Lincoln Christian University



richknopp.jpg


Professor of Philosophy & Christian Apologetics
Director, WorldViewEyes
Office: CH107
Phone: 217 732-3168 ext. 2252

 Education

  • Ph.D. in Philosophy, University of Illinois, 1991.  (Dissertation: “Religious Belief and the Problems of Cognitivity and Commitment: A Reappraisal Based on Contemporary Philosophy of Science”).
  • M.A. in Philosophy, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, 1983.  (Thesis: “Karl Popper’s Concept of Rationality in Science”).
  • M.Div. in Philosophy and Theology, Lincoln Christian Seminary, 1979.
  • B.A. in Christian Ministries, St. Louis Christian College, 1973.

Appointed to Faculty: 1983

Professional / Academic Activities:
  • Evangelical Philosophical Society member.
  • Grant Writer and Director of WorldViewEyes, a program that has been funded by six grants totaling over $1,027,530 from the Lilly Endowment of Indianapolis. The program helps youth and adults expand their Christian mind, engage their culture, evaluate beliefs, and embrace a consistently-lived Christian worldview.  It sponsors a summer Christian teen and youth leader event called “Exchange” on the campus of LCU; produces an educational event in local churches called the “Bible & Worldview Institute;" and offers a variety of multimedia presentations for conferences, conventions, and churches.  WVE has offered multimedia presentations to over 65,000 youth and adults in 20 states and Canada.
  • Founding Editorial Board Member for the Stone-Campbell Journal (1998-2002).
  • Hosted videotaped interviews with evangelical scholars and authors James Sire, Nancy Pearcey, David Naugle, Millard Erickson, Harold Netland, William Lane Craig, Francis Beckwith, J. P. Moreland, and Josh McDowell.
  • On sabbatical, Fall 2011, Lincoln Christian University.  Key project:  writing a resource text for a worldview curriculum. 

Papers & Special Lectures:
  • “Lessons from the Philosophy of Science on the Perceptions and Practice of Science” - Invited lecture for the Center for Research in Science (CRIS), Azusa Pacific University (scheduled for Nov. 29, 2011).
  • “Philosophy of Science and Christian Concerns: Reflections on a 20-Year-Old Dissertation” – Invited plenary lecture for the Midwest Evangelical Theological-Philosophical Society Meeting (March 2011).
  • “The Relevance of the Philosophy of Science for Christian Faith” – Stone-Campbell Journal Conference (April 2010).
  • K. T. Norris Lectureship at Maritime Christian College, Prince Edward Island, Canada (January 2010).  Four lectures on developing a Christian worldview.
  • “Apologetic Cartography in a Postmodern World: Does Anyone Have a Compass?” - The Theological Forum, North American Christian Convention (2004).
  • Midwest Region Evangelical Theological Society, Lincoln, Illinois: “Worldviews for Christian Teens” (2004).
  • Lilly Endowment Forum on “The Call to Pastoral Leadership,” Indianapolis, Indiana: “The Call to Ministry by Developing Worldview Eyes” (2003).
  • “The Compatibility of Faith and Science” - Faith, Science, and Medicine Seminar, University of Illinois at Chicago School of Medicine and the Christian Medical and Dental Society Continuing Education Seminar, Peoria, Illinois (2000).
  • “The Nature of Science and Christian Commitment” - University of Illinois Christian Faculty Colloquium (2000).
  • Lectureship on “Science and Christian Faith” - Manhattan Christian College and Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas (1998).
  • “On the Value of the Philosophy of Science: Some Implications for Theology and Apologetics” - Wheaton Theology Conference, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois (1993).
  • “Contemporary Philosophy of Science and Its Implications for Theology” - Fellowship of Christian Professors’ Meeting, St. Louis (1992).
  • “Christianity and Science” - Lecture at Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois (1990).  

Convention Presentations (almost all are multimedia in nature):
  • Eastern Christian Convention, Hershey, Pennsylvania (2004): “The Church’s Need for Worldview Inoculation.”
  • North American Christian Convention Teen Convention, Phoenix, Arizona (2004): “Worldview Inoculation: Get a Christian Shot Where It Counts!”
  • National Missionary Convention, Tulsa, Oklahoma (2001): “The Worldviews of My Neighbors” and “A Birdseye View of World Religions.”
  • National Youth Leaders’ Convention, Joplin, Missouri (2000): “Destined to Encounter Competing Worldviews” and “Destined to Interact with Science.”
  • National Missionary Convention, Knoxville, Tennessee (2000): “Defending Christian Faith Against Competing Worldviews” and “Encountering Competing Worldviews.”
  • North American Christian Convention, St. Louis, Missouri (1998): “Science and Christian Apologetics.”
  • Southern Illinois Christian Convention, Mt. Vernon, Illinois (1992): “A New Testament Model for Developing Moral Values in an Amoral World.” 


Youth & Youth Leader Conferences (all presentations are multimedia in nature):
  • 2010:  American Baptist Youth Conference: Workshop on World Religions.
  • 2000-2004: Wrote, produced, and helped offer a variety of multimedia presentations for 99 Christ in Youth summer conferences in 11 states.  Estimated attendance:  45,000.
  • 2000-2002:  Wrote, produced, and helped offer multimedia presentations for 28 Christ in Youth winter Discipleship retreats in 12 states. Estimated attendance:  6,000.
  • 2000-2003:  Wrote, produced, and offered multimedia presentations for state youth conventions in Illinois, Indiana, and Tennessee. 


Special Multimedia Presentations for Churches, Retreats, or Christian Schools:
  • “Christian Apologetics: Why Should I (or Anyone) be a Christian?”  Eastview Christian Church college retreat (Sept. 2011).
  • “Learning to Love God with Your Worldview”:  Northview Church, Carmel, IN.  Six 90-minute presentations (April-May, 2011).  (Videos available, click here.  Click on “Northview University” tab.)
  • “Singing in Our Celebration (Psalm 19):  Chapel sermon for Lincoln Christian Seminary (Nov. 2010).  Video available, click here.
  • “Genesis, Science, and the Christian Worldview”: Mahomet (IL) Christian Church, scheduled for Oct. 15-16, 2010.
  • “The Story of One Universe (Genesis 1)”:  Lincoln Christian University, Undergraduate Studies chapel (Sept. 2010).
  • “Science, Genesis, and the Christian Worldview”: Madison Park Christian Church, Quincy, IL (2010)
  • Sermons for the K. T. Norris Lectureship, Maritime Christian College (2010).
    • “Living a Biblical Worldview: Monitoring Moses”
    • “Living a Biblical Worldview: Principles from Paul”
    • “Detecting and Deciding on the Influences in Your Life”
  • “An Orientation to Worldviews and a Biblical Worldview”: Leadership training event for Lincoln (IL) Christian Church (2009).
  • “Being Truly Christian in a World with Clashing Worldviews”: 3 sessions presented at Westbrook Christian Church in Bolingbrook, IL (2009).
    • “Hearing God's Call to a Biblical View of the World”
    • “Detecting Clashing Worldviews in Our Culture”
    • “Constructing a Christian Response to Competing Worldviews”
  • “A Christian Perspective on Science and Evolution”: Bible & Worldview Institute presentation at Morris (IL) Christian Church (2009).
  • “The Need for a Biblical Worldview in an Age of Options”: Bible & Worldview Institute presentation at Morris (IL) Christian Church (2009).
  • “The Need for a Biblical Worldview in an Age of Options”: Bible & Worldview Institute presentation at Lincoln (IL) Christian Church (2008).
  • “Developing and Living a Biblical Worldview in an Age of Options” (5 weeks): Lincoln Christian Church Crusaders’ Sunday School (2007).
  • “Me, My World, and My Worldview” (3 weeks): Lincoln Christian Church Senior High Fusion (2007).
  • “Biblical Ethics and Absolutes”: Madison Park Christian Church, Quincy, IL (2006).
  • “Starting to Think about BIGGER Things”: Eastview Christian Church, Bloomington, IL (2006).
  • “Evolutionism, Creationism, and Intelligent Design”: Southside Christian Church, Springfield, IL (2006).
  • “Learn 2 See: Understanding and Developing a Biblical Worldview” - Staff development workshop at Lincoln Christian College & Seminary, Lincoln, IL (2005).
  • College Park Christian Church, Normal, IL (2005):
    • “A Christian Orientation to Competing Worldviews”
    • “Evolutionism and Creationism”
    • “Intelligent Design: Is It an Intelligent Movement?”
  • Lincoln Christian College & Seminary Staff Retreat (2005)
  • Western Illinois University Campus Ministry Retreat (2005)
  • LeRoy Christian Church, LeRoy, Illinois (2004): “Worldview Vaccination”
  • Cornerstone Christian Academy, Bloomington, Illinois (2004): “Learning to Do and Teach Worldview Thinking”
  • First Christian Church of Champaign (2001): Apologetic Series (4 sessions)
  • First Christian Church of Mattoon, Illinois (2001): Christianity & Science Series (3 sessions)


Publications:
  • Review of The Language of Science and Faith by Karl Giberson and Francis Collins.  Grand Rapids, MI: InterVarsity, 2011 in The Stone-Campbell Journal (in process).
  • Review of Loving Wisdom: Christian Philosophy of Religion by Paul Copan.  St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2007 in Encounter (forthcoming in 2011).
  • Review of The Future of Atheism: Alister McGrath and Daniel Dennett in Dialogue edited by Robert Stewart. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2008 in The Stone-Campbell Journal (Spring 2010): 108-110.
  • Co-editor with John Castelein, Taking Every Thought Captive: Essays in Honor of James D. Strauss. Joplin, MO: College Press, 1997.
  • “On the Value of the Philosophy of Science for Christian Faith and Ministry,” chap. in Taking Every Thought Captive: Essays in Honor of James D. Strauss. Joplin, MO: College Press, 1997.
  • “Apologetics in Our Modern Postmodern Age: Some Insights from the Philosophy of Science.  The Journal of Campus Ministry 2 (1996): 1-4.


Courses:
    School of Undergraduate Studies:
      • ID101 An Introduction to Worldviews
      • ID101NET (Internet version of An Introduction to Worldviews)
      • PH202  Logic
      • ID301 and ID302 (guest lecturer on topics in philosophy and the history and philosophy of science)
      • ID316 Christianity and Science
      • PH482 Ethics
      • PH487 Philosophy of Religion
      • TH467 Biblical & Philosophical Foundations for Apologetics

 

Seminary:

      • AP603 Approaches to Apologetics
      • AP604/PH604 Philosophy of Religion
      • AP605 Christianity and the Philosophy of Science
      • AP606/PH606 Ethics


Hargrove - School of Adult and Graduate Studies:

      • TH472 Biblical & Philosophical Ethics
      • BE606 Biblical & Philosophical Ethics (for the graduate program in Bio-Ethics)

Additional Professional Experience:
  • Board member (and current chairman) for Axiom, the campus ministry of the Christian Campus Foundation at the University of Illinois (1992-present).
  • Preaching Minister, McLean Christian Church, McLean, IL (1974-1979).
  • Youth & Bus Minister, First Christian Church of Florissant, MO (1972-1974).
  • Youth Minister, First Christian Church, Wood River, IL (1970-1971).
  • Deacon, First Christian Church, Champaign, IL (1982-1983). 

Grants/Awards:
  • Grant writer (and Program Director) for WorldViewEyes, a program funded by six grants totaling $1,027,530 from the Lilly Endowment in Indianapolis.
  • “Distinguished Alumni Award” from St. Louis Christian College (2010).
  • The Wolford Award (2007) from St. Louis Christian College. Granted to SLCC alumni “who exhibit Christian character and have made significant impact on SLCC athletics and in ministry.”
  • $10,000 award winner from the Templeton Foundation for developing model courses in science and religion (1991). Course entitled “Science and Theology: Problems, Perspectives, and Possibilities.”

Personal
  • Preacher's son who lived in Kentucky, Iowa, Wyoming, Missouri, Illinois, and North Carolina.
  • Played second base for a high school AAA State Champion baseball team (North Carolina, 1968).
  • High school all-state second baseman (North Carolina, 1969).
  • Former all-time scoring leader in basketball (22.7 pts/game) at St. Louis Christian College (record held for about 20 years).
  • Married to Paula (Odom) since 1971. Paula is a professor of psychology at Lincoln College, a private college founded in 1865 with campuses in Lincoln and Normal, Illinois.
  • Three married children: Nicki Green, Director of Involvement at Eastview Christian Church in Bloomington, IL; Katie Young, St. Farm Marketing Representative and Mary Kay Consultant in Bloomington, IL; and Andy Knopp, a Lean Six-Sigma Black Belt at Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, IA.
  • Five grandchildren (3 boys and 2 girls).
  • Travels outside the U.S.: England, France, Italy, New Zealand, Fiji, Australia, Jamaica, Greece, and Turkey.

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