Dr. John Oakes is teaching an Old Testament Survey course for the West Coast School of Ministry this Fall.  He will be posting notes, power point and audio here. Old-Testament-Survey-Notes    Old-Testament-Survey PPT    OT Survey I Audio    OT Survey II Audio    OT Survey Audio III    OT Survey Audio IV  OT Survey […]

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Dr. John Oakes is excited to announce the publication of his new book, titled True, Right, Better: A Defense of the Christian Worldview.  The book analyzes the various worldviews such as naturalism, postmodernism, pantheism, dualism, polytheism, deism, Islamic theism, Christian theism, existentialism, marxism and more through the lens of three questions.  Is this worldview true–ie […]

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Dr. John Oakes is doing a missionary teaching trip to West Africa Feb 16-Mar 5, 2023.  He will be posting all or nearly all of his lessons, outlines and ppts here.  Great Bible Study Time Notes    Great Bible Study PPT   Great Bible Study Audio    Reliability of the Bible notes    Reliability of […]

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Dr. John Oakes is teaching a six-hour class on the Book of Genesis for campus interns in Merced, CA June, 2022.  The material is here.  Genesis Merced Notes    Genesis Merced PPT    Genesis Merced Audio I    Genesis Merced Audio II    Genesis Merced Audio III  Genesis Merced Audio IV    Genesis Merced Audio […]

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Dr John Oakes is taught a two-part, three hour class on issues related to Science and Christianity and Science and the Existence of God.  The  Audio and power point are here.   Is There a God PPT     IsThereaGod Audio I    Is There a God Audio II Video is available here:   First Session  https://youtu.be/Yhgb1iiU0lg   Second Session  […]

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Dr. John Oakes is teaching a twelve hour class on Christian evidence specifically for a group of campus ministry interns in Fresno, California July 11-12. Power Point presentations and audio will be uploaded from the class.

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Thanks to the amazing contribution and help of Cory Wadstrom, Evidence for Christianity now has a podcast.   We will be finding different modes to make this podcast available, but in the meantime we invite you to check out our first of many podcasts to come at this link:     https://soundcloud.com/cory-wadstrom/podcast-ep-1-rough-draft?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=email

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The Gallup Organization has polled Americans on their view of human origins since 1982 http://www.gallup.com/poll/210956/belief-creationist-view-humans-new-low.aspx   .  The three choices Americans were given were: 1. Human beings developed over millions of years, but God guided this process. 2. Human beings developed over millions of years, but God had no part in this process. 3. God created humans […]

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Editor’s Note:  Rich Wright, one of the students in our ARS Apologetics Certificate Program, has written an excellent paper on the question of the inerrancy of the Bible, focusing in on the most important document on that topic ever published, which is known as the Chicago Statement on Inerrancy.  He criticizes their approach, especially with […]

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Editor’s note:  This Q & A was of sufficient interest, that I have decided to post it as an article as well. Question: If evolution and abiogenesis have simply naturalistic explanations behind the origins and development of life itself, then wouldn’t this replace any need for a god? Abiogenesis for example gives forth purely scientific and […]

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[editor’s note:  This question rambles quite a bit.  I did a lot of correcting of grammar, spelling and the like, but I am afraid it still is a bit hard to follow.   Hopefully, you will get the idea.] Question: Aren’t the Bible and the Christian religion a Catch-22?  This would be defined as a […]

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Dr. John Oakes engaged in a debate on the existence of God titled “God is Not Dead” at a teen camp in Jamul, California on 6/17/2014.   His opponent was recent high school graduate Hunter Garnier.  Hunter is no slacker, as he was valedictorian of his class and is heading off to UC Berkeley in […]

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Dr. John Oakes taught three classes in Asuncion, Paraguay and La Paz, Bolivia which were translated into Spanish.  The three are From Shadow to Reality (De la Sombra a la Realidad), Living by Faith (Viviendo por la Fe), and God and Science (Dios y la Ciencia).   Also included are power points for two of […]

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[Editor’s note: This is a series of interchanges which might be a bit hard to follow, but I decided to post this pretty much as is.  It is a series of exchanges on the rather abstract question of where Quantum mechanics interacts with free will.] Question: Dr. Oakes,  I am researching a study for my […]

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Question: I am now reading one of your books “Is There a God” [editor’s note: www.ipibooks.com].  I wondered about this: do simple one-celled organisms contain DNA? (I have heard of Dr. Flew’s view that DNA is too complex for accidental origination.) Answer: That is a simple question. All living things have DNA. Even the simplest […]

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QUESTION: I recently listened to a debate between Sam Harris and Dr. Craig. I remember listening to your audio where you mentioned that you have not come across any scientific discrepancies in the Bible. This is more or less a statement that Sam Harris made in regards to scientific discrepancies found in the Bible: ‘Genesis […]

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Question: I have an issue I’d love for you to weigh in on if you can please? I don’t know if you’ve ever seen the 3 part debate between Dr William Lane Craig and Prof Krauss? (if not, the are on YouTube). If so, can you please shed some light on responding to Krauss in […]

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Question: I was just browsing and came upon your website. I read through some questions/answers and was surprised to read that you believe that the Bible’s account of Eve being formed/created out of Adam’s rib is metaphorical.  So your God can create a universe and yes, even Adam and Eve ex nihilo as you like […]

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Question: I’ve recently listened to an interview by Grant Palmer who is a former Mormon but applied “critical analysis” to the Mormon Bible and converted to Christ. In his interview, he also expressed some concern with the Christian Bible including:     1. timing issues in the creation account       2. Adam and Eve being actual/symbolic        3 the tower […]

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QUESTION: I  have a question for in regards to an article posted by Fox News today. Apparently a 1.8 million year skull has been found which apparently is some evolutionary link. Does this mean tha there was some sort of pre-adamic race? Are they even sure the skull is that old? How would this reconcile […]

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Question:   May I ask why anyone should believe in the Bible?    You claim that the global flood was miraculous, yet what does that have to do with evidence?  Did God completely heal the earth? Is that what you’re saying?  You wish people to believe that God kept the ocean animals, plant life, bacteria all from […]

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Question: I am asking a series of questions that come from 1 Cor. 15.     Several times in the chapter Adam is referred to as “one man,” a single individual.     If Adam and Eve existed as an “original couple” and had a real Fall, I believe this may present major problems in trying to harmonize evolution with […]

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Question: I wanted to thank you for your last email and for answering some of the questions I had. I appreciate you taking the time out of your undoubtedly busy schedule to do so.It helped me greatly. I hope I do not wear you out with my somewhat simplistic inquiries.    The reason for this question […]

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Comment: I would like to say that I envy you. I can’t seem to reconcile my faith with evolution. I’m sure that the things I was told at church about evolution has a big part to play in my crisis but I think it’s also the way that science has presented it. Ever since Darwin […]

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Question: [editor’s note: this is a more personal letter than we normally post, but the issue is common enough we are posting it, in hopes that some can relate and use the information] In my current ministry, my explanation about non-literal days in Genesis 1 is viewed with hesitancy and, I sense, silent distrust. In […]

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Question: Jesus did not spend many years planting, farming, and harvesting the grapes for the matured wine he shared at the wedding. Neither did He have to fish for the mature fish he multiplied. It seems He and God transcend our concept of time and maturation issues, regularly, throughout the Bible including an unlimited cooking […]

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Question: I understand that the Day/Age Theory of Evolution reconciles with the scriptures and even allows for the possibility of Adam evolving from chimpanzees, australopithecenes, or something else. However, what about Eve? Do you believe that the account of her creation from Adam’s rib is clearly to be taken literally and plainly? If so, that […]

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Question: What do you think about the claim that evolution is in fact not directed–that natural selection was undirected and that neo darwinism is right about this?  I want to.understand science and scripture.  Do.you agree with Biologos foundation? Answer: It is my personal belief that, first, evolution is real and that species have evolved at […]

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QUESTION: I have a question regarding the time frame in Genesis 1. I know you believe that the earth is billions of years old, yes?  And that the bible is speaking figuratively when it describes how long creation took, I hope I am not assuming this. As I was researching I realized that the word […]

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Question: I found the article below condemning the teaching of theistic evolution.  Is it correct, or maybe do they have some errors?, Thanks! [editor’s note: the article referred to is immediately below and my response is below that] THEISTIC EVOLUTION- What Is Theistic Evolution? Proponents of theistic evolution claim that God created man by evolutionary […]

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