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Veritas Forums are university events that engage students and faculty in discussions about life's hardest questions and the relevance of Jesus Christ to all of life. The forums are created by local university students, professors, and ministers while shaped and guided by the national Veritas Forum team. Veritas began at Harvard University in 1992 when a visiting student at the Harvard Divinity School, Kelly Monroe, observed that many of her fellow students felt isolated in their search for meaning and truth. This sense of disconnection was particularly striking in contrast with what she learned about Harvard’s spiritual history. As she read these accounts of lives changed and true life found, Kelly wondered: Why not gather these humble and bright believers in person and invite the whole university to join in, exploring our questions in relation to veritas—knowable in and through the life of Jesus Christ? ~ Site's "About" The Veritas Forum's sites features well organized audio recordings of hundreds of talks and exchanges between eminent thinkers on "life's hardest questions".

Reasonable Faith aims to provide in the public arena an intelligent, articulate, and uncompromising yet gracious Christian perspective on the most important issues concerning the truth of the Christian faith today, such as: the existence of God, the meaning of life, the objectivity of truth, the foundation of moral values, the creation of the universe, and the reliability of the Gospels. Reasonable Faith features the work of philosopher and theologian Dr. William Lane Craig in order to carry out its three-fold mission: 1) to provide an articulate, intelligent voice for biblical Christianity in the public arena. 2) to challenge unbelievers with the truth of biblical Christianity. 3) to train Christians to state and defend Christian truth claims with greater effectiveness. ~ About this Site

A "one-stop shopping superstore" in the marketplace of ideas; a searchable collection of resources and interactive opportunities; a ResourceBASE containing thousands of articles, reviews, research papers, essays, books & book chapters, commentaries, video & audio files, poems and more; rooted in the university, sponsored by Christian Leadership Ministries, the faculty outreach and training arm of Campus Crusade for Christ International, Leadership U includes resources from the high school to research levels, with an emphasis on the scholarly; a multi-disciplinary vehicle to help reach professors, students and other thinkers with the best in Christian thought on a variety of compelling issues; a growing community of apologists for the historical Christian faith who are engaging their culture on a variety of fronts; a current-issues-based approach to the deeper issues facing humanity (e.g., evil and suffering, morality and ethics, public policy, philosophy, origins and eternity).

In its own words: I consider myself an atheist and a skeptic. I care whether my beliefs are true or false. I believe I have good reasons for being an atheist, and that those reasons can stand up to the scrutiny of Christian apologetics. But – as Christians are so often fond of saying – what if I’m wrong? So this blog represents my effort to take Christianity seriously; to engage with the best Christians have to offer and see how my general Case for Atheism stacks up by comparison. I deliberately chose a gerund as the name for this blog; I view this as a process, and not an end goal. If you’re a Christian, my goal is not to “convert you to atheism;” my goal is to engage with, understand, and evaluate the best arguments you have for what you believe and see how that affects what I believe. At the end of the day, all I hope is that you will come away with a bit more understanding of (and hopefully, respect for) what makes someone an atheist.

Luke Muehlhauser ("lukeprog") is an atheist and naturalist who arrived there via a journey as a devout pastor's kid. His story is moving. The tone and discussion here is sympathetic and friendly, and the writing almost always thought provoking. The site includes some impressive resources, like an evaluation of all of William Lane Craig's debates and a voluminous list of debates about God. Luke's site is a beacon of thoughtful and respectful dialogue. Highly Recommended. About itself: "See, believers have two ways of thinking. In most situations, they think with the same logic as most people do: this is our 'common sense.' Tell a believer that the bank stole his money, or that an ancient book says you can heal disease by dancing around a fire, and he will ask for evidence. That is common sense. ... The whole point of my website is this: If a believer applies his special thinking to any other area of life, it becomes clear how irrational that special thinking is. And if he applies common sense to his religion, it becomes clear how irrational that religion is."

In its own words: "The Scriptorium is the new media daily of the Torrey Honors Institute at Biola University. Established by John Mark Reynolds, Paul Spears, and Fred Sanders in 2005, the Scriptorium seeks to combat what we perceive to be the decline of a reasonable pursuit of the Christian faith and the transition away from the use of the mind in the Christian journey. This decline is causing Christians to lose their confidence in the truth claims of Christianity. As a result, Christians are also losing their ability to appreciate the depth, richness, and beauty of the works of God in the world. By actively engaging in the conversations of today's culture and challenging the predominant, non-Christian worldviews therein, the Scriptorium is a winsome, thoughtful, active Christian voice in the marketplace of ideas."

As a scholar, professor, and author, Dr. Bart Ehrman has undeniable influence over students and much of the American public. Yet there are equally qualified scholars who deal with the same issues and come to very different conclusions than Dr. Ehrman. The Ehrman Project is a website dedicated to engaging the ideas that Dr. Ehrman is famously expounding in the complex and nuanced realm of Biblical scholarship. It is not intended to answer all of Dr. Ehrman's claims nor answer the ones it does completely. Rather it is intended to give small snapshots that will potentially motivate viewers to research more information on the particular topic. After interacting with many students over the years, Miles O’Neill, a campus minister at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, began considering an online resource in response to Dr. Ehrman’s popular claims. Dustin Smith, a Religious Studies major of UNC-CH, enrolled in Dr. Ehrman’s New Testament course in the spring of 2009. Soon after, Mr. O’Neill and Mr. Smith started collaborating together on The Ehrman Project. With the help of numerous students, colleagues, professors, and friends, EhrmanProject.com was able to launch in early 2011. ~ Site's Self Description

Randal Rauser is a systematic and analytic theologian of evangelical persuasion. He is driven by apologetic concerns and above all by the tireless pursuit of truth. The downside is that this requires him to recognize when he is wrong (which is often) for truth is complex and it offers us no guarantees that we shall always find it. At the same time, Randal does not despair of finding truth, for he believes that in a profound sense Jesus Christ is the truth. For Randal, being like Jesus means knowing the truth, loving the truth, and living the truth. As Randal seeks to live the truth he promotes a culture of life that is anti-militaristic and pro-family, pro-environment and anti-abortion, anti-consumerist and pro-animal. A disciple on the way … alas, he is not half as smart or as good or as right as he thinks he is.

In its own words: Navigating through life can be complicated.  We do well to check ourselves with trusted and tested sources as well as to learn methods to reliably test our worlds.  All beliefs are fed by our emotions, our dispositions and our environment.  For this reason, triangulation is always of utmost importance. ... I use the pen name “Sabio Lantz”  since  I work and live in a predominantly Christian community where many patients of mine would stop coming to me if they knew how I felt about religion.   Further, many casual, but useful relationships may be damaged if they knew what I write here.  Several families who we are friends with us would stop meeting with us and stop their children from playing with ours.  People can get ugly when it comes to religion (or politics, or sex ...   OK, people can just be plain ugly).

Tagline: Analyses of God beliefs, atheism, religion, faith, miracles, evidence for religious claims, evil and God, arguments for and against God, atheism, agnosticism, the role of religion in society, and related issues.

In its own words: I want to know why some people believe in gods, and what the psychological and social consequences of those beliefs are. I read the research, and when I find something juicy I write it up and post it here! Who am I? Well, I'm a medical writer by profession, living and working on the south coast of England (Hove, actually). I have a PhD in biotechnology, and an interest in what makes people tick.

In its own words: Over the past several years, I have observed to my dismay the forces of militant religious fundamentalism gaining in strength, both in my home country, the United States of America, and worldwide. This ominous development, driven by those who are dedicated enemies of all the progress and enlightenment that has been achieved over the past several centuries, threatens the liberty and happiness of all people everywhere. As a result, I have been compelled to grow more involved in political causes to help oppose it, and to defend the human rights that once more need defending. This process of awakening led to my writing the essay "Unapologetic", but did not stop there. We need as many voices as possible calling attention to the evil of the religious right and shining the light of scrutiny on their true goals. Only by doing so can we hope to stop them, and I hope to play some small part in that. The final motivating factor is the fact that there are not nearly as many good atheist weblogs as there should be. There are many blogs written by atheists, but relatively few that are about atheism, relatively few that are well-written and address the subject frequently and knowledgeably.

In its own words: Vridar is my doppelganger. The name comes from Vardis Fisher’s fictionalized biographical two-part novel “The Orphans of Gethsemane” and is a near-anagram of the author’s own name. To read this novel, or even his 1939 Harper prize winning “Children of God”, is to read my life too. Everything from boyhood, religion, women, fatherhood, personal growth to atheism is there. For info on who Vardis Fisher is check out Vardis Fisher (American Atheists site), Vardis Fisher (VardisFisher.com) and Vardis Fisher (wikipedia article). But if you’re really wanting to know where I’m coming from it might be easier to simply read my own odyssey from heavenly thrones down to earth. My background is in history teaching, postgraduate educational studies and information science, academic librarian, metadata specialist with a project building regional university repositories in Australia and New Zealand, and digital repository manager. Currently I am a Principal Librarian and Bibliographic Consultant to the Singapore National Library Board. So the biblical studies interest is a hobby, although a serious one. I do like to check out the foundations of significant beliefs as thoroughly as my real-life commitments will allow.

Tagline: Sex, atheism, politics, dreams, and whatever. Thinking out loud since 2005.

In its own words: Rationally Speaking is a blog maintained by Prof. Massimo Pigliucci, a philosopher at the City University of New York. The blog reflects the Enlightenment figure Marquis de Condorcet's idea of what a public intellectual (yes, we know, that's such a bad word) ought to be: someone who devotes himself to "the tracking down of prejudices in the hiding places where priests, the schools, the government, and all long-established institutions had gathered and protected them." You are welcome.

In a culture that is increasingly indifferent and ignorant of Christianity, it is not only important for Christians to understand what we believe but why. We must see it necessary to reclaim the importance of the intellectual life, not only to safeguard the witness of the New Zealand church but also its health and identity. Without diminishing a passion for lives that demonstrate radical love and conformity to the Gospel, we must yet take seriously the biblical call to always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15) and to thoroughly refute secular arguments that are raised against it (2 Corinthians 10:5). More

I study the bible, with bits of Christian origins and early Christianity thrown in. I’m also an atheist, both in the sense of not-believing-there-is-a-God, and believing-there-is-no-God. I’m fascinated by all kinds of things, from typography to chess, from conlangs to competitive swimming, from creative cartography to the mathematics of music. This is my bible and religion blog. I have been studying the bible for 20 years now. I’m particularly interested in New Testament criticism, although I have a soft spot for non-canonical Christian literature and try to dabble and keep up with the broad movements in Hebrew Bible scholarship and early church history." ~ Ian

I grew up in a liberal progressive agnostic family, became a christian in college, and left the faith nearly two decades later. Leaving the faith was a gut-wrenching process over a long period of time, but in the end was painful but rather quick, sort of like pulling off a band aid. It has proven more difficult to untangle myself from the web of religion because of the relationships involved. I am not here to disuade anyone from Christianity. I am happy to help dissuade anyone from an unexamined faith, though to be honest, when I examined my faith, it pretty much crumbled away. I believe contemporary american evangelicalism is woefully inadequate in this regard, and I seriously question whether it is intellectually compatible with modern thought. I strongly believe people need to be allowed and encouraged to think for themselves, and my experience of evangelicalism was that it only promoted that within very limited parameters. I know there are others forms of Christianity out there, but an experience with conservative christianity can make it very difficult to honestly consider them."

I'm an ex-Christian, but I think some part of me still clings to Christianity in a very loose, irrational sense, but I do not believe anymore and consider myself an Agnostic Atheist. I think spirituality is a personal thing and should be between the individual and whatever he or she chooses to focus on. In that regard, I respect others views regardless of whether or not I agree with them. I simply do not experience anything in my life that I would identify as God, but wouldn't ignore a grand revelation."

The Centre for Public Christianity (CPX) is an independent research and media organization seeking to promote the public understanding of the Christian faith in Australia and beyond employing the best of scholarship via the best of media. Established by Dr John Dickson and Dr Greg Clarke the Centre: seeks to be a benchmark for Christian thinking and communication in Australia and beyond; offers free vodcast/podcast comment, lectures and interviews, and other web-based resources; produces a range of popular and academic works exploring the relevance of the Christian faith; is a one stop shop for media outlets in search of informed and independent Christian comment; runs events and short courses for the curious and sceptical alike; supports a network of Christian scholars and research projects across the disciplines; serves as a speakers bureau and training facility for Christian thinkers and communicators. The Centre has no denominational affiliation and seeks to represent historic Christianity as defined by the Nicene Creed.

Hendrik van der Breggen, Ph.D., is assistant professor of philosophy at Providence College, Otterburne, Manitoba.From the introduction: "Any argument in an apologia centers on showing respect to those persons with whom one disagrees. (Yes, I am here influenced by 1 Peter 3:15b.) Because many people today are eager to belittle or hurt those with whom they disagree (for example, by insult or, worse, by wearing explosives), I am convinced—and convicted—that the art of apologia should be revived. Hence, this column. Caution: I will undoubtedly err in this column. I hope, therefore, that my mistakes will provide opportunities for us to work together to draw nearer to truth. Plato calls truth our “common master.” I believe he is right.

The Harvard Ichthus is a journal of Christian thought. It exists for the purpose of fostering deep Christian thought among the members of the Harvard community, taking seriously the motto of Harvard University: “Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae,” in English “Truth for Christ and the Church.” In an age of skepticism, many come to the College with misconceptions about Christianity and whether a vigorous intellectual life is compatible with a Christian one. The Harvard Ichthus seeks to engage, critique, and ultimately defy these falsehoods about Christian faith. We will do so in a thoughtful, generous, and professional manner that bears witness to a God who desires-commands!-each of us to love Him with all our mind. ~ The About Page

Although the progress of scholarship has raised new questions and provided additional lines of evidence, many older works on apologetics are of more than merely historical interest. Most of the objections raised against Christianity today are variations on objections that go back hundreds of years. These objections were thoroughly discussed by some of the finest minds of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and their responses are as cogent now as when they were first printed. Unfortunately, there has been little guidance to this literature for interested Christian readers, and as a result some masterpieces are almost unknown even among seminary graduates and students of apologetics. The Library of Historical Apologetics is dedicated to making accessible these historical resources and to advancing the ongoing dialog about Christianity’s historical claims.

Authored primarily by David Smart (Ryft) of British Columbia, the Aristophrenium addresses philosophy, religion, science, and politics. In its own words, it is: "a modest platform launched in early 2009 as a center for publishing intelligent, opinionated and engaging articles from a growing range of sincere contributors who are interested in exploring and sharing their unique perspective on issues related to philosophy, religion, and science. It is intended by its co-founders as a grassroots effort to broaden opportunities for collaboration and dialogue on these subjects between open-minded thinkers who are not imprisoned by either sacrosanct dogma or popular propaganda, people who are passionate about exploring the issues authentically and rationally with a civil tone." ~ From the About Page More

The Center for Naturalism promotes science-based naturalism as a comprehensive worldview - a rational and fulfilling alternative to faith-based religions and other varieties of supernaturalism. The under-standing that we are fully natural beings is the foundation for an effective approach to personal and social concerns, and highlights our intimate connection to the awe-inspiring universe described by science.  Through its educational activities and initiatives, the Center develops constructive applications of naturalism, supports progressive social policy, and in collaboration with other secular groups, helps to build a community of naturalists."
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Credo: "Christians do not hold the truth, we are held by it." About Tom: "My graduate degree is in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Science and philosophy are things I do in my free time. Does that hinder my credibility here? I hope not. I do my homework, and I stick to things I understand, or if I have questions you’ll know about it in what I write... I/O Psych is among the most quantitative (i.e. mathematical) of all the social sciences. The “hard” scientists sometimes say that none of the social sciences are really science, but this comes as close as you’re going to get. It has the advantage as well of trying to account for personality, which enters into a lot of my thinking about evidences for God, the ultimate personality. But the main question I invite you to ask is, “Does what I say make sense?” And if it doesn’t, by all means leave a comment and let me know!"

Responding to the current epidemic of atheist manifestos, Dinesh D’Souza applies just the right balm for the troubled soul. Assembling arguments from history, philosophy, theology, and science — yes, science! — he builds a modern and compelling case for faith in a loving God. If you’re seeking the truth about God, the universe, and the meaning of life, this is a great place to look." ~ Francis Collins D'Souza's site is primarily a clearing house for his books. A few articles are available, as well as videos from some of his debates and appearances.

Its mission: "Some think church is irrelevant. Others, out on their own for the first time, are attracted by all the world has to offer and put God on the back burner. Yet many leave because they’ve come to doubt Christianity. In fact, intellectual skepticism is a major reason cited by those who have left. Our mission at CrossExamined.org is to equip high school and college students to know why Christianity is true, how to defend it, and how to refute those who try to corrupt them."

From his bio: "Atheist-turned-Christian Lee Strobel, the former award-winning legal editor of The Chicago Tribune, is a New York Times best-selling author of nearly twenty books and has been interviewed on numerous national television programs, including ABC's 20/20, Fox News, and CNN. Described by the Washington Post as "one of the evangelical community's most popular apologists," Lee shared the prestigious Charles "Kip" Jordon Christian Book of the Year award in 2005 for a curriculum he co-authored about the movie The Passion of the Christ. He also has won awards for his books The Case for Christ, The Case for Faith, The Case for a Creator, and Inside the Mind of Unchurched Harry and Mary." Lee's site includes his "Ask Lee" blog, a wealth of video resources, and of course, the chance to buy books and videos.

Stand to Reason trains Christians to think more clearly about their faith and to make an even-handed, incisive, yet gracious defense for classical Christianity and classical Christian values in the public square. STR teaches the value of using our minds to love God and share the Gospel. We teach careful reasoning and well thought-out answers so that Christians will participate in public discussion (at home, at work, or at the university) so that the Christian world view has a place in the debate. We encourage Christians to develop coherent answers to questions that challenge Christianity so that their faith is deepened and thereby are emboldened to share the Gospel."

Also see, http://www.bowness.demon.co.uk/map.htm.

From Richard's Website: Richard Carrier is a nationally-renowned author and speaker. As a professional historian, published philosopher, and prominent defender of the American freethought movement, Dr. Carrier has appeared across the country and on national television defending sound historical methods and the ethical worldview of secular naturalism. He holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University in ancient history, specializing in the intellectual history of Greece and Rome, particularly ancient philosophy, religion, and science, with emphasis on the origins of Christianity and the use and progress of science under the Roman empire. He is best known as the author of Sense and Goodness without God and a major contributor to The Empty Tomb, as well as writer and editor-in-chief (now emeritus) for the Secular Web, and for his copious work in history and philosophy online and in print. More

Phil is a pastor, college instructor in philosphy and ethics, theology, and spiritual formation, book lover and hiker. His blog, according to its tagline, is "a set of reflections on the contemporary church, culture, Christian philosophy, and doctrine". Recent posts include the whether doctors have the right to not perform abortions as a matter of conscience, Newsweek's cover story on the demise of America as a Christian nation, a review of the Apologetics Study Bible, and President Obama's honorary degree from Notre Dame.

John on his motivation for the site: "I backed into what I’m doing right now. I initially wanted to explain to people who knew me why I rejected the Christian faith, because several people were surprised about this and they wanted to know. To do this I self-published my first book to explain my reasons. At that point in my mind I was done with the Christian faith. I fully expected to get on with life. Unexpectedly though, I got noticed as a former student of William Lane Craig’s. It hadn’t occurred to me this was important, but people on both sides took notice of it. So I began engaging in the debate online and found the Christian reasoning lame and offensive in the circles I frequented. I was personally attacked by these Christians. This challenged me to no end. It made me want to go for the jugular vein of the faith that justified their abusive treatment of me. I wondered to myself whether they would light the fires that burned me at the stake in a previous century when the church had the power to do so. This made me think about the many heretics who suffered at the hands of Christians because of this same mentality. I decided at that point I would not let their blood be shed in vain, so I took up their cause. It became personal with me."

Ben Witherington III is an evangelical Biblical scholar, and lecturer on New Testament Studies. Witherington is Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. He is a graduate of UNC, Chapel Hill and holds an M.Div. degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from the University of Durham in England. He is an elected member of Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas, a society dedicated to New Testament studies. Witherington is an author and speaker. He has written over thirty books, and has made many appearances on radio interviews, and on television programs featured on the History Channel, Discovery Channel, and other major networks.

In its own words: In a day and age where chicken soup for the soul was very telling of our culture's starvation with all things spiritual, well maybe we can serve some delicious thomistic tacos for the starving soul. An old recipe indeed; but like Thomas of Aquinas (1225-1274), old is gold. And when you have a man who loved common sense only because it was common sensical to do it, his life, work and legacy is a good recipe for a society where the only thing available in the soup kitchen is what we conjure by our vain attemtps to create sprituality. We should all love Thomas because he loved God. We will give resources to what Thomas wrote as well as resources in apologetics, theology, and philosophy in addition to commentary to politics, reviews, and ministries among other things novel.

Online resources, information, and media. Habermas is distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy and Theology at Liberty University. Habermas has dedicated his professional life to the examination of the relevant historical, philosophical, and theological issues surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus. His extensive list of publications and debates provides a thorough account of the current state of the issue. Christian believers as well as unbelievers may find within the contents of this site a strong argument for the philosophical possibility of miracles and the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus, as well as the theological and practical implications of this event.

In his own words: "Doug is Professor of Philosophy in the Talbot Department of Philosophy at Biola University (La Mirada, CA). He teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in the areas of epistemology and the philosophy of religion. In addition, he has taught courses on the new atheism, and on film and philosophy. Doug is the author or editor of several books. He is co-editor with Jim Spiegel of the book Faith, Film, and Philosophy: Big Ideas on the Big Screen. He has lectured throughout the United States, and in Canada, England, Scotland, Spain, France, Sweden, China, and Ukraine. Doug’s hobbies include sea kayaking, reading outside his discipline, digital photography, travel, and studying foreign languages. His favorite place in the country is the Olympic Peninsula, Washington. He writes for himself and others. He scavenges for useful tips for writing of all kinds, for any of his hobbies, and for general life management. This blog is devoted to exploring all of these themes . . . and more. Doug has always believed that he fell into philosophy because he’s interested in so many seemingly unrelated things. As a philosopher, he lives with the illusion that they’re all connected."