Ian S. Markham - Against Atheism: Why Dawkins, Hitchens, and Harris Are Fundamentally Wrong

This edition first published 2010

2010 Ian S. Markham

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Markham, Ian S.

Against Atheism : why Dawkins, Hitchens, and Harris are fundamentally wrong / Ian S. Markham.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-4051-8964-4 (hardcover : alk. paper) ISBN 978-1-4051-8963-7

(pbk. : alk. paper)

1. Dawkins, Richard, 1941- God delusion. 2. Hitchens, Christopher. God is not great. 3. Harris, Sam, 1967- End of faith. 4. Apologetics. 5. Atheism. I. Title.

BL2775.3.D393M36 2010

239.7dc22

2009025994

For my brothers
Anthony and Michael

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens for writing the three books that have stimulated so much debate. They have all done the Church a big favor. After years of being on the defensive, we are back into the business of apologetics. It is good to see the range of responses to this trio of atheists. Two themes dominate this reply: the first is that we need to recognize there is a case for atheism that needs a response from Christians; and the second is that science is now one of the best reasons for faith.

The genesis of this book started with a delightful lunch with Sam Lloyd, the Dean of Washington National Cathedral. I am grateful for his encouragement and thoughtfulness throughout this project. My colleagues at Virginia Theological Seminary have helped in countless ways: I am deeply grateful to Dr. Timothy Sedgwick the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, to Katie Lasseron the Assistant to the Dean and Director for Institutional Effectiveness and Planning, to Rev. Dr. Roger Ferlo the Associate Dean and Director of the Institute for Christian Formation and Leadership, and to Ms. Heather Zdancewicz the Vice President for Administration and Finance. They do so much to keep the VTS operation going such that it is possible for me to write. Dr. Amy Dyer works tirelessly as the Associate Dean of Students and also read the manuscript with close attention to the detail; Amy improved both my style and my arguments. Rev. Dr. Barney Hawkins not only serves the Seminary in vitally important ways but has become a much-valued conversation partner. I am very conscious of my intellectual debt to Barney in these pages. And my Old Testament colleague Stephen Cook spent several hours in conversation with me as the project was developing. For his expertise and the clarity of his mind, I am deeply grateful. As the project was coming to an end, a small group gathered to read the manuscript. Kim Seldman, David Gortner, Jennifer and Scott Andrews-Weckerly read the manuscript with care and made a variety of important suggestions.

Once again I have had the honor of working with Rebecca Harkin from Wiley-Blackwell. Her interest and commitment to this project are much appreciated. She is exceptional in so many ways. There is no doubt that the quality of religious publishing in the world has been significantly enhanced by her wisdom and insight. The professionalism of her team at Wiley-Blackwell is outstanding. In particular I want to thank Helen Gray for her hard work at the copy-editing stage. The manuscript was significantly improved thanks to her labors.

When it comes to questions about faith, my favorite conversation partners are my two brothers. My older brother, Anthony Markham, was at Oxford University at the height of the logical positivists, while my younger brother, Michael Markham, has scientific and mathematical instincts. In numerous ways my worldview has been shaped in conversation with them both. I hope they like this book: and I am delighted to dedicate this book to them.

Last, but definitely not least, I want to thank my wife and son. Inevitably, the work of writing makes one a little less present (both literally as one disappears away to finish a chapter, but also mentally as one finds oneself preoccupied with a particular set of questions). Lesley and Luke are both precious gifts in my life that make all the difference. I love them both so much.

Source acknowledgments

The author and publisher gratefully acknowledge the permission granted to reproduce the copyright material in this book:

Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion (London: Transworld Publishers Bantam Press, 2006, p.319f.). Reprinted by permission of The Random House Group Ltd.;

Christopher Hitchens, God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (New York and Boston: Twelve Hachette Book Group, 2007) 2007 by Christopher Hitchens. By permission of Grand Central Publishing;

Keith Ward, Divine Action (London: Collins Flame, 1990, p. 83): 1990 Keith Ward. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.;

Sam Harris, The End of Faith: Religion, Terror and the Future of Reason (New York and London: W. W. Norton, 2004): Reprinted by permission of W. W. Norton;

George Steiner, Real Presences (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1989): Reprinted by permission of the publishers, the University of Chicago Press; and Faber and Faber Ltd.;

Friedrich Nietzsche, Die frhliche Wissenschaft, translated as The Joyful Wisdom, Thomas Common, 1910, later translated as The Gay Science.

Introduction

Meeting Fred and Natalie

To begin this exploration of atheism, let us start with an imaginative exercise, where we attempt to get inside the mind of Fred. Fred is an energetic atheist, completely persuaded by the writings of Dawkins et al. We will then explore the worldview of Natalie, an intelligent, thoughtful believer.