After Death, What is the ‘Intermediate State’?

The intermediate state is a person’s condition between physical death and the resurrection. For the believer, it is a time of conscious bliss in the presence of the Lord; but for the unbeliever, it is a time of conscious torment. According to the New Testament, death is the separation of the soul (or spirit) from […]

Worldview: Is God Male?

The official doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) is that both God the Father and God the Son have physical bodies. Mormons also believe that there exists a heavenly mother who is the wife of God the Father. Thus, in Mormon thought, God the Father and the Son are both […]

Guest Viewpoint: The Reformation — A Cause to Celebrate

The Protestant Reformation was a movement in 16th-century Europe that began as an attempt to reform the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. When it became apparent that reforming the Church was impossible, the Reformers separated from Roman Catholicism. The result was more of a revolution than a reformation. In time, from these […]

Worldview: The Hiddenness of God

Philosopher Frederick Copleston asked atheist philosopher Bertrand Russell what Russell would say if, after death, he faced God who asked him why he didn’t believe. Russell responded, “I would say, ‘Not enough evidence, God; not enough evidence.’” This exchange highlights the problem of the hiddenness of God. That is, if God exists, why does He […]

Worldview: Is Jesus the Only Savior?

Is Jesus the only Savior? Are there many paths to God and to salvation? These questions raise the issue of religious pluralism — the idea that all religions, at least the ethical ones, lead to God and salvation. Often the claim is that all religions essentially teach the same truth. In a day characterized by […]

Christian Worldview and Apologetics: The Bible and Slavery

Many people, believers included, are troubled that slavery was practiced in both the Old and New testaments. Much of this uneasiness results from failure to note that not all slavery is created equal. While slavery is “the state of one bound in servitude,” details of the practice have varied from time to time and culture […]

Christian Worldview and Apologetics: Biblical Inerrancy

The authority of Scripture is a key issue for the Christian church in every age. Christians — Protestants in particular, with their belief that the Bible is the final authority for faith and practice — hold the Bible in high esteem. Historically, Christians have believed that the Bible is absolutely trustworthy, which implies that it […]

Christian Worldview and Apologetics: Evidence for the Resurrection

Two miracles — the incarnation of Christ and his bodily resurrection — lie at the foundation of the Christian faith. Modern denials of the resurrection generally result from a naturalistic worldview, not from careful examination of the evidence. The naturalist’s objection is that it simply is unbelievable that a man could be raised from the […]