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C. S. Lewis and Spirituality with Alister McGrath

To hear the podcast click here.

Alister McGrath is a famous theologian.  He has lectured several times at the Lanier Theological Library in Houston. 

You can find links to those lectures below.  Dr. McGrath is coming again March 1-3, 2024. He will  discuss one of his favorite topics, C. S. Lewis. 

He joined David Capes on The Stone Chapel Podcasts to talk about his life and his upcoming lecture.

Who Is Alister McGrath?  

Alister McGrath is a scientist and a theologian.  Earlier in his life he was an atheist, but he became a Christian. 

So, now he loves to talk to atheists.  He knows why he is a Christian.  Along the way he discovered C. S. Lewis.  And Lewis, who was also an atheist who became a Christian, became a guide for Alister in his journey of faith. 

Professor McGrath is the author of many books on aspects of theology, science, faith, and C. S. Lewis.

C.S. Lewis and the Spiritual Life

For many people C. S. Lewis has been an important part of their spiritual lives.  Although he lived and flourished in the middle of the 20th century, he continues to inspire people to think deeply and intelligently about their Christian faith. 

McGrath explores some of those avenues in this podcast.  Lewis is one of the best communicators, story tellers, and apologists of recent memory.  

Individuals, pastors and teachers can use his writings to fire the imagination and help people grow in their faiths.

Resources, C.S. Lewis and Alister McGrath

Here are links to view Dr. McGraths lectures at LTL.

The Lord Is My Light: How the Christian Faith Makes Sense Of Things

C.S. Lewis and the Post Modern Generation: His Message 50 Years Later

The Big Questions: Richard Dawkins vs. C. S. Lewis: the Meaning of Life

A Seminar on C.S. Lewis, with Alister McGrath

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AI and the Future of Humanity

Episode 166 AI and the Future of Humanity

In October 2023, John Lennox gave the 3rd annual John Warwick Montgomery Lecture in Evidential Apologetics at the Lanier Theological Library in Houston. Watch the lecture by clicking on the link to our YouTube channel below.

His topic was 2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity.  Today, in Houston he sits down with David Capes for an episode of The Stone Chapel Podcasts.

Who is John Lennox?

John Lennox is retired as Professor of Mathematics from Green Templeton College in Oxford.  In addition to his scientific expertise he is a skilled Christian apologist. 

He travels and lectures on college and university campuses all over the world.  Just google John and you will see he has debated some of the most significant atheists of our generation. 

In retirement he continues to research, think, speak, and write.  He and his wife Sally make their home a few miles north of Oxford, not far from Yarnton.

AI and the Future of Humanity 

Recent years have witnessed rapid advances in artificial intelligence.  Many futurists, entrepreneurs, and government officials are concerned that rampant artificial intelligence could do massive harm to lives and cultures around the planet.  Already, people are losing their jobs to artificial intelligence and there are not enough retraining options.

Moreover, the rapid advances in AI have outpaced any sort of ethical, moral, or legal reasoning on the topic. 

John Lennox tackles this tough topic and explains many unknown aspects of AI for lay people.  He does sound an alarm about its harmful potential, but he also sees it as benefiting humanity in some ways.

Resources

For a link to John’s website and a list of all his books click here or go to www.johnlennox.com.

See his recent book 2084: AI and the Future of Humanity

For a link to John’s earlier podcast on The Stone Chapel Podcasts, click here. 

To watch John recent lecture on artificial intelligence at the Lanier Theological Library click here.

Click here for a transcript of this podcast.

Want more Stone Chapel Podcasts on some great topics? Just click here.

What’s more, you can get information on upcoming lectures at Lanier Theological Library by clicking here.

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Studying Apologetics in Strasbourg, France

Craig Parton

A few years ago David Fleming, the executive director of the Lanier Foundation, and Mark Lanier signed an agreement to host annually the John Warwick Montgomery Lecture in Evidential Apologetics. 

Along the way we have become acquainted with the International Academy of Apologetics, Evangelism, and Human Rights.  One of the instructors for that summer academy is Craig Parton.

To hear David Capes’s podcast with Craig Parton click here.

Who Is Craig Parton? 

Craig Parton lives in California.  He became a Christian in college and developed interest early in apologetics.  He is now a trial lawyer, but he spends a lot of time as the US Director for the International Academy of Apologetics. 

What Is the Apologetics Academy? 

Twenty-six years ago Craig Parton and John W. Montgomery (JWM) started the Apologetics Academy in Strasbourg, France. 

Every year they train around twenty men and women in apologetics, situated in one of the most historic and beautiful European cities. 

The academy lasts about two weeks.  It is intentionally small to in order to facilitate conversation, discussion, questions, and community.  To learn more about the academy: www.apologeticsacademy.eu

The cost for the experience and learning is very reasonable.  Accommodations are included.  Some scholarships are available as well. Look for the brochure on the website for details and registration.

The Annual Lecture at Lanier Library, Houston

This year John Lennox, retired Professor of Mathematics from the University of Oxford, will be giving the John Warwick Montgomery Lecture in Evidential Apologetics. 

His topic will be “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity.”  To hear David Capes’ podcast with Dr. Lennox in 2022 on the topic, click HERE. 

The lecture will be held 21 October 2023.  It will be streamed lived on the Lanier Library’s YouTube channel. And a recorded version will be posted later as well as on the Library website.

More Resources

To watch JWM’s lecture at the Library several years ago, click here.

To hear JWM’s podcast with David Capes (recorded in 2021) click HERE.

You can read a transcript of this podcast here.

For more resources check out these links.

Want more Stone Chapel Podcasts on some great topics? Just click here.

What’s more, you can get information on upcoming lectures at Lanier Theological Library by clicking here.

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The Surprising Rebirth of Belief with Justin Brierley

Justin Brierley, a broadcaster, author, and speaker, will join us September 22, 2023 at 7.00 pm in the Stone Chapel. He will offer a talk on his book, The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God. The subtitle of the book is actually the big idea of the book: Why New Atheism Grew Old and Secular Thinkers Are Considering Christianity Again. 

Who is Justin Brierley? 

Justin lives in London.  For decades he has been hosting conversations between atheists and believers on his popular show, The Unbelieveable Show.  His show has been at the cutting edge of what is happening in culture. 

A few years ago, he had Mark Lanier as a guest on his show, and he recently came into our Houston orbit.  He is an amazing thinker, a gifted communicator, and hospitable host for people with differing worldviews.

To hear the podcast click here.

About Brierley’s first book

After hosting his show for ten years, he wrote his first book: Unbelievable: Why After Ten Years of Talking with Atheists I’m Still a Christian.  He shares some of that story here, in this podcast.

Here is what Philip Yancey has said of Justin’s upcoming book:

“[T]his wide-ranging and stimulating book sounds a hopeful note… a fearless engagement with the most daunting issues of our time.”

And John Lennox:

“Eminently readable… Brierley has done us a huge service… This is a first-rate book: get it, read it, and give it to others.”

The Surprising Rebirth of Belief podcast

This is a great podcast, one you will not want to miss.  He is addressing very pressing issues of our time. 

More Resources including The Surprising Rebirth of Belief book

For a link to his first book click here: Unbelievable: Why After Ten Years of Talking with Atheists I’m Still a Christian.

 For a link to his newest book (2023) click here: The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God: Why New Atheism Grew Old and Secular Thinkers Are Considering Christianity Again.

To hear the podcast click here.

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Capturing Christianity with Cameron Bertuzzi

To hear the podcast click here.

Capturing Christianity is an apologetics ministry directed by Cameron Bertuzzi, assisted ably by his wife Brittany.  Cameron stopped by the Lanier Theological Library to talk with David Capes about his ministry on “The Stone Chapel Podcast.”

Who is Cameron Bertuzzi? 

For years, Cameron made his living through photography and photo-editing.  But when his brother came out as an atheist a few years ago, Cameron began a journey in apologetics that has led to this ministry. He wanted to know whether Christianity could be rationally defended.  He wanted to explore some of objections raised by skeptics about its truth.

Like many people, Cameron had never thought deeply about his faith.  He attended church and performed in the worship band, but he had never considered the rational basis of faith.

Capturing Christianity

Cameron and his wife work together in this ministry.  Along his journey, Cameron began listening to apologists and soon found an intellectual hero in Dr. William Lane Craig. Today, Cameron works consistently with Dr. Craig.  Dr. Craig lectured at the Lanier Library in 2021. For a link to his lecture click here.  

Then watch his panel discussion here.

The ministry started as a blog in 2017. Cameron worked on it in his free time for the first two years.  Now he and Brittany work full time. He hosts dialogues, does interviews, and features what he calls “CC Exchanges.”  At the heart of it all, they focus their conversations around “atheistic apologetics”.

The Capturing Christianity YouTube channel today has 178,000 subscribers.  It has taken off.  About 5000 people a month find his ministry.

CC Exchange

The next CC Exchange will be May 6, 2023 at the Lanier Theological Library.  Cameron will host the exchange with Justin Schieber (atheist) and Eric Hernandez (Christian). Their topic is “Does God Exist?” To learn more about the event or to attend click here.  The event is free and open to the public thanks to the generosity of the Lanier Foundation and the good people at Capturing Christianity. 

If you can’t attend, it will be streamed live and recorded for the Capturing Christianity YouTube Channel.

For the website to Capturing Christianity click here.

For the Capturing Christianity YouTube Channel click here.

More resources

Here’s a transcript of this podcast. Click here.

Want more more Stone Chapel Podcasts on some great topics. Just click here.

What’s more, you can get information on upcoming lectures at Lanier Theological Library. Just click here.