Iron Sharpens Iron: Kenneth R. Samples: Does Harold Camping Meet the Criteria for Being a Cult Leader?

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Kenneth R. Samples: Does Harold Camping Meet the Criteria for Being a Cult Leader?

.MP3 Available Here

Kenneth R. Samples, former co-host of "The Bible Answer Man" broadcast and Senior Research Scholar at Reasons To Believe, will address the theme: "Does Harold Camping Meet the Criteria for Being a Cult Leader?"

As many of you know, Harold Camping, founder & president of Family Radio, proclaimed that the Bible guaranteed Judgment Day would begin last Saturday, May 21st at 6pm. Obviously his prediction failed. Mr. Camping is also well known for his heretical teaching that Christ is now the enemy of the church and all truly faithful Christians must flee from it, leaving Mr. Camping and his colleagues at Family Radio as their sole source of spiritual guidance. Tonight we will discuss the question of whether or not Mr. Camping's teachings warrant that he be deemed an actual cult leader.

Kenneth Samples switched from pursuing a career in professional baseball to voraciously studying Christian philosophy and theology when his thirst for purpose found relief in the Bible. He earned his undergraduate degree in philosophy and social science from Concordia University and his M.A. in theological studies from Talbot School of Theology . For seven years, Kenneth worked as Senior Research Consultant and Correspondence Editor at the Christian Research Institute (CRI) and regularly co-hosted popular call-in radio program, The Bible Answer Man, with Dr.Walter Martin and Hank Hanegraaff.

As a youth, Kenneth wrestled with "unsettling feelings of meaninglessness and boredom," driving him to seek answers to life’s "big questions." An encounter with Christian philosophy in Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis led Kenneth to examine the New Testament and "finally believe that Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God, the Lord and Savior of the world." From then on, he pursued an intellectually satisfying faith.

Today, as senior research scholar at Reasons To Believe (RTB), Kenneth uses his knowledge to help others find the answers to life's questions. He encourages believers to develop a logically defensible faith and challenges skeptics to engage Christianity at a philosophical level. He is the author of "Without a Doubt" and "A World of Difference", and has contributed to numerous other books, including: "Lights in the Sky & Little Green Men", "The Cult of the Virgin", and "Prophets of the Apocalypse". He has written articles for "Christianity Today" and "The Christian Research Journal", and regularly participates in RTB's weekly live webcast, "Creation Update".

An avid speaker and debater, Kenneth has appeared on numerous radio programs such as "Religion on the Line", "Voice America Radio", "Newsmakers", "Talk New York", and "Issues Etc", as well as participated in debates and dialogues on topics relating to Christian doctrine and apologetics. He currently lectures for the Master of Arts program in Christian Apologetics at Biola University . Kenneth also teaches adult classes at Christ Reformed Church in Southern California .

Over the years Kenneth has held memberships in the American Philosophical Association, the Evangelical Philosophical Society, the Evangelical Theological Society, and the Evangelical Press Association.

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