Knowing how to distinguish an internal critique from an external critique is essential for serious argumentation, especially in debate. A lot of people fail at this point because they either collapse the two into one another, confuse them, or simply do not know which kind of argument they are advancing. Here is the basic distinction. An internal critique takes the beliefs, assumptions, or commitments of the position being criticized and attempts to show that, from within that position itself, there follows a contradiction, inconsistency, or unacceptable implication. In other words, the critique works by saying, “Given your own commitments, your view seems to generate a problem.” An external critique, by contrast, does not primarily try to show that the position contradicts itself. Rather, it argues that the position is inferior when compared against some other set of beliefs, values, ethical principles, or explanatory commitments. The claim is not merely, “Your view is inconsistent,” but rather, “Your view is less plausible than this alternative.” So before you make an argument against any position, you should slow down and ask: what kind of case am I making? Am I offering an internal critique, an external critique, or some combination of both? You do not need to be overly rigid here. Both kinds of critiques can be used together. But you do need to know which one you are using, because the way you argue and the burden you carry will be different. Take the claim, for example, that “the God of the Old Testament is not loving.” There are already several assumptions baked into that claim, but the first question to ask is this: is this being offered as an internal critique or an external one? If it is an internal critique, then the critic must show that the internal commitments of the biblical or Christian worldview generate a contradiction with the Old Testament portrayal of God. They would need to show that, given Christianity’s own moral and theological framework, the God depicted in the Old Testament cannot coherently be called loving.

That is something i wanted to see so badly! Dr. MCclellan and Dr. Sijuwade discussing the Trinity! I have not watched the whole thing yet, but it gotta be interesting no?!. Give it a watch and let's discuss about it. https://youtube.com/watch?v=WLauwRcfgbY&si=PqZEAnz0hp4VFRBg

Hey everyone, my name is Matt, and I'm the Assistant Director of an apologetics ministry called Inspiring Philosophy. We want to formally announce that Transcending Answers Academy will be transitioning into Inspiring Philosophy Academy! The Inspiring Philosophy Team has partnered with Tim and this program to be the OFFICIAL Inspiring Philosophy Training Course for apologetics, philosophy, theology, and even social media training for those of you looking to become online apologists as well. Stay tuned for: NEW courses, world class scholars joining our group calls, MORE exclusive course content, social media training, and MUCH MUCH more! This will take effect immediately and you will see new features roll out in the coming months. Also, another house keeping announcement: GROUP CALLS will now be Wednesday 6-pm PST and Saturdays 10am-12pm PST. More details to come on that soon. For any and all questions about the academy moving forward, comment on this post or feel free to email: [email protected] and I'll respond as soon as I am able

I am happy to announce that Transcending Answers Academy is now InspiringPhilosophy’s go to resource on the main site. For YEARS people have been asking us to have an education option. Now we do 🔥 The future is us 🤞🏽 And we’re just getting started. LETS GO

Hey everyone, The newfound growth of Transcending Answers Academy and my work with InspiringPhilosophy have come fast, and because of that, we have some exciting structural changes to share with you. First, the good news for everybody already in the community: your weekly group calls are getting an upgrade. We are moving from one hour to two hours every week. The demand has been there and we want to make sure you are getting real, substantial time together. That is a significant boost to what your membership already includes. We are also rolling out a three-tier structure to give everyone a clearer path depending on where they are and what they need: Standard — Two-hour-long weekly group calls. Great community, coaching, and real-time access to me every single week. Premium — $150/month (or $1,600/year) Everything in Standard, plus full access to the course. This is where you get the highly structured training alongside the live calls. VIP — $500/month (or $4,500/year) Everything in Premium, plus intensive weekly one-on-one calls with me directly. This tier is for those who want the most personalized experience possible. For those of you who were previously in a one-on-one arrangement at an earlier rate, you will be transitioned into the Standard tier. I know that is an adjustment, but the two-hour weekly calls are genuinely a strong place to be, and I will continue showing up fully and bring my all for those sessions. This restructure is about making sure I can serve all of you at a higher level. I am grateful for every single one of you who has been part of this from the beginning. More details to come. Stay tuned.