Sven

Yes, Mageth, thanks for pointing this out - this explains a lot.

But not Jack the Bodiless' question: Who are these "experts"? I didn't find anything at the link about the qualifications of the writers.

Toto

Dave Geisler This is propaganda, carefully crafted to be palatable to a college audience. Like most Campus Crusade for Christ materials, none of it will really stand up to scrutiny, but it gives the appearance of intellectual respectability.

Mageth

A little digging in their "Info" section reveals that the site is affiliated with "Jesus Christ Saves Ministries" (JCSM), apparently founded by:

Dr. Jason Gastrich, B.A., M.A., Th.D.
P.O. Box 711425
San Diego, CA 92171
1-877-850-3878

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Louisiana Baptist University - Shreveport, LA (courses are taken in San Diego, CA) - 2003 to present

Doctor of Philosophy in Biblical Studies (Ph.D.) - In progress and expected in May, 2006

(So, why does he adverise himself as "Dr."?)

I'm not sure if he's the one that came up with all those answers, but he claims to be the author of a book that claims to answer the questions raised by the "Skeptic's Annotated Bible", so it seems likely the answers are largely borrowed from there.

Sven

:banghead:

You're not the only one who wonders about this. I once heard that this was discussed extensively in the talkorigins newsgroup.

Do you really don't know him?
Look at the formal debate about the resurrection accounts some months ago, then you get an idea of his qualifications to answer bible critics.

Kosh

Ah yes, I thought that name sounded familiar. Didn't he post here a while back with a not so subtle plug for his book? Or maybe someone else did.

I wonder what the powers that be at his educational institution would have to say about that?

Mageth

Oh, that Jason Gastrich. I thought the name sounded vaguely familiar, but did not make the link.

Nice Squirrel

Th.D.=Theology Doctorate. Hence the "Dr." prefix.

The legitimacy of his degree depends on where he got it. You can purchase them online or take some courses to complete a program. Many programs are scams to get the title "doctor".

Mageth

Looking at his CV, he may have gotten it through correspondence or online courses from that bastion of Higher Education, Louisiana Baptist University in Shreveport, LA.

Kosh

I personally won't recognize any standards less than Patriot University !!!!!!!!!!!

Jack the Bodiless

Gastrich... ack...

From here:
There follows some argument about the word "accredited", but it seems clear that Gastrich's "degree" is an honorary one. Ironically, Hovind might have a better claim to such a title: at least he did write (or is still writing) a "thesis" of sorts!