Apologetics to the Glory of God

An Acceptance of Paul Baird's Debate Challenge

On April 29, 2011 I linked to Sye TenBruggencate’s debates which I had not, at the time, listened to.

Paul Baird responded:

Transcript of the Second Debate that I had with Sye Tenbruggebcate is here – http://patientandpersistent.blogspot.com/2011/03/second-debate-transcript-work-in.html

One review is here – http://deeperwaters.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/presuppositional-apologetics-on-unbelievable/

Strangely all of Syes previous supporters appear to have vanished and none have offered any congratulations on his performance.

Maybe you guys have offered support.

In response to this comment I wrote:

Thank you for the links.

As I mentioned in the post, I have not gotten around to listening to these exchanges yet. Perhaps after I get the opportunity to do so I can offer my own comments or further examine things in the context of a debate with you.

I have not given much thought to any of this since.

Last night I happened across Paul’s blog and left a comment:

Paul,

Could you remind me (and your other readers) again of where to find the first and second debates you did with Sye? Do you have any others?

Finally, would you be interested in setting something up with me in the future?

Thanks,
C.L. Bolt

After looking around for a few minutes I found that on June 12 Paul had actually challenged me to debate :

It’s been an interesting few days and I feel refreshed and definitely ready, if not downright keen, for a third debate.

However, as Sye is not willing, Eric is not willing, Living Waters and Dan are silent I’m looking for other opponents to debate on the issue.

I’d prefer a face to face debate, with myself and Justin Schieber against two supporters of Presuppositional Apologetics, although an alternative over Skype would be ok too. Classic debate format, and at least an hour in length.

So the challenge is out there, specifically to

Dr K Scott Oliphant
Dr Doug Wilson
James White
Jamin Hubner
Chris Bolt
Dustin Seegars.

Sye, as you have demurred you can just be a spectator.

Timescale would be sometime in July or August.

I don’t think I’d realised just how much counter-apologetic material was out there but I’m steadily working my way through it all and my original view, that there is a fundamental fault underlying Presupositional Apologetics, remains unchanged.

Elsewhere Paul had written:

Chris Bolt at Choosing Hats has changed his comment policy following my post on his blog about the Second Debate and hasn’t challenged me even after listening to the debate.

There was also some discussion here that I had missed out on:

Chris has changed his comments policy over at Choosing Hats so that only Christians can post but before he did I posted a comment on his brief note on the second debate.

I’ve heard nothing since and I do check back quite often as he is put forward as a bit hitter on the Presupp side and I would value his view.

Not only has Chris been suggested by also Dr Oliphint.

After a couple of months off I’m ok to look at the subject again.

I do not know whether or not there has been any further discussion concerning a possible debate with me (or others) with the exception that Paul did just this last week debate Sye for a third time. In response to all of this I wrote:

Paul,

I think I dropped the ball. My apologies.

I was unaware of you mentioning me on your blog until just now. I still have not listened to the debates since I linked to them on Choosing Hats. In fact, I had forgotten that I did so.

My forgetfulness aside, I am still interested.

Thanks,
C.L. Bolt

Today I finally had the opportunity to listen to Paul’s previous debates with Sye and found them enjoyable.

The purpose of this post is to summarize what has led up to this post and to make it known publicly that I will gladly debate Paul Baird if he is still willing to debate me.

Paul may contact me at chrisbolt@ymail.com (I have not received any email from him as of yet) or respond on his blog.

Thanks!


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One response to “An Acceptance of Paul Baird's Debate Challenge”

  1. […] well to Jamin Hubner, Dustin Seegars, and me. Once I learned of the debate challenge I accepted it here. Since then, Paul and I have been setting up a debate on […]

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