First hour of White vs. Barker Debate Released

The first hour of the James White vs. Daniel Barker debate entitled “Was Jesus a Myth?” was recently released. The debate took place on September 26th, 2009 in Newberg, Oregon.

Dan Barker went to college at Azuza Pacific University and is the founder and President of the Freedom from Religion Foundation. He plays Jazz piano and composed over 200 songs. As a member of the Prometheus Society, his books (i.e. Godless) have been endorsed by atheists such as Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens. Barker left Christianity in 1984.

James R. White is the director of Alpha and Omega Ministries, a Christian apologetics organization based out of Phoenix, AZ. He earned a BA from Grand Canyon University majoring in Biology, an MA in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary, and Th.M, Th.D and D.Min degrees from Columbia Evangelical Seminary. He has taught theology, apologetics, and the original languages at Golden Gate Baptist Seminary and Grand Canyon University, and written over twenty books, including The King James Only Controversy, The Potter’s Freedom, and The Roman Catholic Controversy. He has been in over 80 moderated debates with figures like Bart Ehrman, Marcus Borg, Robert Funk, John Shelby Spong, and John Dominic Crossan.

The event was not a good day for the cause of atheism. Barker interrupted James White’s opening statements apparently because Dr. White quoted from one of his books. This was obviously strange, since it is custom and a sign of good scholarship to quote from the primary sources that are directly concerned with the subject of the debate. The best way to ensure that your opponent’s view is being fairly represented is to quote directly from their published works. Yet, Barker said that Dr. White isn’t allowed to quote from his books because “I may have changed my mind since then”! Never before in White’s extensive 80+ debate history has he had anyone interrupt his opening statements – and certainly not for something so bizarre. Dr. White, the moderator, and the audience were speechless, and finally moved on as soon as Barker came to his senses.

White debated Barker earlier this year at the University of Illinois over the question “Does the Triune God of Scripture Live?” with White taking the affirmative and Barker the negative. Click here to purchase the DVD, or here to watch samples of that debate.