ln a dlscusslon on anoLher Lhread l was asked Lo share mv reasons whv l am a ChrlsLlan LaLer ln Lhe same

Lhread nuke1heope asked me Lo respond Lo 8lchard Carrlers Whv l am noL a ChrlsLlan Peres whaL l
came up wlLh
PonesL dlscusslon ls aood for Lhe soul WheLher vou belleve ln Lhe soul or noL l Lhlnk vou wlll aaree l know
Lhls because l've had a frlend slnce hlah school And we've had one of Lhose verv speclal frlendshlps LhaL
endure movlna awav from home meeLlna new people ln colleae aeLLlna marrled and Lhe aeneral dlsarrav
LhaL Lhe passaae of Llme brlnas Lo relaLlonshlps Cn [usL abouL everv polnL we fundamenLallv and
wholehearLedlv dlsaaree Pe llkes readlna novels and l prefer cheesv PlsLorv Chanel documenLarles Pe's a
llberal and l'm a conservaLlve Cr aL leasL l used Lo be unLll he Lalked me ouL of lL We also dlsaaree on
rellalon Pe's an aLhelsL and l'm a ChrlsLlan 8uL whlle we dlsaaree on so manv Lhlnas we have veL Lo araue
abouL one Lhlna Lhe lmporLance of knowlna and flndlna Lhe LruLh AfLer each conversaLlon l flnd LhaL l'm
beLLer person for lL 1he more fundamenLal Lhe dlsaareemenL Lhe more room for arowLh lL's ln LhaL same
splrlL l wroLe Lhls response Lo 8lchard Carrler's Whv l am noL a ChrlsLlan" for r/aLhelsm l slncerelv hope LhaL
Lhls conLrlbuLes Lo Lhe quesL for LruLh one wav or anoLher
8efore l offer mv response l wanL Lo sav LhaL Lhere are cerLaln llmlLaLlons Lo Lhls essav 1wo LhaL vou should
know abouL rlahL off llrsL whaL l sav here ls noL an araumenL for ChrlsLlanlLv onlv a response Lo ob[ecLlons
lf vou wanL fullv developed araumenLs l'd recommend keosoooble loltb bv Wllllam Lane Crala Second l
wasn'L able Lo respond Lo evervLhlna Carrler sald buL l Lrled Lo respond Lo Lhe splrlL of hls araumenL on each
polnL
Cod ls Pldden
Carrler's flrsL polnL ls LhaL Cod ls sllenL Pe araues LhaL lf Cod wanLs someLhlna from me he would Lell me
Pe wouldn'L leave someone else Lo do Lhls as lf an lnflnlLe belna were shorL on Llme And he would cerLalnlv
noL leave falllble slnful humans Lo dellver an endless pleLhora of confused and conLradlcLorv messaaes"
1

1hls puLs Carrler ln Lhe sLranae poslLlon of holdlna Lhe burden of proof for a Lheoloalcal polnL of vlew Whv ls
lL LhaL we should suspecL Cod Lo acL ln Lhe wav Carrler suaaesLs? Carrler Lhlnks LhaL hls poslLlon flows
necessarllv" from Lhe ChrlsLlan ldea of who Cod ls a perfecLlv lovlna and perfecLlv omnlpoLenL belna lL's
[usL a slmple svlloalsm A lovlna and omnlpoLenL belna would make hlmself known Lo evervone Cod has noL
done Lhls 1herefore Cod aL leasL a lovlna and omnlpoLenL belna does noL exlsL
now Lhere's aL leasL Lhree polnLs Lo be made here 1he flrsL ls LhaL Lhere ls a sense ln whlch Cod has meL Lhe
requlremenLs lald ouL bv Carrler 8omans 1 savs WhaL mav be known abouL Cod ls plaln Lo Lhem because
Cod has made lL plaln Lo Lhem lor slnce Lhe creaLlon of Lhe world Cod's lnvlslble quallLleshls eLernal
power and dlvlne naLurehave been clearlv seen belna undersLood from whaL has been made so LhaL
people are wlLhouL excuse" Cod has provlded revelaLlon LhaL ls accesslble Lo evervone CranLed lL mav noL
be a full dlsclosure he onlv reveals hls eLernal power and dlvlne naLure" buL neverLheless lL ls Lhere

1
Carrler 8lchard (2011) Whv l Am noL a ChrlsLlan lour Concluslve 8easons Lo 8e[ecL Lhe lalLh (p 7)
hllosophv ress klndle LdlLlon

1he second polnL ls LhaL Carrler's poslLlon seems llke a raLher presumpLuous sollpslsLlc poslLlon Lo Lake Pow
ls LhaL we can presume Lo know whaL Cod should do? Carrler presenLs analoav afLer analoav LhaL are
deslaned Lo demonsLraLe LhaL lf he were ln Cod's poslLlon he would mosL cerLalnlv do such and such a Lhlna
or acL ln some parLlcular wav l know Lhere have been manv Llmes l have been cerLaln LhaL a person should
have acLed ln such and such a wav buL laLer when l had all Lhe facLs chanaed mv mlnd Puman belnas
presume Lo know all Lhe facLs all Lhe Llme And we aeL lL wrona all Lhe Llme lsn'L lL aL leasL loalcallv posslble
LhaL alven all Lhe facLs Cod mlahL be [usLlfled ln noL maklna Lhe sorLs of appearances LhaL Carrler suaaesLs?
1o make Lhe clalm as Carrler does LhaL 1he loalcallv lnevlLable facL ls lf Lhe ChrlsLlan Cod exlsLed we would
all hear from Cod hlmself Lhe same messaae of salvaLlon and we would all hear sLralahL from Cod all Lhe
same answers Lo all Lhe same quesLlons" ls Lo shoulder a Lremendous burden of proof Pe would have Lo
show LhaL Lhere ls no loalcallv posslble seL of clrcumsLances where Cod would acL dlfferenLlv Lhan Carrler's
predlcLlon
8elaLed Lo Lhls second polnL ls anoLher lssue 8lchard Carrler does noL aeL Lo declde Lhe condlLlons under
whlch Lhe revelaLlon of Cod wlll be saLlsfacLorv We as human belnas do noL aeL Lo Lurn Lo our creaLor and
sav Lo hlm Pev Cod vou know whaL? l'm noL aolna belleve ln vou unless vou phvslcallv appear dlrecLlv Lo
me And none of LhaL 'vlslon' nonsense l wanL emplrlcal daLa SomeLhlna l can run LesLs on and such 1haL
cool wlLh vou Cod?" l don'L Lhlnk a aod who was commanded abouL bv us so LhaL he obeved our demands
and ln essence was sub[ecL Lo us ls reallv a aod aL all 1haL sounds raLher more llke a cosmlc walLer Lhan Lhe
Cod of Lhe unlverse Pev Cod lf vou do a real aood [ob l'll belleve ln vou a llLLle exLra mavbe wear a cross
necklace or someLhlna ueal?"
1he Lhlrd polnL Lo make here ls LhaL we have aood reason Lo Lhlnk LhaL Lhere are clrcumsLances and
condlLlons LhaL Carrler has overlooked so LhaL Lhe sorL of revelaLlon Carrler demands ls noL loalcallv
lnevlLable" Carrler labeled Lhe flrsL polnL of hls essav Cod ls hldden" and Lhls ls a polnL Lheoloalans have
acknowledae for a lona Llme Lvervone aarees Cod ls noL a vlslble as he could be 1he quesLlon ls Whv?"
Cne response ls Lo sav LhaL Cod does noL wanL Lo coerce bellef so he makes hlmself llluslve Pe wanLs Lo
preserve human freedom ?ou can flnd hlm lf vou wanL Lo buL he's noL aolna Lo wrlLe hls name ln Lhe cloud
everv oLher 1uesdav ln oLher words Cod wanLs people Lo nboose Lo LrusL ln hlm Pe doesn'L wanL people Lo
merelv be reslaned Lo Lhe facL LhaL Cod exlsLs ln Lhe wav Lhev are reslaned Lo Lhe facL LhaL Lhe skv ls blue or
LhaL one dav Lhev wlll dle Carrler dlsmlsses Lhls klnd of araumenL as excuses" Such araumenLs he savs
suffer from a lack of evldence and belna Loo oJ bon Well LhaL mav be and lL's noL reallv Lhe vlew l hold
mvself 8uL Lhe polnL ls LhaL Lhere ls a loalcallv posslble seL of clrcumsLances where Cod would have aood
reasons for noL reveallna hlmself as Carrler requlres And so lona as Lhls ls even a loalcal posslblllLv Carrler's
polnL abouL Lhe hlddenness of Cod enLalllna Lhe nonexlsLence of Cod doesn'L succeed
1he besL answer Lo Lhe hlddenness of Cod ls noL LhaL Cod wanLs Lo preserve human free wlll Lhouah LhaL ls a
posslblllLv 1he besL answer ls LhaL Cod deslres a cerLaln klnd of relaLlonshlp wlLh manklnd and so he reveals
hlmself ln [usL such a wav for LhaL relaLlonshlp Lo besL be aLLalned aul Moser suaaesLs LhaL Cne of Cod's
alms wlLh dlvlne eluslveness would be Lo focus and hlahllahL a more uraenL quesLlon for humans namelv
who exacLlv ls ln charae here? Who ls Lhe proper moral auLhorlLv over Lhe unlverse lncludlna over all
humans? A relaLed uraenL quesLlon ln need of focus mav be exacLlv how ls Cod ln charae over Lhls morallv
Lroubled unlverse?" 1he eluslveness of Cod creaLes an exlsLenLlal problem LhaL we have Lo work ouL and Lhls
problem has Lo be worked ouL Lhe wav Cod wanLs noL Lhe wav Carrler demands Cod Lo work lL ouL When
we presume Lo make Cod Lhe sub[ecL of our coanlLlve demands we commlL whaL Moser calls coanlLlve
ldolaLrv" As Moser asks Wlll we leL Cod be Lrulv Cod (and Lhus morallv robusL) even ln Lhe area of human
lnqulrv abouL Cod?"
2

Moser suaaesLs LhaL !esus hlmself ralsed Lhls polnL hlmself
AL LhaL Llme !esus sald l pralse vou laLher Lord of heaven and earLh because vou have hldden
Lhese Lhlnas from Lhe wlse and learned and revealed Lhem Lo llLLle chlldren ?es laLher for Lhls was
vour aood pleasure All Lhlnas have been commlLLed Lo me bv mv laLher no one knows Lhe Son
excepL Lhe laLher and no one knows Lhe laLher excepL Lhe Son and Lhose Lo whom Lhe Son chooses
Lo reveal hlm" (ML 112327 lLallcs added cf Lk 102122 1 Cor 2414)
1he concluslon Moser reaches ls LhaL
!esus Lhus porLravs hls dlvlne laLher as hldlna dlvlne wavs and means from people who are prldefullv
wlse and learned" ln Lhelr own eves Pe suaaesLs LhaL Cod ls lnLenLlonallv eluslve even Lo Lhe polnL
of hldlna relaLlve Lo people who oppose Cod's auLhorlLv and morallv rlahLeous wavs 1hls suaaesLlon
aarees wlLh a lonasLandlna Leachlna of Lhe propheLlc LradlLlon ln Lhe Pebrew scrlpLures lncludlna
lsalah 4313 1rulv vou are a Cod who hldes hlmself C Cod and Savlor of lsrael" lf we Lake !esus
and Lhe Pebrew propheLlc LradlLlon serlouslv we should expecL Cod Lo be morallv rlahLeous
perfecLlv lovlna and Lhus aL Llmes eluslve Loward wavward humans
1he polnL ls LhaL we should noL expecL for Cod Lo be revealed under Lhe clrcumsLances and condlLlons
prescrlbed bv human belnas as lf he were some sorL of reaular speclmen ln a lab lf Cod revealed hlmself ln
Lhls wav lL mlahL ease Lhe mlnds of manv emplrlclsLs buL lL would ulLlmaLelv sell human belnas shorL of Lhe
sorL of relaLlonshlp Cod wanLs us Lo have wlLh hlm lnsLead we should expecL Cod Lo be revealed under Lhe
clrcumsLances and condlLlons Cod prescrlbes Cod reveals hlmself onlv under Lhe condlLlons he wanLs lf lL
all As Moser has apLlv sald We Lhlnk we readllv know whaL we should expecL of a perfecLlv lovlna Cod As a
resulL we confldenLlv seL Lhe parameLers for Cod's reallLv as lf our favored parameLers were declslve 1hls ls
a careless move lf bold common and apparenLlv self servlna We seldom ask however whaL Cod would
expecL of us"
Cod ls lnerL
1he second polnL Carrler ralses ls LhaL Cod ls lnerL LssenLlallv Carrler ls araulna hls own verslon of Lhe
problem of evll here Pe savs LhaL lL's a slmple facL of dlrecL observaLlon LhaL lf l had Lhe means and Lhe
power and could noL be harmed for mv efforLs l would lmmedlaLelv allevlaLe all needless sufferlna ln Lhe
unlverse Cod he araues has Lhe means and power and Lhe moLlve (belna alllovlna) ?eL l cannoL be more
lovlna more benevolenL Lhan Lhe ChrlsLlan Cod 1herefore Lhe facL LhaL Lhe ChrlsLlan Cod does none of
Lhese Lhlnasln facL noLhlna of anv sorL whaLsoeverls proof poslLlve LhaL Lhere ls no ChrlsLlan Cod"

2
aul Moser ln Cod ls CreaL Cod ls Cood Whv 8ellevlna ln Cod ls 8easonable 8esponslble (p 34)
lnLervarslLv ress klndle LdlLlon

Pls second polnL has some of Lhe same problems as Lhe flrsL namelv LhaL Carrler acLuallv Lakes a poslLlve
Lheoloalcal poslLlon whlch he needs Lo prove 1hls Llme he needs Lo show LhaL Lhere could no posslble seL of
clrcumsLances under whlch Cod would be [usLlfled ln allowlna sufferlna Lo Lake place Pe would also need Lo
show LhaL Cod does noL ln facL lnLervene Lo allevlaLe sufferlna 1he world ls lndeed full of sufferlna buL we
have no wav of knowlna of how ofLen Cod lnLervenes ln human affalrs erhaps he does lL all Lhe Llme ln
wavs LhaL are noL deLecLable Cf course l'm noL clalmlna LhaL Lhls ls ln facL Lhe case l'm [usL offerlna lL as a
loalcal posslblllLv one LhaL Carrler would have Lo refuLe ln order Lo Lake Lhe poslLlon LhaL he does
LssenLlallv whaL Carrler ls suaaesLlna ls Lhe classlc araumenL aaalnsL Lhelsm whlch Sam Parrls recenLlv
resLaLed
Cf course people of all falLhs reaularlv assure one anoLher LhaL Cod ls noL responslble for human
sufferlna 8uL how else can we undersLand Lhe clalm LhaL Cod ls boLh omnlsclenL and omnlpoLenL?
1hls ls Lhe aaeold problem of Lheodlcv of course and we should conslder lL solved lf Cod exlsLs
elLher Pe can do noLhlna Lo sLop Lhe mosL earealous calamlLles or Pe does noL care Lo Cod
Lherefore ls elLher lmpoLenL or evll
1here are reallv Lwo verslons of Lhe araumenL from evll 1he flrsL ls Lhe loalcal Slmplv sLaLed Lhe loalcal
problem evll clalms LhaL Lhe sLaLemenLs Cod exlsLs as an omnlpoLenL omnlbenevolenL belna" ls
conLradlcLorv Lo Lhe sLaLemenL Lvll exlsLs" 8uL mosL phllosophers seem Lo Lhlnk LhaL Lhe loalcal verslon of
Lhe araumenL cannoL be successful (lor examples of ChrlsLlan Lheodlcles see laLnlnaa's lree Wlll uefense or
!ohn Plck's SoulMaklna 1heodlcv) aul uraper a respecLed phllosopher of rellalon and an aanosLlc sald l
do noL see how lL ls posslble Lo consLrucL a convlnclna loalcal araumenL from evll aaalnsL Lhelsm"
3
lL seems
raLher llkelv LhaL Cod even belna all aood and powerful could have morallv sufflclenL reasons for allowlna
sufferlna and evll ln Lhe word As lona as Lhls ls even a loalcal posslblllLv Lhe loalcal araumenL from evll does
noL succeed
1he second verslon of Lhe araumenL Lhe emoLlonal verslon ls someLhlna LhaL should be Laken verv serlouslv
LssenLlallv Lhe emoLlonal verslon of Lhe araumenL ls LhaL whlle Cod and evll mav be loalcallv compaLlble
Lhere ls neverLheless no saLlsfacLorv reason as Lo whv Cod allows Lhe amounL of sufferlna he does or whv he
allows lL ln a speclflc clrcumsLance 1here are all klnds of horrlflc experlences we mlahL call Lo mlnd here
rape LorLure sLarvaLlon Sure Cod's exlsLence mav be compaLlble wlLh evll buL tbls klnd of evll?
l'll be frank and honesL here 1here are reasonable responses Lo be offered buL lf someone l loved
experlenced someLhlna as horrlble as LorLure l surelv would noL paL Lhem on Lhe back and sav Pev vou
know whaL? Cod has morallv sufflclenL reasons for allowlna Lhls" 1haL mlahL be Lhe loalcal answer buL lL
cerLalnlv lsn'L Lhe rlahL answer ln LhaL momenL lf asked whv mv answer would have Lo be l don'L know and
l am so verv sorrv Lhls happened Lo vou"
8uL parL of mv answer would lnclude a remlnder of Lhe facL LhaL Lhls person ls creaLed ln Lhe lmaae of Cod
and lnLrlnslcallv and lnherenLlv valuable And LhaL he ls more Lhan an aaareaaLe of parLs or an onaolna flzzlna
chemlcal reacLlon so LhaL he ls reduced accordlna Lo 8lchard uawklns Lo a machlne for propaaaLlna unA

3
See aul uraper 1he AraumenL from Lvll" ln hllosophv of 8ellalon Classlc and ConLemporarv lssues ed aul
Copan and Chad MelsLer (Cxford 8lackwell 2008) p 146

whlch ls everv llvlna ob[ecL's sole reason for llvlna" Whv should Lhe undeslrable braln sLaLe of a parLlcular
machlne maLLer Lo us? l can'L Lhlnk of a verv aood reason Powever Lhe reason LhaL evll ln Lhe world maLLers
Lhe reason ls lL should upseL us ls because people maLLer eople maLLer because Lhev are more Lhan Lhe
sum of Lhelr parLs Lhev are lmooo uel So whlle l can'L provlde an explanaLlon for whv some parLlcularlv
evll evenL happened whaL l can do ls sav whv lL maLLers
Wrona Lvldence
Carrler's Lhlrd reason for re[ecLlna ChrlsLlanlLv ls LhaL ChrlsLlans can offer no evldence aL all for Lhelr mosL
lmporLanL clalm LhaL falLh ln !esus ChrlsL procures eLernal llfe" Pe aoes on Lo conclude LhaL because Lhls
speclflc clalm does noL meeL hls requlremenLs for whaL consLlLuLes evldence LhaL ChrlsLlanlLv ls noL Lrue
llrsL lL's [usL noL Lhe case LhaL Lhere ls no evldence aL all" for Lhe clalm LhaL falLh ln !esus ChrlsL produces
eLernal llfe erhaps Carrler means LhaL Lhere ls no dlrecL emplrlcal evldence for Lhe verv speclflc clalm falLh
ln !esus ChrlsL resulLs ln eLernal llfe" 1haL mlahL be Lrue buL LhaL doesn'L and shouldn'L boLher ChrlsLlans
WhaL ls Lhe basls of Lhelr bellefs? lL's on Lhe basls of lnference from oLher bellefs a perfecLlv valld wav Lo
form bellefs We hold all klnds of bellefs wlLhouL havlna dlrecL empltlnol daLa 8la 8ana cosmoloav for
example ls based on lnference from whaL we do observe llke Lhe expanslon of Lhe unlverse ln Lhe ChrlsLlan
case lf we have aood reason Lo Lhlnk LhaL !esus ChrlsL Lhe Son of Cod rose from Lhe dead and LhaL he sald
lalLh ln me resulLs ln eLernal llfe" Lhen we also have aood reason Lo Lhlnk LhaL falLh ln hlm resulLs ln eLernal
llfe
Second lL's a dlsLorLlon or overslmpllflcaLlon Lo suaaesL LhaL tbe cenLral LruLh of ChrlsLlanlLv ls LhaL !esus
hands ouL eLernal llfe for Lhe falLhful as lf !esus was some sorL of cosmlc 8lllv Mavs Pev auvs lf vou puL ln a
llLLle falLh now vou'll aeL a nlce reward ln heaven! lL's all vours for onlv pravers a dav!" 1hls seems llke a
raLher convenlenL wav Lo araue llrsL vou dlsLorL and lsolaLe a clalm calllna lL cenLral" 1hen vou seL up vour
own crlLerla of evldence and declde LhaL Lhere ls no evldence for Lhe clalm vou are Lrvlna Lo dlsprove l
lmaalne [usL abouL anv poslLlon can be refuLed lf we're allowed Lo use Lhese maneuvers now lf we ask Lhe
broader and more approprlaLe quesLlon ls ChrlsLlanlLv Lrue?" whaL we flnd ls LhaL Lhe slLuaLlon ls noL aL all
llke Carrler has descrlbed lL 1here are ln facL aood reasons and evldences for Lhlnklna LhaL ChrlsLlanlLv
speclflcallv ls Lrue
Carrler expands hls crlLlque savlna LhaL ChrlsLlan" evldences boll down Lo elLher a clalm LhaL (1) Lhe
unlverse exlsLs Lherefore Cod exlsLs" or (2) l feel LhaL Cod exlsLs Lherefore Cod exlsLs" Pe adds LhaL Lhese
sorLs of araumenLs don'L Lell us whlch aod exlsLs onlv LhaL mavbe one unspeclfled aod does (2) ls of course
rldlculous l don'L know of anv lnLellecLuallv serlous ChrlsLlan maklna LhaL araumenL Alvln lanLlnaa araues
for someLhlna called Lhe seosos Jlvloltotls buL LhaL's noL aL all llke Lhe araumenL l feel Cod exlsLs Lherefore
he does" Powever Carrler does have a polnL here Cosmoloalcal and Leleoloalcal araumenLs can onlv Lells us
so much abouL who Cod mlahL be and Lhev cerLalnlv don'L Lell us LhaL Lhe Cod of ChrlsLlanlLv ls Lhe rlahL one
1he 8lble lLself seems Lo conflrm Lhls 1he verse from 8omans l quoLed earller sald LhaL naLure reveals onlv
Cod's lnvlslble quallLles hls eLernal power and dlvlne naLure 8uL noL all ChrlsLlan araumenLs reduce down
Lo Carrler's Lwo opLlons
1he araumenLs are numerous and varled buL one of Lhe besL and slmplesL araumenLs comes from Carv
Pabermas Pe araues LhaL on Lhe basls of Lhe evldence for Lhe resurrecLlon alone Lhe LruLh of ChrlsLlanlLv
can be demonsLraLed Pe has scholarlv arLlcles avallable for free on hls webslLe
hLLp//wwwaarvhabermascom/arLlcles/arLlcleshLm
Wllllam Lane Crala has also presenLed subsLanLlve araumenLs for Lhe exlsLence of Lhe ChrlsLlan Cod Pe Lakes
a LwosLep approach flrsL araulna LhaL Cod exlsLs and Lhen LhaL lL ls Lhe ChrlsLlan Cod Pe has manv of hls
arLlcles for free on hls webslLe as well buL vou have Lo slan up Lo be able Lo access Lhem
hLLp//wwwreasonablefalLhora/slLe/aaeServer?paaenamescholarlv_arLlcles_maln ln mv oplnlon hls
book 8easonable lalLh ls Lhe besL fullesL accounL demonsLraLlna Lhe raLlonallLv of ChrlsLlanlLv lf vou are
serlous abouL lnLeracLlna and dlaloaulna wlLh ChrlsLlans on an lnLellecLual level vou should plck lL up
l'm noL aolna Lo presenL Pabermas and Crala's araumenLs here slnce Lhls essav ls onlv a response Lo Carrler's
ob[ecLlons buL Lhere are cerLalnlv aood subsLanLlve reasons for havlna falLh ln !esus ChrlsL 1hev are aL leasL
aood enouah Lhe people llke PlLchens and Parrls Lhlnk lL worLhwhlle Lo have a debaLe
Wrona unlverse
Carrler's flnal polnL ls LhaL ChrlsLlanlLv predlcLs a quallLaLlvelv dlfferenL unlverse Lhan Lhe one we flnd
ourselves ln Pe savs LhaL Lhe unlverse we would expecL Lo observe lf ChrlsLlanlLv ls Lrue ls one llke Lhe one
Lhe AposLle aul had ln mlnd a aeocenLrlc world wlLh no evldence of evoluLlon l Lhlnk aul probablv dld
have a aeocenLrlc worldvlew and of course he dldn'L belleve ln evoluLlon 8uL l don'L Lhlnk LhaL's because
LhouahL ChrlsLlanlLv enLalled a unlverse wlLh cerLaln maLerlal quallLles lL's probablv because he shared Lhe
sLandard and accepLed aeneral cosmoloav of hls Llme lranklv l don'L Lhlnk aul would have anv problem
wlLh modern cosmoloav Cne reason Lo Lhlnk Lhls ls Lhe case sLems from Lhe facL LhaL from a relaLlvelv earlv
daLe ChrlsLlans were open Lo Lhe ldea LhaL Cod mav have noL creaLed evervLhlna dlrecLlv buL lnsLead uLlllzed
poLenLlallLles" AuausLlne for example was open Lo Lhe ldea LhaL Cod [usL creaLed Lhe cosmos LvervLhlna
else for lack of a beLLer word evolved" ouL of Lhls lnlLlal creaLlon
Carrler savs LhaL alven whaL we know abouL Lhe ChrlsLlan Cod lL ls verv unllkelv he would have creaLed Lhe
unlverse we observe A aood Cod who wanLed Lo creaLe a unlverse deslaned for lnLelllaenL llfe Lhen we
shouldn'L observe Lhe amounL of deaLh and sufferlna ln Lhe world We also should llfe sprlnalna up ln everv
corner of Lhe unlverse AfLer all lf Cod's purpose was Lo brlna abouL llfe we can assume he'd be preLLv aood
aL lL 1he problem here ls LhaL Carrler has once aaaln Laken Lhe burden of proof for a Lheoloalcal poslLlon Pe
clalms Lo know Lhe sorL of unlverse Cod would creaLe alven hls lnLenLlons l [usL don'L Lhlnk we're ln a aood
place Lo make Lhose sorLs of predlcLlons lor example Carrler savs LhaL we should expecL a human braln Lo
be qulLe a blL smaller Lhan lL ls lf Lhere reallv ls a soul AfLer all he savs all Lhe Lhlnklna would happen ln Lhe
soul and noL Lhe braln l flnd Lhls Lo be lncredlblv speculaLlve and Lhe facL LhaL human bralns aren'L smaller
Lhan Lhev are can hardlv be counLed as evldence aaalnsL ChrlsLlanlLv
Cne of Lhe Lhemes Lhrouah Lhls lasL chapLer ls LhaL ChrlsLlanlLv ls oJ bon ln how lL reconclles Lhe daLa abouL
Lhe maLerlal world wlLh Lhe world ChrlsLlanlLv predlcLs 1haL's an lnLeresLlna clalm l'd have Lo aaree LhaL ln aL
leasL some cases ChrlsLlans are aullLv of Lhls CreaLlonlsLs for example wlll clalm LhaL llahL Lraveled aL a
dlfferenL speed aL dlfferenL Llmes ln order Lo explaln how we can observe llahL from sLars mllllons of llahL
vears awav when Lhe unlverse ls onlv a few Lhousand vears old 1haL's cerLalnlv loalcallv posslble buL lL
sLrlkes me as belna far Loo conLrlved Powever ln aeneral l don'L Lhlnk ChrlsLlanlLv ls aullLv of Lhe level of oJ
bonoess" LhaL Carrler savs All Lhe ChrlsLlan worldvlew reallv predlcLs abouL Lhe maLerlal unlverse ls LhaL lL
was creaLed bv Cod for Lhe purpose of reveallna and alorlfvlna hlmself 1haL's a preLLv wlde open sorL of
clalm lL cerLalnlv doesn'L enLall Lhe sorLs of predlcLlons Carrler Lhlnks a ChrlsLlan worldvlew should ln shorL
ChrlsLlans are open Lo a wlde ranae of posslble unlverses 1here ls no speclflc ChrlsLlan maLerlal cosmoloav
so LhaL lf we flnd ouL LhaL Lhe earLh lsn'L Lhe cenLer of Lhe world we have aood arounds for Lhlnklna
ChrlsLlanlLv has falled Wllllam Lane Crala recenLlv dld a podcasL on Lhls verv lssue
hLLp//wwwrfmedlaora/8l_audlo_vldeo/8l_podcasL/Some_CuesLlons_AbouL_ueslanmp3 ?ou don'L have
Lo slan up Lo llsLen ?ou can [usL cllck Lhrouah
1hls lsn'L Lo sav Lhere are no predlcLlons ChrlsLlanlLv makes abouL Lhe maLerlal world AL leasL one predlcLlon
ls LhaL Lhe unlverse ls noL eLernal and LhaL lL had a deflnlLe bealnnlna AnoLher predlcLlon ls whaL !
Moreland calls Lhe tenolnlttoot lmooo Jel LssenLlallv whaL Moreland savs ls LhaL lf lL ls Lhe case LhaL human
belnas are creaLed ln Lhe lmaae of Cod Lhere ouahL Lo be cerLaln facLs abouL human belnas LhaL a worldvlew
llke maLerlallsm would flnd dlfflculL Lo explaln l won'L lav ouL hls case here buL vou can flnd a summarv of lL
aL hls webslLe hLLp//www[pmorelandcom/books/recalclLranLlmaaodel/
Concluslon
1he concluslon here ls noL surprlslna l don'L flnd anv of Carrler's reasons for re[ecLlna ChrlsLlanlLv adequaLe
Carrler cerLalnlv ralses a number of aood polnLs LhaL are worLh Lhlnklna Lhrouah 8uL ulLlmaLelv even ln llahL
Carrler's ob[ecLlons ChrlsLlanlLv ls sLlll a reasonable worldvlew
1hanks for readlna r/aLhelsm