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October 15, 2007
How Richard Dawkins Helps Us
Atheistic rants may lead us to stronger apologetics.
Last week, Opinion Journal's Naomi Schaefer Riley attended a public debate between Darwinian biologist Richard Dawkins, most (in)famous for his recent work, The God Delusion, and mathematician?Christian apologist John Lennox. The debate focused on the question, Does God exist?
What's newsworthy is not so much that the debate occurred or that it received so much press; it only takes a monthly glance at the New York Times bestseller list to see that this question, and the atheistic rants that often ensue, get our attention. According to Riley, the debate between the two Oxford scientists, which took place at the Alys Stephens Center in Birmingham, Alabama, on October 3, had been sold out for weeks prior, and received more buzz than Alabama football, which apparently is saying something.
What may be surprising to some about the debate, not least of all Richard Dawkins himself, is that many believers are eager to attend such events and to heartily engage the intellectual conclusions of each side. To watch two brilliant scientists construct arguments, and, in good English fashion, throw in some rhetorical punches along the way, is both entertaining and instructive. Dawkins and other atheist-apologists might envision Christians running away from such challenges, afraid and dejected. What they may be horrified to find out is that such debates actually spur many Christians to ask big questions, examine their beliefs, and arrive at even more robust reasoning for accepting the gospel as "gospel truth." As Riley quotes apologist Jonalyn Fincher as saying, "If our God is the God of truth, what are we afraid of?"
As a counterproposal, would Dawkins and the rest of the New Atheist league be willing to sit in for a session at next month's Apologetics Conference, featuring J. P. Moreland, William Lane Craig, and Gary Habermas? Just a thought.
*Look for our review of fellow Oxford scholar Alister McGrath's response to Dawkins in the November issue of Christianity Today.
Comments
A given that Christians do not condone the views of atheists, but what do Christians tell those who believe in a different faith?
ie. Muslim, Judaism, Buddhism, Hindu, New Age, Astrology, etc.
And what stops the people of other faith from turning around and applying the same thing against Christianity?
Thanks,
CR Smith
Posted By: CR Smith | October 15, 2007 7:53 PM
Thank you Ms. Beaty for covering this valuable WSJ article. I've written about the interview that day (www.jonalynfincher.com) and how pleased I was by Naomi Riley's fair coverage. I think her article represents an admiration if not surprise in the way Christians were open to intellectually reasons for faith. What's significant is the way Christians are beginning to realize, as Ravi Zacharias says, "What I believe in my heart must make sense in my mind." This principle also helps us engage with friends who practice Eastern faiths, those that CR Smith lists. I'd recommend The Illustrated Guide to World Religions ed. Dean Halverson, as a start-up guide to understanding how to use reason with those of other faiths.
Posted By: Jonalyn Fincher | October 15, 2007 10:29 PM
I think the dichotomy between xtians and atheist is vast in that xtians believe, they believe they have the answers with absolutely no evidence or logic. Atheist are by nature more sceptical, I for one would easily and gratefully convert to a believer if given one little bit of evidence or logical reason to do so.
Posted By: john connore | October 16, 2007 2:49 PM
I am surprised to see Mr. Connore comment about "no evidence or logic" in the context of logical debate!
I would say that if an atheist chooses to only believe in material things, that's his or her preference. But to appeal to logic seems intellectually dishonest to me. It seems like no matter how much evidence or logic a Christian apologist brings to the table, an atheist can probably find a way to squirm out of it if he or she has a heart-grounded dedication to materialism.
Posted By: Joel | October 18, 2007 12:30 PM
An appeal to logic is dishonest???
Then what WOULD be honest?
I'm willing to inspect any verifiable "evidence" Joel.
Please present it here.
Posted By: Carl S. | October 20, 2007 1:58 PM
Carl S. wrote:
"I'm willing to inspect any verifiable "evidence" Joel.
Please present it here."
Carl, there are buckets of evidence for the existence of God and the truth of Christianity, but let me give you just one thing:
There's the matter of a missing body...or rather, of a body that was not only merely dead but really most sincerely dead that was later seen healthy as a horse by over 500 witnesses.
When you can tell me where the body went, get back to me.
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