Reasonable Faith Adelaide is a Christian apologetics group that is a local chapter of Reasonable Faith in the US, which is led by Dr William Lane Craig. We aim to provide a specific voice on Christian apologetics in South Australia, are non-denominational and adhere to mainstream Christian beliefs as summarized in the Nicene Creed.
The purposes of Reasonable Faith Adelaide are to:
Provide an articulate, intelligent voice for biblical Christianity in the public arena,
Strengthen the faith and foundational beliefs of believers,
Equip believers to engage unbelievers,
Reach out to unbelievers, and
Create an environment in which the Christian faith is perceived as a viable intellectual option such that the gospel can be heard.
The aim will be to provide events that are of interest to people of all persuasions.
I encourage you to invite friends or acquaintances who are likely to be interested in this venture.
We usually meet at 7-9 pm on every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month via Zoom. Sign up to receive our twice monthly email using the sign up form on the right hand pane. This does not commit you to pay any money and you can unsubscribe at any time.
On the 12th September 2024, Kevin Rogers presented a talk on “Is Jesus God?”
Orthodox Christians claim that Jesus Christ was pre-existent and is both man and divine. The doctrine of the Trinity is that there are 3 persons, but one God. However, the term ‘Trinity’ is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible. So: What are the arguments for Christ’s divinity? How did the doctrine of the trinity develop? What were the alternative beliefs? What do current unorthodox sects believe? Is belief in the Trinity necessary or helpful, or Is the doctrine of the Trinity unnecessary baggage?
Dr Kevin Rogers is the director of Reasonable Faith Adelaide. After a 40-year engineering career, he was a Research Fellow and lecturer with the University of South Australia but is now mainly retired.
On the 22nd August Kevin Rogers gave a talk on “Is the universe a free lunch?”
It takes a lot of energy to launch a rocket into outer space. Likewise, it seems pretty obvious that it would also take an enormous amount of energy to cause our universe to expand against the force of gravity. However, some cosmologists have claimed that gravitational energy is negative, which cancels out other forms of positive energy (such as heat, light, mass and kinetic energy) such that the total energy of the universe is zero. Thus, no energy is required to create the universe, and our universe is the ultimate free lunch. In “A brief history of time” Stephen Hawking made this claim but provided no justification. In “A universe from nothing”, Lawrence Krauss made the same claim and provided a very brief argument based on Newton’s gravitational equations, but Krauss’s argument looks wrong.
I have spoken to a number of physicists on this issue. A few of them have initially affirmed it, but then are unable to say why. I have never heard a plausible explanation. I have no in principle objection to the free lunch hypothesis. I don’t propose to be dogmatic, and am happy to be shown that I am wrong. If it is true, then it could explain what creation ex nihilo actually means. However, “Is the free lunch hypothesis true and can it be justified?” I will present my argument for why I believe it isn’t and you can judge whether I am wrong.
Dr Kevin Rogers is the director of Reasonable Faith Adelaide. After a 40-year engineering career, he was a Research Fellow and lecturer with the University of South Australia.
On the 8th August Brian Schroeder gave a presentation on on “what does it mean for the Bible to be inspired by God?”
Penn Jillette has said: “I think that anyone who is thinking about maybe being an atheist, if you read the Bible or the Koran or the Torah cover to cover I believe you will emerge from that as an atheist. You could read The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, you can read God is Not Great by Hitchens, but the Bible itself will turn you atheist faster than anything.”
And yet we frequently find in practice it works out exactly the opposite of that. Many people have picked up this book & read it and heard, as it were, the voice of God speaking directly to them from its pages & have come to God rather than being driven to atheism. They find in its pages hope and truth and life. Christians claim that the Bible is inspired by God. What exactly does that mean, and what are the implications of such a belief?
Brian Schroeder is a Reasonable Faith committee member. He has BSc and BA degrees from Adelaide University (Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics), and an MA in Theology.
On the 25th July Joshua Meade spoke on the Miller-Urey experiment.
Here is Joshua’s summary:
The Miller-Urey Experiment, conducted in 1952, is considered a scientific breakthrough in the field of abiogenesis. Stanley Miller, while under the supervision of Harold Urey, conducted an experiment that simulated what was thought to be early Earth conditions. The famous experiment used a mixture of gases, plus simulated lightning in the form of a spark in order to produce a selection of racemic amino acids. Amino acids are one of the fundamental building blocks required for life.
This worldview sparks debate amongst theists and atheists. I’ll be presenting the perspective from each side and will attempt to give a reasonable representation of the current arguments.
Joshua Meade is a mechatronic engineer and a member of the RFA committee. He also has an active interest in biochemistry. Joshua and Amethyst are currently back in New Zealand, and they have three lovely young girls.
On the 11th July Bronwyn Pearse spoke on a Christian perspective on the occult.
In the Western post Christian era, the 21st century has seen an upsurge in people exploring spiritual experiences. How should the 21st century Christian view Occult practises? Are they harmless, as some argue, or do they really hold potential power?
Does the Bible say anything them? C.S Lewis himself said “We cannot biblically dismiss the reality of external, personal evil forces diametrically opposed to the kingdom of God; ones which actively work against the one who came to bring humans life in all its fullness- mind, body and spirit.”
This talk explores what today’s Occult practices look like and what the Bible says about Ghosts.
Bronwyn Pearse is a primary school teacher and a Christian. Bronwyn has personally found that apologetics has strengthened her faith and helped her to answer questions from unbelievers on the problem of evil, how Christianity is unique amongst the world religions and how science and faith connect.
