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{{Infobox YouTube personality
{{Infobox YouTube personality
| name = David Wood
| name = David Wood
| pseudonym = [https://www.youtube.com/@apologeticsroadshow Apologetics Roadshow] (2022–present)<br /> [https://www.youtube.com/@acts17polemics Acts 17 Polemics] (2022–present)<br />Acts17Apologetics (2008–2022)
| pseudonym = Acts17Apologetics
| image = David_Wood.png
| image =
| image_size =
| image_size =
| alt =
| alt =
| caption = Wood in one of his YouTube videos.
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|4|7|}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|4|7|}}
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| death_date =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_place =
| nationality = United States
| nationality = American
| module = {{Infobox person|embed=yes
| module = {{Infobox person|embed=yes
| alma_mater = [[Old Dominion University]] (B.A., B.S.)<br />[[Fordham University]] (M.A., MPhil, Ph.D.)
| alma_mater = {{Plainlist|
}}
* [[Old Dominion University]] (B.A.)
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| occupation = [[YouTuber]]
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* [[Fordham University]] (Ph. D)
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| employer =
}} }}
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| occupation = [[Christian apologist]], YouTuber
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| employer =
| known_for =
| known_for =
| title =
| title =
| spouse = Marie Wood
| spouse = Marie Wood
| partner =
| partner =
| website = {{URL|http://www.acts17.org/}}
| children = 5 (1 deceased)
| website = {{URL|https://acts17.com}}
| channel_direct_url = user/Acts17Apologetics
| channel_display_name = Acts17Apologetics
| years active = 2008–present
| years active = 2008–present
| subscribers = 242,000 (Apologetics Roadshow)<ref name="youtuberoadshow">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/@apologeticsroadshow|title=Apologetics Roadshow|website=YouTube|accessdate=April 21, 2024}}</ref><br/ >125,000 (Acts 17 Polemics)<ref name="acts17polemics">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/@acts17polemics|title=Acts 17 Polemics|website=YouTube|accessdate=March 20, 2024}}</ref><br />700,000 (Acts17Apologetics)<ref name="youtubeacts">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/user/Acts17Apologetics/about|archive-date=February 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220210211802/https://www.youtube.com/user/Acts17Apologetics/about|title=Acts17Apologetics|website=YouTube}}</ref>
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| genre = [[Christian apologetics]]
| views = 26 million (Apologetics Roadshow)<ref name="youtuberoadshow"/><br/ >7 million (Acts 17 Polemics)<ref name="acts17polemics"/><br />159 million (Acts17Apologetics)<ref name="youtubeacts"/>
| subscribers = 665 thousand <!--Note: We use condensed values per MOS:LARGENUM (ex: 3,612,000, not 3,612,241) -->
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| genre = {{hlist|[[Christian apologetics]]|[[criticism of Islam]]}}
| views = 165 million <!-- -Note: We use condensed values per MOS:LARGENUM (ex: 3,612,000, not 3,612,241) -->
| network =
| network =
| associated_acts = [[Nabeel Qureshi (author)|Nabeel Qureshi]], [[Jay Smith (Christian apologist)|Jay Smith]], [[Hatun Tash]], [[Robert B. Spencer|Robert Spencer]] Apostate Prophet
| associated_acts =
| silver_button = yes
| silver_button = yes
| silver_year = 2016
| silver_year = 2016<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://socialblade.com/youtube/user/acts17apologetics/monthly|title = Acts17Apologetics's YouTube Stats (Summary Profile) - Social Blade Stats}}</ref>
| gold_button = no
| gold_button = no
| gold_year = <!-- year channel reached 1,000,000 subscribers -->
| gold_year = <!-- year channel reached 1,000,000 subscribers -->
| stats_update = 20 April 2022
| stats_update = August 17, 2024
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| education = [[Fordham University]] (PhD)
}}
}}
'''David Wood''' (born April 7, 1976)<ref name="DeFrPrGrace">{{cite news|url=http://dearbornfreepress.com/2010/08/31/amazing-grace-amid-profound-controversy/|work=Dearborn Free Press|title=Amazing Grace Amid Profound Controversy|first=Jonathan|last=Light|date=August 31, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|user=Acts17David|number=1644441710653501450|title=On behalf of all of you, I would like to wish a very Happy Birthday to myself.}}</ref> is an American [[evangelical]] [[Christian apologetics|apologist]], social critic, philosopher<ref name="ventureyra">{{cite journal|last=Ventureyra|first=Scott|url=https://www.pdcnet.org/maritain/content/maritain_2017_0033_0046_0077|title=The Psyche of the West: Christianity, Islam, Apologetics and the Human Person|journal=Études maritainiennes/Maritain Studies|volume=33|year=2017|page=64|doi=10.5840/maritain2017334|s2cid=253349864 |quote="For a very useful site, containing many articles and videos on Islam, see Answering Muslims: the Islamablog of Acts 17 Apologetics'. Much of the material is explained by apologist/philosopher David Wood who played an instrumental role in the conversion of Nabeel Qureshi from Islam to Christianity. The Acts 17 Apologetics YouTube page is a great resource with debates, testimonies and much important information concerning Islam, Muhammad, the hadith, sirah and Qur’an"}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HetZEAAAQBAJ&q=wood&pg=PA29|page=29|title=Doctrine in Shades of Green: Theological Perspective for Environmental Ethics|first=Andrew J.|last=Spencer|year=2022|publisher=Wipf and Stock|quote="David Wood, an apologist and philosopher"|isbn=9781666702255}}</ref> and [[YouTube]] personality, who is the head of the '''Acts 17 Apologetics''' ministry,<ref name="baggett">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bad-DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA184|title=The Morals of the Story: Good News About a Good God|first1=David|last1=Baggett|first2=Marybeth|last2=Baggett|year=2018|publisher=InterVarsity Press|pages=184–186|isbn=9780830886494}}</ref> which he co-founded with [[Nabeel Qureshi (author)|Nabeel Qureshi]].<ref name="ct">{{cite news|url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/september/1.17.html|title=Dispute in Dearborn|first=Trevor|last=Persaud|work=Christianity Today|date=August 18, 2010}}</ref> He also runs Foundation for Advocating Christian Truth, which is the organization behind AnsweringMuslims.com.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/06/05/anti-muslim-roundup-6518|title=Anti-Muslim roundup: 6/5/18|date=June 5, 2018|work=Southern Poverty Law Center}}</ref> Though covering a range of topics, he is known for his [[criticism of Islam]], particularly Islamic views on [[theology]] and [[Morality in Islam|morality]], as well as the [[Quran]] in general, [[hadith]], [[sīrah]] and [[Muhammad]].<ref name="ventureyra" />

'''David Wood''' (born April 7, 1976)<ref name=DeFrPrGrace>[http://dearbornfreepress.com/2010/08/31/amazing-grace-amid-profound-controversy/ Dearborn Free Press: "Amazing Grace Amid Profound Controversy" by Jonathan Light] August 31, 2010</ref><ref>Degrasse. ''21st century Christian debaters'' (2015) p. XVIII</ref> is an American [[evangelical]] [[apologist]]<ref name=TimeFreeDebate>[http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/opinion/columns/story/2015/oct/04/wood/328261/ Chattanooga Times Free Press: "Scholars will debate whether Bible, Quran are books of peace"] October 3, 2015 |''"These men are recognized for being two of the best in the field of religious apologetics,..."''</ref> and the head of the '''Acts 17 Apologetics''' ministry.<ref>[http://www.acts17.org/ Acts 17 Apologetics]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Well-Researched Videos for Someone in Ministry to Muslims |url=https://network.crcna.org/muslim-ministry/why-should-someone-ministry-muslims-be-aware-david-wood-and-acts-17-apologetics |access-date=2020-07-31 |website=The Network (CRCNA) |publisher=[[Christian Reformed Church in North America]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731173237/https://network.crcna.org/muslim-ministry/why-should-someone-ministry-muslims-be-aware-david-wood-and-acts-17-apologetics |archive-date=31 July 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>


==Early life, incarceration and education==
==Early life, incarceration and education==
In a video testimony about Wood's conversion to Christianity he has stated that he was an [[atheist]]<ref name=DeFrPrGrace /> in his youth, and that he had run-ins with the law by breaking into homes and later went as far as smashing his father's head in with a hammer<ref>{{Cite web|last=2016-04-15T00:00:00+01:00|title=David Wood: From Nihilism To New Life|url=https://www.premierchristianity.com/home/david-wood-from-nihilism-to-new-life/2666.article|access-date=2021-06-30|website=Premier Christianity|language=en}}</ref> at the age of 18 in an attempt on his life, claiming a belief that morality was merely societal rules that were beneath him.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS8aUSygJM0&t=0s|title=- YouTube|website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name=CBNMisguided>[http://www1.cbn.com/video/misguided-man-assaults-father-with-hammer CBN: "Misguided Man Assaults Father with Hammer"] retrieved August 3, 2016</ref><ref name=Dagen>[http://www.dagen.no/Inspirasjon/inspirasjon/Den-umulige-snuoperasjonen-342308 Dagen: "Den umulige snuoperasjonen" by Eivind Algrøy] 22 mai 2016 (in Norwegian)</ref> He also said that after the assault on his father, Wood was diagnosed with [[antisocial personality disorder]] (sociopathy) and was sentenced to ten years in prison for [[malicious wounding]]. While in prison, he said, he was confronted with a fellow prisoner named Randy who was a devout Christian.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Thesenvitz |first1=Kayleigh |title=Atheist/Christianity debate overflows venue |url=https://www.claremoreprogress.com/news/atheist-christianity-debate-overflows-venue/article_5f200b4c-719f-11e9-b846-13a7d25529e2.html |access-date=23 February 2022 |work=[[Claremore Daily Progress]] |date=8 May 2019}}</ref> Wood said he often challenged Randy's Christian beliefs, initially claiming that Randy was only a Christian because he was born into a primarily Christian society, specifically the United States.<ref name=CBNMisguided /> Wood stated that, while in prison, he and Randy frequently fasted, with Wood attempting to "beat" Randy at fasting, which eventually resulted in Wood being placed into solitary confinement under observation due to concerns over Wood potentially attempting to commit suicide by starvation. During this time, he began to read the [[Bible]] and participate in various Bible study programs in order to respond to Randy's rebuttals (thus "beating" him) but it eventually led Wood to convert to [[Christianity]] in 1996.<ref name=Dagen />
Wood was an [[atheist]]<ref name=DeFrPrGrace /><ref name="claremore"/> in his youth, and stated that he had run-ins with the law by breaking into homes. He later smashed his father's head in with a hammer<ref>{{Cite web|title=David Wood: From Nihilism To New Life|url=https://www.premierchristianity.com/home/david-wood-from-nihilism-to-new-life/2666.article|date=April 15, 2016|website=Premier Christianity}}</ref> at the age of 18 in an attempt on his life, claiming a belief that morality was merely societal rules that were beneath him.<ref name=CBNMisguided>{{cite news|url=http://www1.cbn.com/video/misguided-man-assaults-father-with-hammer|work=CBN|title=Misguided Man Assaults Father with Hammer|date=August 1, 2014}}</ref><ref name=Dagen>{{cite news|url=http://www.dagen.no/Inspirasjon/inspirasjon/Den-umulige-snuoperasjonen-342308|work=[[Dagen (Norwegian newspaper)|Dagen]]|title=Den umulige snuoperasjonen|first=Eivind|last=Algrøy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821083426/http://www.dagen.no/Inspirasjon/inspirasjon/Den-umulige-snuoperasjonen-342308 |archive-date=August 21, 2018|date=May 22, 2016|language=no}}</ref> He also said that after the assault on his father (who survived), Wood was diagnosed with [[antisocial personality disorder]]<ref name="craig">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zrjwDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22David%20Wood%22%20Christian%20apologist&pg=PT190|title=A Debate on God and Morality: What is the Best Account of Objective Moral Values and Duties?|first1=William Lane|last1=Craig|first2=Erik J.|last2=Wielenberg|year=2020|publisher=Routledge|pages=121–122|isbn=9781000093254}}</ref> and was sentenced to ten years in prison for [[malicious wounding]].<ref name=CBNMisguided/> While in prison, he said, he was confronted with a fellow prisoner named Randy who was a devout Christian.<ref name="baggett"/><ref name="claremore">{{cite news |last1=Thesenvitz |first1=Kayleigh |title=Atheist/Christianity debate overflows venue |url=https://www.claremoreprogress.com/news/atheist-christianity-debate-overflows-venue/article_5f200b4c-719f-11e9-b846-13a7d25529e2.html |work=Claremore Daily Progress |date=May 8, 2019}}</ref> Wood said he often challenged Randy's Christian beliefs, initially claiming that Randy was only a Christian because he was born into a primarily Christian society, specifically the United States.<ref name=CBNMisguided /> Wood stated that, while in prison, he and Randy frequently fasted, with Wood attempting to "beat" Randy at fasting, which eventually resulted in Wood being placed into solitary confinement under observation due to concerns over Wood potentially attempting to commit suicide by starvation. During this time, he began to read the [[Bible]] and participate in various Bible study programs in order to respond to Randy's rebuttals (thus "beating" him) but it eventually led Wood to convert to [[Christianity]] in 1996.<ref name=Dagen /> His story has been discussed within the context of [[psychopathy]] and moral apologetics.<ref name="baggett"/><ref name="craig"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.moralapologetics.com/wordpress/on-psychopathy-and-moral-apologetics|title=On Psychopathy and Moral Apologetics|first=David|last=Baggett|date=December 11, 2014|work=Moral Apologetics}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Wielenberg|first=E.|year=2020|title=Divine command theory and psychopathy|journal=Religious Studies|volume=56|number=4|pages=9–10|doi=10.1017/S0034412518000781|url=https://scholarship.depauw.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&context=phil_facpubs}}</ref>


He said that after five years between jail and prison,<ref name=CBNMisguided /> he was released in 2000 and went to college at [[Old Dominion University]] where he earned a bachelor's degree. He later earned a doctorate in philosophy from [[Fordham University]].<ref name=FreePressHolyBooks>[http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/opinion/columns/story/2015/oct/04/wood/328261/ Chattanooga Times Free Press: "Wood: Holy Books of Peace? - Religious scholars will debate whether the Bible and Quran promote peace or violence" by David Wood] October 4, 2015</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://killingthebuddha.com/mag/dogma/the-anti-muslim-machine/ | title = Killing the Buddha: The anti-Muslim Machine | access-date = 2013-10-26 | last = Feldman | first = Kiera | date = November 1, 2010 | work = [[Killing the Buddha]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rowland |first1=Stephen |title=Serving a God of hope |url=https://www.columbiadailyherald.com/story/opinion/2020/07/15/local-opinion-serving-god-of-hope/41706043/ |access-date=23 February 2022 |work=[[Daily Herald (Columbia, Tennessee)|Daily Herald]] |date=15 July 2020}}</ref> Wood wrote that while he was studying at Old Dominion University, he was challenged to convert to [[Islam]] by his friend, [[Nabeel Qureshi (author)|Nabeel Qureshi]] (an American [[Ahmadiyya]] Muslim of Pakistani descent), and that he went about investigating the life of [[Muhammad]] using the earliest sources, including [[Ibn Ishaq]]'s ''Life of Muhammad'' (the earliest extant [[Prophetic biography|biography of Muhammad]]); the [[hadith]] collections of [[Sahih al-Bukhari]] and [[Sahih Muslim]] (considered by Sunni Muslims to be the two most reliable or ''[[sahih]]'' collections of Muhammad's statements, actions, and example); and the ''[[History of the Prophets and Kings]]'' by [[Al-Tabari]] (one of Islam's greatest historians).<ref name=FreePressHolyBooks /><ref>{{cite news|last1=Taylor|first1=Justin|title=Nabeel Qureshi (1983-2017)|url=https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/justintaylor/2017/09/16/nabeel-qureshi-1983-2017/|access-date=22 September 2017|work=The Gospel Coalition|date=September 16, 2017}}</ref> Wood said that he concluded that the Quran and Muhammad's example did not simply describe violence in the past (as in the Christian Bible per his assertion), but rather commanded ongoing violence. As a result, Wood said he then became a Christian apologist,<ref name=FreePressHolyBooks /> and that his roommate Nabeel later did so as well.<ref name=DeFrPrGrace />
He said that after five years between jail and prison, he was released in 2000 and went to college<ref name=CBNMisguided/> at [[Old Dominion University]] where he earned two [[bachelor's degree]]s.<ref name="Woodthesis"/> Wood wrote that while he was studying at Old Dominion University, he was challenged to convert to [[Islam]] by his friend, [[Nabeel Qureshi (author)|Nabeel Qureshi]] (a former [[Ahmadiyya|Ahmadi]] Muslim, turned Christian, of Pakistani descent), and that he went about investigating the life of [[Muhammad]] using the earliest sources, including [[Ibn Ishaq]]'s ''Life of Muhammad'' (the earliest extant [[Prophetic biography|biography of Muhammad]]); the [[hadith]] collections of [[Sahih al-Bukhari]] and [[Sahih Muslim]] (considered by Sunni Muslims to be the two most reliable or ''[[sahih]]'' collections of Muhammad's statements, actions, and example); and the ''[[History of the Prophets and Kings]]'' by [[Al-Tabari]] (one of Islam's greatest historians).<ref name=FreePressHolyBooks>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/opinion/columns/story/2015/oct/04/wood/328261/|work=Chattanooga Times Free Press|title=Wood: Holy Books of Peace? - Religious scholars will debate whether the Bible and Quran promote peace or violence|first=David|last=Wood|date=October 4, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Taylor|first1=Justin|title=Nabeel Qureshi (1983-2017)|url=https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/justintaylor/2017/09/16/nabeel-qureshi-1983-2017/|access-date=22 September 2017|work=The Gospel Coalition|date=September 16, 2017}}</ref> Wood said that he concluded that the Quran and Muhammad's example did not simply describe violence in the past (as in the Bible), but rather commanded ongoing violence. As a result, Wood said he then became a Christian apologist.<ref name=FreePressHolyBooks /> Qureshi later did so as well after converting to Christianity.<ref name=DeFrPrGrace />


==Christian apologetics==
==Christian apologetics==
Wood has participated in public debates with [[Muslims]] and [[atheists]].<ref>[http://articles.dailypress.com/2008-03-15/features/0803140096_1_islamic-center-debate-christian-apologetics Debates Look At Islam, Christianity] [[Daily Press (Virginia)]] newspaper</ref> including debates with Muslim scholars like [[Shabir Ally]].<ref name=TimeFreeDebate /> Wood was invited on several [[Aramaic Broadcast Network|ABN shows]], in inter-religious discussions against atheism and Islam, where among other things he regularly appears on the Aramaic Broadcasting Network.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://thereligionofconquest.com/2010/11/27/must-see-islamic-tv-ministry-promoting-abn-the-aramaic-broadcasting-network-at-abnsat-com/ |title=MUST SEE ISLAMIC TV MINISTRY: Promoting ABN (The Aramaic Broadcasting Network) at ABNsat.com « The Religion of Conquest<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2011-01-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110113232128/http://thereligionofconquest.com/2010/11/27/must-see-islamic-tv-ministry-promoting-abn-the-aramaic-broadcasting-network-at-abnsat-com/ |archive-date=2011-01-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He has produced [[YouTube]] videos presenting his views on religion.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/user/Acts17Apologetics {{specify|date=July 2014}}</ref> Writing for ''[[The Catholic World Report]]'', William Kilpatrick says that Wood has made "highly effective short videos that set the record straight on areas of Christian-Muslim disagreement," and that he "comes across as the quintessence of calm, controlled manhood. Armed with a winning sense of humor, a razor-sharp mind, and a ton of knowledge, Wood doesn’t even have to raise his voice to make his points."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kilpatrick |first1=William |title=Are We Losing the Apologetics War with Islam? |url=https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2014/10/27/are-we-losing-the-apologetics-war-with-islam/ |access-date=23 February 2022 |work=[[The Catholic World Report]] |date=27 October 2014}}</ref>
Wood has been described by scholar [[Michael R. Licona]] as one of "a number of Christian apologists and scholars", who "have stepped up to the plate and interacted seriously with Islam's truth claim",<ref>{{cite journal|last=Licona|first=Michael R.|url=https://theologicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/jisca/02-1_087.pdf|title=Using the Death of Jesus to Refute Islam|journal=Journal of the International Society of Christian Apologetics|volume=2|number=1|year=2009|page=87}}</ref> and by philosopher [[William Lane Craig]] as a "prominent Christian thinker".<ref name="craig"/> Writing for ''[[The Catholic World Report]]'', William Kilpatrick says that Wood on YouTube has made "highly effective short videos that set the record straight on areas of Christian-Muslim disagreement," and that he "comes across as the quintessence of calm, controlled manhood. Armed with a winning sense of humor, a razor-sharp mind, and a ton of knowledge, Wood doesn’t even have to raise his voice to make his points."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kilpatrick |first1=William |title=Are We Losing the Apologetics War with Islam? |url=https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2014/10/27/are-we-losing-the-apologetics-war-with-islam/ |access-date=February 23, 2022 |work=The Catholic World Report |date=October 27, 2014}}</ref> His YouTube page has furthermore been described as "a great resource with debates, testimonies and much important information concerning Islam, Muhammad, the hadith, sirah and Qur’an".<ref name="ventureyra"/> Wood has also been described as a part of the [[counter-jihad]] movement.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/26297006|title=Denying the Link between Islamist Ideology and Jihadist Terrorism "Political Correctness" and the Undermining of Counterterrorism|journal=Perspectives on Terrorism|publisher=Terrorism Research Institute|date=October 2013|volume=7|issue=5|first=Jeffrey M.|last=Bale|page=37|jstor=26297006 }}</ref>


In addition to YouTube, Wood has participated in more than fifty moderated public debates with Muslims and atheists,<ref name="claremore"/><ref name=FreePressHolyBooks/><ref name="dailypress">{{cite news|url=http://articles.dailypress.com/2008-03-15/features/0803140096_1_islamic-center-debate-christian-apologetics |title=Debates Look At Islam, Christianity|date=March 15, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306015750/http://articles.dailypress.com/2008-03-15/features/0803140096_1_islamic-center-debate-christian-apologetics |archive-date=March 6, 2012|work=[[Daily Press (Virginia)|Daily Press]]}}</ref> including debates with Muslim scholars like Dr [[Shabir Ally]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chattanoogan.com/2015/9/10/307933/Scholars-To-Debate-If-Quran-Bible-Are.aspx|work=Chattanoogan|title=Scholars To Debate If Quran, Bible Are Books Of Peace |date=September 10, 2015}}</ref> He has also hosted the satellite television talk show "Jesus or Muhammad?" on the [[Aramaic Broadcast Network]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.equip.org/audio/hank-hanegraaff-with-special-guest-david-wood/|title=Hank Hanegraaff with Special Guest, David Wood|work=Christian Research Institute|date=October 23, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Wahhabism and the Rise of the New Salafists: Theology, Power and Sunni Islam|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=myaODwAAQBAJ&pg=PT206|first=Namira|last=Nahouza|publisher=Bloomsbury|page=206|year=2018|isbn=9781838609825}}</ref> In 2008, Wood, Qureshi and Acts 17 Apologetics organized several debates in [[Norfolk, Virginia]] at the Old Dominion University and the Central Baptist Church in Ghent titled "Christianity vs. Islam", which included Muslim debaters Shadid Lewis, Nadir Ahmed and Sami Zaatari.<ref name="dailypress"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.pilotonline.com/2008/03/20/itll-be-a-battle-of-religions-this-weekend-in-norfolk/|title= It'll be a battle of religions this weekend in Norfolk|first=Steven|last=Vegh|work=The Virginian-Pilot|date=March 20, 2008}}</ref>
⚫
In 2013, Wood completed his Ph.D. from Fordham University, publishing his dissertation ''Surprised by suffering: Hume, Draper, and the Bayesian argument from evil.''<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Wood|first=David|date=2013-01-01|title=Surprised by suffering: Hume, Draper, and the Bayesian argument from evil|url=https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI3630193|journal=ETD Collection for Fordham University|pages=1–278}}</ref>


Wood and Qureshi were involved with preaching to Muslims at an Arab festival in [[Dearborn, Michigan]] in 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eu.columbiatribune.com/story/news/2009/09/30/missionaries-target-muslims/21547021007/|title=Missionaries target Muslims|work=Detroit Free Press/Columbia Daily Tribune|date=July 30, 2009}}</ref> They were then ejected for filming interviews at a Muslim booth, after which they protested with YouTube videos titled "Sharia in the U.S."<ref name="ct"/> In 2010, Wood and three other evangelists were arrested outside Dearborn, after again preaching at the Arab festival<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/2010/07/12/christian-missionaries-arraigned/|title=Christian Missionaries Arraigned|work=ClickOnDetroit|date=July 12, 2010}}</ref> and being charged with a misdemeanor of [[Breach of the peace|disturbing the peace]], but they were later acquitted.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mininggazette.com/page/content.detail/id/118925/Jury-acquits--4-arrested--for-behavior-at-Arab-fest.html?isap=1&nav=5014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720233823/http://www.mininggazette.com/page/content.detail/id/118925/Jury-acquits--4-arrested--for-behavior-at-Arab-fest.html?isap=1&nav=5014|title=Jury acquits 4 arrested for behavior at Arab fest|work=Mining Gazette|agency=Associated Press|date=September 26, 2010|archive-date=July 20, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dearbornfreepress.com/2010/09/25/acts-17-group-acquitted-of-inciting-crowd/|title=Acts-17 Group Acquitted of Inciting Crowd|first=Jonathan|last=Light|date=September 25, 2010|work=Dearborn Free Press}}</ref> In May 2013, the City of Dearborn was required to post a public apology<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2013/05/dearborn_ordered_to_apologize.html|work=Michigan Live|title=Dearborn ordered to apologize for arrests of Christian missionaries at Arab Fest|first=Gusl|last=Burns|date=May 6, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/2013/05/07/dearborn-agrees-to-settlement-with-missionaries/|title=Dearborn agrees to settlement with missionaries|date=May 7, 2013|work=ClickOnDetroit}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/michigan-city-apologizes-to-christian-missionaries-arrested-in-2010-at-arab-festival.html|title=Michigan City Apologizes to Christian Missionaries Arrested in 2010 at Arab Festival|first=Michael|last=Gryboski|work=The Christian Post|date=May 7, 2013}}</ref> to be maintained on the City's website for three years and pay $300,000 to Wood and his three compatriots.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://patch.com/michigan/dearborn/report-reveals-dearborn-paid-300-000-in-settlement-wi38dab7f0ca|title=Report Reveals Dearborn Paid $300,000 in Settlement with Missionaries|first=Daniel|last=Lai|work=Patch|date=May 25, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/michigan-city-paid-evangelists-300000-in-lawsuit-settlement-96657/|work=The Christian Post|title=Michigan City Paid Evangelists $300,000 in Lawsuit Settlement|first=Anugrah|last=Kumar|date=May 25, 2013}}</ref>
Wood opposed the [[Park51]] Islamic Center, arguing that it was not meant to honor the victims' families, but instead was a symbol of Islamic victory and named Cordoba House in memory of the Islamic conquest of Spain by the Umayyad Caliphate which later formed the [[Caliphate of Córdoba]].<ref>[http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_691292.html Mosque plans near Ground Zero] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.is/20120907061132/http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_691292.html |date=2012-09-07 }} By Pittsburgh Tribine-Review</ref> Wood disagreed with Pastor [[Terry Jones (pastor)|Terry Jones]] in the [[2010 Qur'an-burning controversy]], comparing it to the [[Uthman ibn Affan#Qur'an|Uthman Qur'an burning]].<ref>[http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/72415 Original Quran-Burning Took Place in the Mid-Seventh Century] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100919063531/http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/72415 |date=September 19, 2010 }} CNS News [[Cybercast News Service]]</ref>


Wood opposed the [[Park51]] Islamic Center in [[New York City]], dubbed the "Ground Zero Mosque", arguing that it was not meant to honor the victims' families, but instead was a symbol of Islamic victory and named Cordoba House in memory of the [[Umayyad conquest of Hispania|Islamic conquest of Spain]] by the Umayyad Caliphate which later formed the [[Caliphate of Córdoba]].<ref name="pittsburgh">{{cite news|url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_691292.html|title=Mosque plans near Ground Zero stir emotions, opposition|work=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428093601/http://triblive.com//x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_691292.html|date=July 21, 2010|archive-date=April 28, 2016}}</ref> He participated in a rally against the Islamic center in 2010 organized by [[Stop Islamization of America]], in which he accidentally nearly caused a riot by giving out pamphlets about Islam to two Christian [[Copts]] who wanted something to distribute, but who were mistakenly thought by the crowd to be Muslims.<ref name="buddha">{{cite news | url = http://killingthebuddha.com/mag/dogma/the-anti-muslim-machine/ | title =The anti-Muslim Machine | last = Feldman | first = Kiera | date = November 1, 2010 | work = [[Killing the Buddha]]}}</ref> He produced a viral YouTube video in connection with the event, titled "Of Mosques and Men", that received over 2 million views.<ref name="pittsburgh"/><ref name="buddha"/>
Wood was arrested outside [[Dearborn, Michigan]], after preaching at an Arab festival and being charged with a misdemeanor of [[Breach of the peace|disturbing the peace]], but was later acquitted.<ref>[http://www.mininggazette.com/page/content.detail/id/118925/Jury-acquits--4-arrested--for-behavior-at-Arab-fest.html?isap=1&nav=5014 Jury acquits 4 arrested for behavior at Arab fest] Associated Press re-print</ref><ref>[http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/september/1.17.html Dispute in Dearborn] Christianity Today magazine</ref> In May 2013, the City of Dearborn was required to post a public apology<ref>[http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2013/05/dearborn_ordered_to_apologize.html Michigan Live: "Dearborn ordered to apologize for arrests of Christian missionaries at Arab Fest" by Gus Burns] May 6, 2013</ref> to be maintained on the City's website for three years and pay $300,000 to Wood and his three compatriots.<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/news/michigan-city-paid-evangelists-300000-in-lawsuit-settlement-96657/ Christian Post: "Michigan City Paid Evangelists $300,000 in Lawsuit Settlement" by Anugrah Kumar] May 25, 2013</ref>


⚫
In 2013, Wood completed his Ph.D. in philosophy from Fordham University, publishing his dissertation ''Surprised by suffering: Hume, Draper, and the Bayesian argument from evil.''<ref name="Woodthesis">{{Cite journal|last=Wood|first=David|date=2013|title=Surprised by suffering: Hume, Draper, and the Bayesian argument from evil|url=https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI3630193|journal=ETD Collection for Fordham University|pages=1–278}}</ref> Wood is also a member of the [[Society of Christian Philosophers]] and the [[Evangelical Philosophical Society]].<ref name=FreePressHolyBooks/>
Wood wrote a polemic regarding the work of [[Richard Carrier]] which he titled "Good 'n' Senseless Without God: A Critical Review of Richard Carrier's New Book, Sense & Goodness Without God". Richard Carrier responded to the review with an essay entitled "On the Deceptions of David Wood", in which he argued that Wood misrepresented his arguments and that his review was full of diatribes.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.answeringinfidels.com/content/view/76/48/ | title = Good 'n' Senseless Without God: A Critical Review of Richard Carrier's new book, Sense & Goodness Without God | access-date = 2013-10-23 | last = Wood | first = David | work = AnsweringInfidels.com | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060211000026/http://www.answeringinfidels.com/content/view/76/48/ | archive-date = 2006-02-11}}</ref><ref>[[Richard Carrier]]. [http://www.richardcarrier.info/contrawood.html On the Deceptions of David Wood]</ref> Wood has also written journals arguing against the views of [[Dan Barker]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=lYYS7Bv_HJoC&pg=PR7&dq=david+wood+acts17&hl=en&ei=wCk7TeenCMHPhAff0ZS2Cg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=david%20wood&f=false Defending the Resurrection] By Ed James Patrick Holding</ref>


British jihadi [[Mohiussunnath Chowdhury]], who was arrested for attacking two police officers outside [[Buckingham Palace]] with a sword in 2017, had repeatedly shared videos of Wood on [[Telegram (software)|Telegram]]. While describing Wood as a "hardcore enemy of Allah" and stating that "some videos I don't watch where he mocks Islam", he noted that "his other videos are more truthful than the majority of Islamic speakers".<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7YebEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT216|page=216|title=Plotters: The UK Terrorists Who Failed|first=Lizzie|last=Dearden|year=2023|publisher=Hurst|isbn=9781805260028}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/mohiussunnath-chowdhury-terror-buckingham-palace-sword-attack-tommy-robinson-a9322286.html|title=Mohiussunnath Chowdhury: How jihadi used signed copy of Tommy Robinson book and far-right websites to justify terror attack plans|first=Lizzie|last=Dearden|date=February 10, 2020|work=The Independent}}</ref>
Wood is a member of the [[Society of Christian Philosophers]] and the [[Evangelical Philosophical Society]].<ref name=TimeFreeDebate />


On May 26, 2022, Wood announced his plan to delete his YouTube channel, due to what he saw as an increase in censorship and the banning of many of his videos.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why David Wood Deleted His Channel |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uGkrnEhma0 |date=May 26, 2022|access-date=January 21, 2023|website=YouTube}}</ref> Wood encouraged his fans to re-upload his videos onto their own YouTube channels if they wished to keep them on the site.<ref>{{Cite web |title=It's Not the End! David Wood explains why he deleted his content from YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG3g3YzaK1Q |date=May 27, 2022| access-date=January 21, 2023 |website=YouTube}}</ref> On July 3, he changed his plans in response to [[Hatun Tash]] being robbed and arrested at [[Speakers' Corner]], opting instead to delete his videos and transfer ownership of the channel to Tash.<ref>{{Cite web |title=My Parting Gift to Hatun Tash Is . . . |url= https://youtube.com/watch?v=peECkpM13Ns |date=July 4, 2022|access-date=July 12, 2022 |website=YouTube}}</ref> Tash had earlier appeared on YouTube together with Wood, discussing how she had been warned by police following previous attacks against her.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210726-turkish-christian-preacher-wearing-charlie-hebdo-t-shirt-stabbed-in-london/|title=Turkish Christian preacher wearing Charlie Hebdo T-shirt stabbed in London|work=Middle East Monitor|date=July 26, 2021}}</ref> In August 2022, Wood returned to YouTube under the name Apologetics Roadshow.<ref name="youtuberoadshow"/>
On 26 May 2022, he announced his decision to delete his YouTube channel. <ref>{{Citation |title=I'm Deleting My Channel [NOT A JOKE] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBRjp9W9jCA |language=en |access-date=2022-05-26}}</ref>

In July 2022, Wood was interviewed by ''[[The Babylon Bee]]'' about Islam, imprisonment, and personality disorders.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://babylonbee.com/podcast/premium/320|title=Dismantling Islam With David Wood: A Bee Interview|date=July 6, 2022|work=The Babylon Bee}}</ref>


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
He met his wife Marie, then an [[agnostic]] while in university; she also became a Christian.<ref name=CBNMisguided /> They have five sons, two of whom suffer from [[centronuclear myopathy]].<ref name=FreePressHolyBooks/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H8IOTvD63M|title = Wood Family Story|website = [[YouTube]]}}</ref>
Wood met his wife Marie, then an atheist, while in university; she also became a Christian.<ref name=CBNMisguided/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.womanalive.co.uk/from-atheism-to-faith/5393.article|title=From atheism to faith|first1=Justin|last1=Brierley|first2=Jana|last2=Harmon|work=Premier Woman Alive|date=August 24, 2021}}</ref><ref name="cslewis">{{cite news|url=https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/resources/the-side-b-podcast-marie-wood/|title=The Side B Stories – Marie Wood|work=C. S. Lewis Institute|date=January 21, 2022}}</ref> They live in [[the Bronx]], New York City,<ref name=FreePressHolyBooks/> and have five sons, two of whom suffer from [[centronuclear myopathy]].<ref name="cslewis"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H8IOTvD63M|title = Wood Family Story|website = YouTube|date=May 1, 2017|accessdate=January 17, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://delightyourmarriage.com/225-loving-during-your-childs-suffering-interview-with-marie-wood-part-1/ | title=Loving During Your Child’s Suffering. Interview with Marie Wood Part 1 | website=delightyourmarriage.com}}</ref>


On April 17, 2023, he revealed that his third son Reid, one of the two diagnosed with the condition, had died the previous day at the age of 16.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=Acts17David|number=1647912152534007808|date=April 17, 2023|title=[In 2007, our 3rd son was born, but he wasn't moving or breathing. Once the doctors figured out what disease he had, they told us he had a 50% chance of reaching his 1st birthday, and a 30% chance of reaching his 2nd birthday. Yesterday around 4:00pm, Reid went to be with Jesus.]|link=no|access-date=April 17, 2023}}</ref>
==See also==
==Publications==
*[[Christian apologetics]]
* {{cite book|chapter=Responding to the Argument from Evil: Three Approaches for the Theist / God, Suffering, and Santa Claus: An Examination of the Explanatory Power of Theism and Atheism|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SuRNZJ6M11MC&pg=PA36|first=David|last=Wood|pages=36–50|title=Evidence for God: 50 Arguments for Faith from the Bible, History, Philosophy, and Science|editor-first1=William A.|editor-last1=Dembski|editor-first2=Michael R.|editor-last2=Licona|publisher=Baker|year=2010|isbn=978-1441211798}}
*[[Nabeel Qureshi (author)]]
* {{cite book|chapter=Did the Resurrection Accounts "Grow With the Telling"?|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lYYS7Bv_HJoC&pg=PA81|first=David|last=Wood|pages=81–95|title=Defending the Resurrection|editor-first=James Patrick|editor-last=Holding|publisher=Xulon|year=2010|isbn=978-1609576547}}
* {{cite book|first=David|last=Wood|chapter=The Explanatory Emptiness of Naturalism|title=True Reason: Christian Responses to the Challenge of Atheism|editor-first1=Tom|editor-last1=Gilson|editor-first2=Carson|editor-last2=Weitnauer|publisher=Patheos|year=2012|asin=B007J71S62}}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|3}}
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.acts17.org/}}
* {{Official website|http://www.acts17.com/}}
* [https://youtube.com/@apologeticsroadshow Apologetics Roadshow (Official main YouTube channel)]

* [https://youtube.com/@acts17polemics Acts 17 Polemics (Official polemics YouTube channel)]
{{authority control}}
* [https://youtube.com/user/Acts17Apologetics The former Acts17Apologetics YouTube channel]
* [https://youtube.com/@TheDavidWoodArchives The David Wood Archives (YouTube channel with old videos)]
* [https://youtube.com/@acts17forever67 Acts17Forever (YouTube channel with old videos)]


{{DEFAULTSORT:Wood, David}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wood, David}}
[[Category:American theologians]]
[[Category:1976 births]]
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[[Category:Living people]]
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[[Category:21st-century American philosophers]]
[[Category:21st-century American theologians]]
[[Category:21st-century evangelicals]]
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[[Category:American counter-jihad activists]]
[[Category:American critics of Islam]]
[[Category:American evangelicals]]
[[Category:American evangelicals]]
[[Category:American prisoners and detainees]]
[[Category:Christian apologists]]
[[Category:Christian apologists]]
[[Category:Christian critics of Islam]]
[[Category:Christian critics of Islam]]
[[Category:Critics of atheism]]
[[Category:Commentary YouTubers]]
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[[Category:American critics of Islam]]
[[Category:Converts to Protestantism from atheism or agnosticism]]
[[Category:Converts to Protestantism from atheism or agnosticism]]
[[Category:Male YouTubers]]
[[Category:Converts to evangelical Christianity]]
[[Category:American YouTubers]]
[[Category:Evangelical theologians]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Fordham University alumni]]
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[[Category:1976 births]]
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[[Category:American prisoners and detainees]]
[[Category:Old Dominion University alumni]]
[[Category:Old Dominion University alumni]]
[[Category:Fordham University alumni]]
[[Category:People with antisocial personality disorder]]
[[Category:Philosophers from New York (state)]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of the United States]]
[[Category:YouTubers from New York City]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]

Revision as of 03:46, 14 September 2024

For other people named David Wood, see David Wood (disambiguation).
David Wood
Personal information
Born (1976-04-07) April 7, 1976 (age 48)
NationalityAmerican
EducationFordham University (PhD)
OccupationYouTuber
SpouseMarie Wood
Children5 (1 deceased)
Websiteacts17.com
YouTube information
Also known asApologetics Roadshow (2022–present)
Acts 17 Polemics (2022–present)
Acts17Apologetics (2008–2022)
Years active2008–present
Genres
Subscribers242,000 (Apologetics Roadshow)[1]
125,000 (Acts 17 Polemics)[2]
700,000 (Acts17Apologetics)[3]
Total views26 million (Apologetics Roadshow)[1]
7 million (Acts 17 Polemics)[2]
159 million (Acts17Apologetics)[3]
Associated actsNabeel Qureshi, Jay Smith, Hatun Tash, Robert Spencer Apostate Prophet
100,000 subscribers2016
Alma materOld Dominion University (B.A., B.S.)
Fordham University (M.A., MPhil, Ph.D.)
Last updated: August 17, 2024

David Wood (born April 7, 1976)[4][5] is an American evangelical apologist, social critic, philosopher[6][7] and YouTube personality, who is the head of the Acts 17 Apologetics ministry,[8] which he co-founded with Nabeel Qureshi.[9] He also runs Foundation for Advocating Christian Truth, which is the organization behind AnsweringMuslims.com.[10] Though covering a range of topics, he is known for his criticism of Islam, particularly Islamic views on theology and morality, as well as the Quran in general, hadith, sīrah and Muhammad.[6]

Early life, incarceration and education

Wood was an atheist[4][11] in his youth, and stated that he had run-ins with the law by breaking into homes. He later smashed his father's head in with a hammer[12] at the age of 18 in an attempt on his life, claiming a belief that morality was merely societal rules that were beneath him.[13][14] He also said that after the assault on his father (who survived), Wood was diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder[15] and was sentenced to ten years in prison for malicious wounding.[13] While in prison, he said, he was confronted with a fellow prisoner named Randy who was a devout Christian.[8][11] Wood said he often challenged Randy's Christian beliefs, initially claiming that Randy was only a Christian because he was born into a primarily Christian society, specifically the United States.[13] Wood stated that, while in prison, he and Randy frequently fasted, with Wood attempting to "beat" Randy at fasting, which eventually resulted in Wood being placed into solitary confinement under observation due to concerns over Wood potentially attempting to commit suicide by starvation. During this time, he began to read the Bible and participate in various Bible study programs in order to respond to Randy's rebuttals (thus "beating" him) but it eventually led Wood to convert to Christianity in 1996.[14] His story has been discussed within the context of psychopathy and moral apologetics.[8][15][16][17]

He said that after five years between jail and prison, he was released in 2000 and went to college[13] at Old Dominion University where he earned two bachelor's degrees.[18] Wood wrote that while he was studying at Old Dominion University, he was challenged to convert to Islam by his friend, Nabeel Qureshi (a former Ahmadi Muslim, turned Christian, of Pakistani descent), and that he went about investigating the life of Muhammad using the earliest sources, including Ibn Ishaq's Life of Muhammad (the earliest extant biography of Muhammad); the hadith collections of Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim (considered by Sunni Muslims to be the two most reliable or sahih collections of Muhammad's statements, actions, and example); and the History of the Prophets and Kings by Al-Tabari (one of Islam's greatest historians).[19][20] Wood said that he concluded that the Quran and Muhammad's example did not simply describe violence in the past (as in the Bible), but rather commanded ongoing violence. As a result, Wood said he then became a Christian apologist.[19] Qureshi later did so as well after converting to Christianity.[4]

Christian apologetics

Wood has been described by scholar Michael R. Licona as one of "a number of Christian apologists and scholars", who "have stepped up to the plate and interacted seriously with Islam's truth claim",[21] and by philosopher William Lane Craig as a "prominent Christian thinker".[15] Writing for The Catholic World Report, William Kilpatrick says that Wood on YouTube has made "highly effective short videos that set the record straight on areas of Christian-Muslim disagreement," and that he "comes across as the quintessence of calm, controlled manhood. Armed with a winning sense of humor, a razor-sharp mind, and a ton of knowledge, Wood doesn’t even have to raise his voice to make his points."[22] His YouTube page has furthermore been described as "a great resource with debates, testimonies and much important information concerning Islam, Muhammad, the hadith, sirah and Qur’an".[6] Wood has also been described as a part of the counter-jihad movement.[23]

In addition to YouTube, Wood has participated in more than fifty moderated public debates with Muslims and atheists,[11][19][24] including debates with Muslim scholars like Dr Shabir Ally.[25] He has also hosted the satellite television talk show "Jesus or Muhammad?" on the Aramaic Broadcast Network.[26][27] In 2008, Wood, Qureshi and Acts 17 Apologetics organized several debates in Norfolk, Virginia at the Old Dominion University and the Central Baptist Church in Ghent titled "Christianity vs. Islam", which included Muslim debaters Shadid Lewis, Nadir Ahmed and Sami Zaatari.[24][28]

Wood and Qureshi were involved with preaching to Muslims at an Arab festival in Dearborn, Michigan in 2009.[29] They were then ejected for filming interviews at a Muslim booth, after which they protested with YouTube videos titled "Sharia in the U.S."[9] In 2010, Wood and three other evangelists were arrested outside Dearborn, after again preaching at the Arab festival[30] and being charged with a misdemeanor of disturbing the peace, but they were later acquitted.[31][32] In May 2013, the City of Dearborn was required to post a public apology[33][34][35] to be maintained on the City's website for three years and pay $300,000 to Wood and his three compatriots.[36][37]

Wood opposed the Park51 Islamic Center in New York City, dubbed the "Ground Zero Mosque", arguing that it was not meant to honor the victims' families, but instead was a symbol of Islamic victory and named Cordoba House in memory of the Islamic conquest of Spain by the Umayyad Caliphate which later formed the Caliphate of Córdoba.[38] He participated in a rally against the Islamic center in 2010 organized by Stop Islamization of America, in which he accidentally nearly caused a riot by giving out pamphlets about Islam to two Christian Copts who wanted something to distribute, but who were mistakenly thought by the crowd to be Muslims.[39] He produced a viral YouTube video in connection with the event, titled "Of Mosques and Men", that received over 2 million views.[38][39]

In 2013, Wood completed his Ph.D. in philosophy from Fordham University, publishing his dissertation Surprised by suffering: Hume, Draper, and the Bayesian argument from evil.[18] Wood is also a member of the Society of Christian Philosophers and the Evangelical Philosophical Society.[19]

British jihadi Mohiussunnath Chowdhury, who was arrested for attacking two police officers outside Buckingham Palace with a sword in 2017, had repeatedly shared videos of Wood on Telegram. While describing Wood as a "hardcore enemy of Allah" and stating that "some videos I don't watch where he mocks Islam", he noted that "his other videos are more truthful than the majority of Islamic speakers".[40][41]

On May 26, 2022, Wood announced his plan to delete his YouTube channel, due to what he saw as an increase in censorship and the banning of many of his videos.[42] Wood encouraged his fans to re-upload his videos onto their own YouTube channels if they wished to keep them on the site.[43] On July 3, he changed his plans in response to Hatun Tash being robbed and arrested at Speakers' Corner, opting instead to delete his videos and transfer ownership of the channel to Tash.[44] Tash had earlier appeared on YouTube together with Wood, discussing how she had been warned by police following previous attacks against her.[45] In August 2022, Wood returned to YouTube under the name Apologetics Roadshow.[1]

In July 2022, Wood was interviewed by The Babylon Bee about Islam, imprisonment, and personality disorders.[46]

Personal life

Wood met his wife Marie, then an atheist, while in university; she also became a Christian.[13][47][48] They live in the Bronx, New York City,[19] and have five sons, two of whom suffer from centronuclear myopathy.[48][49][50]

On April 17, 2023, he revealed that his third son Reid, one of the two diagnosed with the condition, had died the previous day at the age of 16.[51]

Publications

  • Wood, David (2010). "Responding to the Argument from Evil: Three Approaches for the Theist / God, Suffering, and Santa Claus: An Examination of the Explanatory Power of Theism and Atheism". In Dembski, William A.; Licona, Michael R. (eds.). Evidence for God: 50 Arguments for Faith from the Bible, History, Philosophy, and Science. Baker. pp. 36–50. ISBN 978-1441211798.
  • Wood, David (2010). "Did the Resurrection Accounts "Grow With the Telling"?". In Holding, James Patrick (ed.). Defending the Resurrection. Xulon. pp. 81–95. ISBN 978-1609576547.
  • Wood, David (2012). "The Explanatory Emptiness of Naturalism". In Gilson, Tom; Weitnauer, Carson (eds.). True Reason: Christian Responses to the Challenge of Atheism. Patheos. ASIN B007J71S62.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Apologetics Roadshow". YouTube. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Acts 17 Polemics". YouTube. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Acts17Apologetics". YouTube. Archived from the original on February 10, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Light, Jonathan (August 31, 2010). "Amazing Grace Amid Profound Controversy". Dearborn Free Press.
  5. ^ @Acts17David (April 7, 2023). "On behalf of all of you, I would like to wish a very Happy Birthday to myself" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. ^ a b c Ventureyra, Scott (2017). "The Psyche of the West: Christianity, Islam, Apologetics and the Human Person". Études maritainiennes/Maritain Studies. 33: 64. doi:10.5840/maritain2017334. S2CID 253349864. For a very useful site, containing many articles and videos on Islam, see Answering Muslims: the Islamablog of Acts 17 Apologetics'. Much of the material is explained by apologist/philosopher David Wood who played an instrumental role in the conversion of Nabeel Qureshi from Islam to Christianity. The Acts 17 Apologetics YouTube page is a great resource with debates, testimonies and much important information concerning Islam, Muhammad, the hadith, sirah and Qur'an
  7. ^ Spencer, Andrew J. (2022). Doctrine in Shades of Green: Theological Perspective for Environmental Ethics. Wipf and Stock. p. 29. ISBN 9781666702255. David Wood, an apologist and philosopher
  8. ^ a b c Baggett, David; Baggett, Marybeth (2018). The Morals of the Story: Good News About a Good God. InterVarsity Press. pp. 184–186. ISBN 9780830886494.
  9. ^ a b Persaud, Trevor (August 18, 2010). "Dispute in Dearborn". Christianity Today.
  10. ^ "Anti-Muslim roundup: 6/5/18". Southern Poverty Law Center. June 5, 2018.
  11. ^ a b c Thesenvitz, Kayleigh (May 8, 2019). "Atheist/Christianity debate overflows venue". Claremore Daily Progress.
  12. ^ "David Wood: From Nihilism To New Life". Premier Christianity. April 15, 2016.
  13. ^ a b c d e "Misguided Man Assaults Father with Hammer". CBN. August 1, 2014.
  14. ^ a b Algrøy, Eivind (May 22, 2016). "Den umulige snuoperasjonen". Dagen (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on August 21, 2018.
  15. ^ a b c Craig, William Lane; Wielenberg, Erik J. (2020). A Debate on God and Morality: What is the Best Account of Objective Moral Values and Duties?. Routledge. pp. 121–122. ISBN 9781000093254.
  16. ^ Baggett, David (December 11, 2014). "On Psychopathy and Moral Apologetics". Moral Apologetics.
  17. ^ Wielenberg, E. (2020). "Divine command theory and psychopathy". Religious Studies. 56 (4): 9–10. doi:10.1017/S0034412518000781.
  18. ^ a b Wood, David (2013). "Surprised by suffering: Hume, Draper, and the Bayesian argument from evil". ETD Collection for Fordham University: 1–278.
  19. ^ a b c d e Wood, David (October 4, 2015). "Wood: Holy Books of Peace? - Religious scholars will debate whether the Bible and Quran promote peace or violence". Chattanooga Times Free Press.
  20. ^ Taylor, Justin (September 16, 2017). "Nabeel Qureshi (1983-2017)". The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  21. ^ Licona, Michael R. (2009). "Using the Death of Jesus to Refute Islam" (PDF). Journal of the International Society of Christian Apologetics. 2 (1): 87.
  22. ^ Kilpatrick, William (October 27, 2014). "Are We Losing the Apologetics War with Islam?". The Catholic World Report. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  23. ^ Bale, Jeffrey M. (October 2013). "Denying the Link between Islamist Ideology and Jihadist Terrorism "Political Correctness" and the Undermining of Counterterrorism". Perspectives on Terrorism. 7 (5). Terrorism Research Institute: 37. JSTOR 26297006.
  24. ^ a b "Debates Look At Islam, Christianity". Daily Press. March 15, 2008. Archived from the original on March 6, 2012.
  25. ^ "Scholars To Debate If Quran, Bible Are Books Of Peace". Chattanoogan. September 10, 2015.
  26. ^ "Hank Hanegraaff with Special Guest, David Wood". Christian Research Institute. October 23, 2012.
  27. ^ Nahouza, Namira (2018). Wahhabism and the Rise of the New Salafists: Theology, Power and Sunni Islam. Bloomsbury. p. 206. ISBN 9781838609825.
  28. ^ Vegh, Steven (March 20, 2008). "It'll be a battle of religions this weekend in Norfolk". The Virginian-Pilot.
  29. ^ "Missionaries target Muslims". Detroit Free Press/Columbia Daily Tribune. July 30, 2009.
  30. ^ "Christian Missionaries Arraigned". ClickOnDetroit. July 12, 2010.
  31. ^ "Jury acquits 4 arrested for behavior at Arab fest". Mining Gazette. Associated Press. September 26, 2010. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011.
  32. ^ Light, Jonathan (September 25, 2010). "Acts-17 Group Acquitted of Inciting Crowd". Dearborn Free Press.
  33. ^ Burns, Gusl (May 6, 2013). "Dearborn ordered to apologize for arrests of Christian missionaries at Arab Fest". Michigan Live.
  34. ^ "Dearborn agrees to settlement with missionaries". ClickOnDetroit. May 7, 2013.
  35. ^ Gryboski, Michael (May 7, 2013). "Michigan City Apologizes to Christian Missionaries Arrested in 2010 at Arab Festival". The Christian Post.
  36. ^ Lai, Daniel (May 25, 2013). "Report Reveals Dearborn Paid $300,000 in Settlement with Missionaries". Patch.
  37. ^ Kumar, Anugrah (May 25, 2013). "Michigan City Paid Evangelists $300,000 in Lawsuit Settlement". The Christian Post.
  38. ^ a b "Mosque plans near Ground Zero stir emotions, opposition". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. July 21, 2010. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016.
  39. ^ a b Feldman, Kiera (November 1, 2010). "The anti-Muslim Machine". Killing the Buddha.
  40. ^ Dearden, Lizzie (2023). Plotters: The UK Terrorists Who Failed. Hurst. p. 216. ISBN 9781805260028.
  41. ^ Dearden, Lizzie (February 10, 2020). "Mohiussunnath Chowdhury: How jihadi used signed copy of Tommy Robinson book and far-right websites to justify terror attack plans". The Independent.
  42. ^ "Why David Wood Deleted His Channel". YouTube. May 26, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  43. ^ "It's Not the End! David Wood explains why he deleted his content from YouTube". YouTube. May 27, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  44. ^ "My Parting Gift to Hatun Tash Is . . ". YouTube. July 4, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  45. ^ "Turkish Christian preacher wearing Charlie Hebdo T-shirt stabbed in London". Middle East Monitor. July 26, 2021.
  46. ^ "Dismantling Islam With David Wood: A Bee Interview". The Babylon Bee. July 6, 2022.
  47. ^ Brierley, Justin; Harmon, Jana (August 24, 2021). "From atheism to faith". Premier Woman Alive.
  48. ^ a b "The Side B Stories – Marie Wood". C. S. Lewis Institute. January 21, 2022.
  49. ^ "Wood Family Story". YouTube. May 1, 2017. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  50. ^ "Loving During Your Child's Suffering. Interview with Marie Wood Part 1". delightyourmarriage.com.
  51. ^ @Acts17David (April 17, 2023). "[In 2007, our 3rd son was born, but he wasn't moving or breathing. Once the doctors figured out what disease he had, they told us he had a 50% chance of reaching his 1st birthday, and a 30% chance of reaching his 2nd birthday. Yesterday around 4:00pm, Reid went to be with Jesus.]" (Tweet). Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Twitter.
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