Inference from Specified Complexity Defended by Scholars Outside the Intelligent Design Movement – A Critical Review’, Philosophia Christi (Volume 9, Number 2, 2007) https://epsociety.org/library/articles.asp?pid=54
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Atheists Against Darwinism: Johnsons’ “Wedge” Breaks Through’ http://www.peterswilliams.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Atheists-Against-Darwinism-May-09.pdf
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Intelligent Designs on Science’ http://www.peterswilliams.com/2016/02/09/intelligent-designs-on-science/
• Peter S. Williams, Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade, 2020), chapter 7
• Peter S. Williams, A Faithful Guide to Philosophy: A Christian Introduction to the Love of Wisdom (Wipf and Stock, 2019), chapters 6 & 7

Audio from a video for NLA University College course module: 'A Christian Worldview and Science in Apologetic Perspective'.

In this session we'll be looking at how Big Bang Cosmology and the discovery of Cosmic Fine Tuning inform some much discussed arguments for the existence of God.

Recommended Resources

• William Lane Craig, ‘The Kalam Cosmological Argument - Part 1: Scientific’ https://youtu.be/6CulBuMCLg0
• William Lane Craig, ‘The Kalam Cosmological Argument - Part 2: Philosophical’ https://youtu.be/vybNvc6mxMo
• William Lane Craig, ‘The Fine-Tuning of the Universe’ https://youtu.be/EE76nwimuT0
• William Lane Craig, Does God Exist? (Impact 360, 2019), Chapters 1-3
• John Lennox, Has Science Buried God? Second edition (Lion, 2009), chapter 4
• Stephen C. Meyer, The Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries That Reveal the Mind Behind the Universe (HarperOne, 2021)
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Faithful Guide To Philosophy 5: The Kalam (Cosmological Arguments II)’ https://youtu.be/mIMLtC-Uaic
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Cosmic Fine Tuning: Design or Multiverse?’ http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/cosmic-fine-tuning-design-or-multiverse/
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Arguing for God’ http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/arguing-for-god/
• Peter S. Williams, Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade, 2020), Chapter 9
• Peter S. Williams, A Faithful Guide to Philosophy: A Christian Introduction to the Love of Wisdom (Wipf and Stock, 2019), chapters 5 & 7

Audio from a video for NLA University College course module: 'A Christian Worldview and Science in Apologetic Perspective'.

Recommended Resources

• John Lennox, Has Science Buried God? Second edition (Lion, 2009), chapters 1 & 2
• J.P. Moreland, Scientism and Secularism: Learning to Respond to a Dangerous Ideology (Crossway, 2018)
• Del Ratzsch, Science and Its Limits: Natural Sciences in Christian Perspective (Apollos, 2000)
• Peter S. Williams, ‘The Dawkins – Lennox God Delusion Debate: Three Philosophical Problems with Dawkins’ Worldview’ http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/the-dawkins-%e2%80%93-lennox-god-delusion-debate-three-philosophical-problems-with-dawkins-worldview/
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Apologetics in 3D’ https://youtu.be/hiUHeaEaPLA
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Is Christianity Unscientific?’ https://youtu.be/mWiU2p_PIE8
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Is Christianity Unscientific?’ Theofilos (2013) http://www.peterswilliams.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Is-Christianity-Unscientific-Theofilos-Paper.pdf
• Peter S. Williams, ‘A Pre-Modern Reflection on the Modernist Roots of Postmodernism’ https://youtu.be/jrG781NqtDw
• Peter S. Williams, ‘A Pre-Modern Reflection Upon the Modernist Foundations Postmodernism’ Theofilos (Volume 7, 2015:2) http://www.peterswilliams.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Postmodernism_v5.pdf
• Peter S. Williams, ‘The Apologetics of Cultural Re-Enchantment in 3D’ Theofilos  2019/1 (June / July) https://theofilos.no/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/3e_Forum_Williams_The-Apologetics-of-Cultural-Re-Enchantment-in-3D.pdf
• Peter S. Williams, ‘‘Natural Theology and Science in Contemporary Apologetic Context: An Overview‘ Theofilos (Vol. 12, 2020, issue 1.)’ https://theofilos.no/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Theofilos-vol-12-nr-1-2020-Supplement-forum-1.pdf
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Apologetics in 3D: Persuading Across Spiritualities with the Apostle Paul’ http://www.peterswilliams.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Peer-Reviewed-Paper_Apologetics-in-3D.pdf
• Peter S. Williams, ‘Four dozen key resources on apologetics and natural theology in an age of science‘ that I curated and annotated for a special Supplement edition of Theofilos (Vol. 12, 2020, issue 1) https://theofilos.no/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Theofilos-vol-12-nr-1-2020-Supplement-biblos.pdf
• Peter S. Williams, Apologetics in 3D: Essays on Apologetics and Spirituality (Cascade, 2021)
• Peter S. Williams, A Faithful Guide to Philosophy: A Christian Introduction to the Love of Wisdom (Wipf and Stock, 2019), chapter 16

Edited recording of a class, hosted online by Bjorn Hinderaker, for students at NLA University in Norway, covering some themes from my book Outgrowing God? A Beginner's Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade, 2020).

The presentation portions of an online class on 'Apologetics in 3D' for students of NLA University College in Norway, from 14th October 2021.

Recording of my workshop on New Testament archeology and the evidence for Jesus from the online 2021 European Leadership Forum, in which I show that archaeological evidence indicates that:

• Jesus, son of Joseph and brother of James, existed in 1^st century Israel
• Jesus was crucified
• Jesus was buried in a now empty Jerusalem tomb
• Grave robbery was an offence that may have been associated with Nazareth (where the NT says Jesus lived) by the early 2^nd century
• Despite his crucifixion, Jesus was considered divine by some within a few generations (c. 120 yrs) of his death
• The 1^st century biographies of Jesus in the NT have been repeatedly verified by archaeological discoveries, which should encourage us to trust them on matters we can’t independently verify

Edited recording of my post-forum seminar on Old Testament history from the on-line European Leadership Forum conference in May 2021.

Conference attendee Albert Crespo, who did his Master's thesis on the royal offices in the period of the first temple, helpfully brought to my attention the fact that two bullae mentioning Jeremiah’s scribe Baruch the son of Neriah are now thought to be forgeries. During my talk I referenced one of these bullae in good faith, but I have edited this reference out of this podcast.

See: "The Authenticity of the Bullae of Berekhyahu Son of Neriyahu the Scribe", Yuval Goren, Eran Arie, BASOR 372, www.researchgate.net/publication/305753694_The_Authenticity_of_the_Bullae_of_Berekhyahu_Son_of_Neriyahu_the_Scrib; www.bible.ca/bulla/bible-bulla-jeremiah-clay-bullae-inscription-Belonging-to-Baruch-Berechiah-Son-of-Neriah-The-scribe-Jer-36-4-1975-1996ad-Reuben-Hecht-israel-museum-605bc-forgery-fake.htm. 

Crespo also alerted me to the fact that William F. Albright’s interpretation of the (genuine) “Eliakim na˓ar Yokan” stamped jar handles - that Yokan referred to King Jehoiachin - is now thought to be incorrect: “This misinterpretation was not corrected for almost 50 years and resulted in a great deal of confusion over the chronological sequence and stratigraphical analysis of the archaeology of Judah from the time of the Divided Monarchy." – “The Eliakim Na˓ar Yokan Seal Impressions: Sixty Years of Confusion in Biblical Archaeological Research”, Yosef Garfinkel, Biblical Archaeologist, Vol. 53, 1990. Again, I have edited out a brief reference made to this artefact in my talk.

See: www.bible.ca/bulla/bible-archeology-jeremiah-clay-bullae-seal-inscription-Belonging-to-Eliakim-servant-of-Jehoiachin-belonging-to-Jotham-misidentified.htm.

Recording of a workshop talk from the online 2021 European Leadership Forum.

Psalm 42 states that ‘As the deer pants for water, so I long for you, O God’, but did you know that there's an actual argument for the existence of God, and even of heaven, from the existence of certain human desires? C.S. Lewis was captivated by this theme, and he produced the twentieth century’s principal thematic and argumentative engagement with what has come to be known by philosophers as ‘the argument from desire’. This talk explores Lewis' apologetic engagement with desire and how it points us to God.

Theofilos editor Lars Dahle talks with special edition guest editor Peter S. Williams about the first special, open access issue of the Nordic journal Theofilos. They explain the background to, and give an overview of, the contents of this special edition called Theofilos Supplement 2020-1. The overall theme for this thematic issue is "Science, Natural Theology, and Christian Apologetics". Through their engaging conversation Williams and Dahle provide snapshots of both the seven peer reviewed and the four more popular articles. They explore issues relating to the book of Genesis, natural theology and the influence of science in contemporary popular culture. Along the way, they explore something of the history of the relationship between science and theology.

This special issue of Theofilos is published here: https://theofilos.no/issues/theofilos-supplement-2020-1/

This podcast was originally published by Damaris Norge (https://www.damaris.no/stotte-oss/), and is re-published here by permission.

This open access lecture, delivered online for NLA University on 22nd April 2021, is followed by a Q&A period facilitated by Bjorn Hinderaker.

This lecture examines three key philosophical problems with the worldview of atheist Richard Dawkins, through an analysis of his famous 2007 'God Delusion' debate/discussion with Oxford Mathematician and Philosopher of Science John C. Lennox, which was held in Alabama.

You can watch the debate @ www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF5bPI92-5o

You can watch the debate with Norwegian subtitles @ www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA0iVQcQXp

This lecture was delivered to students at NLA University on 22nd April 2021.

Recommended Resources

Peter S. Williams, “A Sceptic’s Guide to Richard Dawkins” http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/a-sceptics-guide-to-richard-dawkins/

———. “Cosmic Fine Tuning: Design or Multiverse?” http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/cosmic-fine-tuning-design-or-multiverse/

———. “Introduction to ‘Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate’ (Cascade, 2020)” http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/introduction-to-outgrowing-god-a-beginners-guide-totrichard-dawkins-and-the-god-debate-cascade-2020/

William Lane Craig, “Dawkins’ Delusion” www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/popular-writings/existence-nature-of-god/dawkins-delusion/

John C. Lennox. God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? 2^nd edition (Lion, 2009)

J.P. Moreland. Scientism and Secularism: Learning to Respond to a Dangerous Ideology (Crossway, 2018)

Charles B. Thaxton, et al. The Mystery Of Life’s Origin: The Continuing Controversy (Discovery Institute Press, 2020)

Peter S. Williams. Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade, 2020)

———. A Faithful Guide to Philosophy: A Christian Introduction to the Love of Wisdom (Wipf & Stock, 2019)

———. I Wish I Could Believe In Meaning: A Response to Nihilism (Damaris, 2005)

Lecture on the design argument from cosmic fine tuning delivered to students at NLA University College on 22nd April 2021. After describing cosmic fine tuning and one way of inferring design from that data, this lecture responds to the 'multiverse' objection to the argument.