Get Ready For This

Aaaaaand this is the first official post of the RealApologetics blog, by yours truly, Jamin Hubner, the ministry founder. Since this is the first of Lord willing, thousands of blog posts, it’s obviously a good idea to lay out the primary goals of this blog, my ministry, and why this blog out of cazillions is actually worth your time.

My goal in this blog, as in my ministry, and in all things, in first and foremost to honor and glorify God.

Now that’s boring.

I can’t think of a more over-used, misunderstood, and yet still underrated phrase from the Christianese language, especially in recent times. I mean, if this is really why I’m writing, why I worked hard and paid the money for this domain, and why I exist as a human being on planet earth from 1987 to hopefully around 2060 or something, then I had darn well better explain myself, wouldn’t you agree? If we’re honest with ourselves, at least for a moment, “To glorify God” is frankly a meaningless catch phrase, a cop-out from giving a real explanation, and even more obvious, a detrimental crutch to Reformed theologians. Because thinkers who are from the “Reformed” school of thought believe that all things, no matter what they are, and all events, no matter what happened, will absolutely positively result in the 100% glorification of God end of story. All things exist by God, and for God. That means, it is impossible to not glorify God, because all things will inevitably end up in glorifying God, even the punishment of sinners who never repented from their sin, correct? So, no matter what I write on this blog, no matter what happens in my life or what decisions I so feel inclined to actuate, all of it will result in God’s glory. So how on earth could saying “I do this to glorify God” bring any meaning to anything I do whatsoever?

Whoooaa hooo you say. That isn’t what the Reformers meant by Soli Deo Gloria. That’s not what the Westminster Confession of faith meant by saying we live “to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” That’s not what (i.e.) John Piper means when he’s preaching.

And you’re mostly right. That isn’t what Reformed theology means by saying “we should glorify God in everything.” What the Reformers – and all Christians, I would argue – mean by saying we should glorify God is that we should intentionally glorify God. Granted, all things exist for God, but not all things are consciously aware of that. Granted, all events will ultimately glorify God, but not all events occured by human instruments for that specific purpose.

The point? Don’t ever say “I just want to glorify God” if you plan on remaining ignorant of the fact that it is intentionality and an attitude of conscious worship that is really what is glorifying to God, not simply repeating the phrase. The disclaimer to glorify God is not an infallible guarantee that ensures that we really are glorifying God for activity x, y or z. What then is glorification? Exaltation. Lifting up. Making God look good. That’s what bringing God glory means. So, I guess the first implication that comes to mind of this simple reality is, if you’re glorifying of God brings more attention to yourself than to God, you’re probably not doing what you’re saying you’re doing. Your disclaimer amounts to nothing.

We could talk alot about that in the context of the New Testament, but we should save it for another time. For now, I just wanted to rattle your skulls a little to realize that when a person like myself says “I want to glorify God” through this ministry and blog, you shouldn’t let that person off the hook (or give them credit) so fast. The judgment and criticism should be upped 10 fold,  just as you should any other Christian who makes that claim. Why? It’s serious work intentionally glorifying God, and there’s lots of posers in the church. Saying “I just want to give God glory” is often another way of saying “I’m too lazy to think about my theology any deeper right now, let’s not get too complicated with the details.”

I pray God will search my heart, and find this blog and RealApologetics.org worthy of the label “God-glorifying.” I hope you’ll feel the same way, and judge this ministry and my heart on the basis of fruits and not disclaimers. So, that’s where I stand as far as ultimate  purpose is concerned. How else can I show that this blog and ministry is glorifying to God? Click here for the RealApologetics difference.

This blog is a more informal expression of my thoughts in the field of intellectual Christianity. Topics will range from everything to…everything. You can find more refined scholarship and research on the ministry website http://www.realapologetics.org/scholarship/ . This way I can maintain scholarly articles at one location, and keep this blog moving faster at a different location without the need for lengthy articulations. But I should outline what I have behind me for study and what I have ahead of me for study, just so you know what I know about and what I’m interesting in, because that experience and those interests will determine the direction of this blog and the ministry.

Behind me:

1. The Saving Grace of God (first edition) – I converted to “Calvinism” (eep! Yes, I’m one of those) at 17, and published a book on it at 19. It was poorly written, and I didn’t realize the fellow I was responding to was a “Hyper-Dispensationalist.” I’m currently 3/5 done with re-writing it. It should be finished this fall, a 350 page paperback by BookSurge.

2. Light Up the Darkness: Christianity, Calvinism, and Coherence in the Film I Am Legend
- This is the mother of all “Faith and film” books. Unfortunately, not many Christians have recognized this, let alone apologists who have also published on the subject (i.e. Faith, Film and Philosophy). I wrote an exhaustive analysis of the movie I Am Legend, and argued that only the Christian worldview can account for the idea of story, the themes that drive people to movie theatres, etc. If you like analyzing movies in light of your Christian worldview, you must buy this book:

3. The Portable Presuppositionalist (2009) - This is going to be released (hopefully!) in two weeks. I’ll reserve comments until then. But,  next to Reformed Soteriology, the ideology of Cornelius Van Til and Greg Bahnsen is probably my most knowledgeable area.

4. Formal Education - I earned a BA in Theology from Dordt College, a Reformed (Neo-Calvinist) institution in Iowa. I took Greek, theology, and a few philosophy courses.

Ahead of me:

1. My current writing projects include the second edition of my first book, which will contain original sections on “how to do theology” and “Hyper-Dispensationalism.” It should be the most thorough and scholarly writing on the subject of Hyper-Dispensationalism. It also, of course, contains a multi-chaptered discussion on the Calvinism and Arminianist debate. In case you were wondering, I fall under the “8-point Calvinist” boat, with a “soft-determinist” or “compatibilist” slant on the philosophical free-choice/determinism issue.

2. After that, hopefully in the winter of 2009 or Summer of 2010, I plan on doing writing on neurophilosophy. I’ve built up a small library on the subject. Lord willing, I’ll write an “introduction to biblical anthropology, the mind-body problem, and neurophilosophy” and post it under the Scholarship section of realapologetics.org sometime in the future (contribute to the project). The long term goal is a doctoral dissertation of about 500 pages, perhaps entitled “The Consciousness Controversy.” It will contain an original biblical anthropology and historical discussion of how philosophers and Christians have understood consciousness – and eventually relate it to today’s “Mind-body problem,” and of course, the ethical implications (i.e. pulling the plug on “brain-dead” patients, etc.). Why? Because there’s no one addressing the topic of consciousness and neuroscience from a Reformed perspective who doesn’t believe in macroevolution, that I know of.  And that has affected the entire field of study for over a century (in a negative way), make no mistake. Neuroscience is exploding, in both significance to society and in the realm of science and education. Contribute:

3. I also have a small library and desire to right on the gender controversy. I’m discontent with both the arguments of complimentarians (i.e. Biblical Manhood and Womanhood) and Egalitarians (Discovering Biblical Equality). Conservatives want to overemphasize the differences of the sexes, while theological liberals want to overemphasize the similarities. The result of both extremes has been extreme behaviors: (for example) banning women from preaching the gospel and sending them back to the kitchen, or, forcing women to run for a pastorate. Contribute:

By the way, if you have objections or questions about anything, email them to here with “question” in the subject line, and I’ll respond to it over the air on my podcast if it’s appropriate and I have time. The RealApologetics podcast will have a regular “your mail” segment, as well as book reviews.

4. Lord willing, I’ll finish seminary (MA Christian Thought) in 2012.

That will have to do for the first post. Hopefully the podcast, donation option, and website will be getting up and running in the next few weeks.

For the saints and the Lamb,

Jamin Hubner