Latest Posts

• The Good Book Blog

  Does God Love the Devil?

  Weekly Q & A with Dr. William Lane Craig

  William Lane Craig — August 18, 2017

  Greetings Dr Craig, I am a Muslim, from the westernmost parts of Africa. I have been following your work for years, watching practically all your debates, reading some of your articles and much of the weekly Q&A section. Even though I am not a Christian, you have helped me greatly in my own pursuit of truth, to identify much more with the issues that Christians face today, and in learning to appreciate the Christian tradition in philosophical and theological thought ...

• The Good Book Blog

  The Forgiveness of Jesus: An Invitation to New Life

  Matthew Williams — August 16, 2017

  The following is an overview of one of the Bible studies from The Forgiveness of Jesus DVD Bible study in the Deeper Connections series: Do you ever feel like you are too far gone for God to forgive you? Or, maybe you feel like he might forgive you, but he does it grudgingly? This fear is the main reason that I published The Forgiveness of Jesus because nothing could be further from the truth. When Jesus calls Matthew the tax collector (Matthew 9:9-13), it shows us that God seeks out the lowest of the low in order to show that he loves to forgive. But in order to fully understand the meaning of this text, we must understand the first century context. When we take the time to learn this historical context, the passage comes to life!

• Biola News

  Biola Journalism Students Publish Book on Migration Issues

  “Beyond the Wall” showcases student writing and photography in the form of narrative journalism

  Jenna Loumagne — August 16, 2017

  As local school leaders, city officials and lawmakers in Sacramento debate what to do about migrants given changing federal policies, Biola...

• The Good Book Blog

  How Does Christianity Fulfill our Deepest Aspiration? Author Interview with Greg Ganssle

  Sean McDowell — August 15, 2017

  My friend and Biola colleague Greg Ganssle has written a fascinating new book called Our Deepest Desires: How the Christian Story Fulfills Human Aspirations. Professor Ganssle takes a unique approach to the apologetic task. Essentially, his goal is not to show that Christianity is true, but to argue that when it is properly understood, people should wish it were true. He talks about how tragedy, beauty, and freedom make the most sense in a Christian worldview and that only Christianity fulfills our deepest desires ...

• The Good Book Blog

  How Do We Cultivate the Art of Listening Well?

  Sean McDowell — August 15, 2017

  Along with asking good questions, cultivating the art of listening well is one of the most important skills for Christians to develop today. And it is especially important for those who want to be effective apologists in our “argumentative” culture ... So, how does one develop the art of listening well? Here are four tips I have learned from personal experience as well as through my undergrad Communication Studies program at Biola University ...

• The Good Book Blog

  What Could God Not Have Commanded?

  Weekly Q & A with Dr. William Lane Craig

  William Lane Craig — August 11, 2017

  ... Before I address your question, David, let’s make sure that we state accurately the view I have defended. God’s freedom to issue commands to do certain things that would be immoral in the absence of a divine command is not rooted in God’s having morally sufficient reasons for so commanding. Rather it is rooted in the idea that the source of moral obligation is divine commands, and since God doesn’t issue commands to himself, he therefore has no moral obligations ...

• Business. Ministry. Life.

  Crowell School of Business Biola Faculty Member and 2 Biola MBA Alumni Ring the NYSE Closing Bell

  Shane Enete — August 11, 2017

  Crowell School of Business Biola faculty member and 2 Biola MBA alum ring the NYSE closing bell. Two Biola MBA students, Aaron Moon (’15) and...

• Business. Ministry. Life.

  Digital Business Students Learn SEO from Expert in the Field

  David Bourgeois — August 11, 2017

  Evan Baer, a serial entrepreneur and author of Get Backed, was asked the question during a panel on raising capital, “Where is the best place to...

• Student Life Blog

  Discontinuation of SGA/Residence Hall Events

  Heat of the Night, Deck the Haven and Mosaic Masquerade

  Brenda Velasco — August 09, 2017

  As some students have heard through word of mouth or social media, Student Development has made decisions to discontinue Heat of the Night, Deck the Haven and Mosaic Masquerade.

• The Good Book Blog

  The Forgiveness of Jesus: Interview with Matt Williams

  The Good Book Blog — August 09, 2017

  Dr. Matt Williams (Professor of Biblical & Theological Studies) recently released a new DVD Bible study series titled The Forgiveness of Jesus (a DVD Bible study, in the Deeper Connections series). We were able to catch up with Dr. Williams to learn more about this exciting series ...

• Biola News

  Faculty Spotlight: Brad Christerson

  A Q&A with sociology professor Brad Christerson on his recent research and new book

  Jenna Loumagne — August 07, 2017

  Brad Christerson, professor of sociology, was thrust into the spotlight earlier this summer when his newly released book The Rise of Network...

• The Good Book Blog

  A Review of Zombie Science: Is Darwinism Dead?

  Sean McDowell — August 07, 2017

  With the release of his 2000 book Icons of Evolution, Jonathan Wells became one of the leading evolution critics of today. Unlike some detractors, Dr. Wells has impeccable credentials—with Ph.Ds. in molecular and cell biology from U.C. Berkeley and religious studies from Yale. Last week he released a new book that is just as controversial (and frankly, just as fun) called, Zombie Science: More Icons of Evolution ...

• The Good Book Blog

  Should Old Testament Difficulties Be an Obstacle to Christian Belief?

  Weekly Q & A with Dr. William Lane Craig

  William Lane Craig — August 04, 2017

  Dear Dr. Craig, I am a great admirer of yours despite being a non-religious theist myself. For the sake of full disclosure, I have never been able to bring myself to take atheism seriously and am convinced on purely philosophical grounds that the atheist worldview is consigned to logical absurdity. That said, I have never been able to bring myself to subscribe wholeheartedly to any one religion either, and this for a variety different reasons depending on the religion under discussion. However, since you are a Christian I will limit myself to the principal reason why I cannot bring myself to accept Christianity, to which I have yet to receive a satisfying response. I figure if I won't get a compelling answer from Dr. William Lane Craig, then most likely no such answer is available at least for now ...

• The Good Book Blog

  5 Reasons Our Culture Is Obsessed with Sex

  Sean McDowell — August 02, 2017

  Western culture is obsessed with sex. Sex dominates our movies, music, television, advertising, conversations, social media and more. But the question many people fail to ask is: why? There are myriads of reasons for this. Some reasons are certainly more germane than others. And they undoubtedly overlap. Nevertheless, here are 5 reasons for western culture’s obsession with sex ...

• Biola News

  Biola Campus Safety Chief Receives National Clery Compliance Award

  Chief John Ojeisekhoba was presented with the 2017 National Clery Compliance award by the National Association of Clery Compliance Officers and Professionals (NACCOP)

  Sarah Giovannini — August 02, 2017

  On July 21, 2017, Biola Campus Safety Chief John Ojeisekhoba was presented with the 2017 National Clery Compliance award by the National...

• The Good Book Blog

  Atheists May Not Believe In God, But They Still Live in His World

  Sean McDowell — July 31, 2017

  A few years ago I hosted a student debate at my church. Three of my high school students debated three students from the local freethinking club on the historical Jesus, intelligent design, and morality. The church was packed! One of the freethinking students argued that there is no universal moral law, and hence no need for a God to ground it. As best as I can remember, he argued that morality is merely subjective and depends upon the individual or society. But then, interestingly, during his closing speech, the same student used the opportunity of being at a church to rail against Christians for being hateful, bigoted and intolerant. In other words, he berated Christians for being immoral ...

• The Good Book Blog

  Teaching Philosophy in a Public High School

  Weekly Q & A with Dr. William Lane Craig

  William Lane Craig — July 28, 2017

  Dr. Craig, First off let me say that I have been a longtime supporter and reader of your work. I have been encouraged and strengthened to give a reason for the hope within by listening to and reading your books, articles, debates, classes, and lectures. Thank you for all you do! Now, let me build to my question with a brief overview. I am a public school teacher and a youth minister at my church and love doing both. With my youth group I spend a tremendous amount of time inculcating the necessity for loving God with the whole being – heart, soul, MIND, and strength. I really want to ground my students the reality of their Faith – that it is more than feeling but is testable, rational and livable! I also teach them apologetics (I am presently going through the NT’s reliability, Jesus’ resurrection...ect.) and Christian doctrine (of which your Defender’s classes have been a huge asset! *PS – Please make a Christian theology book one day when you get the time!!) ...

• The Good Book Blog

  Why Does God Allow Evil? Author Interview with Dr. Clay Jones

  Sean McDowell — July 27, 2017

  Dr. Clay Jones is one of my colleagues in the Biola Apologetics M.A. program. Although he has been teaching and thinking about the problem of evil for decades, he has just released a new book: Why Does God Allow Evil? Here is my endorsement that made the back cover of the book: “If you are looking for one book to make sense of the problem of evil, this book is for you.” I plan to use this book very soon with a group of high school students. And it will now be the top book that I recommend on this subject (along with If God, Why Evil by Norman Geisler and The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis) ...

• The Good Book Blog

  Reading the Gospels as Story: Did Israel Have a Wrong View of the Kingdom? (Part 2)

  Mark Saucy — July 26, 2017

  In the first part of this short series, we looked at how both ancient and modern disciples “take offense” at Jesus against his warning in Luke 7:23 —“Blessed is the one who doesn’t take offense in Me.” Easy scholarly and popular conclusions that Israel hoped for the wrong kind of kingdom made Jesus offensive and Israel culpable at the same time. Our second part here also finds Jesus’ view of the kingdom offensive to ancients and moderns, but for a different reason ...

• The Good Book Blog

  How Do We Make a Case for Religious Freedom?

  Sean McDowell — July 25, 2017

  Given the recent stunning ruling against Barronelle Stutzman, the 72-year old grandma who was sued for running her business according to her deepest moral and religious convictions, it is more critical than ever for Christians to be ready to make a defense for religious freedom. The following essay comes from my recent book A New Kind of Apologist, and is written by James Tonkowich. This article is longer than a typical blog, but please take the time to read it carefully and help spread the word. Christians simply must be able to make a case for religious liberty today.

• Student Life Blog

  Master Multiple Choice Tests

  Louie Chong — July 24, 2017

  Why you shouldn't always choose "C"

• Biola News

  Biola’s Crowell School of Business to Host Praxis Academy

  Alumna selected for Praxis 2017 Emerging Founders group

  Jenna Loumagne — July 24, 2017

  Next week, Biola University’s Crowell School of Business will host approximately 200 top-notch students from 50 universities on campus for Praxis...

• The Good Book Blog

  Must a Biblical Doctrine of the Atonement Comprise Penal Substitution?

  Weekly Q & A with Dr. William Lane Craig

  William Lane Craig — July 21, 2017

  Dear Dr. Craig, I have been enjoying your videos and podcasts about your study of the atonement. I have to admit though, that as of right now I don't accept penal substitution. Though I grew up with this view, I now hold a combination of the recapitulation and satisfaction theories. To briefly summarize for the readers, the recapitulation theory teaches that Jesus became like us and did what we should have done, so that in him, we might become like him and do what he did. This is perhaps the oldest theory of the atonement and is the basis for many later theories. The satisfaction theory of St. Anselm adds that Jesus's self sacrificial obedience served as restitution for our sins, or as Anselm calls it, satisfaction. In my opinion, these theories together are more Biblical and intellectually satisfying than penal substitution ...

• Biola News

  Professor Contributes to New Book on Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

  Judith Rood wrote a chapter in the recently released book, A Land Full of God

  Jenna Loumagne — July 21, 2017

  The new book A Land Full of God gives American Christians an opportunity to promote peace and justice in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict....

• The Good Book Blog

  La Reforma y las Indulgencias, Pasadas y Actuales / The Reformation and Indulgences, Both Past and Present

  Octavio Esqueda — July 20, 2017

  En este año se celebra alrededor del mundo los 500 años del inicio de lo que se conoce como La Reforma protestante. El 31 de octubre de 1517 el monje agustino Martín Lutero clavó en la puerta de la Iglesia del Castillo en Wittenberg en Alemania 95 tesis en las que criticaba abiertamente las ventas de indulgencias de la iglesia católica romana. Lutero escogió ese día deliberadamente ya que era la víspera del Día de Todos los Santos y tanto la facultad de la universidad como muchos fieles asistían a la iglesia. Lutero inicialmente no tenía la intención de romper con la iglesia romana sino enfatizar la supremacía del evangelio de Cristo basada en su simplicidad y a la vez en su gran profundidad ...