Apologetic Approaches: Classical vs. Clarkian Presuppositional
Today’s show is about discussing the differences in Christian apologetic methods; mainly between the classical (Eric Hernandez) and the Clarkian Presuppositional approach (Jason Petersen).
The vision of the What Do You Believe? podcast is to love God and people by being a relevant Pentecostal voice focusing on evangelism, discipleship, apologetics and theology.
SPEAKER’S BIO’S
Eric Hernandez is a dynamic young, evangelistic and apologetically inclined minister who has a passion for defending his faith on both theological and philosophical grounds. He is a licensed minister, a certified formation therapist, and a former instructor of Magdiel Bible Institute.
He is well respected and sought after for his expository ability and insight into apologetics, which he has taken to various countries and states that the Lord has lead him to. Eric has spoken and debated on a public level at university and college campuses where he adamantly and adequately defends the Christian faith against atheist, agnostic and deistic professors of different worldviews.
He holds an associate degree in social science, a bachelor degree in theology and certificate of achievement in the study of Christian apologetics from Biola University. He is the founder of Eric Hernandez Ministries, which encompasses speaking engagements, apologetic seminars, weekend training courses, debates, blogs, articles and much more. He is married to Kendall Hernandez, and they have two children: Adyson Grace and more recently Hudsons Ryan Hernandez (who is 3 months at the time of this recording).
Jason Petersen is an entrepreneur, investor, and seminary student that was raised in a Christian home by loving, Christian parents. He accepted Jesus Christ as his savior at the age of eight. However, Jason, as a young adult, started to doubt the Christian faith for a time. At the age of 24, he found out that he had ocular melanoma. He was told by a local doctor in Pensacola that there is a chance that it may have spread to his brain.
Once he found out that he had cancer, he decided that if he was ever going to get answers to the “big questions” in life, he might as well start now. Jason read about religions including Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity. He also read about atheists and the arguments that they have against the existence of God. He then became very interested in philosophy after being exposed to the works of Dr. William Lane Craig. This studying caused Jason to reaffirm his Christian faith, and he started debating and witnessing to atheists on social media and other websites on the internet.
One day, when Jason was in the waiting room for his first appointment at the Callahan Eye Foundation in Birmingham, AL, he was reading a book called “Creation Astronomy” by Dr Donald DeYoung. It then dawned on him, “I’m 24 years old and I’m already facing my mortality, but what about those who have not come to recognize the truth of Christianity?” The question that he asked himself at Dr. Callahan’s office plagued him throughout 2012.
In December of 2012, Jason finally did what he was feeling lead to do. He started a ministry that he called ‘Answers for Hope.’ He later launched the ‘Rabid Clarkian Blog’ and the ‘Rabid Clarkian Podcast’ in 2015. Overtime, Jason became more interested in investing and personal finance and wanted to share what he had learned with other Christians. In 2016, Jason started the ‘Christian Investors Club.’ In 2017, he started the ‘Counter Christian Culture’ in retaliation to secularist’s increased influence in US culture. Shortly thereafter, he decided to combine all of his ministries and launch an author website, www.jasonlpetersen.com.
Jason Petersen’s apologetic is greatly influenced by the Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul, and the late Christian philosopher Dr. Gordon H. Clark. He did three years of undergraduate studies at Pensacola Junior College, which is now known as Pensacola State College in Pensacola, FL. He also studied at George Stone Technical Center in Pensacola, FL. He has completed the distance Certificate in Apologetics Program at Biola University, which is located in La Mirada, CA. He has also studied at Columbia Evangelical Seminary for a short period of time under Dr. Rick Walston and Dr. Phil Fernandes. Jason Petersen is currently pursuing a Master of Philosophy at Whitefield Theological Seminary, which is located in Lakeland, FL. He is studying under Dr. Kenneth Talbot (a former student of Gordon H. Clark).
In July 2017, Jason published his first book, ‘Apologetics Made Simple.’ By God’s grace, this book has landed him among the top ten percent of authors on Amazon.
In October of 2017, Jason was in a position to pursue his dream of financial independence through an entrepreneurial lifestyle. This lifestyle would give him the time to write books and publish free content to help Christians share their faith and build wealth so that they can give to others. Jason’s second book, “Building Wealth Made Simple: Biblical Advice on How to Grow Your Wealth,” will be released sometime in January of 2018.
FORMAT FOR DISCUSSION
- Show Start: 8pm
- Intro’s & Layout: 8-8:10pm
- Back and Forth: 8:10-8:45pm: Starting question, “Why I prefer my approach in comparison to other approaches.”
- Rapid Fire: 8:45-9pm: Joe will ask both speakers questions and give approx. 60 seconds to answer.
- Audience Q/A: 9-9:20pm: Taken from Facebook live chat.
- Closing: 9:20-9:30pm: Each speaker will have 5min to give closing thoughts.
JOE’S HELPFUL GOODIES
DR. CORNELIUS VAN TIL
- Westminster Theological Podcast on Val Til apologetics by Dr. Greg. Bahnsen (IV is my favorite).
- “Apologetics: A Justification of Christian Belief” & “The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God” by Dr. John Frame.
- “Presuppositional Apologetics: Stated and Defended,” Dr. Greg Bahnsen.
DR. GORDON CLARK
- “The Presbyterian Philosopher: The Authorized Biography of Gordon H. Clark,” by Doug Douma.
- “Understanding Gordon H. Clark,” E. Calvin Beisner (video).
- “Empiricism,” by Dr. Gordon Clark (video).
- “Apologetics Made Simple,” Jason Petersen.