3-DAY CONFERENCE | MAY 7 - 9, 2025
Conference hosted by Dr. Dave Newton
with invited colleagues Dr. Todd von Helms and Dr. Travis Dickinson.
Session 1 - Worldview & Origins
The first of three sessions begins with Worldview and the foundational debate of whether the universe, solar system, planet earth, animal life, and mankind were Created and Designed, finely-tuned to precise specifications by a Creator-Designer - OR - came about simply by random, unintentional, accidental interactions of matter over billions of years without any purpose. The three speakers engage the debate/dialogue and questions between the skeptic and the Christian, from the philosophical-cosmological perspective as well as the technical-statistical and probability-analytical logistics required for random chance to occur within the prevailing theory that the universe is 13.8 billion years old - which is ONLY 4.352 x 10^17 seconds.
Session 2 - Genesis as History
The second of three sessions examines questions about whether Genesis is factual history OR myth, legend, and/or simply metaphor. The three speakers engage the debate/dialogue and questions between the skeptic and the Christian regarding how to read Genesis, issues of design and fine-tuning, how a scientist reads and interprets Genesis, as well as whether the global flood of Noah is 'reasonable' from a basis of scientific-observation. Dr. Newton also takes on exposing seven of the most common and presumed 'axioms' of science that are still presented in textbooks as indisputable facts - when their introductions, underlying tenets, and assumptions have serious flaws - which also include an obvious bias to support the naturalist worldview.
Session 3 - Historical Jesus
This third and final session of the 3-day Apologetics conference at Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara examines "The Case for the Historical Jesus". These three apologists first engage in discussion-dialogue about the contemporary status of opinion regarding whether Jesus of Nazareth did exist in the Syrian Province during the 1st Century Roman Empire. The presentation then moves to significant extra-Biblical evidence that Jesus existed, as well as the case for His death by Roman crucifixion. It then concludes with the case for Jesus being resurrected from the dead, specifically in light of the seven most common theories that this event was a hoax. The three speakers also fully make the case about the philosophical perspectives for the resurrection, as well as the "Trilemma" proposed by C.S. Lewis - and the accompanying problem with trying to attribute the story of the resurrection to 'Legend' that developed over time.
