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'''Greg L. Bahnsen''' (], ] – ], ]) was an influential Christian ], ], and debater. He was an ] ] in the ] and a full time Scholar in Residence for the Southern California Center for Christian Studies.
{{short description|American theologian and philosopher}}
{{Infobox philosopher
| name = Greg Bahnsen
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| birth_date = {{birth date|1948|9|17}}
| birth_place = ], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1995|12|11|1948|9|17}}
| death_place =
| school_tradition = ], ]
| education = ] (])<br/>] (], ])<br/>] (])
| notable_ideas = ], ], ]
| era = ]
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| influenced = ], ], ]<ref>Van Til's Apologetic back cover</ref>
}}

'''Gregory Lyle Bahnsen''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|ɑː|n|s|ən}}; September 17, 1948&nbsp;– December 11, 1995),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gregory Lyle Bahnsen (1948-1995) - Find a Grave... |url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/75280925/gregory_lyle-bahnsen |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=www.findagrave.com |language=en}}</ref> credited in most of his books as '''Greg Bahnsen''', was an American ] philosopher and ]. He was a ] in the ] and a full-time Scholar in Residence for the Southern California Center for Christian Studies (SCCCS). He is also considered a contributor to the field of Christian apologetics, as he popularized the ] method of ].<ref name=":0" /> He is the father of ], an American portfolio manager, author, and television commentator.


==Early life and education== ==Early life and education==


He was the first born of two sons of Robert and Virginia Bahnsen in ], and grew up in ]. In youth he was beset by a number of medical difficulties, the most serious of which was a lifelong ] problem that made it difficult for him to stop bleeding. He also had heart trouble &mdash; a fact that came to light only during his first college admissions medical exam. He was the first born of two sons of Robert and Virginia Bahnsen in ], and grew up in ]. In youth he was beset by a number of medical difficulties, the most serious of which was a lifelong ] problem that made it difficult for him to stop bleeding, a condition similar to ]. He also had heart trouble which came to light only during his first college admissions medical exam.{{cn|date=January 2024}}


Raised in the ], he actively participated in religious activities. He first began reading the apologetics of ] when in high school, and his absorption of these works influenced his later career. While attending ] he began writing for the ] of ] and soon came to admire the latter's strong ] convictions. Raised in the ], he actively participated in religious activities. He first began reading the apologetics of ] when in high school. While attending ] he began writing for the ] of ] and soon came to admire the latter's strong Calvinistic convictions.{{cn|date=January 2024}}


⚫ In 1970 Bahnsen graduated '']'' from Westmont College, receiving his ] in philosophy as well as the John Bunyan Smith Award for his overall ]. From there he went on to ] in ], where he studied under Cornelius Van Til. The two became close friends. When he graduated in May 1973, he simultaneously received two degrees, ] and ], as well as the William Benton Greene Prize in apologetics and a Richard Weaver Fellowship from the ]. His next academic stop was the ] (USC), where he studied ], specializing in the ]. In 1975, after receiving ordination in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, he became an associate professor of Apologetics and Ethics at ] (RTS) in ]. While there, he completed his studies at USC, receiving his ] in 1978. Bahnsen's four years at RTS were fraught with contention, centered around his particular version of theonomic postmillennialism.<ref name=":0">{{cite book|last1=Bahnsen|first1=Greg|title=Always Ready: Directiond for Defending the Faith|date=September 2011|publisher=Covenant Media Press|location=Nacogdoches|isbn=978-0-915815-28-9|pages=ix–x}}</ref>
In 1969 Bahnsen married Cathie Wade. The two went on to have three sons of their own as well as an adopted ] daughter, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1990 after his wife left him for a former church member named David Arnold.

⚫ In 1970 Bahnsen graduated '']'' from Westmont College, receiving his ] in philosophy as well as the John Bunyan Smith Award for his overall ]. From there he went on to ] in ], where he studied under Van Til. The two became close friends. When he graduated in May 1973, he simultaneously received two degrees, ] and ], as well as the William Benton Greene Prize in apologetics and a ] Fellowship from the ]. His next academic stop was the ] (USC), where he studied ], specializing in the ]. In 1975, after receiving ordination in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, he became an associate professor of Apologetics and Ethics at ] in ]. While there, he completed his studies at USC, receiving his ] in 1978.


==Later life== ==Later life==
One of the original pillars of ], Bahnsen was a leading proponent of ], ], and ]. He lectured to a broad range of ] groups at many colleges and conferences, not only throughout the ] but in ] and ].<ref>https://host186.ipowerweb.com/~kenneth1/appointed.htm {{Dead link|date=November 2008}}</ref> He published numerous articles and has over 1700 audio tapes, videos, articles, and books to his name. One of the original pillars of ], Bahnsen was a leading proponent of ], ], and ]. He lectured to a broad range of ] groups at many colleges and conferences, not only throughout the ], but also in ] and ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chalcedon.edu/featured/gentry.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040616083133/http://www.chalcedon.edu/featured/gentry.shtml|title=The Chalcedon Foundation – Faith for All of Life|archive-date=June 16, 2004|work=chalcedon.edu}}</ref> He published over 1700 audio tapes, videos, articles, and books.{{cn|date=January 2024}}


Greg Bahnsen's vocal advocacy of Christian Reconstructionism and theonomy was highly controversial during his lifetime, and a public disputation pertaining to theonomy led to his dismissal from the ] in Jackson, Mississippi. Greg Bahnsen's vocal advocacy of Christian Reconstructionism and theonomy was highly controversial during his lifetime, and a public disputation pertaining to theonomy led to his dismissal from the ] in Jackson, Mississippi.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opc.org/OS/html/V4/2b.html|title=Theonomy: What Have We Learned?|work=opc.org}}</ref> In addition, he was known for his public debates on ], theonomy, ] (such as ], ], and ]), and a variety of socio-political issues (such as ], ], and ]).


In addition, he was known for his public debates on ], theonomy, ] (such as ], ], and ]), and a variety of socio-political issues (such as ] and ]). He is perhaps best known for his debates with such leading ] as ], ], and ]. The debate with Stein marked one of the earliest uses of a ] (TAG), which Stein later conceded he had been unprepared for but to which he subsequently developed a reply.<ref name='Stein_debate'>{{cite news | first=Jeffery Jay | last=Lowder | coauthors= | title=Martin and Stein Respond to SCCCS | date=May 1996 | publisher=] | url =http://www.infidels.org/infidels/newsletter/1996/may.html#scccs | work =Internet Infidels Newsletter | pages = | accessdate = 2008-11-27 }}</ref> Bahnsen had a number of public debates with ] including ], ], and ]. The debate with Stein marked one of the earliest uses of a ] (TAG).{{cn|date=January 2024}}


Bahnsen was once described as "the man atheists fear most"{{Fact|date=May 2008}} because of the controversy surrounding the Bahnsen-Martin debate, which was canceled by Michael Martin, who explained, "I refused to allow the debate to be taped and sold to support a Christian organization."<ref>http://www.serve.com/thibodep/cr/press.htm {{Dead link|date=November 2008}}</ref><ref name='Stein_debate'/> Atheists maintain that Martin has since adequately responded to Bahnsen's use of TAG in that debate, doing so in his own debates with ], ], and Douglas Jones as well as in papers posted on the ].<ref name='induction'>{{cite news | first=Michael | last=Martin | coauthors= | title=Does Induction Presume the Existence of the Christian God? (1997) | date=2000 | publisher=] | url =http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/michael_martin/induction.html | work =Internet Infidels Library | accessdate = 2008-11-27 }}</ref><ref name='logic'>{{cite news | first=Michael | last=Martin | coauthors= | title=Does Logic Presuppose the Existence of the Christian God? (2000) | date=2000 | publisher=] | url =http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/michael_martin/logic.html | work =Internet Infidels Library | accessdate = 2008-11-27 }}</ref> In 1994 a controversy emerged after atheist philosopher ] was informed three weeks before a scheduled debate with Bahnsen "that Bahnsen would not debate unless Martin gave written permission to SCCCS to tape the debate" for resale to support SCCCS. Martin refused because "he did not want SCCCS to profit from his participation", while SCCCS refused to let Bahnsen debate without the debate being taped. The debate was canceled.<ref name='Stein_debate'>{{cite news | first=Jeffery Jay | last=Lowder | title=Martin and Stein Respond to SCCCS | date=May 1996 | publisher=] | url =http://www.infidels.org/infidels/newsletter/1996/may.html#scccs | work =Internet Infidels Newsletter | access-date = November 27, 2008}}</ref> Since that time Martin has responded to Bahnsen's use of TAG, doing so in his own debates with ], ], and Douglas Jones, and has published his "Transcendental Argument for the Non-Existence of God" in the journal of the ], as well as in essays posted on the ].<ref name='induction'>{{cite news | first=Michael | last=Martin | title=Does Induction Presume the Existence of the Christian God? (1997) | year=2000 | publisher=] | url =http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/michael_martin/induction.html | work =Internet Infidels Library | access-date = November 27, 2008}}</ref><ref name='logic'>{{cite news | first=Michael | last=Martin | title=Does Logic Presuppose the Existence of the Christian God? (2000) | year=2000 | publisher=] | url =http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/michael_martin/logic.html | work =Internet Infidels Library | access-date = November 27, 2008}}</ref>


==Death==
Bahnsen was known to his friends for his personal side. Theologian ] wrote in '']'' magazine following Bahnsen’s death: "some of us also remember him for his love of adventure movies, his fondness for Chinese food, his love of laughter, his lightning fast typing skills, and his encyclopedic knowledge of the history of ]. No one could even come close to beating him on the details of rock history."<ref name='Farewell'> {{cite journal |title=Farewell,Greg Bahnsen| journal=]| date=|first=Douglas |last=Wilson |authorlink= Douglas Wilson (theologian)| volume=8|issue=1 |url=http://www.credenda.org/issues/8-1anvil.php |accessdate=2008-11-27 }}</ref>
⚫ Due to his lifelong medical problems, Bahnsen had to undergo a third ] implant surgery on December 5, 1995. After the completion of the operation, serious complications developed within twenty-four hours. He then became comatose for several days and died on December 11, 1995, at the age of 47.<ref>{{cite work|url=https://frcna.org/publications/messenger/messenger-articles/item/7414-|title=Dr. Greg L. Bahnsen Dead At Age 47|author=Rev. H.A. Bergsma|work=United Reformed News Service|accessdate=June 23, 2021|archive-date=March 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325073915/https://frcna.org/publications/messenger/messenger-articles/item/7414-|url-status=dead}}</ref>


==Works==
⚫ Due to his lifelong medical problems, Bahnsen had to undergo a third ] implant surgery on December 5, 1995. After the completion of the operation, serious complications developed within twenty-four hours. He then became comatose for several days and died on December 11, 1995 at the age of forty-seven.
⚫ * ''Always Ready: Directions for Defending the Faith'' ({{ISBN|0692124187}})
⚫ * ''Van Til's Apologetic: Readings and Analysis'' ({{ISBN|0-87552-098-7}})
⚫ * ''Theonomy in Christian Ethics'' ({{ISBN|0-9678317-3-3}})
⚫ * ''By This Standard: The Authority Of God's Law Today'' {{ISBN|0-930464-06-0}}
⚫ * ''No Other Standard: Theonomy and Its Critics'' {{ISBN|0-930464-56-7}}
⚫ * ''House Divided: The Breakup of Dispensational Theology'' with ]. {{ISBN|0-930464-27-3}}
⚫ * ''Homosexuality: A Biblical View'' ({{ISBN|0-8010-0744-5}})
⚫ * ''Five Views on Law and Gospel'' (Chapter contribution) ({{ISBN|0-310-21271-5}})
⚫ * ''Foundations of Christian Scholarship'' (2 Chapter Contributions) ({{ISBN|1-879998-25-4}})
⚫ * ''God and Politics: Four Views on the Reformation of Civil Government'' (Chapter contribution) ({{ISBN|0-87552-448-6}})
⚫ * ''Theonomy: An Informed Response'' (2 Chapter contributions) ({{ISBN|0-930464-59-1}})
⚫ * ''Victory in Jesus: The Bright Hope of Postmillennialism'' ({{ISBN|0-9678317-1-7}})
* ''Presuppositional Apologetics: Stated and Defended'' (Edited by Joel McDurmon.) ({{ISBN|0-915815-55-9}})


==Books authored== ==See also==
{{Portal|Christianity}}
:''See references at ] for links to free online versions of some of these (and related) books''.
* ]

⚫ * ''Always Ready: Directions for Defending the Faith'' (ISBN 0-915815-28-1)
⚫ * ''Van Til's Apologetic: Readings and Analysis'' (ISBN 0-87552-098-7)
⚫ * ''Theonomy in Christian Ethics'' (ISBN 0-9678317-3-3)
⚫ * ''By This Standard: The Authority Of God's Law Today'' (ISBN 0-930464-06-0; Available .)
⚫ * ''No Other Standard: Theonomy and Its Critics'' (ISBN 0-930464-56-7; Available )
⚫ * ''House Divided: The Breakup of Dispensational Theology'' with Kenneth Gentry. (ISBN 0-930464-27-3; Available )
⚫ * ''Homosexuality: A Biblical View'' (ISBN 0-8010-0744-5)
⚫ * ''Five Views on Law and Gospel'' (Chapter contribution) (ISBN 0-310-21271-5)
⚫ * ''Foundations of Christian Scholarship'' (2 Chapter Contributions) (ISBN 1-879998-25-4)
⚫ * ''God and Politics: Four Views on the Reformation of Civil Government'' (Chapter contribution) (ISBN 0-87552-448-6)
⚫ * ''Theonomy: An Informed Response'' (2 Chapter contributions) (ISBN 0-930464-59-1)
⚫ * ''Victory in Jesus: The Bright Hope of Postmillennialism'' (ISBN 0-9678317-1-7)

==Books about==

⚫ * ''The Standard Bearer: A Festschrift for Greg L. Bahnsen'' (ISBN 0-9678317-4-1)


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist}} {{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
⚫ * ''The Standard Bearer: A Festschrift for Greg L. Bahnsen'' ({{ISBN|0-9678317-4-1}}). Contributors include ], ], and ]


==External links== ==External links==
* * {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090830184431/http://www.cmfnow.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=8 |date=August 30, 2009 }}
* by ] * by ]
* *
* by John Frame *"" by John Frame
* by Steve M. Schlissel *{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041215174321/http://www.scccs.org/scccs/word/PenpointArticle.asp?id=30 |date=December 15, 2004 |title=Review of ''The Standard Bearer: A Festschrift for Greg L. Bahnsen'' }} by Steve M. Schlissel
* by John Frame * by John Frame
* includes several articles written by Bahnsen * includes several articles written by Bahnsen
* on ] *{{YouTube|user=gregbahnsen|title=Bahnsen}}

{{Christian Reconstructionism}}
{{Authority control}}


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Latest revision as of 02:17, 23 September 2024

American theologian and philosopher
Greg Bahnsen
Born(1948-09-17)September 17, 1948
Auburn, Washington, U.S.
DiedDecember 11, 1995(1995-12-11) (aged 47)
EducationWestmont College (BA)
Westminster Theological Seminary (MDiv, ThM)
University of Southern California (PhD)
Era20th-century philosophy
RegionWestern philosophy
SchoolPresuppositionalism, Christian philosophy
Notable ideasPresuppositional apologetics, postmillennialism, theonomy

Gregory Lyle Bahnsen (/ˈbɑːnsən/; September 17, 1948 – December 11, 1995), credited in most of his books as Greg Bahnsen, was an American Calvinist philosopher and Christian apologist. He was a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and a full-time Scholar in Residence for the Southern California Center for Christian Studies (SCCCS). He is also considered a contributor to the field of Christian apologetics, as he popularized the presuppositional method of Cornelius Van Til. He is the father of David L. Bahnsen, an American portfolio manager, author, and television commentator.

Early life and education

He was the first born of two sons of Robert and Virginia Bahnsen in Auburn, Washington, and grew up in Pico Rivera, California. In youth he was beset by a number of medical difficulties, the most serious of which was a lifelong platelet problem that made it difficult for him to stop bleeding, a condition similar to hæmophilia. He also had heart trouble which came to light only during his first college admissions medical exam.

Raised in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, he actively participated in religious activities. He first began reading the apologetics of Cornelius Van Til when in high school. While attending Westmont College he began writing for the Chalcedon Foundation of Rousas J. Rushdoony and soon came to admire the latter's strong Calvinistic convictions.

In 1970 Bahnsen graduated magna cum laude from Westmont College, receiving his B.A. in philosophy as well as the John Bunyan Smith Award for his overall grade point average. From there he went on to Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, where he studied under Cornelius Van Til. The two became close friends. When he graduated in May 1973, he simultaneously received two degrees, Master of Divinity and Master of Theology, as well as the William Benton Greene Prize in apologetics and a Richard Weaver Fellowship from the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. His next academic stop was the University of Southern California (USC), where he studied philosophy, specializing in the theory of knowledge. In 1975, after receiving ordination in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, he became an associate professor of Apologetics and Ethics at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) in Jackson, Mississippi. While there, he completed his studies at USC, receiving his Ph.D. in 1978. Bahnsen's four years at RTS were fraught with contention, centered around his particular version of theonomic postmillennialism.

Later life

One of the original pillars of Christian Reconstruction, Bahnsen was a leading proponent of theonomy, postmillennialism, and presuppositional apologetics. He lectured to a broad range of evangelical Christian groups at many colleges and conferences, not only throughout the United States, but also in Scotland and Russia. He published over 1700 audio tapes, videos, articles, and books.

Greg Bahnsen's vocal advocacy of Christian Reconstructionism and theonomy was highly controversial during his lifetime, and a public disputation pertaining to theonomy led to his dismissal from the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. In addition, he was known for his public debates on apologetics, theonomy, religion (such as Roman Catholicism, Islam, and Judaism), and a variety of socio-political issues (such as abortion, gun control, and homosexuality).

Bahnsen had a number of public debates with atheists including George H. Smith, Gordon Stein, and Edward Tabash. The debate with Stein marked one of the earliest uses of a transcendental argument for the existence of God (TAG).

In 1994 a controversy emerged after atheist philosopher Michael Martin was informed three weeks before a scheduled debate with Bahnsen "that Bahnsen would not debate unless Martin gave written permission to SCCCS to tape the debate" for resale to support SCCCS. Martin refused because "he did not want SCCCS to profit from his participation", while SCCCS refused to let Bahnsen debate without the debate being taped. The debate was canceled. Since that time Martin has responded to Bahnsen's use of TAG, doing so in his own debates with Michael Butler, John Frame, and Douglas Jones, and has published his "Transcendental Argument for the Non-Existence of God" in the journal of the New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists, as well as in essays posted on the Secular Web.

Death

Due to his lifelong medical problems, Bahnsen had to undergo a third aortic valve implant surgery on December 5, 1995. After the completion of the operation, serious complications developed within twenty-four hours. He then became comatose for several days and died on December 11, 1995, at the age of 47.

Works

See also

References

  1. Van Til's Apologetic back cover
  2. "Gregory Lyle Bahnsen (1948-1995) - Find a Grave..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  3. ^ Bahnsen, Greg (September 2011). Always Ready: Directiond for Defending the Faith. Nacogdoches: Covenant Media Press. pp. ix–x. ISBN 978-0-915815-28-9.
  4. "The Chalcedon Foundation – Faith for All of Life". chalcedon.edu. Archived from the original on June 16, 2004.
  5. "Theonomy: What Have We Learned?". opc.org.
  6. Lowder, Jeffery Jay (May 1996). "Martin and Stein Respond to SCCCS". Internet Infidels Newsletter. Internet Infidels. Retrieved November 27, 2008.
  7. Martin, Michael (2000). "Does Induction Presume the Existence of the Christian God? (1997)". Internet Infidels Library. Internet Infidels. Retrieved November 27, 2008.
  8. Martin, Michael (2000). "Does Logic Presuppose the Existence of the Christian God? (2000)". Internet Infidels Library. Internet Infidels. Retrieved November 27, 2008.
  9. Rev. H.A. Bergsma. Dr. Greg L. Bahnsen Dead At Age 47. Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2021. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)

Further reading

External links

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