Dale Tuggy Comments on His Debate with William Lane Craig

Sean Finnegan interviews Dale Tuggy about his debate with William Lane Craig on whether the Bible teaches the Trinity. They discuss Dr. Craig's minimalist definition of the Trinity, his church history gap theory, and his smattering of proof texts for the deity of Christ.

[cognoscenticycles]

In my humble opinion the only way to win this argument with trinitarians is to stick strictly to scripture and avoid any aspects of philosophy and church history and church councils. In the end the only thing that matters is what the inspired word of God says. A working knowledge of both Hebrew and Koine Greek will go a long way in dismantling flawed argumentation from trinitarians. Without out this knowledge you are taking a knife to a gun battle.

[Kristy_not_Kristine]

This has been so interesting, thank you!

[annieBBL]

Here's how I've come to understand Thomas's exclamation.
Jesus is the physical manifestation of the abstract Logos - the thought and discourse of God. See Jesus, see all the content and character of God's Logos i.e. see God.
When the penny finally dropped for Thomas and he "saw/understood" this, he rightly exclaimed
" (I see) my Lord (Jesus Messiah) and (in Him I see) my God"
or
" (You, Jesus Messiah are) my Lord and ( you are the perfect representation of ) my God. Simple.

[MainPointMinistries]

I watched the debate. It was pretty decent. I felt that midway through Dr. Tuggy allowed Dr. Craig to change the conversation from the Trinity to the Deity of Christ. It was a clear strategic move by Dr. Craig in order to control the conversation, because the Trinity itself is hard to defend explicitly from scripture, while the Deity of Christ is somewhat easier to defend from scripture. In addition I'm sure Dr Craig knows that most unitarians don't believe in the deity of Christ in terms of His pre-existence, so I believe him switching the argument was another way of discrediting Unitarianism, which Dr Craig admitted during the discussion. Dr Craig is indeed a skilled debater. If Dr. Tuggy would have insisted that the conversation remain on target with a discussion of the Trinity, I think the outcome would have been even more convincing in his favor. Just my thoughts.

[IntegritySyndicate]

I really enjoyed this discussion and also did a review show on my channel. Dr. Tuggy makes so many very strong points. I hope other Trinitarian heavyweights will be brave enough to engage with him.

[shawnembrey]

Do you think Grandville sharps rule of contextual understanding was influenced by His trinity lens. Is Grandville sharps rule necessary for literature understanding. I believe Grandvile Sharps rule is a deception that takes away from understanding the text as written with the understanding of the writer.

[InvestigadorTJ]

This was the closest thing between to a debate between William Lane Craig and a Jehovahs Witness. I would have love to see a debate between William Lane Craig and Greg Stafford (JW) or vs Dr. Edgar Foster, PhD in theology and philosophy and a JW or with Hal Flemings Prof of Hebrew and a JW and former JW debater in Biola University with a trinitarian theologian

[samuelcallai]

I thank God for that debate, it was when I was introduced to unitarianism and now I don't have to throw my brain away to be a Christian anymore.

[philiphinsley]

A very helpful discussion. What about talking about the effect of antisemitism on the early church?

[annieBBL]

Dale you spoke reason and truth. You tied him in knots. Well done.

[mikeoc]

I listen to all of Dale's wisdom. I was shunned from a church for not believing the God's of Alexandria. Thank God I found a Abrahamic church almost the same distance. 👍🏻🙏🏼😇💯🌅

[CD-CH-EB]

I think Dale is probably one of the most intellectually honest Christian philosopher or apologist, which makes him so convincing. He doesn't go as hard on points as he can, Instead remaining more neutral, willing to give the opposition points here and there; which makes the points he hangs on to so much more convincing. I think most people just spend eight years getting a degree so they think "oh I can't answer I don't know" when it comes to issues but it just kills their credibility when they act like they know something that's so unsure. Dale doesn't do that. Good job dale!

[geoffreyvanwyk]

The question at the end of Proverbs 30 verse 4 shows that the name of God is not obvious to everyone.

Proverbs 30 verse 4: Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?

The name of God is hidden. Part of Jesus' ministry was to make it known.

John 17 verse 6: I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

[sbd]

I'd be interested in seeing a debate between James White and Dale Tuggy. White is not a philosopher and Tuggy's not a theologian so it'd be kinda like Tuggy vs Brown part 2 but White is more versed on the Trinity so it'd be interesting to see how he would react to philosophical scrutiny by Tuggy.

[fp]

First, thank you to both of you for your efforts and dedication in defending the very simple biblical fact that there is only one true God, the Father. Secondly, I have recently been trying to figure out why people are so attached to the trinity dogma, and refuse to even attempt to disprove it. One reason that I think is a factor in this powerfully emotional attachment is something called groupthink. The more I read studies about groupthink the more I am convinced that this is a very large scale example of groupthink. In hundreds of studies, people will go along with a notion that is outrageously false and detached from reality just so they don't have to be excluded from a group that they care about or identify with. There is sadly only a small percentage of the population that is willing to be "disruptive" and point out facts that contrast the groupthink belief. Stay strong, gents, and God bless you.

[CD-CH-EB]

WCvDT2: Vengeance. Coming to theaters near you this never. If only... 😮‍💨

[wilhelmlorenz]

I really appreciate and Enjoy listening 🎧 to you Two Gentlemen because your explanations make a lot of Sense to me. Also it's very very close to what I got out of reading The BIBLE!!🤔💬🧬 The Book of Life 🧬 in My opinion 🤔, actually I've read Two different versions of the Bible and it's clear to me that The Father is the only GOD their IS? and JESUS TAUGHT THIS!🤔GOD BLESS YOU TWO GENTLE MEN 🙏🏻😇❤️👋...

[marvelloussitamulaho]

Isn’t it quite straightforward that God almighty is the Father and he has a son and the Holy Spirit is like “Energy”?

[peterrabbit]

Professor Tuggy is getting better at debating, more nuanced philosophically supporting biblical verses.

Do all three "persons" in the Trinity have a will of their own?? Jesus clearly alludes he and the Father each have a separate will. This suggests separate beings

[williamtolbert]

The arguments about the Trinity Doctrine to me is very Pagan as someone who came out of the Occult to Salvation in Christ Jesus. All pagan Religions have a Trinity Doctrine with many gods attached to it. Monotheism on the other hand teaches ONE GOD THEORY. I myself when someone speaks on the Trinity issues, I think of many gods not the Biblical God the Father and His Son Jesus the Christ. The Reformers never went far enough in their break with Roman Catholicism especially with the God Head. Because very few Christians spend time learning Church History few Christians Know little about the Trinity except what they get from their 501-C3 Church. And that My brothers will create Apostate Protestantism which will bow to the Roman Anti-Christ, New World Order Beast System. ONE WORLD RELIGION. THE TRINITY DOCTRINE SHOULD BE AXED AND IN IT'S PLACE BIBLICAL UNITARIANISM. BUT ROMAN WOULD BE VERY UPSET BECAUSE HER APOSTATE SONS AND DAUGHTERS IN THE MAIN-LINE CHURCHES WOULD NOT BE SO FAST AS TO RUN BACK TO HER, AS THEY ARE DOING NOW WITH THEIR FALSE DOCTRINES OF THE JESUITS THAT HAVE INVADED THE SO- CALLED PROTESTANT CHURCHES AND SEMINARIES.