http://afcmin.org/ateam/9/book-review-essential-truths-of-the-christian-faith-by-rc-sproul Helping plans come together, one post at a time Sun, 03 May 2015 14:00:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.9 http://afcmin.org/ateam/9/book-review-essential-truths-of-the-christian-faith-by-rc-sproul/comment-page-1#comment-2 Mon, 04 Apr 2005 04:40:42 +0000 http://afcmin.org/ateam/?p=9#comment-2 by B.A. (Bad Attitude) Baracus at 05:49PM (PST) on Mar 8, 2005
I have mixed feelings about Essential Truths. My first gripe is with R.C. Sproul's naturalism. He says that when we start with ourselves, and looking within ourselves we can come to “know” who God is. Also, he concludes that nature plays a part of revealing God, which I do not disagree with, I disagree with him in point at the means and purpose creation holds. If the Bible was not with us, he, I believe, would argue that we as christians could argue that God exists from it, that is creation. This is a logical fallacy,m for we cannot argue from particulars and end up with universals, the only way to do this is the leap from particulars into universals which logically, is impossible. We must argue from universal truths and deduce particular truths from universal truths, not the other way around, and this is exactly what classical apologetics does – it argues from particulars and leaps into universals. I'm restricted by time right now because I'm at work, so I apologize for cutting the reveiw short, but I wll finish at a later time, I hope this sparks some discussion about specific apologetical methods.
Mike
Re: Review: Essential Truths of the Christian Faith by R.C. Sproul
by Murdock at 01:07PM (PST) on Mar 13, 2005
I forgot about the part where he says we start with ourselves to learn about God. That was troubling as well.
As far as your bash on classical apologetics, you need to be more clear (though I realize you were at work). You haven't show anything to be a logical fallacy. I think you've gotten Sproul's position right about showing God exists merely from creation. I would agree with this. That's what general/natural revelation is (or what Pearcey calls Common Grace). God has revealed Himself in a numer of ways. One is through general creation, another is throug His Word. Either way it is revelation and either way it points back to God. The difference is that there's no salvific knowledge in general revelation. The demons believe God exists and shudder. We need special/divine revelation to have knowledge of Christ and his substitution for our salvation.

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