ABSTRACT

In response to the intellectual movement of New Atheism, this volume articulates a "New Theist" response that has at its core a desire to engage in productive and depolarizing dialogue.

To ensure this book is of interest to atheists and theists alike, a team of experts in the field of philosophy of religion offer an assessment of the strongest New Atheist arguments. The chapters address the most pertinent questions about God, including politics and morality, and each essay shows how a reflective theist might deal with points raised by the New Atheists.

This volume is a serious academic engagement with the questions asked by New Atheism. As such, it will be of significant interest to scholars working in the philosophy of religion and theology, as well as those engaged in religious studies generally.

chapter |6 pages

Introduction

part I|85 pages

God and reason

part II|85 pages

God and morality

chapter 7|8 pages

Deiform morality

chapter 8|16 pages

Are we better off without religion?

The harms (and benefits) of religious belief

chapter 9|12 pages

A license to sin?

Spiritual practices and moral licensing

chapter 10|22 pages

Another dimension of the moral argument

The voice of Jesus and the historical fruits of the Christian faith

part III|35 pages

God and theology

chapter 13|18 pages

A bloody death that saves the world?

Making sense of Christ’s cross

chapter 14|15 pages

The fate of the “good person”