podcast 375 – The Trinity, the Deity of Christ, and the Best Craig – Part 1

Trinities

In this episode I first explain what I mean by “the best Craig” and why in my view we’re not getting that in some recent responses to my arguments. I then respond to some recent podcast episodes by Dr. William Lane Craig here and here, where Craig is not engaging with my arguments, instead dismissing me as a fringe kook who can be safely ignored.

I note how quickly he jumps from the Trinity to the Incarnation, and I challenge him to explain why, on biblical grounds, a doctrine of the Trinity is essential for Christianity. I also point out some mistakes and misunderstandings, as well as his failure to engage with my published critique of his Neo-Apollinarian christology and my views on the fourth gospel.

We again revisit what Craig calls “the modern relation of identity” (really: a modern understanding of identity) and I point out what is now an area of agreement about the concept of identity. Yet based on his recent remarks, Craig doesn’t understand what I think about the identity of God and the Father in the New Testament.

I refute his recent allegation that no New Testament scholar thinks that nowhere in the New Testament is Jesus taught to be fully divine; my counterexample is the famous and influential James Dunn. I then offer a few thoughts on his fallback objection that the vast majority of New Testament scholars would disagree.

Lastly, I respond to his brief argument from divine providence and the fourth gospel. Am I committed to God failing in his promised post-resurrection revelation?

Links for this episode:

podcast 374 – Book Session Identity Crisis – Part 3

podcast 373 – Book Session Identity Crisis – Part 2

podcast 372 – Book Session Identity Crisis – Part 1

Reasonable Faith Podcast: Trinitarianism vs Unitarianism Part One

Reasonable Faith Podcast: Trinitarianism vs Unitarianism Part Two

Craig, In Quest of the Historical Adam: A Biblical and Scientific Exploration

Craig and van Inwagen, Do Numbers Exist?

4 views on the Trinity – William Lane Craig, Dale Tuggy, Beau Branson, William Hasker

the arguments Dr. Craig didn’t want his podcast audience to hear

UCA YouTube channel

podcast 270 – Origen’s “one God”

Does God Exist? William Lane Craig vs. Christopher Hitchens – Full Debate

Gaston, Dynamic Monarchianism: The Earliest Christology?

Restitutio Podcast 528 Dynamic Monarchianism: The Earliest Christology (Thomas Gaston)

podcast 176 – Photinus of Sirmium

podcast 286 – Is the Trinity Essential? – Three Views

podcast 291 – From one God to two gods to three “Gods” – John 1 and early Christian theologies

podcast 338 – What John 1 Meant

“Craig’s Contradictory Christ”

podcast 344 – Craig’s Contradictory Christ – Part 2

podcast 343 – Craig’s Contradictory Christ – Part 1

the pythagorean theorem

How much did Aristotle understand about numerical sameness (identity)?

Debating Dale Starter Pack

James Dunn

Dunn, Christology in the Making

Dunn, Did the First Christians Worship Jesus?

SEP “Trinity” 1.4 The Trinity as Incoherent

Molinism, a.k.a. Middle Knowledge

A letter from the Lord Jesus: About God and Me

This week’s thinking music is “Lan Voon” by Van Loon.