EXPERT WITNESSES
I’ve yet to bring an investigation to trial without the assistance of expert witnesses who testified about specific and detailed aspects of the evidence. The following expert witnesses may be called to the stand as you make a case for the claims of Christianity.
Chapter 1:
DON’T BE A “KNOW-IT-ALL”
J. P. Moreland and William Lane Craig
Will testify to the philosophical biases and presuppositions that impact issues of faith and reason in their book, Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview (InterVarsity Press, 2003).
Chapter 2:
LEARN HOW TO “INFER”
Gary Habermas and Michael Licona
Will testify to the minimal facts and evidences related to the resurrection in their book, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus (Kregel, 2004).
Chapter 3:
THINK “CIRCUMSTANTIALLY”
William Lane Craig
Will testify to the causal evidence related to the cosmological argument in his book The Kalām Cosmological Argument (Wipf & Stock, 2000).
John Leslie
Will testify to the fine-tuning evidence related to the anthropic principle in his book Universes (Taylor & Francis, 2002).
Neil Manson
Will testify to the design evidence related to the teleological argument in his book God and Design: The Teleological Argument and Modern Science (Routledge, 2003).
Paul Copan and Mark Linville
Will testify to the moral evidence related to the axiological argument in their book The Moral Argument (Continuum Publishers, 2013).
Chapter 4:
TEST YOUR WITNESSES
Richard Bauckham
Will testify to the nature of the New Testament Gospels as eyewitness accounts of the life of Jesus in his book Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony (Eerdmans, 2006).
Bruce Metzger
Will testify to the early collection of the eyewitness accounts and their formation into the New Testament in his book The Canon of the New Testament: Its Origin, Development, and Significance (Oxford University Press, 1997).
Chapter 5:
HANG ON EVERY WORD
Craig Blomberg
Will testify to the “forensic” methods of “textual criticism” that can be employed to study the Gospels and discuss some of the conclusions that can be drawn from this effort in his book The Historical Reliability of the Gospels (InterVarsity Press, 2007).
Daniel B. Wallace
Will testify to what can be learned “forensically” about the early transmission of the New Testament documents in the compilation Revisiting the Corruption of the New Testament: Manuscript, Patristic, and Apocryphal Evidence (Kregel, 2011).
Chapter 6:
SEPARATE ARTIFACTS FROM EVIDENCE
Michelle Brown
Will testify to the early formation of the biblical text, while exhibiting a number of ancient biblical manuscripts in her book In the Beginning: Bibles before the Year 1000 (Smithsonian, 2006).
Philip Comfort
Will testify to the nature of the early New Testament papyrus manuscripts and the methodology used to re-create the original accounts in his book Early Manuscripts & Modern Translations of the New Testament (Wipf & Stock, 2001).
Chapter 7:
RESIST CONSPIRACY THEORIES
William McBirnie
Will testify to the nature of the lives and deaths of the apostles who claimed to see the resurrection of Jesus in his book The Search for the Twelve Apostles (Tyndale, 2008).
Chapter 8:
RESPECT THE “CHAIN OF CUSTODY”
Mark D. Roberts
Will testify to the historical manuscript evidence and early appearance of the biblical record in his book Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007).
Mike Aquilina
Will testify to the writings and teachings of the early church fathers in his book The Fathers of the Church, Expanded Edition (Our Sunday Visitor, November 2006).
Chapter 9:
KNOW WHEN “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”
David Wolfe
Will testify to how we come to “know” something is true in his book, Epistemology: The Justification of Belief (InterVarsity Press, 1983).
William Rowe
Will testify to the classic atheist presentations of the “problem of evil” and the classic defenses (theodicies) that have been offered by theists in his book God and the Problem of Evil (Wiley-Blackwell, 2001).
Chapter 10:
PREPARE FOR AN ATTACK
Craig Evans
Will testify to the assumptions and dubious sources that account for some of the theories and tactics that have been employed by skeptics in Fabricating Jesus: How Modern Scholars Distort the Gospels (InterVarsity Press, 2006).
Gregory Koukl
Will testify to successful and reasoned approaches that can be employed by those who seek to defend the Christian worldview in Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions (Zondervan, 2009).
Chapter 11:
WERE THEY PRESENT?
Jean Carmignac
Will testify to the Semitic origin of the synoptic gospels and how they were formed amid the Jewish culture of the first half of the first century in his book, Birth of the Synoptic Gospels (Franciscan Herald Press, October 1987).
John Wenham
Will testify to an alternate theory about the early dating of the Gospels (that places Matthew ahead of Mark) by comparing the Gospels to one another and to the writings and records of the church fathers in his book Redating Matthew, Mark and Luke: A Fresh Assault on the Synoptic Problem (InterVarsity Press, March 1992).
Chapter 12:
WERE THEY CORROBORATED?
Peter Schafer
Will testify to the ancient Jewish references to Jesus that are scattered throughout the Talmud in his book Jesus in the Talmud (Princeton University Press, 2009).
R. T. France
Will testify to the nonbiblical ancient sources that corroborate the existence of Jesus in his book The Evidence for Jesus (Regent College, 2006).
John McRay
Will testify to the archaeological corroboration of the New Testament in his book Archaeology and the New Testament (Baker, 2008).
Shimon Gibson
Will testify (as an archaeologist) to the archaeological evidence that corroborates the final days of Jesus’s life in his book The Final Days of Jesus: The Archaeological Evidence (HarperCollins, 2009).
Chapter 13:
WERE THEY ACCURATE?
Michael Holmes
Will testify to the writings of the students of the apostles in his book The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations (Baker, 2007).
Justo González
Will testify to the early history of Christianity and many of the characters who played a part in the “chain of custody” in his book Story of Christianity: Volume 1, The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation (HarperOne, 2010).
Nicholas Perrin
Will testify to the transmission (and copying) of the gospel accounts in his book Lost in Transmission? What We Can Know About the Words of Jesus (Thomas Nelson, 2007).
Chapter 14:
WERE THEY BIASED?
C. Bernard Ruffin
Will testify to the lives and martyrdoms of the apostles in his book The Twelve: The Lives of the Apostles after Calvary (Our Sunday Visitor, 1998).
Josh and Sean McDowell
Will testify to the reasonable conclusions that can be drawn about the testimony of the apostles in their book Evidence
for the Resurrection (Regal, 2009).
Case Files
ASSISTING OFFICERS
I’m not the first police officer or detective to investigate the evidence related to the gospel eyewitnesses and conclude that that they are reliable. Many detectives have used their expertise in evidence to come to the same conclusion. The following detectives are among the many who have assisted the cause of Christianity over the years by contributing their expertise.
Sir Robert Anderson
Assistant Commissioner (Deceased), London Metropolitan Police
Sir Robert Anderson was a theologian and author of numerous books, including The Coming Prince, The Bible and Modern Criticism, and A Doubter’s Doubts about Science and Religion.
Gregory Allen Doyle
Police Sergeant (Retired), Upland Police Department (California)
Gregory Doyle is a writer, worship leader, and the author of The Sting of the Gadfly, God Is Not an Option, and The Stinging Salve: A Hearty Concoction of Essays, Short Stories, Songs, Poems, and Thoughts Mostly about God, Faith, and Eternal Life.
Michael Dye
Deputy Sheriff, Volusa County Sheriff’s Office (Florida), and Marshal with the United States Marshals Service in Los Angeles
Michael Dye is a speaker and the author of The PeaceKeepers: A Bible Study for Law Enforcement Officers (www.christianlawenforcement.com). Michael also serves on the Board of Directors for the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers (www.fcpo.org), a ministry that provides support and accountability to Christian officers to help them become more effective witnesses for Christ as they disciple and train others to carry out the Great Commission.
Conrad Jensen
Deputy Inspector (Deceased), New York City Police Department
Conrad Jensen was a speaker and author. He served as a captain in the twenty-third precinct and founded an evangelical organization working with the youth gangs in east Harlem. After his retirement in 1964, the American Tract Society asked him to write a book, 26 Years on the Losing Side, in an effort to “stimulate concerted prayer that our nation under God might return to the Scriptural foundations upon which it was built.”
Mark Kroeker
Deputy Chief (Retired), Los Angeles Police Department, Chief of Police (Retired), Portland Police Department), United Nations Deputy Police Commissioner (Operations) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Reassigned), Civilian Police Commissioner for the United Nations’ Peacekeeping Mission in Liberia (Reassigned)
Mark Kroeker is a speaker and writer. He founded and continues to serve as the chairman of the World Children’s Transplant Fund (wctf.org), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the development of pediatric organ transplantation around the world.
Tony Miano
Investigator and Officer (Retired), Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
Tony Miano is a sheriff’s chaplain and was the founder and director of Ten-Four Ministries (tenfourministries.org), providing practical and spiritual support to the law enforcement community. He is presently the director of the Ambassador’s Alliance, an outreach of Living Waters Ministry (www.livingwaters.com). He authored Take Up the Shield: Comparing the Uniform of the Police Officer and the Armor of God.
John Moreno
Police Lieutenant (Retired), New York City Police Department
John Moreno is a lay minister, speaker, author, and founder of Catholic Lay Preachers (www.catholiclaypreachers.com), a small group of experienced lay speakers offering their talents to religious organizations. He is the author of A Spirituality for Police Officers.
Randy Myers
Police Officer, Oak Ridge Police Department (Tennessee)
Randy Myers is a speaker and founder of International COPS Ministries (www.copsministry.org), a ministry dedicated to praying for the safety and well-being of all law enforcement officers.
Sir Robin Oake
Chief Constable (Retired), Isle of Man, Chief Inspector to the Metropolitan Police and Superintendent to the Assistant Chief Constable in the Greater Manchester Police (England)
Robin Oake, a recipient of the Queen’s Police Medal, is a speaker and author of Father Forgive: The Forgotten “F” Word and With God on the Streets.
Randal (Randy) Simmons
SWAT Officer (Killed in the line of duty), Los Angeles Police Department
Randal Simmons was a minister for Carson’s Glory Christian Fellowship International Church (California). His legacy of service to troubled youth in his community inspired the formation of the Randal D. Simmons Outreach Foundation (www.randysimmonsswat.com/foundation), a nonprofit organization designed to serve, empower, and encourage families and individuals in underserved areas.
Robert L. Vernon
Assistant Chief of Police (Retired), Los Angeles Police Department
Bob Vernon is a speaker, writer, founder of Pointman Leadership Institute (www.pliglobal.com), offering leadership training to police forces globally, and author of L.A. Justice: Lessons from the Firestorm and Character: The Foundation of Leadership.
Larry Warner
Deputy Sheriff (Retired), Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
Larry Warner is a speaker, author, pastor, and executive director of “b” ministry (www.b-ing.org), formed to provide spiritual direction, contemplative retreats, and holistic leadership development for pastors, ministry leaders, and church staffs. He is also an adjunct professor at Bethel Seminary in San Diego, the coauthor of Imaginative Prayer for Youth Ministry: A Guide to Transforming Your Students’ Spiritual Lives into Journey, Adventure, and Encounter, and the author of Journey with Jesus.
Dave Williams
Assistant Chief of Police (Retired), Portland
Dave Williams is a speaker and the founder and chairman of Responder Life (www.responderlife.com), formed to support and strengthen the families of all first responders.
Michael “MC” Williams
Detective Sergeant, Colorado State Criminal Investigator
Michael Williams is an instructor, speaker, and national vice president of the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers (www.fcpo.org). He is also the director of the Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry (www.thecenturionlawenforcementministry.org), a ministry created to bring officers to a saving knowledge of Christ and to equip Christian officers to grow in their faith.
Travis Yates
Police Captain, Tulsa Police Department (Oklahoma) and Team Leader with the Tulsa Police Precision Driver Training Unit
Travis Yates is a teacher, speaker, and director of Ten-Four Ministries (tenfourministries.org), and he oversees the Armor of God Project (www.vestforlife.com), a ministry that provides unequipped law enforcement officers with free ballistic vests. Travis also moderates www.policedriving.com, a website dedicated to law enforcement driving issues.
COLD-CASE CHRISTIANITY
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The website addresses recommended throughout this book are offered as a resource to you. These websites are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement on the part of David C Cook, nor do we vouch for their content.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org.) Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. (Public Domain.)
The author has added italics to Scripture quotations for emphasis.
LCCN 2012951458
ISBN 978-1-4347-0469-6
eISBN 978-1-4347-0546-4
© 2013 J. Warner Wallace
Published in association with the literary agency of Mark Sweeney and Associates, 28540 Altessa Way, Apt. 201, Bonita Springs, FL 34135.
The Team: Don Pape, John Blase, Amy Konyndyk, Renada Arens, Karen Athen
Cover Design: Nick Lee
Cover Photos: Shutterstock, stock.xchng
Illustrations: J. Warner Wallace
First Edition 2013
J. WARNER WALLACE is a cold-case homicide detective, a missions leader, and a church planter. As a result of his work with cold cases, Wallace has been featured on numerous television programs including Dateline, FOX News, and Court TV. Wallace’s visual presentations in the courtroom have revolutionized how capital offense trials are presented in Los Angeles County and across the country. A vocal atheist for many years, Wallace is now an apologist for Christianity with a master’s degree in theology and the founder of the PleaseConvinceMe.com blog and podcast. He and his wife, Susie, have four children and live in southern California.
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