Hello Dr. Craig,
I would first like to acknowledge your intellectual and humble manner in defending Christianity. I am Muslim though and I have a few questions for you about Islam that you might answer. I would tremendously appreciate it if you could answer back, I am on the brink of considering Christianity but I want answers:
1) is it true Mohammed took the Gospel of Jesus from the Bible and twisted/perverted it for his own benefits?
2) does Islam have an experiential reality (like modern day miracles, visions from Muhammad) if so what is the best explanation for that?
3) if I became a Christian and asked God sincerely to reveal Jesus to me in a supernatural form, will it happen?
Warm regards
Alex
Click HERE to read Dr. Craig's answer
I haven't commented in months, but I couldn't let this one go. As much as I admire Dr. Craig, and respect him - almost beyond measure - I think he stumbled on his answer to question three.
ReplyDeleteHe says, at one point, that it is "presumptuous" to promise anyone a supernatural experience of Christ: "That is God's gift to give to whom He chooses."
OK, if Alex is speaking in terms of a "Spiderman" experience, then Dr. Craig is correct. But why presume (he must have) that this is what Alex is referring to?
This was a perfect opportunity to describe the gift of the Holy Spirit, and His willingness to be a witness to Alex that Christ is God, and to let Alex know that God and Christ would manifest themselves to him.
John 14:21 " ... And he who loves me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." Gee, it sure appears that Jesus is saying to anyone that he'll show Himself. Anyway you cut it, that can be labeled "supernatural," all due respect to Spiderman.
John 14:23 " ... If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and WE WILL COME to him and make OUR HOME with him." Can it be clearer?
Finally, on this point: The "Word of God" is supernatural. Goodness, Dr. Craig, and anyone reading this, Scripture is the direct revelation of God, of course it is supernatural.
OK, so Dr. Craig should have qualified the word "supernatural" for Alex, and then explained from there, as per these specific examples, or others he could have picked. An opportunity lost, and it greatly saddens me that Dr. Craig could be so careless - especially, I dare say, when addressing a Muslim that is searching for Christ.
Russ,
DeleteI believe the reason why Dr. Craig chose to address the question as he did, was in consideration of a possible and likely expectation of Alex given his background and experience with Islam. As such Craig's approach might be first to better understand the implication if the question, then address it from there.
Considering this, the question may be viewed as: "If I believe and convert, will Jesus appear to me as he does in Islam?" Given his response, I believe that was Dr. Craig's approach; and a proper approach it would be.
If Alex is asking for Christ to reveal himself based upon a similar revelation/manifestation as described in Islam, then it would be fair to address the difference first and not provide a promise or guarantee that it will happen in the same way.
***
"One hears remarkable stories these days of Muslims who have seen visions or had dreams in which Jesus reveals himself to them. But it would be presumptuous to promise anyone such an experience. That is God’s gift, to give to whom He chooses. It is at His initiative and discretion. We have no claim on such experiences."
***
If we provide the promise based on the possible expectation of Islam, or provide scripture without explaining this first, then how devastating and confusing would it be for a new believer if Jesus did not appear in a visible form? Craig's response is on point in addressing that we have no claim to this.
Now, the examples you provided from scripture are solid, but again it depends on what Alex is asking. Yes Jesus manifests and reveals Himself, but without the proper context and definition, giving these verses could Just as much give Alex the expectation of the Muslim promise.
Also, without a proper understanding of the term "supernatural," nor with an idea of what Alex meant by the word, it would seem a much better idea to respond as Craig did. As such there is no failure in Craig's response. He defused the notion of the "Spider-Man" reveal.
Of course, Craig could have added more to it, but would it have been helpful or necessary? Perhaps, but we wont know for sure. Again, there's no indication in the question that the word "supernatural" means the same thing to Alex as it does to you and I. If there's a difference in understanding, then it's possible that Alex may be led to think that the bible itself is to be revered/worshipped (because it's supernatural), or that the examples you gave from John provide a possible justification for the "Spider-Man" manifestation. Both are things we would hope to avoid wouldn't you say?
In a nutshell, both Craig's points and yours are sound. But for Alex, who's knocking on the door of Christian faith, it'd be a disservice to leave room for a mixing of these two concepts. Better to address that first adequately and clearly from the start.
I had intended to respond at length, and then hit the wrong key on my keyboard and lost my reply to you. So, in turn, let me just cut directly to the chase. Dr. Craig always makes a point of mentioning, in lectures, podcasts, and debates, the undisputed witness of the Holy Spirit as a confirmation of Jesus and God. But this time he decided not to. He makes absolutely no mention of the Holy Spirit, and it confused and disappointed me. It goes against the grain of everything he has done in the past. Thank you for your kind and thoughtful reply to me. I agree and disagreed, but the better points were not lost on me. God bless.
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