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New Atheism, New Apologietics - Professor Alistair McGrath

2,435 views · Published 7 February 2014 · 1:18:54 · Indexed 27 September 2026

Channel: Gresham College · 2014 · Education

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The rise of the New Atheism has stimulated a new interest in Christian apologetics: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/new-atheism-new-apologetics-the-use-of-science-in-recent-christian-apologetic

This interest has flourished in both in the academy and the churches. The appeal to science in the writings of leading 'New Atheists', such as Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett, is reflected in two apologetic strategies.

In the first place, the use made of science to defend atheism by Dawkins and Dennett has been challenged as unrepresentative and improper. In the second, defences of the rationality of faith have been developed which reflect inductive or abductive approaches, paralleling those used in the natural sciences.

This lecture explores the ways in which the natural sciences have been used in recent Christian apologetics, and assesses their significance.

This is the 2014 Boyle Lecture.
The Boyle lectures address topics which explore the relationship between Christianity and our contemporary understanding of the natural world.

The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/new-atheism-new-apologetics-the-use-of-science-in-recent-christian-apologetic

Gresham College has been giving free public lectures since 1597. This tradition continues today with all of our five or so public lectures a week being made available for free download from our website. There are currently over 1,500 lectures free to access or download from the website.
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