About Reasons to Believe

  • 6 Staff Scholars
  • 50+ Visiting Scholars
  • 250+ Apologetics Community Members
  • 140+ Scholar Community Members

Meet our Team

Our Purpose

We open people to the gospel by revealing God in science.

Our Approach

We use scientific advances to answer questions and identify new evidence of God’s existence, character, and the Bible’s reliability. We engage skeptics and cultivate communities where scholars and others learn to integrate science, theology, and philosophy so they can open the world of science to the gospel.

Our Invitation

We invite people seeking answers to questions about the Bible and its relationship to science to explore our resources. Many of these resources answer theological and philosophical questions, too. We invite you to explore and integrate the full breadth of scientific, theological, and philosophic answers we offer.

Our History

Reasons to Believe (RTB) was established in 1986 by world-renowned Christian astrophysicist, Dr. Hugh Ross. Initially a skeptic, Dr. Ross was later convinced by evidence that words of the Bible are trustworthy.

His search for truth began at age seven when he went to the library to find out why stars are hot. Physics and astronomy captured his curiosity and never let go. After completing his doctorate at the University of Toronto and postdoctoral research at the California Institute of Technology, Ross served on the ministry team at Christ Church Sierra Madre. Enthusiastic response to his scientific defense Scripture’s veracity—based on a breadth and depth of experience in both science and faith—drove him, in 1986, to launch Reasons to Believe.

From a tiny office in Sierra Madre, CA, and a small crew of volunteers, RTB quickly grew. In 1995 RTB unveiled the first Christian website which by now has expanded into a wellspring of articles, blogs, and videos. In 2003 Reasons Institute was launched—a premier provider of science apologetics courses. RTB is homebase to a number of communities, such as our scholar community, apologetics community, regional chapters, and Monthly Partners.

Over the years, a team of scholars has come alongside Hugh in this quest to show how science reveals God. Together these scholars have taken the gospel worldwide, bringing scientific evidence for the God of the Bible to more than a dozen countries on five continents. In July of 2022, Dr. Ross entrusted his CEO title and the organization’s leadership to one of his most accomplished colleagues, biochemist Dr. Fazale “Fuz” Rana.

Through the strength of its supporters and by the guidance and grace of God, RTB boldly continues to fulfill its calling to “Go into all the world and preach the Good News.” Its message remains unchanged: Nature and Scripture come from one and the same Source.

Our Impact

People tell us via letters, emails, social media posts, and in-person comments that RTB uplifts them in a variety of ways, thanks to the work of God’s Spirit. Some find fresh hope, others discover answers to doubts, some resolve their cognitive dissonance, others gain confidence to speak openly about their faith, and many learn they are not alone in their need to question and challenge rather than “just believe.”

Our Convictions

At a time when controversies abound and threaten to disrupt unity among Christ’s followers, we at Reasons to Believe want to affirm and clarify our spiritual, moral, and scientific convictions.

Conviction #1: God’s revelation in the words of Scripture and in the world of nature is wholly trustworthy and will always prove consistent when thoroughly understood because God is the Source of both.

Conviction #2: Scripture and nature deserve humble, careful, and prayerful investigation/interpretation. We must look at all available research data, making every effort to mitigate personal, political, and cultural biases.

Conviction #3: We are called by God to present our findings and engage with others—those who agree with our views and those who disagree—in earnest, respectful dialogue that supersedes our desire to argue or persuade.

Our Beliefs

We believe questions and dialogue are good because truth invites and withstands testing.

  • Scripture is our supreme and final authority on all matters
  • Includes all 66 books of the Old and New Testaments
  • We believe the Bible is 100% without error
  • We believe the Bible (the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments) is the Word of God, written (Exodus 31:18). As a “God-breathed” revelation, it is thus verbally inspired and completely without error (historically, scientifically, morally, and spiritually) in its original writings (2 Timothy 3:16-17). While God the Holy Spirit supernaturally superintended the writing of the Bible, that writing nevertheless reflects the words and literary styles of its individual human authors. Scripture reveals the being, nature, and character of God, the nature of God’s creation, and especially His will for the salvation of human beings through Jesus Christ. The Bible is therefore our supreme and final authority in all matters that it addresses.

  • We believe that the physical universe, the realm of nature, is the visible creation of God (Genisis 1:1). It declares God’s existence and gives a trustworthy revelation of God’s character and purpose. In Scripture, God declares that through His creation all humanity recognizes His existence, power, glory, and wisdom. An honest study of nature—its physical, biological, and social aspects—can prove useful in a person’s search for truth. Properly understood, God’s Word (Scripture) and God’s world (nature), as two revelations (one verbal, one physical) from the same God, will never contradict each other (Romans 1:30).

  • We believe in one infinitely perfect, eternal, and personal God, the transcendent Creator and sovereign Sustainer of the universe. This one God is Triune, existing eternally and simultaneously as three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All three persons in the Godhead share equally and completely the one divine nature, and are therefore the same God, coequal in power, nature, and glory (Exodus 15:11).

  • We believe that Jesus Christ is both true God (the second Person of the Trinity) and true man (the Incarnate Son of God). We also believe in the great events surrounding Jesus Christ’s life and ministry, including: His eternal preexistence, His virgin birth, His attesting miracles, His sinless life, His sacrificial death on the cross, His glorious bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, and His present work in heaven as High Priest and Advocate. He will return in glory to resurrect and judge all humankind (Philippians 2:5-11).

  • We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, is indeed a Divine Person, coequal with the Father and the Son. We also believe in the ministry of the Holy Spirit in salvation, a ministry which includes anointing and glorifying Christ, convicting men of their sin, bringing about the regeneration of lost sinners, and indwelling believers and empowering them for godly living and spiritual service (Acts 5:3-4).

  • We believe God created humankind in His image and likeness (having rational, moral, relational, and spiritual capacities) to fellowship with Him and give Him glory. Human beings are therefore the crown of God’s creation (possessing inherent dignity and moral worth), and thus distinct in kind from all other life on earth (Genisis 1:26-27). Adam and Eve, the first human beings, chose to rebel against God and go their own autonomous way. As a result, all of humankind became separated from God, the image of God in humanity distorted, and the sinful nature passed on to all their progeny. Because of original sin (which includes both corruption and guilt), unregenerate human beings are incapable of pleasing or commending themselves to God. The only remedy for humankind’s pitiful predicament is redemption through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:12, 18-19).

  • We believe God has acted sovereignly to bridge the gap that separates people from Himself. He sent His Son, born of a virgin, attested by miracles and by a sinless life, to bear the full penalty for humanity’s sin. Jesus Christ suffered and died in the place of sinners, thus satisfying the Father’s just wrath against human sin, and effecting true reconciliation between God and humankind for those who believe. In the atoning death of Christ, both God’s love and God’s justice are fully manifested. The righteousness of Jesus Christ in perfectly fulfilling the law of God has been graciously credited to all believers. Redemption is solely a work of God’s grace, received exclusively through faith in Jesus Christ, and never by works of human merit (1 Peter 1:18-19).

  • We believe justification is a judicial act of God’s grace wherein He acquits a person of all sin and accepts that person as righteous in His sight because of the imputed righteousness of Christ (Romans 5:1). Justification is strictly a work of God’s grace, apprehended through faith alone, and solely on the account of Christ (Galatians 2:16).

  • We believe Jesus Christ rose bodily from the dead, conquering sin, death, and all the powers of Satan. The resurrection is God’s historical affirmation and vindication of Jesus Christ’s unique identity, mission, and message. Historical evidence of the resurrection is manifest in Christ’s empty tomb, His many resurrection appearances, and in the emergence of the Christian church. Jesus Christ now resides at the right hand of the Father, and lives to indwell all who recognize their sinfulness, who repent, and who turn their lives over to His authority (1 Corinthians 15:3- 6).

  • We believe the church is the spiritual body of Jesus Christ (its Founder, Head, and Shepherd) and that it encompasses all true believers at all times and places. The function of the church is to carry out the Lord’s expressed will through the power of the Holy Spirit. One of the central purposes of the church is to preach the Gospel (in both word and life), the good news that humankind can find salvation from sin through faith in Jesus Christ. All people who have placed their faith (confident trust) in Jesus Christ for salvation belong to the church and are, thus, the people of God. This community of believers is made up of people who are neither perfect nor sinless, but by grace their lives are coming more and more under the control of the Holy Spirit, expressing His love, joy, peace, and other Christ-like qualities (Ephesians 2:19-20).

  • We believe the Lord Jesus Christ will return to this earth, personally, bodily, and visibly to establish his glorious reign in a kingdom that will never end. As the sovereign Lord, He will resurrect and judge all humanity. Those who have received His offer of life through the Gospel will go to eternal blessings in heaven; those who have rejected it, to eternal conscious torment in hell. We look forward to the blessed hope, Christ’s Second Coming in glory (Titus 2:13).

  • We believe Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation. And since Christ has commissioned His people, the church, to go into all the world to disciple, to baptize, and to teach everyone everywhere to obey His Word, we desire, by His grace, to play our part in reaching the world with the Gospel of Christ (Matthew 28:18-20).

  • Position on Current Sexual Issues
  • Reasons to Believe upholds the belief that God created humankind distinctly, in His image and likeness. Human beings are the crown of God’s creation—possessing inherent God-given dignity and moral worth (Psalm 8:4-5). Thus, we believe all human life is sacred, in all its dimensions, from conception (the moment of fertilization) through natural death (Psalm 139: 13-16). An expression of our Biblical view on the sanctity of life includes the protection of unborn and newborn babies from abortion or infanticide. The painful decision to abort an unborn baby to protect the physical life of the mother is not a violation of the sanctity of life, as the primary goal is to save the physical life of the mother, with the unavoidable consequence of the loss of the baby.

Our Distinctives

RTB embraces a matrix of distinctives, based on what we see in the life of Jesus:

  • High View of Scripture and Science The words of the Bible and the facts of nature come from the same Source, from God himself, who chose to make himself known.
  • Ongoing Development Of a testable creation model because the world needs a positive growing case for faith in a caring Creator.
  • Readiness to Give Reasons People have questions and doubts that deserve reasonable, well-researched responses (1 Peter 3:15a)
  • Communication of Those Reasons With gentleness, respect, and a clean conscience because people observe attitude and demeanor as much as they listen to words (1 Peter 3:15b).
  • Commitment to Application Because intellectual engagement should lead to effective evangelism, not merely to winning arguments.
  • Apologetics for Evangelism Because history awaits completion of the commission Christ charged his followers to fulfill.
  • Constructive Integration Of God’s revelation because truth will always be consistent whenever it’s found.

Our Partners

Ministries
Ratio Christi

Ratio Christi (Latin for “the reason of Christ”) is a global movement that equips university students and faculty to give historical, philosophical, and scientific reasons for following Jesus Christ.

TWR 360

TWR360 breaks down barriers of language and accessibility so users can download, stream and read abundant Christian media resources to grow in their daily walk with Christ.

Sentinel Apologetics

The goal of Sentinel is to be an academically orientated Christian channel that demonstrates how the gospel is compatible with cutting-edge mainstream scholarship (either in science or in the humanities).

Theological Education Initiative

The Theological Education Initiative (TEI) equips church and campus ministry leaders with theological, philosophical, and practical resources to sustain healthy faith communities.

Women in Apologetics

Women in Apologetics (WIA) is a Christian non-profit organization whose sole focus is to equip, encourage, and educate women in Christian apologetics. We have a passion for encouraging and equipping other women in the church who are interested in learning how to think more deeply and intelligently about their faith.

Apologetics On Mission

AoM’s focus is going to regions where there is little visibility and access to apologetics training, building long term relationships with leaders in those regions to defend biblical Christianity and to empower the next generation to do the same.

Schools
Biola University

Biola University is a nationally ranked Christian university in the heart of Southern California. Founded in 1908, Biola offers biblically centered education, intentional spiritual development, and vocational preparation within a unique learning community where all faculty, staff, and students are professing Christians.

Southern Evangelical Seminary

Southern Evangelical Seminary offers students resident and online education programs that integrate classical philosophy, apologetics, and theology for a comprehensive and coherent worldview.

Northern California Bible College

NCBC is accredited by the California Council for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education to offer both Associate of Arts and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Biblical Studies. Students should check with their college registrar office in order to verify course transfer requirements.

Erskine College

Erskine College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Regent University

Regent is accredited by a number of educational bodies. Students should check with their college registrar office in order to verify transfer requirements.

Endorsements

"Reasons to Believe offers some of today’s best information on the creation of the universe that is consistent with a biblical worldview. Astronomer Dr. Ross and his team provide academic excellence along with Christian convictions that have helped many better understand the relationship between science and faith. Reasons to Believe’s efforts show that when science is approached without naturalistic bias there is strong evidence for the existence of the God of the Bible."
Dr. John Ankerberg
Dr. John Ankerberg, president and host of The John Ankerberg Show (jashow.org)
“For anyone who thinks that science has made Christianity obsolete, I invite them to look at the books, videos, and other resources produced by the Reasons to Believe team. They do an exceptional job at showing how the best science constantly points to God as the Author of Creation.”
John A. Bloom, PhD
John A. Bloom, PhD, PhD Professor of Physics Chair, Chemistry, Physics and Engineering Dept. Founder and Academic Director, M.A. in Science and Religion Biola University Author of The Natural Sciences: A Student’s Guide
“Over ten years of hosting debates between sceptics and Christians on my radio show Unbelievable? has taught me the value of bringing science, faith and reason together. Over those years I've been privileged to work with the scholars at RTB, whose model of research based apologetics is exciting, innovative and has been life changing for many people.”
Justin Brierley
Justin Brierley, presenter of the Unbelievable? radio show and podcast
"As a physics major at Caltech, I struggled with my faith, unsure how to reconcile established science with what I was reading in the Bible. RTB's commitment to sound theology and empirical science restored my confidence in biblical inerrancy."
Erica Carlson, PhD
Erica Carlson, PhD, Fellow of the American Physical Society and Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Purdue University
“Of all the research groups on which I stay current, virtually none produce material which would cause me to want to get comfortable and enjoy reading more than the publications produced by Reasons to Believe. Packed with stimulating data and challenging applications, these always-rewarding publications fill that “want to learn more” urge that I often experience.”
Gary R. Habermas
Gary R. Habermas, Distinguished Research Prof & Chair, Philosophy Dept., Liberty University
“I have had the privilege of watching the ministry of Reasons to Believe over the years and to witness how our Lord has blessed this ministry. I am especially pleased with the gentle and patient way Dr. Ross answers what are often angry protests against portions of his teaching, caring just as much for the questioner as he is with the scientific and biblical data. Even though he is a trained and accomplished specialist in astrophysics, yet he never mocks or belittles those who attack his conclusions, but works evidentially both from the scientific and biblical data.”
Walter C. Kaiser Jr.
Walter C. Kaiser Jr., President Emeritus Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary S. Hamilton, MA
"Reasons to Believe is a remarkable asset for the church today. I regularly turn to their resources when questions of science and faith arise in my life and ministry. The RTB team does first-rate scholarship in both science and theology, and yet each member of the team has adopted a posture of kindness towards Christians who see the issues differently and towards unbelievers. And perhaps what I love most about RTB is their unwavering commitment to evangelism."
Sean McDowell, PhD
Sean McDowell, PhD is a Biola University professor, internationally recognized speaker, and the author or co-author of over 18 books including Evidence that Demands a Verdict
“I cannot think of anything that has helped me process how my Christian faith comports with science the way Reasons to Believe has done over the years. RTB is a literal God-send and Dr. Hugh Ross is an international treasure!”
Eric Metaxas
Eric Metaxas, New York Times Bestselling author of Bonhoeffer and Miracles, host of the Eric Metaxas Show.
“Their name says it all: Reasons to Believe gives solid REASONS—both from Science and Scripture—to BELIEVE. Whether you’re a skeptic seeking evidence for faith, or a Christian looking to strengthen the faith you already have, Reasons to Believe should be on your go-to list for solid and reliable information.”
Mark Mittelberg
Mark Mittelberg, bestselling author of Confident Faith and The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask (With Answers)
“It’s often said that faith and science are incompatible, but as an atheist detective, my investigation of the scientific evidence actually led me to faith. Today, I consistently point people to Reasons to Believe to help them understand the relationship between scientific inquiry and rational Christian belief. If you’ve got questions of your own, I cannot recommend the Reasons to Believe website more highly.”
J. Warner Wallace
J. Warner Wallace, Cold-Case Detective, Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, and Author of God’s Crime Scene