All Rise with Abdu Murray

Abdu visits the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to answer questions from some of the brightest young minds in America. Listen in as Abdu fields questions on sexuality, Islam, and the reliability of the Bible. Do you have questions for Abdu? Send them to mail@embracethetruth.org. You never know when we might answer one live on the show!

 
All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button.

The world is full of wonders both mysterious and beautiful. Do we have reasons to believe that this beauty points to anything beyond itself? Our special guest, Xandra Grieme, says that when it comes to beauty, there may be more than meets the eye.

Xandra Grieme is an apologist, speaker, and curator for the Museum of Created Beauty. She earned her bachelor of science degree from Colorado State University, studied apologetics at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, and completed an MA in Conservation Biology from Victoria University of Wellington. Her scientific research includes work in parasitology, flow cytometry, and ecological restoration.

You can keep up with Xandra and the Museum of Created Beauty by visiting them online at https://www.museumofcreatedbeauty.org/ and following their socials:

INSTAGRAM @museum_of_created_beauty

FACEBOOK @museum_of_created_beauty

TWITTER @MuseumofCBeauty

YOUTUBE @MuseumofCreatedBeauty

A few resources mentioned in this podcast include Benjamin Wiker and Jonathan Witt's A Meaningful World (IVP Academic, 2006), Thomas Dubay's The Evidential Power of Beauty (Ignatius Press, 1999), Elaine Scarry's On Beauty and Being Just (Princeton University Press, 2001), and Edward T. Oakes' essay "The Apologetics of Beauty" in The Beauty of God (IVP, 2007), edited by Daniel Treier, Mark Husbands, and Roger Lundin.

All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button.

After Abdu's message at the University of Central Florida, several students came forward to ask their most pressing questions in a live Q&A. Listen in as Abdu fields questions on sexuality, slavery, and gender in the Bible, the toughest question he's ever received, and what it means to be a disciple. Do you have questions for Abdu? Send them to mail@embracethetruth.org. You never know when we might answer one live on the show!

All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking the "Donate" button.

The late physicist, philosopher, and atheist Victor Stenger once said, "Science flies you to the moon. Religion flies you into buildings." This is a popular notion today, especially in the West where Christianity and the Bible are often blamed for anti-scientific superstitions, terrorism, racism, and sexism, among other maladies. But is this correct? Abdu confronts these tough objections during a 2023 address to a packed room of college students at the University of Central Florida. Check back in 2 weeks for the lively Q&A that followed!

All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button.

Recently, Dr. Bart Ehrman sat down and attempted to refute cherished Christian beliefs about the divinity of Jesus. Did he succeed? Dr. Rob Bowman says no! Join us for the second half of this exhilarating conversation as Dr. Bowman and Abdu discuss why Jesus was really crucified and whether the forgiveness of sins Jesus offers proves that he considered himself God.

Dr. Rob Bowman is an apologist, biblical scholar, author, editor, and lecturer. He is also President of the Institute for Religions Research, which researches and responds to some of the most difficult objections leveled against Christianity by other religious or anti-religious movements. 
If you would like to watch the YouTube clip we responded to, you can check that out on Alex O'Connor's channel, or go to Jesus Never Claimed to be God ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C96FPHRTuQU ) . For the full interview, go to Did Jesus Even Claim to be God? Bart Ehrman Says No.... ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2STiabRV8TE )

A few of Dr. Bowman's books were mentioned during this episode. These included his book co-authored with J. Ed Komoszewski, Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ (Kregel, 2007), Jesus' Resurrection and Joseph's Visions: Examining the Foundations of Christianity and Mormonism (Deward Publishing, 2020), and Faith Has Its Reasons (IVP, 2006), co-authored with Ken Boa.

All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button.

Recently, Dr. Bart Ehrman sat down and attempted to refute cherished Christian beliefs about the divinity of Jesus. Did he succeed? Dr. Rob Bowman says no! Join us for the first half of this exhilarating conversation as Dr. Bowman and Abdu discuss whether Jesus identified himself as God in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and whether those Gospels contradict the Gospel of John on this matter.

Dr. Rob Bowman is an apologist, biblical scholar, author, editor, and lecturer. He is also President of the Institute for Religions Research, which researches and responds to some of the most difficult objections leveled against Christianity by other religious or anti-religious movements.

If you would like to watch the YouTube clip we responded to, you can check that out on Alex O'Connor's channel, or go to Jesus Never Claimed to be God. For the full interview, go to Did Jesus Even Claim to be God? Bart Ehrman Says No.... (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2STiabRV8TE)

A few of Dr. Bowman's books were mentioned during this episode. These included his book co-authored with J. Ed Komoszewski, Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ (Kregel, 2007), Jesus' Resurrection and Joseph's Visions: Examining the Foundations of Christianity and Mormonism (Deward Publishing, 2020), and Faith Has Its Reasons (IVP, 2006), co-authored with Ken Boa. All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button

#AbduMurray #EmbraceTheTruth #Christianity #Apologetics #AllRisePodcast #RobBowman #BartEhrman #Jesus

Abdu sits down with his friend, former homicide detective J. Warner Wallace, for a wide-ranging interview on the nature of evidence and persuasion, apologetics for children, the reticence of some Christians to accept apologetics, and so much more. Listen in on this masterclass as J. Warner and Abdu share much wisdom from their years of apologetics ministry.

J. Warner Wallace is a Dateline featured cold-case homicide detective and a best-selling author and national speaker in the field of apologetics. He also serves as a Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview and an adjunct professor at several universities, including Talbot School of Theology, Gateway Seminary, and Southern Evangelical Seminary.

Several of J. Warner Wallace's books were mentioned in this article, including Cold-Case Christianity (David C Cook, 2013, 2023), which is now in a new, updated and expanded 10th-anniversary edition, Gods' Crime Scene (David C Cook, 2015), Forensic Faith (David C Cook, 2017), and Person of Interest (Zondervan, 2021), along with children's versions of the first three books mentioned here. You can learn more about J. Warner and access his helpful resources at https://coldcasechristianity.com/

All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button. 

Popular internet personality Rhett McLaughlin, of Rhett & Link's Good Mythical Morning YouTube fame, has become famous for "deconstructing" his evangelical faith. In a recent Instagram Reel, he explains why: the experts! In this episode, Abdu and Derek look at Rhett's appeals to authority and confront two thorny issues: Is expert consensus emerging or is it being crafted? And should one's faith in consensus itself be deconstructed? This episode mentions several items that you may be interested in looking at further. You can find Matt Ridley's article for The Spectator, entitled "Science fiction: the crisis in research" at https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/science-fiction-the-crisis-in-research/ . Information on Dr. Laura Favaro's repressed research can be located at https://unherd.com/2023/04/did-city-uni-censor-my-gender-research/ . You can learn more about David Hutchings and James Ungureanu's book, Of Popes and Unicorns, at https://global.oup.com/academic/product/of-popes-and-unicorns-9780190053093 . And finally, the controversial documentary, Depp v Heard, can be accessed exclusively on Netflix. All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button.

Michael Shermer is one of the world's foremost public atheists and critics of religious belief. In a recent tag team of tweets, Shermer sought to put on display the "twisted logic" of the biblical account of atonement, the cross, and forgiveness. In this episode, Abdu addresses Michael's objections and assumptions to see where the twisted logic truly lies. If you are interested in learning more about the cross and forgiveness, please consider starting with a classic on the topic, John Stott's The Cross of Christ (IVP, 2006). All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button. Episode 1 Link: https://youtu.be/3IfVyKJ6nI8?list=PLWzV2AIObvw_YLUoNlZz0MYHLt09-ZacK&si=t4dbpEppmavaACbR

Greg Koukl is a man who needs no introduction. He's got a new book out called Street Smarts, and it will revolutionize the way you think about engaging the culture today. Many evangelism tactics focus on harvesting, but Greg recommends gardening. Find out the key differences between the two and more on this episode of All Rise! Greg Koukl is a highly sought-after author and speaker. He is the founder and President of the apologetics organization Stand to Reason ( www.str.org ). He has written several books, including his classic Tactics, and his newest soon to be bestseller, Street Smarts: Using Questions to Answer Christianity's Toughest Challenges. If you visit www.streetsmartsthebook.com to pre-order the book, you will gain access to bonus content! All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button.

Mystery gospels full of secret truths suppressed by the Church for centuries have finally been revealed! … Sounds intriguing, doesn't it? According to the millions of people who have bought books, watched movies, and read news stories with such headlines, it certainly is! We all love a good "mystery has been revealed" story, but is there anything to it, or is this just conspiratorial fiction? Today, we are joined by Bible scholar and apologist Wes Huff to investigate these claims by looking at, arguably, the most important of the so-called "suppressed" gospels, the Gospel of Thomas. Wes Huff is a popular author and speaker with Apologetics Canada, where he serves as the Central Canada Director, and is currently completing his PhD studies in New Testament and Christian Origins at the University of Toronto's Wycliffe College. Check out Wes's work, including his incredible infographics, at https://www.wesleyhuff.com/. All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button.

Barbie is everywhere thanks to Greta Gerwig's recent blockbuster movie about the (in)famous doll. Some say it is anti-man propaganda that went too far while others say it didn't go far enough! Abdu and Derek discuss these reactions and some surprising was in which Barbie actually affirms the Bible, while also being confronted by it. This episode makes reference to two articles. The first, "I Saw the Movie 'They' Don't Want You to See" by Elaine Godfrey can be accessed at https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/07/sound-of-freedom-qanon-culture-war/674832/. The second, "Existential Barbie" by Annie Brownell Crawford, can be accessed at https://salvomag.com/post/existential-barbie. All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button.

Artificial Intelligence is everywhere right now, and much of the press has been concerned with one question: will AI unleash a technological revolution that inevitably ends in catastrophe? Cutting through some of the uninformed hyperbole of those who think it will destroy the world (and those who think it will save it!), Abdu and Derek discuss the issue with Michael Butler, a PhD candidate in Quantum Gravity.

Listen in as they discuss the pitfalls and promises of Artificial Intelligence. In this episode, the speakers respond to comments from Adrienne LaFrance's piece in The Atlantic entitled "The Coming Humanist Renaissance." You can access it at https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/07/generative-ai-human-culture-philosophy/674165/.

All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button.

Astrophysicist Dr. Hugh Ross joins us to discuss the disruption of the James Webb Space Telescope images in our understanding of the early universe. Many pop science articles hailed it as a major disruptor of the theory of the Big Bang, even debunking the notion that the universe had a beginning. Is this true? Join us as Dr. Ross and Abdu deliberate! Dr. Hugh Ross, prolific author and founder and senior scholar of Reasons to Believe, holds an undergraduate degree in physics from the University of British Columbia and a PhD in astronomy from the University of Toronto. He spent five years on faculty at Caltech before moving into his ministry where he seeks to communicate the compatibility of “God’s two books,” nature and the Bible. Check out Dr. Ross’s groundbreaking work at https://reasons.org/team/hugh-ross All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button. Don't forget to subscribe so you get this and more awesome content delivered to you

Join us LIVE,Tuesday July 11 @ 1sts :00 PM EST for Deliberations Live, a bi-weekly podcast where YOU, the jury, ask questions to Abdu and Derek. Abdu and Derek discuss All Rise season 2 ep 18. Critical New Testament scholar Paula Fredriksen claims that the allegedly unknown author of Luke/Acts wrote his or her work in the second century and was not actually a travel companion of, nor all too familiar with, the Apostle Paul. But is that where the evidence truly points? Join Abdu and Derek as they investigate these claims! You can submit your questions on our social channels, through mail@embracethetruth.org, or in the chat during our livestream. We look forward to being with you this coming Tuesday and every two weeks afterward for Deliberations Live!

Critical New Testament scholar Paula Fredriksen claims that the allegedly unknown author of Luke/Acts wrote his or her work in the second century and was not actually a travel companion of, nor all too familiar with, the Apostle Paul. But is that where the evidence truly points? Join Abdu and Derek as they investigate these claims! This episode is in response to the comments Dr. Paula Fredriksen made on the MythVision Podcast (hosted by another Derek!), which you can view at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAQNM455AXo All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button. Have questions or critiques? Comment below or email us at mail@embracethetruth.org and your question may be answered on our live show, Deliberations! You may also submit questions during the live show in the chat. We typically answer questions about a specific episode about a week after the original air date, but we are always happy to answer any question at any time. Subscribe to our channel to be notified when we are going live.

Join us LIVE,Tuesday June 27 @ 11:00 AM EST for Deliberations Live, a bi-weekly podcast where YOU, the jury, ask questions to Abdu and Derek. Abdu and Derek discuss All Rise episodes 16 and 17. Ricky Gervais claims atheists just believe In one less god--Bart Ehrman claims the gospels are anonymous! You can submit your questions on our social channels, through mail@embracethetruth.org, or in the chat during our livestream. We look forward to being with you this coming Tuesday and every two weeks afterward for Deliberations Live!

Comedian Ricky Gervais claims that we are all essentially atheists with regard to 2,999 gods, and that atheists just have the courage/integrity (?) to go one god further. But is this a meaningful statement? Abdu and Derek address other claims made by Gervais, including what would happen if all science and history books disappeared and where God came from. This episode is in response to the comments Ricky Gervais has made in interviews, writing, and scripted television. Each of the claims responded to here are represented in his interview with Stephen Colbert: Ricky Gervais And Stephen Go Head-To-Head On Religion. https://youtu.be/P5ZOwNK6n9U All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button.

On June 13 @ 1:00 EST Abdu Murray will be joined LIVE by astrophysicist and founder of Reasons to Believe, Dr. Hugh Ross, to answer your questions about science, faith, and the Bible. Recently, Dr. Ross appeared on Abdu’s podcast, All Rise, to discuss claims made by popular astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson about the Bible’s alleged scientific errors (https://youtu.be/op2epgYmwko). Their dialogue sparked a lot of conversation and controversy. Be a part of the follow-up conversation with Abdu and Dr. Ross on Tuesday, June 13 @ 1:00 EST by going to Abdu’s YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@AbduMurrayOfficial, and clicking “subscribe”!

Bart Ehrman claims that the Gospels are anonymous because the names attached to them are too convenient and were added a century later, and because the disciples of Jesus were too illiterate to write such exquisite Greek texts. Has Dr. Ehrman overstated the case? This episode is in response to the comments that critical New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman has made in writing and to interviewers, such as in the video highlighted in our episode: Bart Ehrman on the Bible's Authors ( https://youtu.be/pDfYA21lDic ). Also mentioned in this episode was Simon Gathercole's article "The Alleged Anonymity of the Canonical Gospels" in The Journal of Theological Studies (2018), Craig Evans' Jesus and the Manuscripts (Hendrickson Academic, 2020), and Brant Pitre's The Case for Jesus (Image: 2016). All Rise is a listener and donor-supported presentation from Embrace the Truth. If you would like to see more content like this, prayerfully consider supporting us by visiting https://embracethetruth.org/ and clicking on the "Donate" button.