‘Debating God’s Existence’ — New book offers a fair look at both sides
By Dan Barker
Can you imagine a book endorsed by both atheist philosopher/podcaster Alex O’Connor and Christian philosopher/theologian William Lane Craig?
In 2022, I participated in a “Does God Exist?” debate at the FREE-FLO conference in Orlando, Fla., organized by the Florida Humanist Association and co-sponsored by the Central Florida Freethought Community (CFFC), an FFRF chapter. David Williamson of CFFC was the moderator. My opponent was Christian theologian/philosopher Adam Lloyd Johnson, founder and president of Convincing Proof.
What was especially notable about this debate was its conviviality. Williamson and Orlando pastor Andy Searles, who are good friends, set the tone with an amiable joint introduction celebrating openness and charitable listening.
The main debate topics were causation, design (fine-tuning) and morality. We also touched on immaterial minds, free will and the hiddenness of God.
In the audience was editor Andrew Drinkard, director of Inspiring Christianity ministries. After the event, he asked Adam and me if we thought our debate might make a good book. We agreed. He made a proposal to William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (a Christian publisher), and after much deliberation, it agreed.
Andrew transcribed the debate, including audience questions. Then Eerdmans enlisted five Christian philosophers and six nontheist philosophers to comment on the debate. (Two nontheists wrote a joint article, so it was five to five.) Popular theologian Paul Copan, president of the Evangelical Philosophical Society, wrote the foreword and Christian philosopher Delores Morris wrote the introduction. Adam and I each contributed a chapter commenting on our debate, plus a concluding chapter responding to the other contributors. Nontheist philosopher Joe Schmid wrote the afterword. All total, the contributors include eight theists and eight nontheists.
“Debating God’s Existence: Believers and Skeptics in Friendly Conversation” is truly a fair and balanced book.
Sean McDowell, professor of Apologetics at Talbot School of Theology, says: “[This] is my new go-to book for believers and skeptics who want to understand the arguments for and against God. Both the tone and content of the dialogue are first-rate.”
Alex O’Connor, host of CosmicSkeptic, writes: “A great resource for both introducing and thoroughly engaging with some of the most important arguments surrounding the question of God’s existence. . . the book aims to help you figure out for yourself how to think about the question.”
You will notice that my name is not on the cover of the book. Eerdmans considers Paul Copan to be a bigger draw to their mainly Christian buyers. That is fine with me. I want Christians as well as nonbelievers to pick up the book and read both sides.
Published and endorsed by Christians, this is a book you can comfortably share with your religious friends and relatives.
Dan Barker is co-president of FFRF.
