Atheism and the Christian Faith
Proceedings from the 2016 Conference
Atheism and the Christian Faith
Canadian Centre for Scholarship
and the Christian Faith
At Concordia University of Edmonton
Alberta, Canada
Edited by
William H.U. Anderson
Concordia University of Edmonton, Canada
With Foreword by
Richard Swinburne
Vernon Series in Philosophy of Religion
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In Loving Memory of Russ Nelson:
A Truly Brilliant Scholar and the Epitome of Christian Faith
Is man merely a mistake of God's? Or God merely a mistake of man?
~ Nietzsche Twilight of Idols
Small amounts of philosophy lead to atheism, but larger amounts bring us back to God
~ Francis Bacon Of Atheism
Table of Contents
Richard Swinburne
David Kyle Johnson
Jonathan Strand
Jahdiel Perez
Stefan James Knibbe
Stephen W. Martin
Matthew Small
Charles Rodger
Chapter 9 The Modal Argument Against Naturalism
Andrew Brigham
Jahdiel Perez
Don N. Page
Richard Swinburne
Foreword
Atheism is popular today. Probably most academics in both the sciences and the humanities are atheists; and the new atheists such as Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens have helped to make it widely influential. Yet this growth of atheism has been counter-balanced by a great growth of interest among professional philosophers, some of whom are atheists and some of whom are theists, in the issues of whether there are any good arguments for or against the existence of God, and of whether we need arguments or even beliefs in order to practice a religion. The Canadian Centre for Scholarship and the Christian Faith held a public conference at Concordia University of Edmonton in May 2016 on these issues, all-important for Christians; and this volume contains some of the lectures delivered at that conference.
These lectures are generally of a kind readily accessible to most readers, and do not require any knowledge of the sometimes rather sophisticated philosophical books and essays being written today. There are here lectures giving positive arguments for the existence of God, lectures purporting to refute arguments for atheism, lectures purporting to refute arguments against atheism, lectures on whether faith without evidence is ethically permissible, and a lecture claiming that what is important about religion is too big to be captured by arguments, and much else. While not everyone will find that every lecture speaks to their condition, I feel confident that almost every reader will find something of value and interest to them somewhere in this volume.
Richard Swinburne
July 2017
Preface
I am the Director of the Canadian Centre for Scholarship and the Christian faith. I also did my Ph.D. in biblical studies under an atheist. So I am very familiar with the arguments on both sides of the debate and everywhere in-between. CCSCF is outside the box, open, inclusive and tolerant, as well as highly valuing academic rigor in all its pursuits.
The theme for CCSCFs 2016 conference was Atheism and the Christian Faith. This book represents the proceedings of that conference. The project is highly driven by philosophers and philosophy. This anthology is also highly eclecticrepresenting atheist, agnostic and theist viewpoints. So there is something for everyone here. Because I am trained as a biblical scholar and theologian (though I examined scepticism in the Book of Ecclesiastes), I was thrilled by the education that I received through editing this bookand I am sure that you will be too! I am grateful to each and every contributor of the book to this end.
Any survey of the state of affairs in the atheism-theism discussion reveals that there appears to be an impasse. Or as Martin puts it in Chapter 6: Talking about Something Else, i.e., both sides are not really listening and are talking past each other. This has led to misunderstanding, prejudice and bad behavior (sometimes embarrassingly so for all parties concerned). Whether we agree or disagree in the final analysis is immaterial. It is all about the academic process and truth wherever and whenever it may be ascertained. If atheists, agnostics and theists are to have genuine dialogue, then it must be truly open, honest and respectful. Part of the goal of this book is to foster such a disposition. Perez in Chapter 10 discusses Intellectual Honesty in the Atheism-Theism Conversation. Knibbe further assists in Chapter 5 by Helping Atheists and Christians Understand One Another (subtitle).
Swinburne opens this anthology in Chapter 1 on Why Believe That There is a God?. A more specific argument is offered by astrophysicist Page later in Chapter 11 on The Optimal Argument for the Existence of God. These are countered by other chapters in the book.
The problem of evil and suffering has been used to argue against theism and for atheism. Johnson employs that argument vigorously in Chapter 2 on Moral Culpability and Choosing to Believe in God. But this too is something that Swinburne addresses in the last chapter on Why God Allows Suffering.
There are also chapters which deal with problematics in the atheism-theism discussion. Perez very much challenges some of the hermeneutical underpinnings of atheism in Chapter 4 on Nietzsche: Master of Suspicion or Mastered by Suspicion. Brigham in Chapter 9 welcomes the reader to World 5 and articulates The Modal Argument Against Naturalism. Small argues in Chapter 7 for Why Atheists should be Antinatalists. Ethics and Ontology are explored by Strand and Rodgers respectively in Chapters 3 and 8.
Unfortunately, the atheism-theism discussion has been plagued by misrepresentation and misunderstanding. There has been close-minded dogmatism and intolerance from every party. But let us put this issue to rest as represented by this book: There are intelligent, well-educated and reasonable representatives on all sides of the discussionall of whom should be taken seriously.
As Elder and Paul point out in Critical Thinking , the highest level of scholarly competency is when one has the ability to situate oneself in anothers shoes in order to think and feel like them (why I did a Ph.D. under an atheist). This allows one to understand where others are coming from and fosters an attitude and conduct which is fair and respectful with arguments and positions with which one disagrees. I hope that the reader, regardless of ones disposition or beliefs or unbelief, will be open to learning from a variety of different people and positions in a critically engaged but fair way. This will insure a common goal for many atheists, agnostics and theists alikenamely the dignity of all human beingsas well as tolerance and appreciation for differing views.
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