Musings on Jesus' Passion Predictions....

On the hypothesis that Jesus was God incarnate (HI), how surprising is it that he would predict his imminent death and vindication?

On the ~HI, how surprising is it that he would predict his imminent death and vindication?

On the resurrection hypothesis (R), how surprising is it that Jesus would predict his imminent death and vindication?

On ~R, how surprising is it that Jesus would predict his imminent death and vindication?

A worry I have is that these predictions also support certain naturalistic hypotheses that need to generate expectations for the resurrection. (This naturalistic hypothesis can be ruled out for other reasons, but his predictions may be evidence in favor of it).

It seems to me that correct predictions are strong evidence that Jesus was divine, but that already seemingly bakes the resurrection into the proverbial cake. It also seems to me that a prediction simpliciter “charges” the religious context to make us take the evidence for this resurrection a bit more seriously, but I haven’t figured out how exactly that's going to work probabilistically.

Tribute to Steve Hays

Today, the apologetics community received bad news, Steve Hays of triablogue has passed away. Steve was a great thinker and he cared about the issues he was addressing. He loved and cared about Christ and his Church, and that was shown in everything he wrote. Whenever researching or thinking on a topic related to those fields, I would always look to Steve’s insights. Our contact was limited, however, he would always answer any questions I had thoroughly and with care. Steve had a scholar's mind and a pastor’s heart, and that example is to be followed. Although we mourn, we do not mourn as those without hope. I think I can speak for the whole online apologetics community when I say "Thank you for everything, Steve." - Lucas

Today, the world lost a giant of the Christian faith. Steve Hays has been one of the most prolific voices in the online community of Christian intellectuals for 16 years. His tireless work ethic led to thousands and thousands of valuable blog posts on his beloved Triablogue. Something that has amazed me over the years has been Steve’s dedication as an apologist. He admittedly didn’t enjoy going into the trenches against internet skeptics, but he did it out of a sense of duty, and he used his gifts to serve others looking for a voice. I first came across Triablogue as I was at the start of my formative years as a Christian intellectual, and Steve’s voice was one of the loudest that I heard during that journey. Steve personified defending the Christian faith intellectually. Whenever a new trend would catch on among opponents of Christianity, whenever The Secular Web unleashed a new attack on the Christian faith, Steve was usually one of the first to offer his thoughts, which often helped me clarify my own, time after time. Even years later, as my doubts in the truth of Christianity have largely subsided, Steve’s daily posts on cultural issues, philosophical theology, and apologetics have been incredibly comforting. Often, when there’s been a void in terms of hearty online Christian engagement with a particular argument or issue, Steve’s voice has been the first to fill it. Just knowing that ‘The Skepticutioner’ would soon be released upon whatever the vehement opponents of Christianity were saying was an assuring thought. The way he dropped what he was doing to help sort through doubts that I or friends of mine were having, or to help decipher theological issues we were tossing around, devoting days’ worths of blog posts to them, is something I will forever be thankful for. I also experienced being on the other side of Steve’s barrage on several occasions, often in more private correspondence, most notably on universal reconciliation, apologetic methodology to Muslims, and different aspects of reformed theology. Being on the wrong side of Steve’s material has been an incredibly fruitful experience for me, and it has helped me grow as a thinker, and as a Christian in ways I can only begin to describe. The guidance he has provided as I have wrestled through theological issues, and advice through more personal ones has been incredibly valuable. The theological reflectiveness he exhibited is a rare gift indeed. One more thing I want to mention was his heart for equipping Christians in other lands, especially recently. Earlier this year, he sent a message frustrated at the lack of solid theological and apologetic resources in places outside of the west, expressing the necessity for it, and so he went to work. He spent a number of hours in what turned out to be the final few months of his life listening to and sharing resources with curious Christians abroad. It is only a matter of time before the fruits of this labor too are heard. What an extraordinary life of ministry he led. It was a privilege to have been a small part of it! May his life be an example for all of us as devoted Christian thinkers. I will forever be thankful to God for his work, and oh how I will miss his thoughtful and thorough comments! The skepticutioner has found eternal peace through Jesus Christ. Rejoice. - T.J.

Steve wrote a memoir over a 20 year period, detailing his life and development. You can read it here.