UK based Christian philosopher Peter S. Williams is Assistant Professor of Worldview and Communications at Gimlekollen College, NLA University, Norway. Website: www.peterswilliams.com
Edited audio of a Zoom teaching session conducted on 19th May 2026 for students in Uganda and Tanzinea on behalf of NLA University College, Norway.
Methodist seminarian Joshua Pearsall invited me onto his @PracticalChristianLessons YouTube channel to discuss evidence for early high Christology from archaeology and in the Epistle of James (audio re-hosted here by permission). For the YouTube video of this interview, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjDx4Ih0ggI
View my original paper on "The Epistle of St. James vs. Evolutionary Christology" Theofilos (Volume 8, 2016:1).
For the updated revision of the paper, see my book Behold the Man: Essays on the Historical Jesus (Wipf and Stock, 2024).
See also: Getting at Jesus: A Comprehensive Critique of Neo-Atheist Nonsense About the Jesus of History (Wipf and Stock, 2019).
With permission, I'm re-hosing this episode of the Persuasive Evangelism Podcast from March 25th 2026:
Research indicates that many people will first consider whether Christianity is something good, before they consider whether or not it is true. But for both these questions, the discipline of philosophy informs how we think about them. Can a stuffy old academic discipline really help much with modern spiritual questions? Steve Osmond and Simon Wenham learn more about what philosophy and apologetics brings to evangelism.
Our GuestPeter S Williams is a Christian philosopher and apologist based in Southampton, England, He is an “Adjunct Professor in Communication and Worldviews” at NLA University College, in Kristiansand, Norway. Peter’s books include: Stepping Stones to Christianity: Reflections on Intelligent Design, Natural Theology, and the Historical Jesus (Wipf and Stock, 2025), A Faithful Guide to Philosophy: A Christian Introduction to the Love of Wisdom(Wipf & Stock, 2019), and A Sceptic’s Guide to Atheism(Paternoster, 2009).
About PEP TalkThe Persuasive Evangelism Podcast aims to equip listeners to share their faith more effectively in a sceptical world. Each episode, our hosts chat to a guest who has a great story, a useful resource, or some other expertise that helps equip you to talk persuasively, winsomely, and engagingly with your friends, colleagues and neighbours about Jesus.
Talk given on the NLA University College UK Study Tour, at English L'Abri Fellowship, in September 2025.
Lecture on apologetics given to participants on the NLA University College UK Study Tour, at L'Abri English Fellowship, Sept 2025.
While there's some overlap between this and my five part podcast/video series on Truth, Goodness, and Beauty (see http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/?s=Introducing%20Truth%2C%20Goodness%2C%20and%20Beauty & https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQhh3qcwVEWgKmNMPUP-dv2HF6rFsfx0p), there's also some new material here, defending the objectivity of these transcendentals against arguments to the contrary. I've added this to the podcast series tag listed above as a supplemental "appendix"!
Audio from my input to an online teaching session for NLA University College, Norway, September 11th 2025.
Part one of a five part video series introducing the transcendental values of truth, goodness and beauty. Created for NLA University College, Norway, in September 2025. See my YouTube Playlist, "Introducing the Transcendentals: Exploring Truth, Goodness, and Beauty." https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQhh3qcwVEWgKmNMPUP-dv2HF6rFsfx0p
Part two of a five part video series introducing the transcendental values of truth, goodness and beauty. Created for NLA University College, Norway, in September 2025. See my YouTube Playlist, "Introducing the Transcendentals: Exploring Truth, Goodness, and Beauty." https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQhh3qcwVEWgKmNMPUP-dv2HF6rFsfx0p
Part three of a five part video series introducing the transcendental values of truth, goodness and beauty. Created for NLA University College, Norway, in September 2025. See my YouTube Playlist, "Introducing the Transcendentals: Exploring Truth, Goodness, and Beauty." https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQhh3qcwVEWgKmNMPUP-dv2HF6rFsfx0p
Part four of a five part video series introducing the transcendental values of truth, goodness and beauty. Created for NLA University College, Norway, in September 2025. See my YouTube Playlist, "Introducing the Transcendentals: Exploring Truth, Goodness, and Beauty." https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQhh3qcwVEWgKmNMPUP-dv2HF6rFsfx0p
Part five of a five part video series introducing the transcendental values of truth, goodness and beauty. Created for NLA University College, Norway, in September 2025. See my YouTube Playlist, "Introducing the Transcendentals: Exploring Truth, Goodness, and Beauty." https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQhh3qcwVEWgKmNMPUP-dv2HF6rFsfx0p
Audio from a video I made in August 2025 as introductory material for the NLA University College UK Study Tour.
The video is available on YouTube @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60M2vl4Z6xc&t=1s
Audio from a video I made in August 2025 as introductory material for the NLA University College UK Study Tour.
The video is available on YouTube @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkiqxw3xOhk&t=1s
Audio from a video I made in August 2025 as introductory material for the NLA University College UK Study Tour.
The video is available on YouTube @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd-F0KyaAI0&t=19s
This interview is re-hosted with permission from Snakk om Tro (Talking about truth), a podcast from Damaris Norway. Professor Lars Dahle talks to philosopher Peter S. Williams and producer Børge Bentsen about their recently released podcast series, The Question of God, a fictional dialogue about philosophy, science and belief in God, which was recorded using AI. In this first of two episodes on the project, Lars and his guests dive into the origins of the podcast series, its dialogue format, and its key themes. Listen to a trailer to the podcast series here: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-wefyg-19113b8Or the whole podcast series here: https://borgebentsen.podbean.com The Question of God Podcast (2025).A fictional, 12-episode podcast series featuring students with different views discussing philosophy, science and belief in God, hosted by Sophie Minerva, Professor of Philosophy at NLA University College in Norway. All voices performed by A.I. The podcast is made by Peter S. Williams and Børge Elliot Bentsen, and is adapted from parts of Peter’s bookOutgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade 2020). The series is produced and published by BioCosmos in cooperation with Damaris Norge. All rights reserved.
This interview is re-hosted with permission from Snakk om Tro (Talking about truth), a podcast from Damaris Norway. Professor Lars Dahle talks to philosopher Peter S. Williams and producer Børge Bentsen about their recently released podcast series, The Question of God, a fictional dialogue about philosophy, science and belief in God, which was recorded using AI. In this second of two episodes on the project, Lars and his guests discuss the behind-the-scenes production process. How did they go from the series' origins in one of Peter's books to a podcast of characters voiced by artifical intelligence? And what do they hope listeners will take away from the series? This episode includes the trailer to the series. Listen to the whole podcast series here. The Question of God Podcast (2025).A fictional, 12-episode podcast series featuring students with different views discussing philosophy, science and belief in God, hosted by Sophie Minerva, Professor of Philosophy at NLA University College in Norway. All voices performed by A.I. The podcast is made by Peter S. Williams and Børge Elliot Bentsen, and is adapted from parts of Peter’s bookOutgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade 2020). The series is produced and published by BioCosmos in cooperation with Damaris Norge. All rights reserved.
As Douglas says in this promo - there are actually a lot of things we can know about reality. Astrid agrees. And she says the question of God is for absolutely everybody. Thomas from Sweden likes to tease Douglas, and Hiromi from Japan came into the discussion group as an agnostic. Did the study-group change her thinking? Sophie Minerva, the likeable philosophy professor, keeps the coffee shop discussions going with grace and elegance.
The Question of God Podcast is a fictional, 12-episode podcast featuring students with different views discussing philosophy, science and belief in God. Podcasts hosted by Sophie Minerva, Professor of Philosophy at NLA University College in Norway. All voices performed by A.I. The podcast-series is made by Peter S. Williams and Børge Elliot Bentsen and is adapted from parts of Peter’s book Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade 2020). The series is produced and published by BioCosmos in cooperation with Damaris Norge. All rights reserved.
Here is a pdf of recommended resources for each episode
The music composed for the series by Peter S. Williams is available on YouTube & on Soundcloud
This podcast series is about "The Question of God - Has Our Civilization Outgrown God?" The title refers to British atheist Richard Dawkins’ 2019 book Outgrowing God. The title suggests the book's main message, namely that our modern world has outgrown belief in God. Is it true? Four students are discussing the book together with philosophy professor Sophie Minerva in a coffee shop. This first episode is about vocabulary and definitions when talking about God.
The Question of God Podcast is a fictional, 12-episode podcast featuring students with different views discussing philosophy, science and belief in God. Podcasts hosted by Sophie Minerva, Professor of Philosophy at NLA University College in Norway. All voices performed by A.I. The podcast-series is made by Peter S. Williams and Børge Elliot Bentsen and is adapted from parts of Peter’s book Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade 2020). The series is produced and published by BioCosmos in cooperation with Damaris Norge. All rights reserved.
Here is a pdf of recommended resources for each episode
The music composed for the series by Peter S. Williams is available on YouTube & on Soundcloud
Socrates said that every meaningful discussion begins with the definition of words. In this episode the students will discuss more about words and belief positions on the question of God. There are really only three possible basic positions to take, and the students represent all three of them. Thomas is shocked to hear Douglas' blatant dismissal of deeper meaning in life, even if he is an atheist himself.
The Question of God Podcast is a fictional, 12-episode podcast featuring students with different views discussing philosophy, science and belief in God. Podcasts hosted by Sophie Minerva, Professor of Philosophy at NLA University College in Norway. All voices performed by A.I. The podcast-series is made by Peter S. Williams and Børge Elliot Bentsen and is adapted from parts of Peter’s book Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade 2020). The series is produced and published by BioCosmos in cooperation with Damaris Norge. All rights reserved.
Here is a pdf of recommended resources for each episode
The music composed for the series by Peter S. Williams is available on YouTube & on Soundcloud
Dawkins says we should think carefully about how we understand reality. Instead of blindly believing what we have inherited or heard from our family or culture, we should think for ourselves. Thomas totally agrees with this. Hiromi agrees but points out that Dawkins in his book is not following his own rule very well.
The Question of God Podcast is a fictional, 12-episode podcast featuring students with different views discussing philosophy, science and belief in God. Podcasts hosted by Sophie Minerva, Professor of Philosophy at NLA University College in Norway. All voices performed by A.I. The podcast-series is made by Peter S. Williams and Børge Elliot Bentsen and is adapted from parts of Peter’s book Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade 2020). The series is produced and published by BioCosmos in cooperation with Damaris Norge. All rights reserved.
Here is a pdf of recommended resources for each episode
The music composed for the series by Peter S. Williams is available on YouTube & on Soundcloud
This time the students are discussing the topic called epistemology, the study of knowledge. How can we gain knowledge about something? Is true knowledge even possible? Douglas points out that Dawkins is promoting a specific philosophical view called scientism. Hiromi agrees, but Thomas thinks Douglas is too harsh. Astrid mentions several things people need to believe in order to reason at all - things that cannot be proven scientifically. Knowledge and beliefs seem to be intertwined.
The Question of God Podcast is a fictional, 12-episode podcast featuring students with different views discussing philosophy, science and belief in God. Podcasts hosted by Sophie Minerva, Professor of Philosophy at NLA University College in Norway. All voices performed by A.I. The podcast-series is made by Peter S. Williams and Børge Elliot Bentsen and is adapted from parts of Peter’s book Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade 2020). The series is produced and published by BioCosmos in cooperation with Damaris Norge. All rights reserved.
Here is a pdf of recommended resources for each episode
The music composed for the series by Peter S. Williams is available on YouTube & on Soundcloud
What exactly are faith and belief? Are they the opposite of knowledge? What is meant by the terms "basic faith", "blind faith" or "enlightened faith"? Dawkins makes a distinction between blind faith and evidence-based faith or beliefs. Thomas likes that. But then Astrid asks about the faith in logic and reason, is that a blind faith? It seems there's a lot of beliefs we cannot do without. Hiromi also need to believe in true love. Thomas notices that.
The Question of God Podcast is a fictional, 12-episode podcast featuring students with different views discussing philosophy, science and belief in God. Podcasts hosted by Sophie Minerva, Professor of Philosophy at NLA University College in Norway. All voices performed by A.I. The podcast-series is made by Peter S. Williams and Børge Elliot Bentsen and is adapted from parts of Peter’s book Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade 2020). The series is produced and published by BioCosmos in cooperation with Damaris Norge. All rights reserved.
Here is a pdf of recommended resources for each episode
The music composed for the series by Peter S. Williams is available on YouTube & on Soundcloud
This time the students are discussing what it means to think critically, and how is critical thinking practised in Dawkins' book. There are different views. Douglas says that critical thinking means analysing, evaluating and reflecting on things that are being said. There is a big difference between claims and arguments. Critical thinking also means to discover logical contradictions. Self-contradictions can never be true. Thomas thinks the concept of an almighty God is self-contradictory, but Astrid disagrees.
The Question of God Podcast is a fictional, 12-episode podcast featuring students with different views discussing philosophy, science and belief in God. Podcasts hosted by Sophie Minerva, Professor of Philosophy at NLA University College in Norway. All voices performed by A.I. The podcast-series is made by Peter S. Williams and Børge Elliot Bentsen and is adapted from parts of Peter’s book Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade 2020). The series is produced and published by BioCosmos in cooperation with Damaris Norge. All rights reserved.
Here is a pdf of recommended resources for each episode
The music composed for the series by Peter S. Williams is available on YouTube & on Soundcloud
What do the concepts of paradoxes and contradictions mean? What is the difference? This relates to the question of God. Astrid is giving a summarised version of the five arguments for God given by the famous medieval philosopher Thomas Aquinas, which almost gives Thomas a brain-meltdown. Almost. By the way, Astrid thinks Dawkins is making a category-mistake by comparing polytheistic gods with the Creator God of monotheism. Hiromi discovers the true meaning of worship. She also wants to know if the concept of the Trinity is a paradox or a contradiction. Thomas thinks it's a contradiction, but Douglas and Astrid disagree.
The Question of God Podcast is a fictional, 12-episode podcast featuring students with different views discussing philosophy, science and belief in God. Podcasts hosted by Sophie Minerva, Professor of Philosophy at NLA University College in Norway. All voices performed by A.I. The podcast-series is made by Peter S. Williams and Børge Elliot Bentsen and is adapted from parts of Peter’s book Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade 2020). The series is produced and published by BioCosmos in cooperation with Damaris Norge. All rights reserved.
Here is a pdf of recommended resources for each episode
The music composed for the series by Peter S. Williams is available on YouTube & on Soundcloud
The students discuss the concepts of science and faith, and the relationship between them. Professor Sophie asks if we can say that science and faith are different paths to knowledge? Does science provide more "certain" knowledge than faith does? Dawkins seems to think so. Hiromi thinks Dawkins reveals a bias against religion. Douglas points out that scientific beliefs are built upon other beliefs, so the "different path" idea is a misunderstanding, he thinks. Douglas thinks the state must be neutral in religious matters. Astrid is not so sure that is possible. Are human rights issues neutral?
The Question of God Podcast is a fictional, 12-episode podcast featuring students with different views discussing philosophy, science and belief in God. Podcasts hosted by Sophie Minerva, Professor of Philosophy at NLA University College in Norway. All voices performed by A.I. The podcast-series is made by Peter S. Williams and Børge Elliot Bentsen and is adapted from parts of Peter’s book Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade 2020). The series is produced and published by BioCosmos in cooperation with Damaris Norge. All rights reserved.
Here is a pdf of recommended resources for each episode
The music composed for the series by Peter S. Williams is available on YouTube & on Soundcloud
What is the concept of evolution about? What is the evidence for it? Dawkins claims in his book that although the world looks designed, it really isn't. He argues for this by pointing to what he considers flaws in the design of biological organisms. Thomas tries to defend this view, but the other students are sceptical. Even Douglas, his fellow atheist, is picking apart this argument. Sophie reminds the students to be aware of the different meanings of the word evolution. Hiromi even introduces a new word to the group: devolution. What on Earth is that?
The Question of God Podcast is a fictional, 12-episode podcast featuring students with different views discussing philosophy, science and belief in God. Podcasts hosted by Sophie Minerva, Professor of Philosophy at NLA University College in Norway. All voices performed by A.I. The podcast-series is made by Peter S. Williams and Børge Elliot Bentsen and is adapted from parts of Peter’s book Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade 2020). The series is produced and published by BioCosmos in cooperation with Damaris Norge. All rights reserved.
Here is a pdf of recommended resources for each episode
The music composed for the series by Peter S. Williams is available on YouTube & on Soundcloud
How do we recognise design? And how might design relate to evolution? Douglas starts by giving a summary of what Dawkins says about this. Does evidence in the natural world point to design? Douglas and Thomas don't think so, but they back different arguments against the design hypothesis. Hiromi's scepticism against the no design hypothesis is growing. She is interested in biology and brings a lot of information to the discussion, including the concept of irreducible complexity.
The Question of God Podcast is a fictional, 12-episode podcast featuring students with different views discussing philosophy, science and belief in God. Podcasts hosted by Sophie Minerva, Professor of Philosophy at NLA University College in Norway. All voices performed by A.I. The podcast-series is made by Peter S. Williams and Børge Elliot Bentsen and is adapted from parts of Peter’s book Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade 2020). The series is produced and published by BioCosmos in cooperation with Damaris Norge. All rights reserved.
Here is a pdf of recommended resources for each episode
The music composed for the series by Peter S. Williams is available on YouTube & on Soundcloud
The topic in this episode is whether science points to atheism or naturalism as the best explanation of the universe. The students touch on the phenomenon of the Big Bang, cosmic fine-tuning, and the idea of a multiverse. Astrid argues that the probability of a life-permitting universe is astronomically low, to put it mildly. What is the difference between a universe coming from nothing and a universe created from nothing? If God created the universe, asks Thomas, where does God come from?
The Question of God Podcast is a fictional, 12-episode podcast featuring students with different views discussing philosophy, science and belief in God. Podcasts hosted by Sophie Minerva, Professor of Philosophy at NLA University College in Norway. All voices performed by A.I. The podcast-series is made by Peter S. Williams and Børge Elliot Bentsen and is adapted from parts of Peter’s book Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade 2020). The series is produced and published by BioCosmos in cooperation with Damaris Norge. All rights reserved.
Here is a pdf of recommended resources for each episode
The music composed for the series by Peter S. Williams is available on YouTube & on Soundcloud
The four students and their professor have come to their twelfth and last meeting in the coffee shop discussing Richard Dawkins' book Outgrowing God. The topic this time is Dawkins’ response to cosmic fine-tuning, and whether the claim in his book is correct - has our civilisation really outgrown God? Or have we rather outgrown Dawkins' views? Has atheistic naturalism as a worldview become more questionable in the recent years as science discovers more about the cosmos? Thomas, Astrid, Douglas and Hiromi summarize their views after studying Dawkins' book.
The Question of God Podcast is a fictional, 12-episode podcast featuring students with different views discussing philosophy, science and belief in God. Podcasts hosted by Sophie Minerva, Professor of Philosophy at NLA University College in Norway. All voices performed by A.I. The podcast-series is made by Peter S. Williams and Børge Elliot Bentsen and is adapted from parts of Peter’s book Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade 2020). The series is produced and published by BioCosmos in cooperation with Damaris Norge. All rights reserved.
Here is a pdf of recommended resources for each episode
The music composed for the series by Peter S. Williams is available on YouTube & on Soundcloud
When I was studying music A-Level at Portsmouth College in the early 1990s, I composed music for the College drama department’s production of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.” This is the overture from my score, performed by computer.
I'm uploading this to replace an mp3 file that wasn't working properly on my website.
Tracks from a tape recording of my college band, Utopia, playing at the 1993 leaver's Day celebrations at Portsmouth VI Form College. I play flute, keyboards and tambourine, alongside Laura on vocals, David on piano and saxophone, Paul on lead guitar, and my flute teacher’s husband Mark on drums:
1) Untitled composition based on a riff by Ozryc Tentacles
2) Cover of "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" by Pink Floyd
3) Cover of "Mercedes Benz" by Janis Joplin and Bob Neuwirth
4) Cover of "Stairway to Heaven" Led Zeppelin
5) Cover of by "Goodbye Cruel World" by Pink Floyd
For additional info, see my "Musical Autobiography" at https://www.peterswilliams.com/composing/
I'm uploading this here to link it to my website as a replacement for an mp3 file that's not working properly.
Presentation at the European Leadership Forum in May 2025 in Poland, on "Archaeological Evidence and Jesus."
Audio from an introductory video, made in March 2025, for the course module "Practical Apologetics for a Christian Way of life" at NLA University College, Norway.
Selected resources:
Craig, William Lane & Walter Sinnott-Armstrong. God?: A Debate between a Christian and an Atheist (Point/Counterpoint). OUP, 2003.
Murray, Michael J. Ed. Reason for the Hope Within. Eerdmans, 1998.
Plantinga, Alvin & Michael Tooley. Knowledge of God (Great Debates in Philosophy): 9. Wiley-Blackwell, 2008.
Inwagen, Peter van. God, Knowledge and Mystery: Essays in Philosophical Theology. Cornell, 1995.
Audio from an introductory video, made in March 2025, for the course module "Practical Apologetics for a Christian Way of life" at NLA University College, Norway.
Selected resources:
Parrish, Stephen E. Atheism? A Critical Analysis. Wipf & Stock, 2019.
Plantinga, Alvin. God, Freedom, and Evil (Eerdmans, 1989) https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58f36d7c1e5b6cb8c0d88151/t/5b819b372b6a282494d6a96e/1535220574762/Plantinga+-+God%2C+Freedom%2C+and+Evil+.pdf
Audio from an introductory video, made in February 2025, for the course module "Practical Apologetics for a Christian Way of life" at NLA University College, Norway.
Selected resources:
Geisler, Norman L. Christian Apologetics. Second edition. Baker Academic, 2013.
Habermas, Gary R. On the Resurrection: Volumes 1-4. B&H Publishing, 2024-2025.
Habermas, Gary R., Antony Flew & Terry L. Miethe. Did Jesus Rise From the Dead? The Resurrection Debate. Wipf & Stock, 2003.
Vermes, Geza, The Resurrection. Penguin, 2008.
Williams, Peter S. Getting at Jesus: A Comprehensive Critique of Neo-Atheist Nonsense about the Jesus of History. Wipf and Stock, 2019.
Audio from an introductory video, made in February 2025, for the course module "Practical Apologetics for a Christian Way of life" at NLA University College, Norway.
Selected resources:
Geivett, R. Douglas, and Gary R. Habermas ed.’s. In Defence of Miracles: A Comprehensive Case for God’s Action in History. Apollos, 1997.
Larmer, Robert A. The Legitimacy of Miracle. Lexington, 2014.
Lewis, C.S. Miracles. Collins, 2016.
Williams, Peter S. Getting at Jesus: A Comprehensive Critique of Neo-Atheist Nonsense about the Jesus of History. Wipf and Stock, 2019.
Audio from an introductory video, made in February 2025, for the course module "Practical Apologetics for a Christian Way of life" at NLA University College, Norway.
Selected resources:
Craig, William Lane. On Guard For Students: A Thinker's Guide to the Christian Faith. David C. Cook, 2015.
Kreeft, Peter. Between Heaven And Hell: A Dialogue Somewhere Beyond Death With John F. Kennedy, C.S. Lewis & Aldous Huxley. Expanded Edition. IVP, 2008.
Williams, Peter S. Getting at Jesus: A Comprehensive Critique of Neo-Atheist Nonsense about the Jesus of History. Wipf and Stock, 2019.
Audio from an introductory video, made in February 2025, for the course module "Practical Apologetics for a Christian Way of life" at NLA University College, Norway.
Selected resources:
Plantinga, Alvin. “Two Dozen (Or So) Arguments for God” https://appearedtoblogly.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/plantinga-alvin-22two-dozen-or-so-theistic-arguments221.pdf
Beck, W. David. Does God Exist? A History of Answers to the Question. IVP Academic, 2021.
Evans, C. Stephen. Natural Signs and Knowledge of God: A New Look at Theistic Arguments. Oxford University Press, 2010.
Meyer, Stephen C. The Return of the God Hypothesis. HarperCollins, 2021.
Nash, Ronald H. Worldviews in Conflict: Choosing Christianity in the World of Ideas. Zondervan, 1992.
Goetz, Stewart & Charles Taliaferro. Naturalism (Interventions) Eerdmans, 2008.
Williams, Peter S. An Informed Cosmos: Essays On Intelligent Design Theory. Wipf and Stock, 2023.
Williams, Peter S. A Universe From Someone: Essays on Natural Theology. Wipf & Stock, 2022.
Williams, Peter S. A Faithful Guide to Philosophy: A Christian Introduction to the Love of Wisdom. Wipf and Stock, 2019.
Audio from an introductory video, made in February 2025, for the course module "Practical Apologetics for a Christian Way of life" at NLA University College, Norway.
Selected resources:
Aquinas, Thomas. “The Five Ways” from Summa Theologica, www.faculty.umb.edu/adam_beresford/courses/phil_100_11/reading_five_ways.pdf
Beck, W. David. Does God Exist? A History of Answers to the Question. IVP Academic, 2021.
Copleston, F.C. Aquinas: An Introduction to the Life and Work of the Great Medieval Thinker. Penguin, 1991.
Meyer, Stephen C. The Return of the God Hypothesis. HarperCollins, 2021.
Taylor, A.E. Does God Exist? Collins, 1961.
Williams, Peter S. A Universe From Someone: Essays on Natural Theology. Wipf & Stock, 2022.
Williams, Peter S. A Faithful Guide to Philosophy: A Christian Introduction to the Love of Wisdom. Wipf and Stock, 2019.
Audio from an introductory video, made in February 2025, for the course module "Practical Apologetics for a Christian Way of life" at NLA University College, Norway.
Selected resources:
Austin, M. W. Humility: Rediscovering the Way of Love and Life in Christ. Eerdmans, 2024.
Bannister, Andy. How to Talk about Jesus without Looking like an Idiot: A Panic-Free Guide to Having Natural Conversations about Your Faith. IVP, 2023.
Edwards, Dennis R. Humility Illuminated: The biblical path back to christian character. IVP Academic, 2023.
Fujimura, Makoto. Culture Care: Reconnecting with Beauty for Our Common Life. IVP, 2017.
Gould, Paul M. Cultural Apologetics: Renewing the Christian Voice, Conscience, and Imagination in a Disenchanted World. Zondervan, 2019.
Koukl, Gregory. Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions. Updated & Expanded, 10th Anniversary Edition. Zondervan, 2019.
McGrath, Alister. Mere Discipleship: On Growing in Wisdom and Hope. SPCK, 2018.
Moreland, J.P. Love Your God With All Your Mind: The Role of Reason in the Life of the Soul. NavPress, 1997.
Pinnock, Clark & Robert C. Brow. Unbounded Love: A Good News Theology for the 21st Century. Wipf and Stock, 2000.
Williams, Peter S. Behold the Man: Essays on the Historical Jesus. Wipf and Stock, 2024.
Williams, Peter S. Apologetics in 3D: Essays in Apologetics and Spirituality. Wipf & Stock, 2021.
Audio from an introductory video, made in February 2025, for the course module "Practical Apologetics for a Christian Way of life" at NLA University College, Norway.
Selected resources:
Williams, Peter S. Apologetics in 3D: Essays in Apologetics and Spirituality. Wipf & Stock, 2021.
Williams, Peter S. A Faithful Guide to Philosophy: A Christian Introduction to the Love of Wisdom. Wipf and Stock, 2019.
J.S. Bach 'The Goldberg Variations' [Glenn Gould] (1955) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwas_7H5KUs&list=PLQhh3qcwVEWjsZn4xCHUv7UcJljMo-GBr&index=5
Bach - St Matthew Passion BWV 244 - Van Veldhoven | Netherlands Bach Society https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwVW1ttVhuQ&list=PLQhh3qcwVEWjsZn4xCHUv7UcJljMo-GBr&index=17
Audio from an introductory video, made in February 2025, for the course module "Practical Apologetics for a Christian Way of life" at NLA University College, Norway.
Selected resources:
Williams, Peter S. “Christian Spirituality at the Cutting Edge of Contemporary Culture” (2024) http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/christian-spirituality-at-the-cutting-edge-of-culture/
Brierley, Justin. The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God: Why New Atheism Grew Old and Secular Thinkers Are Considering Christianity Again. Tyndale Elevate, 2023.
Williams, Peter S. Behold the Man: Essays on the Historical Jesus. Wipf and Stock, 2024.
Lecture on the nature of Christian leadership, given at English L'Abri on 7th Feb 2025.
Lecture delivered at the Veritas Conference, held in October 2024, at BIG Bible College in Grimstad, Norway.
Lecture delivered in October 2024 for students of the 'Youthwork in Apologetic Perspective' course at NLA University College in Kristiansand, Norway.
Short talk from October 2024, delivered to students on the Youth-Work in Apologetic Perspective course at NLA University College, Norway.
A short talk on distinguishing between science and the worldview of 'scientific naturalism,' delivered online to students at NLA University College Norway, October 1st 2024.
Teaching about the Christian roots of the University as an institution, delivered at L'Abri UK for the NLA University College UK Study Tour in September 2024.
In this English language episode of the 'Snakk Om Tro' (i.e. 'Talk about Faith') Podcast from Damaris Norway, Professor Lars Dahle quizzes Christian philosopher, apologist, and prolific author Peter S. Williams about themes from his recent book Behold the Man: Essays on the Historical Jesus (Wipf and Stock, 2024). They discuss the nature of a "properly skeptical" approach to the quest for the historical Jesus, the importance and relevance of worldviews, and how this material can help us in understanding culture, in preaching, and in conversations about Jesus.
For details about the new book, see: https://www.peterswilliams.com/publications/books/behold-the-man-essays-on-the-historical-jesus/
Peter S. Williams works part-time as Assistant Professor in Communication and Worldview at NLA University College, Norway. Lars Dahle is Professor in Systematic Theology and Christian Apologetics at NLA, as well as being Executive Director for Damaris Norway.
Edited presentation from an online class for students at NLA University College, Norway, from 22nd August 2024.
Edited version of a September 2024 presentation on apologetic methodology, from an online teaching session for the one semester program in Christian Apologetics at NLA University College, Norway, (includes occasional comments from my teaching colleague Bjørn Hinderaker).
In this April 29th 2024 episode of "Preparing for Careers," (available on YouTube @ https://youtu.be/CwpVM-6AV6Y?si=S_FCoY7X51ASXRfs) New Zealand-born homeschooling parent Christine Smith interviews British philosopher and apologist Peter S. Williams about the importance of teaching the basics of logic and philosophy to all ages of homeschooling students. Also, how to prepare for a career in philosophy or theology. He is asked how to approach a world where a tertiary education may not be desirable and a bunch of other useful advice from his many years of teaching rhetoric to students.
https://www.cominghomeinfo.com/
https://www.peterswilliams.com/
Resources Recommended by Peter S Williams:
William Lane Craig - Reasonable Faith - https://www.reasonablefaith.org/
Background:
Peter S. Williams, Apologetics in 3D: Essays on Apologetics and Spirituality (Wipf & Stock, 2021)
Paul M. Gould, Cultural Apologetics: Renewing the Christian Voice, Conscience, and Imagination in a Disenchanted World (Zondervan, 2019)
Makoto Fujimura, Culture Care: Reconnecting With Beauty For Our Common Life (IVP, 2017)
Stratford Caldecott, Beauty for Truth’s Sake: On the Re-enchantment of Education (Brazos, 2009)
Joe Winston, Beauty and Education (Routledge, 2011)
On Worldviews:
James W. Sire, The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalogue, Sixth edition (IVP, 2020)
The comic strip version of an earlier edition of Sire’s book: Merve Jones, The Universe Upstairs: A Cartoon Guide to Worldviews (IVP, 1991)
On Philosophy:
Peter S. Williams, A Faithful Guide to Philosophy: A Christian Introduction to the Love of Wisdom (Wipf & Stock, 2019)
Peter Kreeft’s dialogue form books with IVP, such as The Best Things in Life, Socrates Meets Jesus, etc.
Kevin Clark & Ravi Scott Jain, The Liberal Arts Tradition: A Philosophy of Christian Classical Education (Classical Academic Press, 2013)
On Apologetics:
William Lane Craig, On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision (David C. Cook, 2010)
Books by Lee Strobel, e.g. The Case for Christ – often come in kids, teen and adult editions (suitable for older teens).
On Rhetoric:
Joe Carter & John Coleman, How To Argue Like Jesus: Learning Persuasion From History’s Greatest Communicator (Crossway, 2009)
This episode of the Apologetics 315 Podcast, from October 2023, is re-posted here with permission.
In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Christian Philosopher Peter S. Williams about his book An Informed Cosmos: Essays on Intelligent Design Theory.
Find his resources at www.peterswilliams.com
0:24 - Intro to our guest
2:15 - About the book An Informed Cosmos
9:25 - Getting clarity on what intelligent design is
14:10 - Is I.D. science? And defining “science”
19:39 - Truth as the most important approach
21:56 - Imposing worldviews on the data?
25:01 - Is evolution the means by which God created?
29:21 - What role does a Darwinian process play?
35:00 - How did Peter go from being a theistic evolutionist to an ID proponent?
40:45 - What tipped the balance for Peter?
46:52 - What role does information play in design detection?
53:21 - Can we recognize non-intelligent design?
54:57 - Theistic interpretations?
56:22 - Paley’s “watchmaker” shows that we can detect design?
1:00:13 - Prevailing errors when thinking about design
1:05:00 - Is intelligent design “creationism”?
1:06:25 - How has intelligent design changed Peter’s thinking?
1:13:30 - Peter’s music - www.peterswilliams.com/composing
Check out a past episode with Peter S. Williams:
006 - Outgrowing God? with Peter S. Williams - https://a315.co/4615IYj
Books by Peter S. Williams:
An Informed Cosmos: Essays on Intelligent Design Theory - https://a315.co/48ugxUc
A Universe From Someone: Essays on Natural Theology - https://a315.co/46GLUtl
Apologetics in 3D: Essays on Apologetics and Spirituality - https://a315.co/3PtMqUu
Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate - https://a315.co/3Pww9xP
Getting at Jesus: A Comprehensive Critique of Neo-Atheist Nonsense About the Jesus of History - https://a315.co/46pUFri
A Faithful Guide to Philosophy: A Christian Introduction to the Love of Wisdom - https://a315.co/3Ptm0C3
We appreciate your feedback.
If you’re on TWITTER, you can follow Chad @TBapologetics.
You can follow Brian @TheBrianAuten
And of course, you can follow @Apologetics315
If you have a question or comment for the podcast, record it and send it our way using www.speakpipe.com/Apologetics315 or you can email us at podcast@apologetics315.com
Lecture from the October 2023 Veritas Conference in Grimstad, Norway. See: www.veritasnorge.no/
Lecture given in October 2023 to youth workers studying at the Gimlekollen campus of NLA University College, including interjections from Bjorn Hinderaker, mostly in Norwegian. With apologies for sound quality at the start.
This is the last of eleven movements in the updated and expanded 2023 recording of my From Glory to Glory suite.
This piece recapitulates the theme of movement one, using it as a setting for the apostle Paul’s comparison between the sufferings of the present world and the glory of the new heavens and earth to come.
From Glory to Glory is available as a high quality wav file album on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/psw_music/sets/from-glory-to-glory-2023
From Glory to Glory is a little under 70 min long suite of contemporary classical music, reflecting on the biblical story and Christian spirituality, drawing upon an eclectic fusion of musical influences. The suite is written for four part choir and an ensemble of instruments. The lyrics are a mixture of English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.
In summer 2023 it struck me that my Sibelius 6 software was 13 years old, and that contemporary software would probably be able to reproduce the sound of a choir singing lyrics, rather than simply going “Ah”! Discovering that this was indeed the case, I reached out to find someone who could use my composition files to produce a new recording of From Glory to Glory using contemporary music technology. That person turned out to be Cuban composer Wilma Alba Cal, whose work includes chamber, choir, orchestral and electroacoustic music (see https://wilmaalbacal.com/). Over the summer of 2023, Wilma used my ‘Sibelius 6’ files and scores to make an updated recording of From Glory to Glory that sounds much more realistic than before, and where the choir sing the words on the scores. This was a collaborative process that involved Wilma gathering information on the sounds I had in mind when selecting from the instruments available in Sibelius 6, and several rounds of feedback about various pre and post-sound-mix versions of the tracks.
Instruments: SATB Choir, Gong, Bass Drum, Tubular Bells, Glockenspiel, Vibraphone, Acoustic Guitar, Harp, Two Flutes, Grand Piano, Pipe Organ, Min-Moog Synth Lead, Mellatron Strings, Mellatron Choir, Cello, Electric Bass, Synth Bass.
Track Notes
Movement 1: Trinity. We open with God’s existence prior to creation. A solo piano plays three musical lines, the third of which is generated from the interaction of the first two, representing the way in which God the Father is the “root” of the Divine “triad”, God the Son eternally depends upon the Father, and God the Holy Spirit “proceeds” from the Father and the Son. The piece is also Trinitarian in having three sections. It ends on an unresolved chord, suggesting the eternality of the Godhead.
Movement 2: Light. The angels rejoice in God’s creation of light and “dance” among the stars.
Movement 3: One Sin. This piece draws upon the opening of G.K. Chesterton’s poem “Ecclesiastes”: “There is one sin: to call a green leaf gray, Whereat the sun in heaven shuddereth.” In other words, the fundamental sin is acting as if we were wiser than God, as if moral reality should bend to our choices and desires rather than vice versa. The consequences of sin for relationships between humans and with God is represented by the entry of the minor key and the music becoming broken up.
Movement 4: Weeping Turns to Joy. This setting of words from Psalm 6:6 and 30:5 was composed in July 2021, as a short, stand-alone piece reflecting on the end of Covid 19 restrictions. In August 2023, I decided to add it into this suite, where it neatly represents the Old Testament experiences of exile (“By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.” – Psalm 137:1) and hope centered upon in the promised coming of God’s messiah.
Movement 5: Logos. The opening of John’s gospel represents God the Son as the divine logos, or rational principle behind creation. Only this logos reveals God in person through the incarnation. The lyrics combine an English translation of the opening of John’s gospel, with the Greek terms: Logos (Word), Agathos (Goodness), Veritas (Truth), and Kalos (Beautiful-Good).
Movement 6: Love. An acapella setting of Jesus’ answer to a scribe’s question about the greatest commandment in Mark 12.
Movement 7: Garden. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus contemplates his calling to be crucified as a sacrifice for sin and prays that his Father might take away this cup of suffering from him. The music uses suspended resolutions and a fluctuating pattern of major and minor notes that gradually become more resolute and hymn-like as Jesus turns his face to the cross, praying that the Father’s will be done on earth.
Movement 8: Agnus Dei. Based on the saying of John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), the Agnus Dei (Latin for “Lamb of God”) is a traditional liturgical chant that contemplates the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross in light of his subsequent bodily resurrection from the tomb. Far from being just another failed messiah, Jesus is God’s self-sacrifice of forgiveness in bearing our sin.
Movement 9: Kyrie. A setting of the Latin Kyrie, a traditional prayer for forgiveness, which in English means: “Lord, forgive us, Christ forgive us, Lord forgive us.”
Movement 10: Telos. This piece was inspired by John’s vision of the new heavens and earth in Revelation 21. The choir sing about God’s invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb (i.e. Jesus Christ) who will wipe away ever tear from our eyes and bring “Shalom” (a Hebrew word meaning peace, wholeness and flourishing).
Movement 11: Gloria. This piece recapitulates the theme of movement one, using it as a setting for the apostle Paul’s comparison between the sufferings of the present world and the glory of the new heavens and earth to come.
For more composition-related information, visit: https://www.peterswilliams.com/composing/
This is the tenth of eleven movements in the updated and expanded 2023 recording of my From Glory to Glory suite.
This piece was inspired by John’s vision of the new heavens and earth in Revelation 21. The choir sing about God’s invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb (i.e. Jesus Christ) who will wipe away ever tear from our eyes and bring “Shalom” (a Hebrew word meaning peace, wholeness and flourishing).
From Glory to Glory is available as a high quality wav file album on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/psw_music/sets/from-glory-to-glory-2023
From Glory to Glory is a little under 70 min long suite of contemporary classical music, reflecting on the biblical story and Christian spirituality, drawing upon an eclectic fusion of musical influences. The suite is written for four part choir and an ensemble of instruments. The lyrics are a mixture of English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.
In summer 2023 it struck me that my Sibelius 6 software was 13 years old, and that contemporary software would probably be able to reproduce the sound of a choir singing lyrics, rather than simply going “Ah”! Discovering that this was indeed the case, I reached out to find someone who could use my composition files to produce a new recording of From Glory to Glory using contemporary music technology. That person turned out to be Cuban composer Wilma Alba Cal, whose work includes chamber, choir, orchestral and electroacoustic music (see https://wilmaalbacal.com/). Over the summer of 2023, Wilma used my ‘Sibelius 6’ files and scores to make an updated recording of From Glory to Glory that sounds much more realistic than before, and where the choir sing the words on the scores. This was a collaborative process that involved Wilma gathering information on the sounds I had in mind when selecting from the instruments available in Sibelius 6, and several rounds of feedback about various pre and post-sound-mix versions of the tracks.
Instruments: SATB Choir, Gong, Bass Drum, Tubular Bells, Glockenspiel, Vibraphone, Acoustic Guitar, Harp, Two Flutes, Grand Piano, Pipe Organ, Min-Moog Synth Lead, Mellatron Strings, Mellatron Choir, Cello, Electric Bass, Synth Bass.
Track Notes
Movement 1: Trinity. We open with God’s existence prior to creation. A solo piano plays three musical lines, the third of which is generated from the interaction of the first two, representing the way in which God the Father is the “root” of the Divine “triad”, God the Son eternally depends upon the Father, and God the Holy Spirit “proceeds” from the Father and the Son. The piece is also Trinitarian in having three sections. It ends on an unresolved chord, suggesting the eternality of the Godhead.
Movement 2: Light. The angels rejoice in God’s creation of light and “dance” among the stars.
Movement 3: One Sin. This piece draws upon the opening of G.K. Chesterton’s poem “Ecclesiastes”: “There is one sin: to call a green leaf gray, Whereat the sun in heaven shuddereth.” In other words, the fundamental sin is acting as if we were wiser than God, as if moral reality should bend to our choices and desires rather than vice versa. The consequences of sin for relationships between humans and with God is represented by the entry of the minor key and the music becoming broken up.
Movement 4: Weeping Turns to Joy. This setting of words from Psalm 6:6 and 30:5 was composed in July 2021, as a short, stand-alone piece reflecting on the end of Covid 19 restrictions. In August 2023, I decided to add it into this suite, where it neatly represents the Old Testament experiences of exile (“By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.” – Psalm 137:1) and hope centered upon in the promised coming of God’s messiah.
Movement 5: Logos. The opening of John’s gospel represents God the Son as the divine logos, or rational principle behind creation. Only this logos reveals God in person through the incarnation. The lyrics combine an English translation of the opening of John’s gospel, with the Greek terms: Logos (Word), Agathos (Goodness), Veritas (Truth), and Kalos (Beautiful-Good).
Movement 6: Love. An acapella setting of Jesus’ answer to a scribe’s question about the greatest commandment in Mark 12.
Movement 7: Garden. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus contemplates his calling to be crucified as a sacrifice for sin and prays that his Father might take away this cup of suffering from him. The music uses suspended resolutions and a fluctuating pattern of major and minor notes that gradually become more resolute and hymn-like as Jesus turns his face to the cross, praying that the Father’s will be done on earth.
Movement 8: Agnus Dei. Based on the saying of John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), the Agnus Dei (Latin for “Lamb of God”) is a traditional liturgical chant that contemplates the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross in light of his subsequent bodily resurrection from the tomb. Far from being just another failed messiah, Jesus is God’s self-sacrifice of forgiveness in bearing our sin.
Movement 9: Kyrie. A setting of the Latin Kyrie, a traditional prayer for forgiveness, which in English means: “Lord, forgive us, Christ forgive us, Lord forgive us.”
Movement 10: Telos. This piece was inspired by John’s vision of the new heavens and earth in Revelation 21. The choir sing about God’s invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb (i.e. Jesus Christ) who will wipe away ever tear from our eyes and bring “Shalom” (a Hebrew word meaning peace, wholeness and flourishing).
Movement 11: Gloria. This piece recapitulates the theme of movement one, using it as a setting for the apostle Paul’s comparison between the sufferings of the present world and the glory of the new heavens and earth to come.
For more composition-related information, visit: https://www.peterswilliams.com/composing/
This is the ninth of eleven movements in the updated and expanded 2023 recording of my From Glory to Glory suite.
A setting of the Latin Kyrie, a traditional prayer for forgiveness, which in English means: “Lord, forgive us, Christ forgive us, Lord forgive us.”
From Glory to Glory is available as a high quality wav file album on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/psw_music/sets/from-glory-to-glory-2023
From Glory to Glory is a little under 70 min long suite of contemporary classical music, reflecting on the biblical story and Christian spirituality, drawing upon an eclectic fusion of musical influences. The suite is written for four part choir and an ensemble of instruments. The lyrics are a mixture of English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.
In summer 2023 it struck me that my Sibelius 6 software was 13 years old, and that contemporary software would probably be able to reproduce the sound of a choir singing lyrics, rather than simply going “Ah”! Discovering that this was indeed the case, I reached out to find someone who could use my composition files to produce a new recording of From Glory to Glory using contemporary music technology. That person turned out to be Cuban composer Wilma Alba Cal, whose work includes chamber, choir, orchestral and electroacoustic music (see https://wilmaalbacal.com/). Over the summer of 2023, Wilma used my ‘Sibelius 6’ files and scores to make an updated recording of From Glory to Glory that sounds much more realistic than before, and where the choir sing the words on the scores. This was a collaborative process that involved Wilma gathering information on the sounds I had in mind when selecting from the instruments available in Sibelius 6, and several rounds of feedback about various pre and post-sound-mix versions of the tracks.
Instruments: SATB Choir, Gong, Bass Drum, Tubular Bells, Glockenspiel, Vibraphone, Acoustic Guitar, Harp, Two Flutes, Grand Piano, Pipe Organ, Min-Moog Synth Lead, Mellatron Strings, Mellatron Choir, Cello, Electric Bass, Synth Bass.
Track Notes
Movement 1: Trinity. We open with God’s existence prior to creation. A solo piano plays three musical lines, the third of which is generated from the interaction of the first two, representing the way in which God the Father is the “root” of the Divine “triad”, God the Son eternally depends upon the Father, and God the Holy Spirit “proceeds” from the Father and the Son. The piece is also Trinitarian in having three sections. It ends on an unresolved chord, suggesting the eternality of the Godhead.
Movement 2: Light. The angels rejoice in God’s creation of light and “dance” among the stars.
Movement 3: One Sin. This piece draws upon the opening of G.K. Chesterton’s poem “Ecclesiastes”: “There is one sin: to call a green leaf gray, Whereat the sun in heaven shuddereth.” In other words, the fundamental sin is acting as if we were wiser than God, as if moral reality should bend to our choices and desires rather than vice versa. The consequences of sin for relationships between humans and with God is represented by the entry of the minor key and the music becoming broken up.
Movement 4: Weeping Turns to Joy. This setting of words from Psalm 6:6 and 30:5 was composed in July 2021, as a short, stand-alone piece reflecting on the end of Covid 19 restrictions. In August 2023, I decided to add it into this suite, where it neatly represents the Old Testament experiences of exile (“By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.” – Psalm 137:1) and hope centered upon in the promised coming of God’s messiah.
Movement 5: Logos. The opening of John’s gospel represents God the Son as the divine logos, or rational principle behind creation. Only this logos reveals God in person through the incarnation. The lyrics combine an English translation of the opening of John’s gospel, with the Greek terms: Logos (Word), Agathos (Goodness), Veritas (Truth), and Kalos (Beautiful-Good).
Movement 6: Love. An acapella setting of Jesus’ answer to a scribe’s question about the greatest commandment in Mark 12.
Movement 7: Garden. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus contemplates his calling to be crucified as a sacrifice for sin and prays that his Father might take away this cup of suffering from him. The music uses suspended resolutions and a fluctuating pattern of major and minor notes that gradually become more resolute and hymn-like as Jesus turns his face to the cross, praying that the Father’s will be done on earth.
Movement 8: Agnus Dei. Based on the saying of John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), the Agnus Dei (Latin for “Lamb of God”) is a traditional liturgical chant that contemplates the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross in light of his subsequent bodily resurrection from the tomb. Far from being just another failed messiah, Jesus is God’s self-sacrifice of forgiveness in bearing our sin.
Movement 9: Kyrie. A setting of the Latin Kyrie, a traditional prayer for forgiveness, which in English means: “Lord, forgive us, Christ forgive us, Lord forgive us.”
Movement 10: Telos. This piece was inspired by John’s vision of the new heavens and earth in Revelation 21. The choir sing about God’s invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb (i.e. Jesus Christ) who will wipe away ever tear from our eyes and bring “Shalom” (a Hebrew word meaning peace, wholeness and flourishing).
Movement 11: Gloria. This piece recapitulates the theme of movement one, using it as a setting for the apostle Paul’s comparison between the sufferings of the present world and the glory of the new heavens and earth to come.
For more composition-related information, visit: https://www.peterswilliams.com/composing/
This is the eighth of eleven movements in the updated and expanded 2023 recording of my From Glory to Glory suite.
Based on the saying of John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), the Agnus Dei (Latin for “Lamb of God”) is a traditional liturgical chant that contemplates the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross in light of his subsequent bodily resurrection from the tomb. Far from being just another failed messiah, Jesus is God’s self-sacrifice of forgiveness in bearing our sin.
From Glory to Glory is available as a high quality wav file album on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/psw_music/sets/from-glory-to-glory-2023
From Glory to Glory is a little under 70 min long suite of contemporary classical music, reflecting on the biblical story and Christian spirituality, drawing upon an eclectic fusion of musical influences. The suite is written for four part choir and an ensemble of instruments. The lyrics are a mixture of English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.
In summer 2023 it struck me that my Sibelius 6 software was 13 years old, and that contemporary software would probably be able to reproduce the sound of a choir singing lyrics, rather than simply going “Ah”! Discovering that this was indeed the case, I reached out to find someone who could use my composition files to produce a new recording of From Glory to Glory using contemporary music technology. That person turned out to be Cuban composer Wilma Alba Cal, whose work includes chamber, choir, orchestral and electroacoustic music (see https://wilmaalbacal.com/). Over the summer of 2023, Wilma used my ‘Sibelius 6’ files and scores to make an updated recording of From Glory to Glory that sounds much more realistic than before, and where the choir sing the words on the scores. This was a collaborative process that involved Wilma gathering information on the sounds I had in mind when selecting from the instruments available in Sibelius 6, and several rounds of feedback about various pre and post-sound-mix versions of the tracks.
Instruments: SATB Choir, Gong, Bass Drum, Tubular Bells, Glockenspiel, Vibraphone, Acoustic Guitar, Harp, Two Flutes, Grand Piano, Pipe Organ, Min-Moog Synth Lead, Mellatron Strings, Mellatron Choir, Cello, Electric Bass, Synth Bass.
Track Notes
Movement 1: Trinity. We open with God’s existence prior to creation. A solo piano plays three musical lines, the third of which is generated from the interaction of the first two, representing the way in which God the Father is the “root” of the Divine “triad”, God the Son eternally depends upon the Father, and God the Holy Spirit “proceeds” from the Father and the Son. The piece is also Trinitarian in having three sections. It ends on an unresolved chord, suggesting the eternality of the Godhead.
Movement 2: Light. The angels rejoice in God’s creation of light and “dance” among the stars.
Movement 3: One Sin. This piece draws upon the opening of G.K. Chesterton’s poem “Ecclesiastes”: “There is one sin: to call a green leaf gray, Whereat the sun in heaven shuddereth.” In other words, the fundamental sin is acting as if we were wiser than God, as if moral reality should bend to our choices and desires rather than vice versa. The consequences of sin for relationships between humans and with God is represented by the entry of the minor key and the music becoming broken up.
Movement 4: Weeping Turns to Joy. This setting of words from Psalm 6:6 and 30:5 was composed in July 2021, as a short, stand-alone piece reflecting on the end of Covid 19 restrictions. In August 2023, I decided to add it into this suite, where it neatly represents the Old Testament experiences of exile (“By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.” – Psalm 137:1) and hope centered upon in the promised coming of God’s messiah.
Movement 5: Logos. The opening of John’s gospel represents God the Son as the divine logos, or rational principle behind creation. Only this logos reveals God in person through the incarnation. The lyrics combine an English translation of the opening of John’s gospel, with the Greek terms: Logos (Word), Agathos (Goodness), Veritas (Truth), and Kalos (Beautiful-Good).
Movement 6: Love. An acapella setting of Jesus’ answer to a scribe’s question about the greatest commandment in Mark 12.
Movement 7: Garden. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus contemplates his calling to be crucified as a sacrifice for sin and prays that his Father might take away this cup of suffering from him. The music uses suspended resolutions and a fluctuating pattern of major and minor notes that gradually become more resolute and hymn-like as Jesus turns his face to the cross, praying that the Father’s will be done on earth.
Movement 8: Agnus Dei. Based on the saying of John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), the Agnus Dei (Latin for “Lamb of God”) is a traditional liturgical chant that contemplates the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross in light of his subsequent bodily resurrection from the tomb. Far from being just another failed messiah, Jesus is God’s self-sacrifice of forgiveness in bearing our sin.
Movement 9: Kyrie. A setting of the Latin Kyrie, a traditional prayer for forgiveness, which in English means: “Lord, forgive us, Christ forgive us, Lord forgive us.”
Movement 10: Telos. This piece was inspired by John’s vision of the new heavens and earth in Revelation 21. The choir sing about God’s invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb (i.e. Jesus Christ) who will wipe away ever tear from our eyes and bring “Shalom” (a Hebrew word meaning peace, wholeness and flourishing).
Movement 11: Gloria. This piece recapitulates the theme of movement one, using it as a setting for the apostle Paul’s comparison between the sufferings of the present world and the glory of the new heavens and earth to come.
For more composition-related information, visit: https://www.peterswilliams.com/composing/
This is the seventh of eleven movements in the updated and expanded 2023 recording of my From Glory to Glory suite.
In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus contemplates his calling to be crucified as a sacrifice for sin and prays that his Father might take away this cup of suffering from him. The music uses suspended resolutions and a fluctuating pattern of major and minor notes that gradually become more resolute and hymn-like as Jesus turns his face to the cross, praying that the Father’s will be done on earth.
From Glory to Glory is available as a high quality wav file album on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/psw_music/sets/from-glory-to-glory-2023
From Glory to Glory is a little under 70 min long suite of contemporary classical music, reflecting on the biblical story and Christian spirituality, drawing upon an eclectic fusion of musical influences. The suite is written for four part choir and an ensemble of instruments. The lyrics are a mixture of English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.
In summer 2023 it struck me that my Sibelius 6 software was 13 years old, and that contemporary software would probably be able to reproduce the sound of a choir singing lyrics, rather than simply going “Ah”! Discovering that this was indeed the case, I reached out to find someone who could use my composition files to produce a new recording of From Glory to Glory using contemporary music technology. That person turned out to be Cuban composer Wilma Alba Cal, whose work includes chamber, choir, orchestral and electroacoustic music (see https://wilmaalbacal.com/). Over the summer of 2023, Wilma used my ‘Sibelius 6’ files and scores to make an updated recording of From Glory to Glory that sounds much more realistic than before, and where the choir sing the words on the scores. This was a collaborative process that involved Wilma gathering information on the sounds I had in mind when selecting from the instruments available in Sibelius 6, and several rounds of feedback about various pre and post-sound-mix versions of the tracks.
Instruments: SATB Choir, Gong, Bass Drum, Tubular Bells, Glockenspiel, Vibraphone, Acoustic Guitar, Harp, Two Flutes, Grand Piano, Pipe Organ, Min-Moog Synth Lead, Mellatron Strings, Mellatron Choir, Cello, Electric Bass, Synth Bass.
Track Notes
Movement 1: Trinity. We open with God’s existence prior to creation. A solo piano plays three musical lines, the third of which is generated from the interaction of the first two, representing the way in which God the Father is the “root” of the Divine “triad”, God the Son eternally depends upon the Father, and God the Holy Spirit “proceeds” from the Father and the Son. The piece is also Trinitarian in having three sections. It ends on an unresolved chord, suggesting the eternality of the Godhead.
Movement 2: Light. The angels rejoice in God’s creation of light and “dance” among the stars.
Movement 3: One Sin. This piece draws upon the opening of G.K. Chesterton’s poem “Ecclesiastes”: “There is one sin: to call a green leaf gray, Whereat the sun in heaven shuddereth.” In other words, the fundamental sin is acting as if we were wiser than God, as if moral reality should bend to our choices and desires rather than vice versa. The consequences of sin for relationships between humans and with God is represented by the entry of the minor key and the music becoming broken up.
Movement 4: Weeping Turns to Joy. This setting of words from Psalm 6:6 and 30:5 was composed in July 2021, as a short, stand-alone piece reflecting on the end of Covid 19 restrictions. In August 2023, I decided to add it into this suite, where it neatly represents the Old Testament experiences of exile (“By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.” – Psalm 137:1) and hope centered upon in the promised coming of God’s messiah.
Movement 5: Logos. The opening of John’s gospel represents God the Son as the divine logos, or rational principle behind creation. Only this logos reveals God in person through the incarnation. The lyrics combine an English translation of the opening of John’s gospel, with the Greek terms: Logos (Word), Agathos (Goodness), Veritas (Truth), and Kalos (Beautiful-Good).
Movement 6: Love. An acapella setting of Jesus’ answer to a scribe’s question about the greatest commandment in Mark 12.
Movement 7: Garden. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus contemplates his calling to be crucified as a sacrifice for sin and prays that his Father might take away this cup of suffering from him. The music uses suspended resolutions and a fluctuating pattern of major and minor notes that gradually become more resolute and hymn-like as Jesus turns his face to the cross, praying that the Father’s will be done on earth.
Movement 8: Agnus Dei. Based on the saying of John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), the Agnus Dei (Latin for “Lamb of God”) is a traditional liturgical chant that contemplates the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross in light of his subsequent bodily resurrection from the tomb. Far from being just another failed messiah, Jesus is God’s self-sacrifice of forgiveness in bearing our sin.
Movement 9: Kyrie. A setting of the Latin Kyrie, a traditional prayer for forgiveness, which in English means: “Lord, forgive us, Christ forgive us, Lord forgive us.”
Movement 10: Telos. This piece was inspired by John’s vision of the new heavens and earth in Revelation 21. The choir sing about God’s invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb (i.e. Jesus Christ) who will wipe away ever tear from our eyes and bring “Shalom” (a Hebrew word meaning peace, wholeness and flourishing).
Movement 11: Gloria. This piece recapitulates the theme of movement one, using it as a setting for the apostle Paul’s comparison between the sufferings of the present world and the glory of the new heavens and earth to come.
For more composition-related information, visit: https://www.peterswilliams.com/composing/
This is the sixth of eleven movements in the updated and expanded 2023 recording of my From Glory to Glory suite.
An acapella setting of Jesus’ answer to a scribe’s question about the greatest commandment in Mark 12.
From Glory to Glory is available as a high quality wav file album on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/psw_music/sets/from-glory-to-glory-2023
From Glory to Glory is a little under 70 min long suite of contemporary classical music, reflecting on the biblical story and Christian spirituality, drawing upon an eclectic fusion of musical influences. The suite is written for four part choir and an ensemble of instruments. The lyrics are a mixture of English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.
In summer 2023 it struck me that my Sibelius 6 software was 13 years old, and that contemporary software would probably be able to reproduce the sound of a choir singing lyrics, rather than simply going “Ah”! Discovering that this was indeed the case, I reached out to find someone who could use my composition files to produce a new recording of From Glory to Glory using contemporary music technology. That person turned out to be Cuban composer Wilma Alba Cal, whose work includes chamber, choir, orchestral and electroacoustic music (see https://wilmaalbacal.com/). Over the summer of 2023, Wilma used my ‘Sibelius 6’ files and scores to make an updated recording of From Glory to Glory that sounds much more realistic than before, and where the choir sing the words on the scores. This was a collaborative process that involved Wilma gathering information on the sounds I had in mind when selecting from the instruments available in Sibelius 6, and several rounds of feedback about various pre and post-sound-mix versions of the tracks.
Instruments: SATB Choir, Gong, Bass Drum, Tubular Bells, Glockenspiel, Vibraphone, Acoustic Guitar, Harp, Two Flutes, Grand Piano, Pipe Organ, Min-Moog Synth Lead, Mellatron Strings, Mellatron Choir, Cello, Electric Bass, Synth Bass.
Track Notes
Movement 1: Trinity. We open with God’s existence prior to creation. A solo piano plays three musical lines, the third of which is generated from the interaction of the first two, representing the way in which God the Father is the “root” of the Divine “triad”, God the Son eternally depends upon the Father, and God the Holy Spirit “proceeds” from the Father and the Son. The piece is also Trinitarian in having three sections. It ends on an unresolved chord, suggesting the eternality of the Godhead.
Movement 2: Light. The angels rejoice in God’s creation of light and “dance” among the stars.
Movement 3: One Sin. This piece draws upon the opening of G.K. Chesterton’s poem “Ecclesiastes”: “There is one sin: to call a green leaf gray, Whereat the sun in heaven shuddereth.” In other words, the fundamental sin is acting as if we were wiser than God, as if moral reality should bend to our choices and desires rather than vice versa. The consequences of sin for relationships between humans and with God is represented by the entry of the minor key and the music becoming broken up.
Movement 4: Weeping Turns to Joy. This setting of words from Psalm 6:6 and 30:5 was composed in July 2021, as a short, stand-alone piece reflecting on the end of Covid 19 restrictions. In August 2023, I decided to add it into this suite, where it neatly represents the Old Testament experiences of exile (“By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.” – Psalm 137:1) and hope centered upon in the promised coming of God’s messiah.
Movement 5: Logos. The opening of John’s gospel represents God the Son as the divine logos, or rational principle behind creation. Only this logos reveals God in person through the incarnation. The lyrics combine an English translation of the opening of John’s gospel, with the Greek terms: Logos (Word), Agathos (Goodness), Veritas (Truth), and Kalos (Beautiful-Good).
Movement 6: Love. An acapella setting of Jesus’ answer to a scribe’s question about the greatest commandment in Mark 12.
Movement 7: Garden. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus contemplates his calling to be crucified as a sacrifice for sin and prays that his Father might take away this cup of suffering from him. The music uses suspended resolutions and a fluctuating pattern of major and minor notes that gradually become more resolute and hymn-like as Jesus turns his face to the cross, praying that the Father’s will be done on earth.
Movement 8: Agnus Dei. Based on the saying of John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), the Agnus Dei (Latin for “Lamb of God”) is a traditional liturgical chant that contemplates the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross in light of his subsequent bodily resurrection from the tomb. Far from being just another failed messiah, Jesus is God’s self-sacrifice of forgiveness in bearing our sin.
Movement 9: Kyrie. A setting of the Latin Kyrie, a traditional prayer for forgiveness, which in English means: “Lord, forgive us, Christ forgive us, Lord forgive us.”
Movement 10: Telos. This piece was inspired by John’s vision of the new heavens and earth in Revelation 21. The choir sing about God’s invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb (i.e. Jesus Christ) who will wipe away ever tear from our eyes and bring “Shalom” (a Hebrew word meaning peace, wholeness and flourishing).
Movement 11: Gloria. This piece recapitulates the theme of movement one, using it as a setting for the apostle Paul’s comparison between the sufferings of the present world and the glory of the new heavens and earth to come.
For more composition-related information, visit: https://www.peterswilliams.com/composing/
This is the fifth of eleven movements in the updated and expanded 2023 recording of my From Glory to Glory suite.
The opening of John’s gospel represents God the Son as the divine logos, or rational principle behind creation. Only this logos reveals God in person through the incarnation. The lyrics combine an English translation of the opening of John’s gospel, with the Greek terms: Logos (Word), Agathos (Goodness), Veritas (Truth), and Kalos (Beautiful-Good).
From Glory to Glory is available as a high quality wav file album on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/psw_music/sets/from-glory-to-glory-2023
From Glory to Glory is a little under 70 min long suite of contemporary classical music, reflecting on the biblical story and Christian spirituality, drawing upon an eclectic fusion of musical influences. The suite is written for four part choir and an ensemble of instruments. The lyrics are a mixture of English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.
In summer 2023 it struck me that my Sibelius 6 software was 13 years old, and that contemporary software would probably be able to reproduce the sound of a choir singing lyrics, rather than simply going “Ah”! Discovering that this was indeed the case, I reached out to find someone who could use my composition files to produce a new recording of From Glory to Glory using contemporary music technology. That person turned out to be Cuban composer Wilma Alba Cal, whose work includes chamber, choir, orchestral and electroacoustic music (see https://wilmaalbacal.com/). Over the summer of 2023, Wilma used my ‘Sibelius 6’ files and scores to make an updated recording of From Glory to Glory that sounds much more realistic than before, and where the choir sing the words on the scores. This was a collaborative process that involved Wilma gathering information on the sounds I had in mind when selecting from the instruments available in Sibelius 6, and several rounds of feedback about various pre and post-sound-mix versions of the tracks.
Instruments: SATB Choir, Gong, Bass Drum, Tubular Bells, Glockenspiel, Vibraphone, Acoustic Guitar, Harp, Two Flutes, Grand Piano, Pipe Organ, Min-Moog Synth Lead, Mellatron Strings, Mellatron Choir, Cello, Electric Bass, Synth Bass.
Track Notes
Movement 1: Trinity. We open with God’s existence prior to creation. A solo piano plays three musical lines, the third of which is generated from the interaction of the first two, representing the way in which God the Father is the “root” of the Divine “triad”, God the Son eternally depends upon the Father, and God the Holy Spirit “proceeds” from the Father and the Son. The piece is also Trinitarian in having three sections. It ends on an unresolved chord, suggesting the eternality of the Godhead.
Movement 2: Light. The angels rejoice in God’s creation of light and “dance” among the stars.
Movement 3: One Sin. This piece draws upon the opening of G.K. Chesterton’s poem “Ecclesiastes”: “There is one sin: to call a green leaf gray, Whereat the sun in heaven shuddereth.” In other words, the fundamental sin is acting as if we were wiser than God, as if moral reality should bend to our choices and desires rather than vice versa. The consequences of sin for relationships between humans and with God is represented by the entry of the minor key and the music becoming broken up.
Movement 4: Weeping Turns to Joy. This setting of words from Psalm 6:6 and 30:5 was composed in July 2021, as a short, stand-alone piece reflecting on the end of Covid 19 restrictions. In August 2023, I decided to add it into this suite, where it neatly represents the Old Testament experiences of exile (“By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.” – Psalm 137:1) and hope centered upon in the promised coming of God’s messiah.
Movement 5: Logos. The opening of John’s gospel represents God the Son as the divine logos, or rational principle behind creation. Only this logos reveals God in person through the incarnation. The lyrics combine an English translation of the opening of John’s gospel, with the Greek terms: Logos (Word), Agathos (Goodness), Veritas (Truth), and Kalos (Beautiful-Good).
Movement 6: Love. An acapella setting of Jesus’ answer to a scribe’s question about the greatest commandment in Mark 12.
Movement 7: Garden. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus contemplates his calling to be crucified as a sacrifice for sin and prays that his Father might take away this cup of suffering from him. The music uses suspended resolutions and a fluctuating pattern of major and minor notes that gradually become more resolute and hymn-like as Jesus turns his face to the cross, praying that the Father’s will be done on earth.
Movement 8: Agnus Dei. Based on the saying of John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), the Agnus Dei (Latin for “Lamb of God”) is a traditional liturgical chant that contemplates the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross in light of his subsequent bodily resurrection from the tomb. Far from being just another failed messiah, Jesus is God’s self-sacrifice of forgiveness in bearing our sin.
Movement 9: Kyrie. A setting of the Latin Kyrie, a traditional prayer for forgiveness, which in English means: “Lord, forgive us, Christ forgive us, Lord forgive us.”
Movement 10: Telos. This piece was inspired by John’s vision of the new heavens and earth in Revelation 21. The choir sing about God’s invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb (i.e. Jesus Christ) who will wipe away ever tear from our eyes and bring “Shalom” (a Hebrew word meaning peace, wholeness and flourishing).
Movement 11: Gloria. This piece recapitulates the theme of movement one, using it as a setting for the apostle Paul’s comparison between the sufferings of the present world and the glory of the new heavens and earth to come.
For more composition-related information, visit: https://www.peterswilliams.com/composing/
This is the fourth of eleven movements in the updated and expanded 2023 recording of my From Glory to Glory suite.
This setting of words from Psalm 6:6 and 30:5 was composed in July 2021, as a short, stand-alone piece reflecting on the end of Covid 19 restrictions. In August 2023, I decided to add it into this suite, where it neatly represents the Old Testament experiences of exile (“By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.” – Psalm 137:1) and hope centered upon in the promised coming of God’s messiah.
From Glory to Glory is available as a high quality wav file album on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/psw_music/sets/from-glory-to-glory-2023
From Glory to Glory is a little under 70 min long suite of contemporary classical music, reflecting on the biblical story and Christian spirituality, drawing upon an eclectic fusion of musical influences. The suite is written for four part choir and an ensemble of instruments. The lyrics are a mixture of English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.
In summer 2023 it struck me that my Sibelius 6 software was 13 years old, and that contemporary software would probably be able to reproduce the sound of a choir singing lyrics, rather than simply going “Ah”! Discovering that this was indeed the case, I reached out to find someone who could use my composition files to produce a new recording of From Glory to Glory using contemporary music technology. That person turned out to be Cuban composer Wilma Alba Cal, whose work includes chamber, choir, orchestral and electroacoustic music (see https://wilmaalbacal.com/). Over the summer of 2023, Wilma used my ‘Sibelius 6’ files and scores to make an updated recording of From Glory to Glory that sounds much more realistic than before, and where the choir sing the words on the scores. This was a collaborative process that involved Wilma gathering information on the sounds I had in mind when selecting from the instruments available in Sibelius 6, and several rounds of feedback about various pre and post-sound-mix versions of the tracks.
Instruments: SATB Choir, Gong, Bass Drum, Tubular Bells, Glockenspiel, Vibraphone, Acoustic Guitar, Harp, Two Flutes, Grand Piano, Pipe Organ, Min-Moog Synth Lead, Mellatron Strings, Mellatron Choir, Cello, Electric Bass, Synth Bass.
Track Notes
Movement 1: Trinity. We open with God’s existence prior to creation. A solo piano plays three musical lines, the third of which is generated from the interaction of the first two, representing the way in which God the Father is the “root” of the Divine “triad”, God the Son eternally depends upon the Father, and God the Holy Spirit “proceeds” from the Father and the Son. The piece is also Trinitarian in having three sections. It ends on an unresolved chord, suggesting the eternality of the Godhead.
Movement 2: Light. The angels rejoice in God’s creation of light and “dance” among the stars.
Movement 3: One Sin. This piece draws upon the opening of G.K. Chesterton’s poem “Ecclesiastes”: “There is one sin: to call a green leaf gray, Whereat the sun in heaven shuddereth.” In other words, the fundamental sin is acting as if we were wiser than God, as if moral reality should bend to our choices and desires rather than vice versa. The consequences of sin for relationships between humans and with God is represented by the entry of the minor key and the music becoming broken up.
Movement 4: Weeping Turns to Joy. This setting of words from Psalm 6:6 and 30:5 was composed in July 2021, as a short, stand-alone piece reflecting on the end of Covid 19 restrictions. In August 2023, I decided to add it into this suite, where it neatly represents the Old Testament experiences of exile (“By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.” – Psalm 137:1) and hope centered upon in the promised coming of God’s messiah.
Movement 5: Logos. The opening of John’s gospel represents God the Son as the divine logos, or rational principle behind creation. Only this logos reveals God in person through the incarnation. The lyrics combine an English translation of the opening of John’s gospel, with the Greek terms: Logos (Word), Agathos (Goodness), Veritas (Truth), and Kalos (Beautiful-Good).
Movement 6: Love. An acapella setting of Jesus’ answer to a scribe’s question about the greatest commandment in Mark 12.
Movement 7: Garden. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus contemplates his calling to be crucified as a sacrifice for sin and prays that his Father might take away this cup of suffering from him. The music uses suspended resolutions and a fluctuating pattern of major and minor notes that gradually become more resolute and hymn-like as Jesus turns his face to the cross, praying that the Father’s will be done on earth.
Movement 8: Agnus Dei. Based on the saying of John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), the Agnus Dei (Latin for “Lamb of God”) is a traditional liturgical chant that contemplates the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross in light of his subsequent bodily resurrection from the tomb. Far from being just another failed messiah, Jesus is God’s self-sacrifice of forgiveness in bearing our sin.
Movement 9: Kyrie. A setting of the Latin Kyrie, a traditional prayer for forgiveness, which in English means: “Lord, forgive us, Christ forgive us, Lord forgive us.”
Movement 10: Telos. This piece was inspired by John’s vision of the new heavens and earth in Revelation 21. The choir sing about God’s invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb (i.e. Jesus Christ) who will wipe away ever tear from our eyes and bring “Shalom” (a Hebrew word meaning peace, wholeness and flourishing).
Movement 11: Gloria. This piece recapitulates the theme of movement one, using it as a setting for the apostle Paul’s comparison between the sufferings of the present world and the glory of the new heavens and earth to come.
For more composition-related information, visit: https://www.peterswilliams.com/composing/
This is the third of eleven movements in the updated and expanded 2023 recording of my From Glory to Glory suite.
This piece draws upon the opening of G.K. Chesterton’s poem “Ecclesiastes”: “There is one sin: to call a green leaf gray, Whereat the sun in heaven shuddereth.” In other words, the fundamental sin is acting as if we were wiser than God, as if moral reality should bend to our choices and desires rather than vice versa. The consequences of sin for relationships between humans and with God is represented by the entry of the minor key and the music becoming broken up.
From Glory to Glory is available as a high quality wav file album on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/psw_music/sets/from-glory-to-glory-2023
From Glory to Glory is a little under 70 min long suite of contemporary classical music, reflecting on the biblical story and Christian spirituality, drawing upon an eclectic fusion of musical influences. The suite is written for four part choir and an ensemble of instruments. The lyrics are a mixture of English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.
In summer 2023 it struck me that my Sibelius 6 software was 13 years old, and that contemporary software would probably be able to reproduce the sound of a choir singing lyrics, rather than simply going “Ah”! Discovering that this was indeed the case, I reached out to find someone who could use my composition files to produce a new recording of From Glory to Glory using contemporary music technology. That person turned out to be Cuban composer Wilma Alba Cal, whose work includes chamber, choir, orchestral and electroacoustic music (see https://wilmaalbacal.com/). Over the summer of 2023, Wilma used my ‘Sibelius 6’ files and scores to make an updated recording of From Glory to Glory that sounds much more realistic than before, and where the choir sing the words on the scores. This was a collaborative process that involved Wilma gathering information on the sounds I had in mind when selecting from the instruments available in Sibelius 6, and several rounds of feedback about various pre and post-sound-mix versions of the tracks.
Instruments: SATB Choir, Gong, Bass Drum, Tubular Bells, Glockenspiel, Vibraphone, Acoustic Guitar, Harp, Two Flutes, Grand Piano, Pipe Organ, Min-Moog Synth Lead, Mellatron Strings, Mellatron Choir, Cello, Electric Bass, Synth Bass.
Track Notes
Movement 1: Trinity. We open with God’s existence prior to creation. A solo piano plays three musical lines, the third of which is generated from the interaction of the first two, representing the way in which God the Father is the “root” of the Divine “triad”, God the Son eternally depends upon the Father, and God the Holy Spirit “proceeds” from the Father and the Son. The piece is also Trinitarian in having three sections. It ends on an unresolved chord, suggesting the eternality of the Godhead.
Movement 2: Light. The angels rejoice in God’s creation of light and “dance” among the stars.
Movement 3: One Sin. This piece draws upon the opening of G.K. Chesterton’s poem “Ecclesiastes”: “There is one sin: to call a green leaf gray, Whereat the sun in heaven shuddereth.” In other words, the fundamental sin is acting as if we were wiser than God, as if moral reality should bend to our choices and desires rather than vice versa. The consequences of sin for relationships between humans and with God is represented by the entry of the minor key and the music becoming broken up.
Movement 4: Weeping Turns to Joy. This setting of words from Psalm 6:6 and 30:5 was composed in July 2021, as a short, stand-alone piece reflecting on the end of Covid 19 restrictions. In August 2023, I decided to add it into this suite, where it neatly represents the Old Testament experiences of exile (“By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.” – Psalm 137:1) and hope centered upon in the promised coming of God’s messiah.
Movement 5: Logos. The opening of John’s gospel represents God the Son as the divine logos, or rational principle behind creation. Only this logos reveals God in person through the incarnation. The lyrics combine an English translation of the opening of John’s gospel, with the Greek terms: Logos (Word), Agathos (Goodness), Veritas (Truth), and Kalos (Beautiful-Good).
Movement 6: Love. An acapella setting of Jesus’ answer to a scribe’s question about the greatest commandment in Mark 12.
Movement 7: Garden. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus contemplates his calling to be crucified as a sacrifice for sin and prays that his Father might take away this cup of suffering from him. The music uses suspended resolutions and a fluctuating pattern of major and minor notes that gradually become more resolute and hymn-like as Jesus turns his face to the cross, praying that the Father’s will be done on earth.
Movement 8: Agnus Dei. Based on the saying of John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), the Agnus Dei (Latin for “Lamb of God”) is a traditional liturgical chant that contemplates the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross in light of his subsequent bodily resurrection from the tomb. Far from being just another failed messiah, Jesus is God’s self-sacrifice of forgiveness in bearing our sin.
Movement 9: Kyrie. A setting of the Latin Kyrie, a traditional prayer for forgiveness, which in English means: “Lord, forgive us, Christ forgive us, Lord forgive us.”
Movement 10: Telos. This piece was inspired by John’s vision of the new heavens and earth in Revelation 21. The choir sing about God’s invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb (i.e. Jesus Christ) who will wipe away ever tear from our eyes and bring “Shalom” (a Hebrew word meaning peace, wholeness and flourishing).
Movement 11: Gloria. This piece recapitulates the theme of movement one, using it as a setting for the apostle Paul’s comparison between the sufferings of the present world and the glory of the new heavens and earth to come.
For more composition-related information, visit: https://www.peterswilliams.com/composing/
This is the second of eleven movements in the updated and expanded 2023 recording of my From Glory to Glory suite.
The angels rejoice in God’s creation of light and “dance” among the stars.
"From Glory to Glory" is available as a high quality wav file album on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/psw_music/sets/from-glory-to-glory-2023
From Glory to Glory is a little under 70 min long suite of contemporary classical music, reflecting on the biblical story and Christian spirituality, drawing upon an eclectic fusion of musical influences. The suite is written for four part choir and an ensemble of instruments. The lyrics are a mixture of English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.
In summer 2023 it struck me that my Sibelius 6 software was 13 years old, and that contemporary software would probably be able to reproduce the sound of a choir singing lyrics, rather than simply going “Ah”! Discovering that this was indeed the case, I reached out to find someone who could use my composition files to produce a new recording of From Glory to Glory using contemporary music technology. That person turned out to be Cuban composer Wilma Alba Cal, whose work includes chamber, choir, orchestral and electroacoustic music (see https://wilmaalbacal.com/). Over the summer of 2023, Wilma used my ‘Sibelius 6’ files and scores to make an updated recording of From Glory to Glory that sounds much more realistic than before, and where the choir sing the words on the scores. This was a collaborative process that involved Wilma gathering information on the sounds I had in mind when selecting from the instruments available in Sibelius 6, and several rounds of feedback about various pre and post-sound-mix versions of the tracks.
Instruments: SATB Choir, Gong, Bass Drum, Tubular Bells, Glockenspiel, Vibraphone, Acoustic Guitar, Harp, Two Flutes, Grand Piano, Pipe Organ, Min-Moog Synth Lead, Mellatron Strings, Mellatron Choir, Cello, Electric Bass, Synth Bass.
Track Notes
Movement 1: Trinity. We open with God’s existence prior to creation. A solo piano plays three musical lines, the third of which is generated from the interaction of the first two, representing the way in which God the Father is the “root” of the Divine “triad”, God the Son eternally depends upon the Father, and God the Holy Spirit “proceeds” from the Father and the Son. The piece is also Trinitarian in having three sections. It ends on an unresolved chord, suggesting the eternality of the Godhead.
Movement 2: Light. The angels rejoice in God’s creation of light and “dance” among the stars.
Movement 3: One Sin. This piece draws upon the opening of G.K. Chesterton’s poem “Ecclesiastes”: “There is one sin: to call a green leaf gray, Whereat the sun in heaven shuddereth.” In other words, the fundamental sin is acting as if we were wiser than God, as if moral reality should bend to our choices and desires rather than vice versa. The consequences of sin for relationships between humans and with God is represented by the entry of the minor key and the music becoming broken up.
Movement 4: Weeping Turns to Joy. This setting of words from Psalm 6:6 and 30:5 was composed in July 2021, as a short, stand-alone piece reflecting on the end of Covid 19 restrictions. In August 2023, I decided to add it into this suite, where it neatly represents the Old Testament experiences of exile (“By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.” – Psalm 137:1) and hope centered upon in the promised coming of God’s messiah.
Movement 5: Logos. The opening of John’s gospel represents God the Son as the divine logos, or rational principle behind creation. Only this logos reveals God in person through the incarnation. The lyrics combine an English translation of the opening of John’s gospel, with the Greek terms: Logos (Word), Agathos (Goodness), Veritas (Truth), and Kalos (Beautiful-Good).
Movement 6: Love. An acapella setting of Jesus’ answer to a scribe’s question about the greatest commandment in Mark 12.
Movement 7: Garden. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus contemplates his calling to be crucified as a sacrifice for sin and prays that his Father might take away this cup of suffering from him. The music uses suspended resolutions and a fluctuating pattern of major and minor notes that gradually become more resolute and hymn-like as Jesus turns his face to the cross, praying that the Father’s will be done on earth.
Movement 8: Agnus Dei. Based on the saying of John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), the Agnus Dei (Latin for “Lamb of God”) is a traditional liturgical chant that contemplates the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross in light of his subsequent bodily resurrection from the tomb. Far from being just another failed messiah, Jesus is God’s self-sacrifice of forgiveness in bearing our sin.
Movement 9: Kyrie. A setting of the Latin Kyrie, a traditional prayer for forgiveness, which in English means: “Lord, forgive us, Christ forgive us, Lord forgive us.”
Movement 10: Telos. This piece was inspired by John’s vision of the new heavens and earth in Revelation 21. The choir sing about God’s invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb (i.e. Jesus Christ) who will wipe away ever tear from our eyes and bring “Shalom” (a Hebrew word meaning peace, wholeness and flourishing).
Movement 11: Gloria. This piece recapitulates the theme of movement one, using it as a setting for the apostle Paul’s comparison between the sufferings of the present world and the glory of the new heavens and earth to come.
For more composition-related information, visit: https://www.peterswilliams.com/composing/
This is the first of eleven movements in the updated and expanded 2023 recording of my From Glory to Glory suite.
We open with God’s existence prior to creation. A solo piano plays three musical lines, the third of which is generated from the interaction of the first two, representing the way in which God the Father is the “root” of the Divine “triad”, God the Son eternally depends upon the Father, and God the Holy Spirit “proceeds” from the Father and the Son. The piece is also Trinitarian in having three sections. It ends on an unresolved chord, suggesting the eternality of the Godhead.
From Glory to Glory is available as a high quality wav file album on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/psw_music/sets/from-glory-to-glory-2023
From Glory to Glory is a little under 70 min long suite of contemporary classical music, reflecting on the biblical story and Christian spirituality, drawing upon an eclectic fusion of musical influences. The suite is written for four part choir and an ensemble of instruments. The lyrics are a mixture of English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.
In summer 2023 it struck me that my Sibelius 6 software was 13 years old, and that contemporary software would probably be able to reproduce the sound of a choir singing lyrics, rather than simply going “Ah”! Discovering that this was indeed the case, I reached out to find someone who could use my composition files to produce a new recording of From Glory to Glory using contemporary music technology. That person turned out to be Cuban composer Wilma Alba Cal, whose work includes chamber, choir, orchestral and electroacoustic music (see https://wilmaalbacal.com/). Over the summer of 2023, Wilma used my ‘Sibelius 6’ files and scores to make an updated recording of From Glory to Glory that sounds much more realistic than before, and where the choir sing the words on the scores. This was a collaborative process that involved Wilma gathering information on the sounds I had in mind when selecting from the instruments available in Sibelius 6, and several rounds of feedback about various pre and post-sound-mix versions of the tracks.
Instruments: SATB Choir, Gong, Bass Drum, Tubular Bells, Glockenspiel, Vibraphone, Acoustic Guitar, Harp, Two Flutes, Grand Piano, Pipe Organ, Min-Moog Synth Lead, Mellatron Strings, Mellatron Choir, Cello, Electric Bass, Synth Bass.
Track Notes
Movement 1: Trinity. We open with God’s existence prior to creation. A solo piano plays three musical lines, the third of which is generated from the interaction of the first two, representing the way in which God the Father is the “root” of the Divine “triad”, God the Son eternally depends upon the Father, and God the Holy Spirit “proceeds” from the Father and the Son. The piece is also Trinitarian in having three sections. It ends on an unresolved chord, suggesting the eternality of the Godhead.
Movement 2: Light. The angels rejoice in God’s creation of light and “dance” among the stars.
Movement 3: One Sin. This piece draws upon the opening of G.K. Chesterton’s poem “Ecclesiastes”: “There is one sin: to call a green leaf gray, Whereat the sun in heaven shuddereth.” In other words, the fundamental sin is acting as if we were wiser than God, as if moral reality should bend to our choices and desires rather than vice versa. The consequences of sin for relationships between humans and with God is represented by the entry of the minor key and the music becoming broken up.
Movement 4: Weeping Turns to Joy. This setting of words from Psalm 6:6 and 30:5 was composed in July 2021, as a short, stand-alone piece reflecting on the end of Covid 19 restrictions. In August 2023, I decided to add it into this suite, where it neatly represents the Old Testament experiences of exile (“By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.” – Psalm 137:1) and hope centered upon in the promised coming of God’s messiah.
Movement 5: Logos. The opening of John’s gospel represents God the Son as the divine logos, or rational principle behind creation. Only this logos reveals God in person through the incarnation. The lyrics combine an English translation of the opening of John’s gospel, with the Greek terms: Logos (Word), Agathos (Goodness), Veritas (Truth), and Kalos (Beautiful-Good).
Movement 6: Love. An acapella setting of Jesus’ answer to a scribe’s question about the greatest commandment in Mark 12.
Movement 7: Garden. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus contemplates his calling to be crucified as a sacrifice for sin and prays that his Father might take away this cup of suffering from him. The music uses suspended resolutions and a fluctuating pattern of major and minor notes that gradually become more resolute and hymn-like as Jesus turns his face to the cross, praying that the Father’s will be done on earth.
Movement 8: Agnus Dei. Based on the saying of John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), the Agnus Dei (Latin for “Lamb of God”) is a traditional liturgical chant that contemplates the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross in light of his subsequent bodily resurrection from the tomb. Far from being just another failed messiah, Jesus is God’s self-sacrifice of forgiveness in bearing our sin.
Movement 9: Kyrie. A setting of the Latin Kyrie, a traditional prayer for forgiveness, which in English means: “Lord, forgive us, Christ forgive us, Lord forgive us.”
Movement 10: Telos. This piece was inspired by John’s vision of the new heavens and earth in Revelation 21. The choir sing about God’s invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb (i.e. Jesus Christ) who will wipe away ever tear from our eyes and bring “Shalom” (a Hebrew word meaning peace, wholeness and flourishing).
Movement 11: Gloria. This piece recapitulates the theme of movement one, using it as a setting for the apostle Paul’s comparison between the sufferings of the present world and the glory of the new heavens and earth to come.
For more composition-related information, visit: https://www.peterswilliams.com/composing/
Lecture on the main themes of my book An Informed Cosmos: Essays on Intelligent Design Theory (Wipf & Stock, 2023) delivered 29th September 2023 at English L'Abri (www.englishlabri.org/).
Teaching from the September 2023 'Worldviews & Communication' course UK study tour, delivered in London.
Teaching from the September 2023 'Communication & Worldviews' course UK study Tour, delivered at L'abri in Hampshire. Apologies for the poor sound on parts of this recording, I think I need to get a new microphone cable!
Lecture delivered online to 'Worldview & Communication' students at NLA University College on August 16th 2003, introducing a conceptual 'matrix' of concepts to be revisited in talks on the September 2023 UK Study Tour for the course. My teaching is in English, but the recording also contains some comments by my colleagues Bjorn Hinderaker and Lars Dahle in Norwegian.
The last of seven talks from my pre-forum mini-forum on 'Can we Believe in God in an Age of Science?' at the 2023 European Leadership Forum in Poland.
The sixth of seven talks from my pre-forum mini-forum on 'Can we Believe in God in an Age of Science?' at the 2023 European Leadership Forum in Poland.
The fifth of seven talks from my pre-forum mini-forum on 'Can we Believe in God in an Age of Science?' at the 2023 European Leadership Forum in Poland.
The fourth of seven talks from my pre-forum mini-forum on 'Can we Believe in God in an Age of Science?' at the 2023 European Leadership Forum in Poland.
The third of seven talks from my pre-forum mini-forum on 'Can we Believe in God in an Age of Science?' at the 2023 European Leadership Forum in Poland.
The second of seven talks from my pre-forum mini-forum on 'Can we Believe in God in an Age of Science?' at the 2023 European Leadership Forum in Poland.
The first of seven talks from my pre-forum mini-forum on 'Can we Believe in God in an Age of Science?' at the 2023 European Leadership Forum in Poland.
Lightly edited audio from my presentation on Old Testament Historicity, contrasting biblical 'minimalism' and biblical 'maximalism', at the 2023 European Leadership Forum in Poland.
A short talk about Christian leadership and discipleship given to the early morning volunteers meeting at the 2023 European Leadership Forum in Poland.
An interview with extended Q&A time, hosted by NLA University College Colleagues Rune Tobiassen and Leif Egil at Østsida Free Church (https://frikirken.no/ostsida) in Kristiansand, Norway, on 23rd October 2022.
Presentation from the 2022 Veritas Conference (https://veritaskonferansen.no/), held at The Bible School in Grimstad (BIG - https://bibelskolen.no/), Norway, 23rd October 2022.
Presentation from the 2022 Veritas Conference (https://veritaskonferansen.no/), held at The Bible School in Grimstad (BIG - https://bibelskolen.no/), Norway, 22nd October 2022.
Lecture introducing my book Outgrowing God? A Beginner's Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Wipf and Stock, 2020) to students from NLA University College at the Gimlekollen Campus in Kristiansand, Norway, 21st October 2022.
Lecture on a holistic approach to Christian apologetics that I call 'Apologetics in 3D' for students at NLA University's Gimlekollen campus in Kristiansand (includes occasional comments and translations into Norwegian from fellow lecturer Bjørn Hinderaker), 21st October 2022.
A dialogue on the contemporary relevance of the apostle Paul's court case reported in Acts 26,
with Dr. Lars Dahle and Peter S. Williams, at the International Christian Fellowship meeting
(www.misjonshuset.com/international/english/), held at The Misjonshuset in Kristiansand, Norway,
on 18th October 2022.
Invited open lecture on 'Faith & Rationality' at Fjellhaug International College in Oslo (https://fih.fjellhaug.no/en/), on Friday 14th October 2022.
Lecture about 'Arguing for God' (i.e. Natural Theology), as delivered to the apologetics class at Fjellhaug International College in Oslo (https://fih.fjellhaug.no/en/), on Friday 14th October 2022.
My paper presentation from an inter-university research group symposium on Christian Leadership held in Oslo, October 6th-7th 2022.
Short broadcast from "Radio Solent" about Organ Donation featuring my parents. My mum donated one of her kidneys to my Dad in November 2021.
This podcast introduces the new one semester programme in Christian Apologetics, which is offered online and in English. NLA faculty Bjørn Hinderaker interviews colleague Peter S. Williams, who will be the coordinator for the programme. The admission process for this year is open until 15th of August. More information is available at www.nla.no/en/studies/studieprogrammer/one-semester-programme-in-christian-apologetics/
After a short presentation of Peter, this podcast introduces the new programme, explaining its uniqueness, background, target groups and teaching methods. Finally the colleagues briefly share what they are working on. The upcoming October Veritas conference is also mentioned: check out www.veritaskonferansen.no
Audio from my introductory video for the new on-line 'One Semester Programme in Christian Apologetics' at NLA University College, which launches August 2022. The admission process for this year is open until 15th of August. For more information, visit: www.nla.no/en/studies/studieprogrammer/one-semester-programme-in-christian-apologetics/
I also composed the theme music!
Edited audio of my Post-Conference Seminar on 'Can We Believe In God In An Age Of Science?' at the 2022 European Leadership Forum in Poland, based on material I prepared for the course module 'Christian view of life and science in an apologetic perspective' at NLA University College, Norway (www.nla.no/en/).
Edited audio from my Post-Conference Seminar on 'Can We Believe In God In An Age Of Science?' at the 2022 European Leadership Forum in Poland, based on material I prepared for the course module 'Christian view of life and science in an apologetic perspective' at NLA University College, Norway (www.nla.no/en/).
Edited audio from my Post-Conference Seminar on 'Can We Believe In God In An Age Of Science?' at the 2022 European Leadership Forum in Poland, based on material I prepared for the course module 'Christian view of life and science in an apologetic perspective' at NLA University College, Norway (www.nla.no/en/).
Edited audio from my Post-Conference Seminar on 'Can We Believe In God In An Age Of Science?' at the 2022 European Leadership Forum in Poland, based on material I prepared for the course module 'Christian view of life and science in an apologetic perspective' at NLA University College, Norway (www.nla.no/en/).
Edited audio from my Post-Conference Seminar on 'Can We Believe In God In An Age Of Science?' at the 2022 European Leadership Forum in Poland, based on material I prepared for the course module 'Christian view of life and science in an apologetic perspective' at NLA University College, Norway (www.nla.no/en/).
Edited audio from my Post-Conference Seminar on 'Can We Believe In God In An Age Of Science?' at the 2022 European Leadership Forum in Poland, based on material I prepared for the course module 'Christian view of life and science in an apologetic perspective' at NLA University College, Norway (www.nla.no/en/).
Edited audio from my Post-Conference Seminar on 'Can We Believe In God In An Age Of Science?' at the 2022 European Leadership Forum in Poland, based on material I prepared for the course module 'Christian view of life and science in an apologetic perspective' at NLA University College, Norway (www.nla.no/en/).
Edited audio of my talk at the Advanced Apologetics Network at the 2022 European Leadership Forum in Poland. Plus, a short addendum I added to correct a mistaken reference made in the talk just before my conclusion. I referred to giving the benefit of the doubt to the testimony of 'Ignatius', but I should have said 'Irenaeus'!
My talk on New Testament Archaeology at the 2022 European Leadership Forum in Poland (with the Q&A times edited out).
My May 2022 appearance on the Pints With Jack podcast (S5E43), re-hosted here with permission: 'Today with apologist Peter S. Williams we consider the related ideas of “Logical Positivism” and “Verificationism” which were popular in Lewis’ day and which are still alive and well today...'
For Pints With Jack see: www.pintswithjack.com/
For this episode on the Pints With Jack website and YouTube Channel, see: www.pintswithjack.com/s5e43/#
Audio of my "paper" for the hybrid in-person and virtual Fifth International Interdisciplinary C. S. Lewis Conference, "Of This and Other Worlds", hosted by Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iaşi, Romania. My talk was pre-recorded and presented to the conference on Thursday 18th November 2021.
Audio from a video for NLA University College course module: 'A Christian Worldview and Science in Apologetic Perspective'.
In this session we’re thinking about communicating about science and the Christian worldview in Church contexts, by thinking about preaching.
Recommended Resources
Audio from a video for NLA University College course module: 'A Christian Worldview and Science in Apologetic Perspective'.
In this session we look at the biblical picture of creation in the context of ancient mythology.
Recommended Resources
Audio from a video for NLA University College course module: 'A Christian Worldview and Science in Apologetic Perspective'.
In this session we take a look at the history of science as a discipline and look at the historical relationship between science and Christianity.
Recommended Resources
Audio from a video for NLA University College course module: 'A Christian Worldview and Science in Apologetic Perspective'.
What should we think about the nature of our minds, and how does scientific research into our brains factor into our self-understanding?
Recommended Resources
Audio from a video for NLA University College course module: 'A Christian Worldview and Science in Apologetic Perspective'.
This session introduces the scientific theory of 'Intelligent Design'.
Recommended Resources
Audio from a video for NLA University College course module: 'A Christian Worldview and Science in Apologetic Perspective'.
We consider questions about the evolution and Darwinism.
Recommended Resources
Audio from a video for NLA University College course module: 'A Christian Worldview and Science in Apologetic Perspective'.
In this session we'll be looking at how Big Bang Cosmology and the discovery of Cosmic Fine Tuning inform some much discussed arguments for the existence of God.
Recommended Resources
Audio from a video for NLA University College course module: 'A Christian Worldview and Science in Apologetic Perspective'.
Recommended Resources
Edited recording of a class, hosted online by Bjorn Hinderaker, for students at NLA University in Norway, covering some themes from my book Outgrowing God? A Beginner's Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade, 2020).
The presentation portions of an online class on 'Apologetics in 3D' for students of NLA University College in Norway, from 14th October 2021.
Recording of my workshop on New Testament archeology and the evidence for Jesus from the online 2021 European Leadership Forum, in which I show that archaeological evidence indicates that:
Edited recording of my post-forum seminar on Old Testament history from the on-line European Leadership Forum conference in May 2021.
Conference attendee Albert Crespo, who did his Master's thesis on the royal offices in the period of the first temple, helpfully brought to my attention the fact that two bullae mentioning Jeremiah’s scribe Baruch the son of Neriah are now thought to be forgeries. During my talk I referenced one of these bullae in good faith, but I have edited this reference out of this podcast.
See: "The Authenticity of the Bullae of Berekhyahu Son of Neriyahu the Scribe", Yuval Goren, Eran Arie, BASOR 372, www.researchgate.net/publication/305753694_The_Authenticity_of_the_Bullae_of_Berekhyahu_Son_of_Neriyahu_the_Scrib; www.bible.ca/bulla/bible-bulla-jeremiah-clay-bullae-inscription-Belonging-to-Baruch-Berechiah-Son-of-Neriah-The-scribe-Jer-36-4-1975-1996ad-Reuben-Hecht-israel-museum-605bc-forgery-fake.htm.
Crespo also alerted me to the fact that William F. Albright’s interpretation of the (genuine) “Eliakim na˓ar Yokan” stamped jar handles - that Yokan referred to King Jehoiachin - is now thought to be incorrect: “This misinterpretation was not corrected for almost 50 years and resulted in a great deal of confusion over the chronological sequence and stratigraphical analysis of the archaeology of Judah from the time of the Divided Monarchy." – “The Eliakim Na˓ar Yokan Seal Impressions: Sixty Years of Confusion in Biblical Archaeological Research”, Yosef Garfinkel, Biblical Archaeologist, Vol. 53, 1990. Again, I have edited out a brief reference made to this artefact in my talk.
See: www.bible.ca/bulla/bible-archeology-jeremiah-clay-bullae-seal-inscription-Belonging-to-Eliakim-servant-of-Jehoiachin-belonging-to-Jotham-misidentified.htm.
Recording of a workshop talk from the online 2021 European Leadership Forum.
Psalm 42 states that ‘As the deer pants for water, so I long for you, O God’, but did you know that there's an actual argument for the existence of God, and even of heaven, from the existence of certain human desires? C.S. Lewis was captivated by this theme, and he produced the twentieth century’s principal thematic and argumentative engagement with what has come to be known by philosophers as ‘the argument from desire’. This talk explores Lewis' apologetic engagement with desire and how it points us to God.
Theofilos editor Lars Dahle talks with special edition guest editor Peter S. Williams about the first special, open access issue of the Nordic journal Theofilos. They explain the background to, and give an overview of, the contents of this special edition called Theofilos Supplement 2020-1. The overall theme for this thematic issue is "Science, Natural Theology, and Christian Apologetics". Through their engaging conversation Williams and Dahle provide snapshots of both the seven peer reviewed and the four more popular articles. They explore issues relating to the book of Genesis, natural theology and the influence of science in contemporary popular culture. Along the way, they explore something of the history of the relationship between science and theology.
This special issue of Theofilos is published here: https://theofilos.no/issues/theofilos-supplement-2020-1/
This podcast was originally published by Damaris Norge (https://www.damaris.no/stotte-oss/), and is re-published here by permission.
This open access lecture, delivered online for NLA University on 22nd April 2021, is followed by a Q&A period facilitated by Bjorn Hinderaker.
This lecture examines three key philosophical problems with the worldview of atheist Richard Dawkins, through an analysis of his famous 2007 'God Delusion' debate/discussion with Oxford Mathematician and Philosopher of Science John C. Lennox, which was held in Alabama.
You can watch the debate @ www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF5bPI92-5o
You can watch the debate with Norwegian subtitles @ www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA0iVQcQXp
This lecture was delivered to students at NLA University on 22nd April 2021.
Recommended Resources
Peter S. Williams, “A Sceptic’s Guide to Richard Dawkins” http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/a-sceptics-guide-to-richard-dawkins/
———. “Cosmic Fine Tuning: Design or Multiverse?” http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/cosmic-fine-tuning-design-or-multiverse/
———. “Introduction to ‘Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate’ (Cascade, 2020)” http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/introduction-to-outgrowing-god-a-beginners-guide-totrichard-dawkins-and-the-god-debate-cascade-2020/
William Lane Craig, “Dawkins’ Delusion” www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/popular-writings/existence-nature-of-god/dawkins-delusion/
John C. Lennox. God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? 2nd edition (Lion, 2009)
J.P. Moreland. Scientism and Secularism: Learning to Respond to a Dangerous Ideology (Crossway, 2018)
Charles B. Thaxton, et al. The Mystery Of Life’s Origin: The Continuing Controversy (Discovery Institute Press, 2020)
Peter S. Williams. Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade, 2020)
———. A Faithful Guide to Philosophy: A Christian Introduction to the Love of Wisdom (Wipf & Stock, 2019)
———. I Wish I Could Believe In Meaning: A Response to Nihilism (Damaris, 2005)
Lecture on the design argument from cosmic fine tuning delivered to students at NLA University College on 22nd April 2021. After describing cosmic fine tuning and one way of inferring design from that data, this lecture responds to the 'multiverse' objection to the argument.
“From glory to glory” is a suite of music I composed that follows the broad sweep on the biblical storyline. The suite is for four-part choir and a mixture of classical and electronic instruments. Some pieces are small in scope (e.g. the opening solo piano piece “Trinity”, the acapella choir piece “Love”, or the intimate “Kyrie”), whist others are much more “symphonic”.
This is a computer recording of the whole suite in a single mp3 file, made using files generated by my "Sebelius 6" software package. As the computer choir can only go “ah”, one must read the pdf files of the scores (available from my website @ www.peterswilliams.com/composing/) if one want’s the words.
That said, this live tape recording of a prior version of my Kyrie in G minor is from a composition competition at the end of my A levels in the early 1990’s. The orchestration is slightly different (the Bass is acoustic instead of electric, and there’s a vibraphone instead of piano), but in this version you can hear the words sung by the choir!
Individual files of (very slightly older versions of) the tracks are available via "soundcloud" through my website @ www.peterswilliams.com/composing/
There are ten pieces of music in the “From glory to glory” suite. Here are the “sleeve notes”:
Movement 0: Trinity
We open with God’s existence “before” the act of cosmic creation (hence Movement 0). A solo piano introduces three musical lines, the third of which is generated from the interaction of the first two, representing the way in which God the Father is the root of the divine being, God the Son eternally “begotten” from the father and God the Holy Spirit “proceeds” from the Father and the Son. The piece is also Trinitarian in having three sections. It ends on an unresolved chord, suggesting the eternality of the Godhead.
Movement 1: Light
The angels rejoice in God’s creation and dance among the stars.
Movement 2: One Sin
A setting of a line of poetry from G.K. Chesterton, about there being “only one sin, to call a green leaf grey”; that is, to reject the reality that God is God by trying to determine reality on our own terms as if we were God.
Movement 3: Logos
The opening of John’s gospel represents God the Son as the divine logos, or rational principle behind creation. Only, this logos reveals God in person through the incarnation.
Movement 4: Love
An acapella choral setting of Jesus’ answer to the question about the greatest commandment in Mark 12.
Movement 5: Garden
As Jesus contemplates his calling to die as a sacrifice for sin, he prays in the garden of Gethsemane. The piece uses suspended resolutions and a fluctuating pattern of major and minor notes that gradually become more resolute as Jesus turns his face to the cross and prays that the Father’s will be done on earth as in heaven.
Movement 6: Agnus Dei
Based on the saying of John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), the “Agnus Dei” (“Lamb of God”) is a traditional liturgical chant that contemplates the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross in light of his subsequent resurrection from the tomb. Far from being yet another failed messiah, Jesus is God’s self-sacrifice of forgiveness in the face of our sin.
Movement 7: Kyrie
A setting of the traditional Kyrie, a prayer for forgiveness: “Lord, forgive us, Christ forgive us, Lord forgive us.” This is the appropriate initial response to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Movement 8: Telos
Inspired by John’s vision of the new heavens and earth in Revelation 21, the choir sing about the wedding feast of the resurrected Lamb of God, who will wipe away ever tear from our eyes and bring “Shalom” (a Hebrew word meaning peace, wholeness and flourishing).
Movement 9: Gloria
This final piece returns to the Trinitarian theme of movement zero, using it as a setting for the apostle Paul’s comparison between the sufferings of the present world and the glory of the new heavens and earth to come revealed by the resurrection. This movement is about living the Christian life on earth for the glory of God in light of the hope of heaven.
If anyone has an interest in mounting a performance of some or all of “From glory to glory”, I can provide scores (including parts), etc. Backing tracks without the computer choir are also a possibility. You can e-mail me using the contact form on my website @ www.peterswilliams.com
Brian Auten and Chad Gross of apologetics315.com interview Christian Philosopher Peter S. Williams about his book Outgrowing God? A Beginner’s Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade, 2020). First published on January 25th 2021 @ https://apologetics315.com/2021/01/apologetics-315-podcast-006-outgrowing-god-with-peter-s-williams/
In this podcast I introduce my book Outgrowing God? A Beginner's Guide to Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade, 2020) to students at Gimlekollen College in Norway, giving an overview of the contents and reading some extracts. For more info see: www.peterswilliams.com/publications/books/outgrowing-god/
I was interviewed by Sam and Dave for the 22nd episode of their 'When Belief Dies' podcast (see www.youtube.com/channel/UC60J0W7sqxQlX6drabFD9jw) in November 2020. We discuss my personal journey with Christian faith and philosophy, touch on the historical Jesus, and towards the end of the interview discuss some versions of the anti-naturalism argument from reason. The episode is republished here with permission.
Lecture delivered on-line to students at NLA University College in Kristiansand, Norway, on October 16th 2020.
Audio of an on-line lecture on logic, delivered to students at NLA University College, Gimlekollen Campus, in Kristiansand, Norway, September 10th 2020.
Audio from an on-line teaching session for NLA University College, Gimlekollen, Kristiansand, Norway. This class took place on 12th August 2020, and was hosted by fellow Assistant Professor Bjørn Hinderaker.
Audio of my talk on 'Learning about Jesus with the New Atheists' from the virtual European Leadership Forum (ELF) conference 2020.
Re my book 'Getting at Jesus' see: http://www.peterswilliams.com/publications/books/getting-at-jesus-a-comprehensive-critique-of-neo-atheist-nonsense-about-the-jesus-of-history-wipf-stock-2019/
Audio of the presentation from my webinar on 'Archaeological Evidence and Jesus' from the virtual European Leadership Forum (ELF) conference 2020.
My talk from the Advanced Apologetics Network at the virtual European Leadership Forum (ELF) conference 2020.
Edited audio of my webinar from the virtual European Leadership Forum (ELF) conference 2020.
On the question raised about altar 'horns', see: 'Horns of the Altar' https://biblehub.com/topical/h/horns_of_the_altar.htm & 'Israelite horned altar' https://www.bibleodyssey.org/en/tools/image-gallery/i/israelite-horned-altar It seems that 'proper' horned altars had wooden 'horns' rather than cut stone 'horns', see Exodus 27:1-2.
In 2021 Albert Crespo helpfully brought to my attention that the two Bullae that mention Jeremiah’s scribe Baruch the son of Neriah are now thought to be forgeries.
See: "The Authenticity of the Bullae of Berekhyahu Son of Neriyahu the Scribe", Yuval Goren, Eran Arie, BASOR 372, www.researchgate.net/publication/305753694_The_Authenticity_of_the_Bullae_of_Berekhyahu_Son_of_Neriyahu_the_Scrib; www.bible.ca/bulla/bible-bulla-jeremiah-clay-bullae-inscription-Belonging-to-Baruch-Berechiah-Son-of-Neriah-The-scribe-Jer-36-4-1975-1996ad-Reuben-Hecht-israel-museum-605bc-forgery-fake.htm.
Also, that it's now thought William F. Albright’s interpretation of the “Eliakim na˓ar Yokan” stamped jar handles - that Yokan referred to King Jehoiachin - was incorrect: “This misinterpretation was not corrected for almost 50 years and resulted in a great deal of confusion over the chronological sequence and stratigraphical analysis of the archaeology of Judah from the time of the Divided Monarchy." – “The Eliakim Na˓ar Yokan Seal Impressions: Sixty Years of Confusion in Biblical Archaeological Research”, Yosef Garfinkel, Biblical Archaeologist, Vol. 53, 1990.
See: www.bible.ca/bulla/bible-archeology-jeremiah-clay-bullae-seal-inscription-Belonging-to-Eliakim-servant-of-Jehoiachin-belonging-to-Jotham-misidentified.htm.
Audio of a video lecture for NLA University College, Norway, 24th April 2020. With an introduction by, and post lecture discussion with, Bjorn Hinderaker (Assistant Professor at NLA Gimlekollen Campus).
Audio of an on-line lecture for NLA University College, Norway, 23rd April 2020. Unfortunately, my mp3 recorder's battery died just as I was finishing off my prepared remarks.
Peter S. Williams is interviewed by Andy Bannister for the Persuasive Evangelism Podcast from SOLAS.
An interview about my books responding to the New Atheism, conducted in Winchester Cathedral by Tore Saevik of Norwegian Newspaper 'Dagen'.
Norwegian apologist Bjørn Are Davidsen comments in response to Dr John Dickson's lecture on Christianity in the public square at the 2nd annual Veritas Research Symposium, Gimlekollen College, October 2019.
Dr John Dickson's keynote lecture from the Veritas Research Symposium at Gimlekollen College, NLA University, October 2019.
Dr Lars Dahle interviews Dr Amy Orr-Ewing and Dr John Dickson at the 2nd Veritas Research Symposium, Gimlekollen College, NLA University, October 2019.
Dr Amy Orr-Ewing's talk on the apologetics of the twentieth century English crime novelist, playwright and theologian-apologist Dorothy L. Sayers, delivered at the 2nd Veritas Research Symposium, Gimlekollen College, NLA University, October 2019.
Dr Lars Dahle (NLA University College) introduces the theme of the 2nd annual Veritas Research Symposium, held at Gimlekollen College, NLA University, October 2019.
Teaching on 'Archaeological Evidence for Jesus' at Gimlekollen College, NLA University, Norway, October 2019.
Teaching on spirituality, apologetics and discipleship at Gimlekollen College, NLA University, Norway, October 2019.
Second and concluding part of my afternoon presentation on highlights of Old Testament archaeology to Norwegian students on the Gimlekollen College UK Study Tour, Friday 13th September, 2019.
First of two sessions presenting select highlights from Old Testament archaeology to Norwegian students from Gimlekollen College on their UK Study Tour, Friday 13th September, 2019. This session takes us from the civilisation in which Abraham was born to the existence of King David.
Morning session on spirituality and (mainly) logic with Norwegian students on the Gimlekollen College UK Study Tour, in London, Friday September 13th, 2019.
Presentation at a church small-group, examining the life and times of the German Augustinian Friar Martin Luther, whose publication of '95 Theses' in 1517 sparked the Protestant Reformation.
Sermon on Hospitality, from the 11:15 service at Highfield Church, Southampton, delivered on Sunday 21st July 2019.
Bjørn Hinderaker interviews apologists Stefan Gustavson and Peter S. Williams about debates between Christians and non-Christians, especially on the resurrection of Jesus. Interview conducted at Gimlekollen College, NLA University, Norway on April 25th 2019.
Seminar from a training day at Highfield Church Southampton for local youth workers, March 2019.
Seminar on 'Apologetic in 3D' at Highfield Church Southampton, from a training day for local youth workers in March 2019.
Interview recorded on 21st March 2019, in the chapel at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford (www.wycliffehall.org.uk).
Iain Morris, Producer/Director at Kharis Productions Ltd (www.kharisproductions.com), interviews me about the historical Jesus, the problem of evil and my recently published book Getting at Jesus: A Comprehensive Critique of Neo-Atheist Nonsense about the Jesus of History (Wipf and Stock, 2019).
On the dating of The Gospel of Thomas, Craig A. Evans observes that the earliest manuscript fragment 'may date as early as 200' and argues that 'Thomas dates no earlier than the end of the second century.' (See: Craig A. Evans, 'Jesus and the Extra-cannonical Works')
Recommended Resources (relating to topics covered in the interview):
Video Playlist: The Historical Jesus
Video Playlist: The Existence of Jesus
Video Playlist: The Biblical Text
Video Playlist: Gospel Contradictions?
Video Playlist: Miracles
Video Playlist: Debating the Resurrection
Video Playlist: The Problem of Evil
Video Playlist: Concerning the 'New Atheism'
Video Playlist: Critical Thinking
Video: The Gospel of Thomas
Sermon from the 11:15 service at Highfield Church Southampton, 20th January 2019 (due to technical problems I had to have the IT folks at the back of church advance the power point slides I was using on my behalf).
Paper presentation at the C.S. Lewis and Kindred Spirits conference, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania, 23rd November 2018 (http://simpozioncslewis.blogspot.com).
Lecture with Q&A (in English) at the Areopagus Centre in Timisoara, Romania, 20th November 2018.
See the video of this lecture @ https://youtu.be/vlaJP7p9Tbk
Final part of a three part interview for Evangelical Voice of Romania radio in Timisoara, Romania, 20th November 2018.
Second part of a three part interview for Evangelical Voice of Romania radio in Timisoara, Romania, 20th November 2018.
First of a three part interview for Evangelical Voice of Romania radio in Timisoara, Romania, 20th November 2018.
My first interview for Evangelical Voice of Romania radio station in Timisoara, Romania, 20th November 2018.
Sermon delivered at Misjonshuset Kristiansand, with translation into Norwegian by Dr Lars Dahle, Sunday 21st October 2018.
My paper presentation at the Veritas Symposium on 'Science, Natural Theology and Apologetics' held at Gimlekollen College, NLA University, 19th October 2018.
Interview with Stefan Gustavsson and Peter S. Williams conducted by Bjørn Hinderaker, Assistant Professor at Gimlekollen College, NLA University, followed by questions from Gimlekollen students, 18th October 2018.
Talk about 'Theistic arguments in apologetic contxt', given at the Highfield Church Southampton 'Apologia Lunch' on Sunday October 7th 2018.
Presentation from the Gimlekollen College Uk Study Tour, 14th September 2018.
Mainly an introduction to logic, but situating this in the context of thinking about spirituality and apologetics.
Presentation on Old Testament Archaeology made on the Gimlekollen College UK Study Tour, 14th September 2018.
Sermon on Psalm 104, launching a series on 'creation care', from the 11 am service at Highfield Church Southampton, September 2nd 2018.
See my YouTube Playlist on Psalm 104 which includes the Egyptian Hymn to the Sun mentioned in the sermon, along with readings of Psalm 104, songs, and further commentary.
I participated in a questions panel on June 14th 2018 as part of Highfield Church's mission week.
The evening was introduced by Tim Billington. Our chair person was Elnor Spearing.
The pannelists were: Nick Pollard, Peter May, Peter S. Williams, David Torrance, Keith Fox and Trisha Williams.
My afternoon workshop at the European Leadership Forum 2018 on 'Defending an Early High Christology from Archaeology and New Testament Letters (with special reference to the Epistle of James).' The idea that Jesus was divine was not invented at the Council of Nicea in the fourth century (a claim one can disprove from archaeological finds alone), nor was it a second century idea that seeped into Christianity from pagan mythology. Rather, it was an idea that burst upon the first century religious landscape amongst the eyewitness generation of Jewish followers of Jesus, as shown by the multiple independent witness of the first century New Testament letters and the early sources they quote. I pay particular attention to the Epistle of James, arguing that a) it pre-dates the Jewish war and could be as early as c. 45 A.D, b) that whoever wrote it was a Jew writing to Jews, c) that it was probably written by James the (half) brother of Jesus - a man who'd formerly been sceptical about Jesus' claims, and that the best explanation of this data given Jesus' embarrassing crucifixion is that Jesus himself laid claim to divinity and rose from the dead in evidence of this claim.
Talk with Q&A from the Reality 3:16 residential weekend in Northern Ireland, 17th March 2018.
Talk with Q&A from the Reality 3:16 residential weekend in Northern Ireland, 16th March 2018.
Sermon on the Lord's Prayer in Matthew's Gospel delivered at Portrush Presbyterian Church in Northern Ireland (http://www.portrushpresbyterian.org), 18th March 2018.
A debate on the existence of God between myself and Norwegian philosopher Dr Einar Duenger Bohn from the University of Agder, held at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, 7th March 2018.
Talk on the what, why and how of apologetics at the 'Input' student meeting (https://input-trh.no/2018/03/01/input-7-3-apologetikk/) at Trondheim Frikirke (Free Church) - https://www.facebook.com/trondheimfrikirke/, 6th March 2018.
Sermon from the 8am communion service at Highfield Church Southampton, 4th February 2018.
Seminar on the historical Jesus based on my book Understanding Jesus (Paternoster, 2011), with Bjorn Hinderaker (opening comments) and student Lars Magnus, from Gimlekollen, NLA University College, Norway, January 4th 2018.
Second of two teaching sessions on the book of Acts, from Gimlekollen, NLA University College, Norway, 4th January 2018.
First of two teaching sessions on the book of Acts from Gimlekollen, NLA University College, Norway, January 4th 2018.
An exploration of Christian identity 'in Christ'. Teaching session at Gimlekollen, NLA University College, Norway, 5th January 2018.
A better recording of John Rutter's 'What sweeter music', as sung by Southampton University Chamber Choir and additional volunteers at the 'Desert Island Discs with Paul Mealor' event at Highfield Church Southampton, 29th October 2017. The choir was conducted by George Richford and the organ was played by Merrielle Billington.
A better recording of Orlando Gibbons' 'See, see the word incarnate', as sung by Southampton University Chamber Choir and additional volunteers at the 'Desert Island Discs with Paul Mealor' event at Highfield Church, Sunday 29th October 2017. The choir was conducted by George Richford and the organ was played by Merrielle Billington.
My 'Desert Island Discs' style interview with Christian composer Paul Mealor, which took place at Highfield Church Southampton on the evening of Sunday Ocober 29th 2017.
This recording includes two pieces of music (by Orlando Gibbons and John Rutter) sung by Southampton University Chamber Choir and volunteers from Highfield Church and the local community. Apologies for some distortion on these recordings, made with my mp3 recorder. The other musical extracts played from youtube clips during the evening have been edited out for copyright reasons. Here's a list of all the music played during the interview:
Where ever I am (Militrary Wives Choir, composed by Paul Mealor) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hR6O7VxKaQ)
Paul Mealor: Love’s as Warm as Tears (https://youtu.be/MvGNx5Vl9DE)
Art Garfunkel: Bright Eyes (https://youtu.be/cGyQmH9NZcw)
Orlando Gibbons: See, See, the Word is Incarnate (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa9fFWMFJw0)
Score: http://www3.cpdl.org/wiki/images/a/ac/Gibbons_See_See_The_Word.pdf
John Rutter: What Sweeter Music (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sCxg8iqsQY)
Score: http://www.liencadoan.org/Hop_Lien_Ca_Doan_2006/Songs_TKBL_IV/WhatSweeterMusic.vocal.1.pdf
William Mathias: Let the People Praise Thee, O God (https://youtu.be/-BFYDL-Ekkg)
Frederic Chopin: Nocturne in C# Minor (https://youtu.be/OvoObzPGXZ0)
Score: http://www.freesheetmusic.net/chopin/Nocturne,%20Op%20ph.pdf
Paul Mealor: Ubi caritas (https://youtu.be/KQE4ryqdvMg)
Seminar with Peter May and Peter S. Williams on 'Wrestling With Unanswered Prayer' held at Highfield Church Southampton, Sunday 23rd July 2017 (second of two occurrences).
Seminar with Peter May and Peter S. Williams on 'Wrestling With Unanswered Prayer' held at Highfield Church Southampton, Sunday 23rd July 2017 (first of two occurrences).
Seminar at the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre, Amport House (http://www.da.mod.uk/Colleges-Business-Units/AFCC) conducted on the morning of June 6th 2017.
Edited lecture and Q&A time from the 'Advanced Apologetics Network' at the European Leadership Forum 2017.
Lecture with Q&A from the European Leadership Forum 2017, responding to the new foreword to the 10th anniverssary edition of Richard Dawkins' best-selling book 'The God Delusion'.
Advent service sermon from the 8 am service at Highfield Church, Southampton, 18th December 2016.
Sermon on Ephesians 6:10-18, given Sunday 27th November 2016 at Agora Church, Budapest, with Hungarian translation.
Dr Peter May talking about 'Persuasive Evangelism' at the Feuer 2016 Conference of European Evangelists.
For Peter's book 'The Search for God and the Path to Persuasion' (Malcolm Down Publishing, 2016) cf. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Search-God-Path-Persuasion/dp/1910786373
Session delivered November 21st 2016 at The Highbury Centre in London for Norwegian Folk School Students.
A question and answer from a teaching session at The Highbury Centre in London, 21st November 2016.
This presentation to Norwegian Folk School Students at The Highbury Centre in London, November 21st 2016, includes Norwegian translations of some of the bible passages used.
Presentation delivered at a meeting of the Oxford C.S. Lewis Society, November 15th 2016.
Talk given at Southampton University's Christian Union Apologetics Group, November 9th 2016.
Sermon from the 11 am service at Highfield Church, Southampton, November 6th 2016. Part of a sermon series looking at the Nicene Creed.
Recording of my webinar talk on the argument from desire for the on-line apologetics academy, 29th October 2016.
For video plus Q&A cf: http://apologetics-academy.org/online-training/2016/10/29/the-argument-from-desire-a-conversation-with-peter-s-williams
Dr Peter May speaks about 'the centrality of truth' in Christianity at the inaugural session of the Science Leadership Network in Southampton (cf. https://www.uccf.org.uk/leadership-network/members/science).
Sermon on 'Spiritual Warfare' from the 8 am service at Highgfield Church Southampton, Sunday 16th October 2016.
A critique of Richard Dawkins' defence of his central argument against theism from his new Introduction to the second edition of The God Delusion. Talk from the Reasonable Faith series at Highfield Church Southampton, Sunday 9th October, 2016.
Seminar for CARE interns delivered at CARE HQ in London, 13th September 2016.
re the brief discussion about the last supper in John's gospel, I recommend Colin J. Humphrey's book 'The Mystery of the Last Supper'
(Cambridge University Press, 2011). Here are a couple of reviews summarising the main point with respect to the timing of the last supper:
http://www.evangelical-times.org/book-reviews/book/382/The+Mystery+of+the+Last+Supper%3A+Reconstructing+the+Final+Days+of+Jesus http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/the-penultimate-supper
Talk for a Norwegian group on a C.S. Lewis tour of England, focusing on how C.S. Lewis would critique the thought of neo-atheist Richard Dawkins. There's some translation and discussion in Norwegian. Delivered at St Giles Hotel, London, on September 10th 2016.
Sermon from the 8 am service at Highfield Church Southampton on Sunday September 18th 2016.
To read the whole of Martin Luther King's 'Letter from a Birmingham Jail', mentioned several times in this sermon, cf. https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html
Sermon on Hebrews 11:1-3 & 6-12 preached at the 8 am service at Highfield Church, Southampton, on Sunday 7th August 2016.
Dr Gary R. Habermas in discussion with Dr Peter May and members of the Highfield Church Southampton Reasonable Faith group on the afternoon of July 9th 2016. Dr Habermas describes the growth of Christian philosophy in academia, his friendship with atheist turned theist Antony Flew, debating with Michael Ruse and also answers questions on topics including the resurrection of Jesus.
Post Forum Seminar from the 2016 European Leadership Forum in Wisla, Poland.
Here are links to the key art-works we meditate upon in this seminar - I suggest pausing the podcast and looking up these references as you go through the seminar with us:
Pre-Modernism
See Makoto Fujimura's Christian art, including 'Grace Foretold' @ http://www.makotofujimura.com/works/images-of-grace/
'Withnail & I' Hamlet Speech @ https://youtu.be/186ah11P9Zw
Salisbury Cathedral @ http://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/
Leonardo DaVinci's painting of John the Baptist @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._John_the_Baptist_(Leonardo)
Listen to the Iona song 'An atmosphere of Miracles: Part III' @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcY-8TmAa_I
Modernism
Muse, 'The 2nd Law: Unsustainable' @ https://youtu.be/EF_xdvn52As
William Lane Craig vs. Peter Atkins on Scientism @ https://youtu.be/ZiVOhj6ehlw
The opening credits of 'The Bridge' season one can be viewed @ https://youtu.be/3qEaG4Dw3FE
'Blade Runner' Opening Scene @ https://youtu.be/YaR5wVL9x2I
Listen to Woolly Wolstenholme's song 'Blood and Bones' @ https://youtu.be/6Ma1ajjPuyY
Post-Modernism
William Lane Craig read's 'The Death of God' by Neitzche @ https://youtu.be/OBfu1MAULto
Presentaiton from the Advanced Apologetics Network at the European Leadership Forum in Wisla, Poland, May 2016.
Recording from the official book launch of C.S. Lewis at Poets' Corner (Cascade, 2016) held at the Oxford C.S. Lewis Society at Pusey House on the evening of June 7th, 2016.
Sermon on Acts 1:1-11 given at the 11 am service at Highfield Church, Southampton, 1st May 2016.
In February 2016 I was interviewed on camera by Dr Jerry Johnston for a documentary film he's making on the 'rise of the nones' - cf. http://www.jerryjohnston.com/publications/and-then-there-were-nones/ Apologies for the sound quality, this is just off my mp3 recorder going in the background without a mic attached, I've done what I can to clear it up in editing... still, we cover some interesting topics.
Leif Egil Reve (27) is a former atheist from Kristiansand in Norway who recently became a Christian. At the recommendation of British apologist John Lennox, Leif enroled on the 'Worldview, Communication and Christian Apolgetics' course at NLA University's Gimlekollen College. Leif and I headed out to record a podcast interview and ended up in the Norway Hotel in Kristiansand, where we discussed his spiritual journey, the role that apologetics played a role in his journey, and his experiences on the Worldview and Communications course.
Last in a series of podcasts with William O'Flaherty and Peter Byrom on my book C.S. Lewis vs. the New Atheists (Paternoster, 2013).
First podcast in 2014 on 'All About Jack: A C.S. Lewis Podcast' - re-podcasted here with permission.
Seventh in a series of podcasts with William O'Flaherty and Peter Byrom on my book C.S. Lewis vs. the New Atheists (Paternoster, 2013).
First podcast in 2014 on 'All About Jack: A C.S. Lewis Podcast' - re-podcasted here with permission.
Sixth in a series of podcasts with William O'Flaherty and Peter Byrom on my book C.S. Lewis vs. the New Atheists (Paternoster, 2013).
First podcast in 2014 on 'All About Jack: A C.S. Lewis Podcast' - re-podcasted here with permission.
cf. My YouTube Playlist on The Moral Argument for God
Fifth in a series of podcasts with William O'Flaherty and Peter Byrom on my book C.S. Lewis vs. the New Atheists (Paternoster, 2013).
First podcast in 2014 on 'All About Jack: A C.S. Lewis Podcast' - re-podcasted here with permission.
Fourth in a series of podcasts with William O'Flaherty and Peter Byrom on my book C.S. Lewis vs. the New Atheists (Paternoster, 2013).
First podcast in 2014 on 'All About Jack: A C.S. Lewis Podcast' - re-podcasted here with permission.
cf. My YouTube Playlist on The Argument from Desire
Third in a series of podcasts with William O'Flaherty and Peter Byrom on my book C.S. Lewis vs. the New Atheists (Paternoster, 2013).
First podcast in 2014 on 'All About Jack: A C.S. Lewis Podcast' - re-podcasted here with permission.
Second in a series of podcasts with William O'Flaherty and Peter Byrom on my book C.S. Lewis vs. the New Atheists (Paternoster, 2013).
First podcast in 2014 on 'All About Jack: A C.S. Lewis Podcast' - re-podcasted here with permission.
First in a series of podcasts with William O'Flaherty and Peter Byrom on my book C.S. Lewis vs. the New Atheists (Paternoster, 2013).
First podcast in 2014 on 'All About Jack: A C.S. Lewis Podcast' - re-podcasted here with permission.
Sermon from the 8 am service at Highfield Church Southampton, Palm Sunday 2016. Several quotes in this sermon were from John Dickson's book Humilitas (Zondervan, 2011).
Audio from the March 15th book launch of Dr Peter May's excellent book on persuasive evangelism: The Search for God and the Path to Persuasion (MD, 2016)
Interview with Dr Peter May about his recent book on 'persuasive evangelism': The Search for God and the Path to Persuasion (MD, 2016)
Lecture followed by Q&A hosted by the University of Reading Philosophy Society and the University of Reading Theology Society, 2nd March 2016.
Talk given at the 'Reasonable Faith?' course, Highfield Church, Southampton, 28th Febuary 2016. cf. my YouTube Playlist on Mormonism and Mike Licona's article series 'What to Say to Mormons.'
Presentation at my church 'home group' on the gospel of Mark, 16th Feb 2016. Includes an over-view of the structure of Mark's gosepl, an argument for the plausibility of thinking it was written by John Mark and published in Rome in 49 AD, a look at what we know about Mark from the New Testament, how Mark passes some standard historical tests (e.g. short time-gap, early manuscripts), an archaeological discovery relating to a passing comment made by Mark about the sons of Simon of Cyrene, and a discussion of the gospel's later 'long ending'.
Presentation made to the Southampton University Christian Union Apologetics Group, January 2016. Apologies for the intermittent 'sounds off' from some musicians! Recommended Resources Peter S. Williams, Biblical Prophecy YouTube Playlist www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQhh3qcwVEWgq_Hba52LXvmcUHR4T01oa https://beliefmap.org/prophecy-fulfilled/tyre/ John A. Bloom, ‘Is Fulfilled Prophecy of Value for Scholarly Apologetics?’ www.bethinking.org/is-christianity-true/is-fulfilled-prophecy-of-value-for-scholarly-apologetics Larry Brandt, ‘Messianic Prophecies – First Things First’ www.bethinking.org/is-the-bible-reliable/messianic-prophecies-first-things-first Kyle Butt, ‘Tyre in Prophecy’ www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=13&article=1790 Craig Davis, Dating the Old Testament (RJ Communications, 2007) James Deitz, ‘Christianity for the Technically Inclined: Risk Assessment, Probability, and Prophecy’ in Tough-Minded Christianity: Honoring the Legacy of John Warwick Montgomery (William A. Dembski & Thomas Schirrmacher ed.’s: B&H Academic, 2008) Hugh G. Gauch, Jr., ‘Best Practice for Prophecy Arguments’, Philosophia Christi, Volume 16, Number 2 (2014) Norman L. Geisler, ‘Miraculous Bible Prophecy Fulfilments’ (Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics) https://philosophical11.wordpress.com/2012/09/12/miraculous-bible-prophecy-fulfillments/#more-151 J.P Moreland, ‘The Historicity of the New Testament’ www.bethinking.org/is-the-bible-reliable/the-historicity-of-the-new-testament Robert C. Newman, ‘Daniel’s Seventy Weeks and the Old Testament Sabbath-Year Cycle’ http://apollos.ws/argument-from-prophecy/Daniel's%20Seventy%20Weeks%20and%20the%20Old%20Testament%20Sabbath-Year%20Cycle.pdf Robert C. Newman, ‘Fulfilled Prophecy as Miracle’ in In Defence of Miracles: A Comprehensive Case For God’s Action In History (R. Douglas Geivett & Gary R. Habermas ed.s’: Apollos, 1997) Robert C. Newman, John A. Bloom, and Hugh G. Gauch, Jr., ‘PUBLIC THEOLOGY AND PROPHECY DATA: FACTUAL EVIDENCE THAT COUNTS FOR THE BIBLICAL WORLD VIEW’ JETS 46/1 (March 2003) 79–110, www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PDFs/46/46-1/46-1-pp079-110_JETS.pdf Robert C. Newman ed., The Evidence of Prophecy (IBRI, 2001) William Paley, Evidences of Christianity (Bibiobazaar) Bernard Ramm, ‘The Evidence of Prophecy and Miracle’ http://biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/rev-henry/16_evidence_ramm.pdf Robert H. Stein, Jesus, The Temple And The Coming Son Of Man: A Commentary on Mark 13 (IVP Academic, 2014) J. Warner Wallace, ‘Fulfilled Prophecy’ http://coldcasechristianity.com/tag/fulfilled-prophecy/ Peter S. Williams, ‘The Design Inference – A Critical Review’, Philosophia Christi, Vol.9, No.2, 2007, www.bethinking.org/does-evolution-disprove-creation/the-design-inference-a-critical-review Peter S. Williams, Understanding Jesus: Five Ways to Spiritual Enlightenment (Paternoster, 2011) Peter S. Williams, ‘Luke 2:22-40: The Presentation at the Temple’ http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/luke-222-40-the-presentation-at-the-temple/?token=6d568dc904a6dc7bccf880c4d5136ddd Peter S. Williams, ‘Old Testament Prophecy: History and the Fate of Jerusalem in the Eight Century BC’ http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/old-testament-prophecy-history-and-the-fate-of-jerusalem-in-the-eigth-century-bc/?token=12a433fd528e3d673ada6130d3696b40
Talk from the 'Reasonable Faith?' meeting at Highfield Church, Southampton, 7th Feb 2016.
Peter S. Williams & Miriam Animashaun argue in the affirmative and Jonathan M.S. Pearce and Boaz Dicks argue in the negative in this debate conducted on Thursday 28th January at Southampton University. Organised by the Southhampton Atheist Society and the Christian Union, hosted by Southampton University Debating Society. This isn't my recording and was very quiet, but I've improved the quality somewhat using my Wave Pad editing suite.
Sermon on Psalm 48 from the 8 am service at Highfields Church, Southampton, 31st January 2016.
Sermon from the 11 am service at Highfield Church Southampton, Sunday January 3rd 2016.
End of term 'Reasonable Faith?' question panel with Niv Lobo, Peter May and myself. In the first half of the meeting, Niv had given his testimony and the first question relates to this.
Sermon on Psalm 93 from the 8 am service at Highfield Church, Southampton, November 22nd 2015.
The second of two teaching sessions with CARE interns, this time in London at CARE HQ on 13th November 2015. See Makoto Fujimura's Christian art, including 'Grace Foretold' @ http://www.makotofujimura.com/works/images-of-grace/ Salisbury Cathedral @ http://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/ Listen to the Iona song 'An atmosphere of miracles' @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcY-8TmAa_I Listen to the Roxy Music song 'In every dreamhome a heartache' @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPmMveU0dmc The opening credits of 'The Bridge' can be viewed @ https://youtu.be/ZdcrN9Vggck The opening scene of 'Blade Runner' can be viewed @ https://youtu.be/YaR5wVL9x2I Listen to Woolly Wolstenholme's song 'Blood and Bones' @ https://youtu.be/6Ma1ajjPuyY See the postmodern M2 Building in Tokyo @ http://www.archdaily.com/179653/ad-on-the-streets-m2-building-by-kengo-kuma
Talk from Highfield Church 'Reasonable Faith?' meeting, Sunday 15th November 2015. As a critique of evolutionary Christology I argue that the Epistle of James evinces a high Christology within a Jewish-Christian setting c. 12-27 years after the crucifixion (and that James was written by James the brother of Jesus).
Lecture to sixth form philosophy students at Downe House School, 10th November 2015. Antony Flew, Science & God - Handout Antony Flew: ‘Science qua science cannot furnish an argument for God’s existence. But… the laws of nature, life with its teleological organization, and the existence of the universe – can only be explained in the light of an Intelligence that explains both its own existence and that of the world. Such a discovery of the Divine does not come through experiments and equations, but through an understanding of the structure they unveil and map.’ Cosmological Argument from the Finite Past 1) There was a first physical event2) Every physical event has a cause outside of itself 2i) Anything contingent must have a cause outside of itself 2ii) Physical events are contingent 2iii) Therefore, every physical events must have a cause outside of itself3) Therefore, the first physical event had a cause outside of itself4) The cause of the first physical event can’t have been a physical cause5) Therefore, the first physical event had a non-physical cause outside of itself Dallas Willard: ‘the dependent character of all physical states, together with the completeness of the series of dependencies underlying the existence of any given physical state, logically implies at least one self-existent, and therefore nonphysical, state of being.’ - ‘The Three-Stage Argument for the Existence of God’, www.dwillard.org/articles/artview.asp?artID=42 Fine Tuning Design Argument 1) The fine-tuning of the universe is due to either physical necessity, chance, or design.2) It is not due to physical necessity or chance.3) Therefore, it is due to design. 1) Things exhibiting ‘specified complexity’ are probably designed2) The ‘fine tuning’ of the universe exhibits ‘specified complexity’3) The ‘fine tuning’ of the universe was probably designed
Design Argument from Biological Information 1) Things exhibiting ‘specified complexity’ are probably designed2) Life depends upon the ‘specified complexity’ of functional information encoded in genetic and epigenetic biological structures3) Therefore, the best explanation of life includes an appeal to design Recommended Resources http://antonyflew.com/www.reasonablefaith.org/www.peterswilliams.comWilliam Lane Craig, ‘The New Atheism and Five Arguments for God’ www.reasonablefaith.org/the-new-atheism-and-five-arguments-for-godAntony Flew with Roy Varghese, There Is A God (HarperOne, 2007)Rodney Holder, Big God, Big Bang: A Universe Designed For Life? (Lion, 2013)John C. Lennox, God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? (Lion, 2009)Stephen C. Meyer, Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design (HarperOne, 2009)Dallas Willard, ‘The Three-Stage Argument for the Existence of God’ www.dwillard.org/articles/artview.asp?artID=42Peter S. Williams, A Faithful Guide to Philosophy: A Christian Introduction to the Love of Wisdom (Paternoster, 2013)
Talk delivered at the 'Reasonable Faith?' course, Highfield Church, Southampton, October 18th 2015.
Sermon on the 2nd half of Psalm 19 from the 8 am service at Highfield Church Southampton, 27th September 2015.
Material from the Gimlekollen College Study Tour 2015. You can listen to the Roxy Music song discussed in this session @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPmMveU0dmc
Material from the Gimlekollen College Study Tour 2015. You can listen to the Iona song featured in this talk @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcY-8TmAa_I
Looking at how Big Bang cosmology played a role in bringing philosopher Antony Flew to believe in God. Part of the Gimlekollen College 2015 UK study tour.
I do some of my 'That's a Good Argument' conference material with Norwegian students from Gimlekollen College on the 2015 UK study tour - with the occasional bit of Norwegian translation/explanation.
Sermon on Psalm 19 from the 11 am service at Highfield Church Southampton, August 16th 2015.
Sermon on Philippians 3:7-4:1 from the 11 am service at Highfield Church, Southampton, 19th July 2015. At one point I mis-spoke and talked about desiring 'sinful perfection' instead of 'sinless perfection', but fortunately the context makes clear what I meant to say!
Interview conducted by Dr Grenville Kent (film producer and lecturer in Old Testament at Wesley Institute) intended as 'bonus feature' material for his 13 episode documentary series 'Bid Questions: Does God Exist?' (cf. http://www.bigquestions.com/)
Film-Maker and theologian Grenville Kent arranged to have an informal chat with me about consciousness and the theistic argument from consciousness at the 2015 European Leadership Forum. We sat down at a table in the hotel atrium, so you can hear a fountain in the background. Grenville flew me out to Sydney the following week to speak on camera about the subject... Here's a link to the Southampton University NDE study mentioned in this podcast http://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2014/10/07-worlds-largest-near-death-experiences-study.page
In this joint network session from the 2015 European Leadership Forum in Wisla, Poland, I am the respondent to a paper presented by Dr Peter J. Williams, warden of Tyndale House in Cambridge. The session is chaired by Dr Bruce Little and brought together the Philosophers, Advanced Apologetics, Scientists and Theologians Networks. Peter (P.J.) Williams was educated at Cambridge University, where he received his MA, MPhil and PhD, in the study of ancient languages related to the Bible. After his PhD, he was on staff in the Faculty of Divinity, Cambridge University (1997–1998), and thereafter taught Hebrew and Old Testament at Cambridge University as Affiliated Lecturer in Hebrew and Aramaic and as Research Fellow in Old Testament at Tyndale House, Cambridge (1998–2003). From 2003 to 2007 he was on the faculty of the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, where he became a Senior Lecturer in New Testament and Deputy Head of the School of Divinity, History and Philosophy. In July 2007 he became the youngest Warden in the history of Tyndale House. He also retains his position as an honorary Senior Lecturer in Biblical Studies at the University of Aberdeen and is a member of the Faculty of Divinity in the University of Cambridge. He is a member of the Translation Oversight Committee of the English Standard Version of the Bible.
European Leadership Forum Philosophy Network Session discussing The Argument from Desire, 31st May 2015. Chair: Dr Bruce A. Little. Respondant: Karis G. Riley. The discussion is based on a short paper on the argument from desire circulated to attendees prior to the meeting.
The second part of a pre-forum seminar delivered at the European Leadership Forum (ELF) in Wisla, Poland, May 30th 2015 (I forgot to record the first half! The forum did video it though, so hopefully the whole thing will appear on the web in the future).
Lecture on the nature of 'apologetics' with Q&A time, delivered at a DNA training day in London, 28th April, 2015.
Second of two Q&A sessions on the problem of evil from a conference on the subject held in Finland, April 11th 2015.
First of two Q&A sessions on the problem of evil from a conference on the subject held in Finland, April 11th 2015.
Second run-through of my workshop on the existential aspects of the problem of evil, conducted at a Finnish conference on the problem of evil, 11th April 2015 (and this time through I had enough time to include an interview clip featuring Gary R. Habermas at the end).
First of two workshops on the existential dimension of the problem of evil delivered in Finland, 11th April 2015.
Second of two lectures at a conference in Finland on the problem of evil, 11th April 2015.
First of two lectures at a conference in Finland on the problem of evil, 10th April 2015.
Q&A following my talk 'Why Believe That Jesus Rose From Death?' at Highfields Chruch Cardiff, hosted by Cardiff Institute for Contemporary Christianity, Easter 2015.
Lecture on the resurrection of Jesus hosted by the Cardiff Insistute for Contemporary Christianity at Highfields Church Cardiff, Easter 2015.
The featured presentation for discussion at a Gimlekollen College staff symposium, 7th April 2015. The article in The Atlantic briefly mentioned in this audio is 'Colleges Should Teach Religion to Their Students' by Marshall Poe, cf. http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/03/colleges-should-teach-religion-to-their-students/284296/ Elements of my presentation relate to ideas published in my Theofilos paper 'Apologetics in 3D', cf. http://www.bethinking.org/apologetics/apologetics-in-3d
Talk with Q&A from Highfield Church Southampton's 'Reasonable Faith?' course, Spring 2015.
Talk with Q&A from Highfield Church Southampton's 'Reasonable Faith?' course, Spring 2015.
I defend a version of the Ontological Argument in discussion with Oxford philosopher Peter Millican. Extracted from Justin Brierly's 'Unbelievable?' show on Premier Christian Radio - http://www.premierchristianradio.com/Shows/Saturday/Unbelievable - first broadcast 7th March 2015 and podcast here with permission.
Talk with Q&A from Highfield Church Southampton's 'Reasonable Faith?' course, Sunday 1st Feb 2015.
Sermon on Luke 18:35-42 from the 8 am service at Highfield Church Southampton, Sunday 15th Febuary 2015.
Lecture given at Sheffield University's 'Christians in Science' group, October 2014 (Q&A period begins at 55:14). Video of this event is available @ http://youtu.be/GkxCh45_VSc
Seminar illustrating some logical fallacies (self-contradiction, equivocation, begging-the-question) using quotations from David Hume and Richard Dawkins.
Lecture with Q&A, hosted by Dr Alistair Noble at Westwoodhill Evangelical Church, East Kilbride on Monday 3rd November 2014. This event was organized by 'Scientists in Congregations Scotland'(http://arts.st-andrews.ac.uk/scientistsincongregationsscotland/churches/).
Second seminar given at the School of Missional Disciple-Making at Above Bar Church, Southampton (cf. http://abovebarchurch.org.uk/engage/serve/school-of-missional-disciple-making).
Seminar on understanding spirituality through film for the School of Missional Disciple-Making at Above Bar Church, Southampton (cf. http://abovebarchurch.org.uk/engage/serve/school-of-missional-disciple-making).
Short talk on Daniel 1 delivered to Southampton University's Postgraduate Christian Fellowship.
The second of two talks I gave at the Autumn 2014 'Reasonable Faith?' course at Highfield Church Southampton.
The first of two talks I gave at the Autumn 2014 'Reasonable Faith?' course at Highfield Church Southampton.
Talk delivered during the Chaplaincy service at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland on Sunday 2nd November, 2014.
Sermon on Matthew 9:9-13 from the 8am service at Highfield Church Southampton, 21st September, 2014.
Sermon on Matthew 13:31-33 (the parables of the mustard seed and of the yeast) from the 8am service at Highfield Church Southampton, July 27th, 2014.
William Lane Craig interviewed by Peter S. Williams, Highfield Church Southampton, Sunday 13th July 2014.
Overview of 'The God Question' TV series (http://www.thegodquestion.tv/) with Dr. Lars Dahle & Peter S. Williams at the European Leadership Forum 2014 in Poland.
Overview of 'The God Question' TV series (http://www.thegodquestion.tv/) with Dr. Lars Dahle & Peter S. Williams at the European Leadership Forum 2014 in Poland.
Introductory remarks on the relationship between Christian Theology and the Natural Sciences (delivered with translation into Bulgarian).
Talk on scientism and religious knowledge delivered at the 2014 European Leadership Forum.
Third of three different deliveries of material on spirituality, the story of Daniel in Babylon and thriving as a Christian at University.
Second of three different deliveries of material on spirituality, the story of Daniel in Babylon and thriving as a Christian at University.
First of three different deliveries of material on spirituality, the story of Daniel in Babylon and thriving as a Christian at University.
Palm Sunday Sermon on Matthew 21:1-11, from the 8 am service at Highfield Church, Southampton.
Discussion followed by Q&A with Dale Ahlquist, president and co-founder of the American Chesterton Society, on the relationship between G.K. Chesterton and C.S. Lewis. Hosted by the Aquinas Centre in the Waldegrave Drawing Room in St. Mary's University, Twickenham, 1st April 2014.
Talk on the apostle Paul looking at his famous speech in Athens and how Paul had gone from persecutor of Christians to Christian preacher. This talk was given at the 2014 'Reasonable Faith?' course at Highfield Church, Southampton.
This talk focuses upon what Jesus' miracles say about his self-image. Given at the 2014 'Reasonable Faith?' course at Highfield Church, Southampton.
My first talk at the current 'Reasonable Faith?' course at Highfield Church, Southampton.
I was a guest on the Christmas edition of Southampton's 'Unity 101' FM Community Radio's 'Faith on Sunday' show. Here is that show with the music and some of the repeated jingles edited out. Re-podcast with permission.
My brief opening statement from the panel discussion on C.S. Lewis at the Westminster Institute day-conference celebrating Lewis held in St. Margaret's church, Westminster.
Extemporaneous talk with Greek translation given during the evening service at First Evangelical Church in Athens.
Sermon on the parable of 'The Pharisee and the Tax Collector', delivered at Highfield Church, Southampton.
Lecture given at the 2013 Summit Oxford C.S. Lewis conference, delivered in the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Oxford.
A day-conference on 'scientism' organised by the Centre For Inquiry & the British Humanist Association, hosted by Dr Stephen Law and with presentations from Peter S. Williams, Dr Peter Atkins and Dr David Papineau, followed by Q&A with the audience.
European Leadership Forum 2013, post-forum conference, Gimlekollen apologetics course - Session 2 or 2: Some more theistic arguments (moral, cosmological & fine-tuning design arguments) & the Resurrection.
European Leadership Forum 2013, post-forum conference, Gimlekollen apologetics course - Session 1 of 2: Introduction & the Ontological Argument
Talk delivered to the philosopher's track of the European Leadership Forum 2013 in Poland.
Seminar from the 2013 'Unbelievable?' apologetics conference in London, with Fuz Rana and Q&A time.
My recording of discussion on Premier Radio's 'Unbelievable?' show with atheist philosopher A.C. Grayling about three arguments for theism mentioned in his book 'The God Argument'.
Sermon on the parable of the talents from Matthew 25. Delivered to the 8am service at Highfield Church Southampton.
Talk about Damaris schools work and 'C.S. Lewis vs the New Atheists' at a church men's breakfast group in Hampshire
The official book launch for 'C.S. Lewis vs the New Atheists' at the Oxford C.S. Lewis Society, March 2013.
Debate on the existence of God between Peter S. Williams and Professor Christopher Norris at Cardiff University, Feb 19th 2013.
Second presentation of children's talk on Jesus as a role model at Highfields Church Cardiff, 2012.
Talk and discussion on some arguments for God at the Southampton 'Navigators' student group, November 2012.
My final talk from the 2012 'Reasonable Faith?' course at Highfield Church Southampton.
My fourth talk from the autumn 2012 'Reasonable Faith?' course at Highfield Church Southampton.
My third talk at the autumn 2012 'Reasonable Faith?' course at Higfield Church Southampton.
2012 European Leadership Forum lecture on 'C.S. Lewis vs. the New Atheists' - the subject of my forthcoming book by the same title.
2012 European Leadership Forum interview about my book 'Understanding Jesus' (Paternoster 2011).
2012 European Leadership Forum seminar giving an overview of my book 'Understanding Jesus' (Paternoster, 2011).
Lecture with Q&A delivered in English at Eastern European Bible College in Romania, May 2012.
Lecture (partly in Romanian) with Q&A and Romanian translation hosted by the Philosophy Department at The West University of Timişoara, Romania, May 2012.
A brief discussion of how the new atheists misrepresent the cosmological argument for God.
Peter S. Williams joins Luke Pollard in teaching his A level students at Bryanston School about modern development of the ontological argument for God.
1st talk from 2012's term one 'Reasonable Faith?' course at Highfield Church, Southampton.
My second slot in the Autumn 2011 'Reasonable Faith?' course at Highfield Church Southampton.
My first slot in the Autumn 2011 'Reasonable Faith?' course at Highfield Church Southampton.
My opening speech to the Cambridge Union Society proposing the motion 'This house believes that God is not a Delusion', October 2011.
Post lecture Q&A at the Regional Archaeological Museum, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, September 2011.
Overview of several arguments from my book Understanding Jesus. Talk to Norwegian students at L'Abri, Hampshire.
Teaching Norwegian students Aristotelian logic and basic epistemology at L'Abri, Hampshire.
King's Community Church Southampton, 'Wrestling With Faith' (10/08/11), Week 3, Talk 2.
King's Community Church Southampton, 'Wrestling With Faith' (10/08/11), Week 3, Talk 1.
King's Community Church Southampton, 'Wrestling With Faith' (03/08/11), Week 2, Talk 2.
King's Community Church Southampton, 'Wrestling With Faith' (03/08/11), Week 2, Talk 1.
King's Community Church Southampton, 'Wrestling With Faith' (27/07/11), Week 1, Talk 1.
Talk from the Advanced Apologetics Network at the European Leadership Forum (Hungry 2011).
3 of 3 sessions from a course based on William Lane Craig's 'Reasonable Faith' textbook
2 of 3 sessions from a course based on William Lane Craig's 'Reasonable Faith' textbook
1 of 3 sessions from a course based on William Lane Craig's 'Reasonable Faith' textbook
Peter's final Reasonable Faith? talk of the spring 2011 course at Highfield Church, Southampton.
A-Level philosophy session at Collingwood School on Meta-Ethics and the Moral Argument for Theism
Lecture delivered to the University of York Postgraduate Christian Fellowship, Dec 9th 2010.
Talk given at the 'Christians in Science' Student Conference, London, 27th November, 2010.
Summary of five objections to the neo-atheist movement. Recorded at Highfield Church Cardiff, 13th November 2010.
The longer of two talks on 'The Real Jesus' delivered at Highfields Church Cardiff, 14th November 2010.
The shorter of two talks on 'The Real Jesus' delivered at Highfields Church Cardiff, 14th November 2010.
Talk with Q&A given at Fareham Community Church's Reasonable Faith group, 9th November 2010.
Talk and extended Q&A time at Sussex University, February 2010 - with apologies for the below par audio quality.
Talk at the Reasonable Faith? course, Highfield Church, Southampton, Oct 31st 2010 (made with a dying laptop).
A recent talk given to the Tyndale Fellowship philosophy group at Tyndale House, Cambridge.
Talk given at the European Leadership Forum in Eger, Hungary, May 2010. [Series Title: The Christian Worldview in Apologetic Perspective.]
Talk given at the European Leadership Forum in Eger, Hungary, May 2010. [Series Title: The Christian Worldview in Apologetic Perspective.]
Talks at the European Leadership Forum in Eger, Hungary, May 2010. [Series Title: The Christian Worldview in Apologetic Perspective.]
A talk on 'the historical reliability of the canonical gospels' which includes a Q&A time.
A talk on the meaning of apologetics, delivered at the 'Reasonable Faith' course at Highfield Church, Southampton on Sunday 17th Jan 2010
The talk exposes the new atheist's misrepresentation of 'faith' and looks at three self-contradictions within new atheist thinking.
Peter S Williams is interviewed by Dr Lars Dahle, Principal of Gimlekollen School of Journalism & Communication in Norway.
A talk given at Collingwood School on Monday November 2nd on 'The Doctor - Messiah or Materialist?'.
'The Damaris Approach - How Paul in Athens Provides a Biblical Basis for Engaging with Popular Culture through Classical Rhetoric Lecture given to BA students at Gimlekollen School of Journalism and Communication in Norway.
Margunn Dahle introduces Peter S. Williams to students at Gimlekollen School of Journalism and Communication in Norway, Aug 09. Short Interview.
Church youth talk on reasons to believe in the Christian God, with Q&A - Norwegian translation by Bjørn Hinderaker.
This material was delivered to BA students at Gimlekollen School of Journalism and Communication in Norway on a Christian analysis of Doctor Who, covering on both the role of Monsters in Doctor Who and the character of the Doctor.
How Daleks tell us the same things about ourselves as the Bible. The content of the Dr Who clips is clear from the presentation but for copyright reasons they are not included.
This presentation will definitely be best appreciated by those who watch the film first!