The Dawkins Delusion

by Peter F. Whyte, 19 Oct 2007 (updated 7 Jan 2009)

According to Albert Mohler, “2006 has been a big year for atheism. The release of several major books--all widely touted in the media--has put atheism on the front lines of current cultural conversation. Books such as Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion, Daniel Dennett’s Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon, and Sam Harris’ Letter to a Christian Nation are selling by the thousands and prompting hours of conversation on college campuses and in the media.” [... read more]

And the conversation has continued throughout 2007. This past year has seen significant books published from a number of high-profile Christians. And in recent weeks, BBC broadcaster and Mastermind quizmaster John Humphrys has also joined the debate with a book of his own. Recently I've been catching up on where the debate is at. Here are some resources that I've found helpful, or have on my reading list. I trust they will help you to think through the issues Dawkins raises in his book. I've given links to reviews of the books, accompanying articles and audio by some of the authors.

First out of the blocks was Alister McGrath's The Dawkins Delusion: Atheist fundamentalism and the denial of the divine (London: SPCK, 2007). It is a slim volume of only 4 chapters, 78 pages in all. To whet your appetite, you can also listen to McGrath talk about these issues in a recording of a session he did at St. Ebbe's Church, Oxford in February 2007. You can read a review of the book at Discerning Reader reviewed the book concluding, “In short: McGrath ably answers the delusion charges of Richard Dawkins.” I'm looking forward to reading it and am willing to lend my copy to anyone in the church who would like to read it. Shortly before the book was published Theos also published an article by McGrath that provides a short introduction to the whole issue.

Hard on McGrath's heels, Alvin Plantinga wrote an insightful article in Christianity Today, ‘The Dawkins Confusion: Naturalism ad absurdum’, Books & Culture, Mar/Apr 2007, Vol. 13, No. 2, Page 21. Plantinga takes Dawkins to task on a good many arguments, and in a masterful way demolishes them. The article may be a little hard going in places, but is definitely worth reading. In his conclusion he says, “The God Delusion is full of bluster and bombast, but it really doesn't give even the slightest reason for thinking belief in God mistaken, let alone a "delusion."” (See also link in sidebar to and interview by Albert Mohler.)

Then there was The Dawkins Letters: Challenging Atheist Myths by David Robertson. He is a Free Church of Scotland pastor from St Peter's, Dundee, who wrote some open letters to Dawkins. The book has also been reviewed at Discerning Reader. Their conclusion is, “In short: A competent and biblical response to Richard Dawkins' bestseller.” You can see and hear Robertson talk about Dawkins's book and his own rebuttal in some videos at YouTube.

Robertson was also interviewed about the books by Paul Hammond on UCB. The Free Church of Scotland hosts some forums for discussion of the books. The original articles on which Robertson's book is based are still available to read online at their site (on the 2006 and 2007 issues pages).

Premier Christian Radio has aired a couple of programmes on the Unbelievable? programme about Dawkins in the past few months. First was a discussion with Andrew Wilson (25 August 2007), whose new book, Deluded by Dawkins, claims to have debunked Richard Dawkins's arguments against God. He goes head to head with atheist Gordon Livesey as they discuss The God Delusion and whether people are really being deluded by Dawkins's arguments. The latest programme involved John Lennox (see below) on 13 October.

In between the various Christian contributions to the debate, John Humphrys has published In God We Doubt (Hodder & Stoughton, 2007) £18.99. The Sunday Times published an extract on 2 September 2007. “He went looking for God”, the extract was headed, “and ended up an angry agnostic – unable to believe but enraged by the arrogance of militant atheists. It’s hard to see the purpose of the world, he says, but don’t blame its evils on religion.” In an accompanying article “The terrier who got his teeth into God” Humphrys told Bryan Appleyard why it was anger that drove his quest to understand religion.

Hugh Rayment-Pickard reviewed the book in The Church Times, concluding that, “Humphrys’s doubts tend towards atheism not agnosticism.” In the same issue (Issue 7543 - 5 October, 2007) Rachel Harden interviewed Humphrys, giving some insights into his upbringing and values.

Humphrys is none too keen on Dawkins, particularly his militant stance. But Terry Sanderson, in an editorial on The National Secular Society's Web site, is none too impressed with Humphrys. ‘Methinks the believers complain too much’ he calls his article. Perhaps Humphrys has struck a raw nerve, especially as they might like to claim him for their own camp, if only he didn't think too critically about the issues.

Ron Ferguson followed up The Sunday Times on Monday 3 September 2007 with ‘The rapid response squad's rhetoric of hatred’ in the Glasgow Herald. He was none too impressed by what he called “the swooning Richard Dawkins-Muriel Gray love-in at the Edinburgh International Book Festival,” nor the contributions of Christian and Atheist alike on Internet forums during the preceding week or so. His column the previous week, ‘Dogmatic atheism is a faith worth questioning’ (27 August 2007) strangely rated The God Delusion highly, and yet declared Dawkins “theologically illiterate”, concluding that his “contemptuous ignorance” of it “perverse”. Equally strangely, he considers Christopher Hitchens's recent book God is not Great a superior book to Dawkins. But then he hasn't read David Luke's opinions of that tome.

Magnus Linklater weighed in on 5 September 2007 in The Times in ‘Like any half-decent atheist, I'm fond of a bit of religion’. “Thank God I'm an atheist.” he writes. (I can think of many things to thank God for, but that never occurred to me! I must be too religious to see that.) “It's a big step to take,” he continues, “but it was becoming difficult to cling to the agnostic fig-leaf any longer. ... Now, however, I am reassured by Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, that I can ‘stand tall to face the far horizon’.” But, nonetheless, he is disconcerted by Polly Toynbee's virulent atheism, and repelled by Richard Dawkins's meticuluousness in demolishing religious arguments. His article is a further insightful glimpse into the inner angst of the unconvinced atheist. You can read my own thoughts on Linklater's article elsewhere.

And finally there is the recent book by John Lennox (another Irishman) entitled God's Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? (Lion, 2007). This is a meatier book than the others mentioned. John is an able and convincing communicator who has thought deeply about the issues involved. Knowing him personally, having heard him speak on a number of occasions, and having read the first few chapters I can assure you that you will find this a thoroughly profitably read. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of it, and am willing to lend my copy to anyone in the church who would like to read it, too.

Earlier in the year he took part in a live radio debate with Dawkins on The Public Square Radio. You can listen to/download the recordings from Dawkins's own Web site free of charge. The radio site has 3 discussions with John prior to the debate from their archive. They are also worth listening to (though the American radio format does make things a little disjointed). There is also some background material on the debate and Dawkins. If you click through the various pages you will be able to put questions directly to Lennox. And finally, there are a couple of blog entries by Dr Chuck McGowen entitled ‘The Dawkins Diatribe’ which respond thoughtfully to issues raised in the debate.

Lennox's book will not be the last word on the subject. If you are wondering where to start I would suggest it as the best all round introduction. Don't be put of by the blub about him having three doctorates. He writes as he speaks/preaches, with clarity, persuasion, and downright infectious enthusiasm. I hope that all the various resources mentioned in this article will be of help as you think through the issues. I found it interesting that some of the critical books and articles are by atheists, whom one would expect to support Dawkins, et al. enthusiastically, if not wholeheartedly.

Taking stock of what I've read so far, I couldn't help remember that God's “invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.” (Rom. 1:20, ESV). There is only so long that one can “suppress the truth” (Rom. 1:18), before that truth breaks through the self-erected barriers of atheists. Even if we do not have opportunity to discuss these issues with friends and acquaintances, and bring the light of God's Word to darkened minds, we can pray that the ongoing public discussion may be used by the Spirit of God for the illumination and conversion of those who would oppose the living God and his truth. Saul of Tarsus once was as militant as many today, but God intervened in his life unexpectedly and miraculously to the benefit of the Church of God.

May we see such divine intervention in our day.