Peter S Williams

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-casc

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 cho

Lecture about preparing a sermon, delivered for NLA University, March 15th 2021.

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.  A

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.