Added The Fate of the Fetus in the Book of Exodus: Addressing Ongoing Misinformation About Abortion and the Bible (2026) by Adam Taylor to the Christian Worldview page under Christianity in the Modern Documents section of the Secular Web Library.
The consensus view in biblical scholarship is that Exodus 21:22-25 describes the death of a fetus from an induced miscarriage caused by the accidental strike of an assailant, and that this event was only punished with a fine. But many Internet webpages and even a few scholars assert a minority position—that the verse actually describes an induced premature birth in which the fetus lives. In this article Adam Taylor presents a summary of the reasons why this position is untenable. In order to sharpen the discussion, Taylor addresses the arguments of John Piper, an advocate of this minority view whose claims are frequently disseminated online by amateurs and laypersons. After a careful exegesis of Scripture, combined with considerations of various extent commentaries and the background context of the ancient Near East, Taylor establishes that Piper’s claims are false and that the consensus view is indeed correct. Taylor concludes with an exploration of possible interpretations of the verse and its potential relevance to the current abortion debate.
New in the Kiosk: Why I am an Atheist (2026) by Dave E. Matson
In this essay Dave E. Matson emphasizes an important point of epistemology often passed over by secular authors: outside of logical systems employing postulates as starting points (such as mathematics and chess), ‘proof’ lacks 100% certainty. Instead, credibility is the currency for establishing truths about the physical world. So there is no need to probe a hypothetical God’s infinite mind to close every possible loophole! The impetus for Matson’s atheism, the core absurdity of a divinely inspired Bible, is explored in this essay along with some common methodological theistic defenses.
Recommended reading: “The Will: Fettered Yet Free” by Sam Storms in A God-Entranced Vision of All Things: The Legacy of Jonathan Edwards (2004) edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor
In commemoration of his 300th birthday, editors John Piper and Justin Taylor chose ten essays for A God-Entranced Vision of All Things that highlight different aspects of theologian Jonathan Edwards’ legacy. Many people know little more about Edwards than what is printed in American history textbooks—most often, excerpts from his best-known sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” But Edwards also preached about the threat that “libertarian” freedom poses to evangelical orthodoxy. In the essay “The Will: Fettered Yet Free,” Sam Storms clarifies Edwards’ complex concept of the will, arguing that his critique of libertarian free will remains devastating and unrefuted, and furthermore that if the Fall of Adam brought evil to humanity, then Edwards’ protests notwithstanding, God has all the appearance of being the author of sin.