Guest On The Today Programme Radio 4

[Theland]

American guest on Wednesdays radio 4, "Today," programme, a philosopher who is touring the country with the bishop of Durham, giving lectures on the weight of historical evidence for Christs resurrection.
I believe his christian name is Gary but didn't catch the surname, and cannot find it on web sites.
Can anybody help identify this chap?

[THECORBYLOON]

On the Today website, it says he's Professor Gary Habermas.

[Theland]

Thank you Corby. I missed that. Cheers.

[Theland]

I couldn't resist posting part 1 of this debate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c47Zd2AyeCg

[Theland]

The other parts of the debate are there also if you look.

It's interesting that Habermas and Flew have been close friends for fifteen years, despite their differing beliefs.

They don't insult each other.

[jake-the-peg]

Theland,

Here's an article by Habernas about his beliefs.

http://www.apologetics.com/default.jsp?bodycon tent=/articles/historical_apologetics/habermas -nt.html

You do have to watch him though because he does play a bit fast and loose.

For example he says:

Extra-biblical sources are another avenue worth pursuing when determining whether the New Testament texts speak reliably concerning historical issues. While less frequently used by scholars, a number of ancient secular sources mention various aspects of Jesus' life, corroborating the picture presented by the Gospels.10 The writers of these sources include ancient historians such as Tacitus, Suetonius, and Thallus


These authors don't actually refer to Jesus but rather to Christians and their beliefs about Jesus, so he is a bit naughty like that.

[Theland]

Jake, that is a good point and something that I noticed in one of the debates I watched last night - I watched all four.
If he is presenting circumstantial evidence that should be made more plain, but that is his human bias coming out I suppose, something we are all probably guilty of from time to time.
I haven't watched the lecture dealing with the fact that he used to be an atheist, but changed his view once he had investigated the evidence. That too should be interesting.

[keyplus90]

Which version of Bible does he believe in. There are hundreds, and still coming.

[Theland]

Just discovered that Anthony Flew now believes in the existence of God, although not necessarily a Christian.
There's a youtube video of Dawkins pooh poohing him for this.

[chakka35]

Anyone who goes around lecturing on the "weight of historical evidence for Christ's resurrection" is either seriously deluded or a fraud. Faith and belief, yes; historical evidence certainly not.

[naomi24]

There is no 'historical' evidence. All we have is a little 'hearsay'.