Having had several years to think about the conundrum, Howe has provided a response to my question. He posted an article on his blog on June 18, 2020 entitled “How do I know that I know?” I appreciate the effort and I will respond here in the same iron-sharpening-iron spirit. Has Howe provided a satisfactory answer to the epistemological challenge? His article is in purple text, with my comments in black.
What does it mean for something to be supernatural? We might think of the parting of the Red Sea, Jesus turning water into wine, the resurrection of Lazarus, or even the creation of the universe as supernatural events. These are all great examples of God’s power. But is that what makes them supernatural? Isn’t the normal operation of the universe also an example of God’s power? After all, the universe continues to exist only because God upholds it by the expression of His power (Hebrews 1:3).
Apologetics is the defense of the Christian Faith. According to 1 Peter 3:15, when unbelievers ask a Christian to give an explanation for why he or she believes in Christ, the Christian should be ready to give a rational defense of the Christian worldview. The Greek word translated as “defense” or “answer” in this verse is ‘apologia,’ which is where we get the term apologetics. However, Christians often disagree on what is the best way of defending the faith. Consequently, there are several different methods of apologetics.
Many people have the impression that the Church is God’s institution and that the government is not. Consequently, the Church must abide by the Bible in all matters, but the government must stay away from religious matters. After all, isn’t there a separation of Church and state? In reality, both the Church and the state are God’s institutions and both are morally obligated to abide by biblical principles. When a government functions in the way God has specified, it is a blessing to all the people. But a government that will not follow biblical principles inevitably becomes a tyrannical “beast” that oppresses its own citizens.
Some of the smallest members of our solar system have been known since antiquity. Comets were very mysterious objects to the ancient world. They had an unusual “hairy” appearance.[1] Unlike planets, comets seemed to follow no predictable path. They appeared at an unpredictable time, brightened and moved in unpredictable ways, and faded into oblivion. Many cultures considered comets to be omens.