Go to details of the book.

A recent survey of the professed needs of Church members was ‘Apologetics’. The following factors have put the need for reasons to believe high on the agenda.

1.      The rise of Islamic Extremism throughout the world. If many Muslims are prepared to die and fight wars, not just for a political cause, but for a religious cause, how can we be confident of our own beliefs.

2.      The apparent and alarming breakdown of morality in our nation. This stretches from the perceived ‘spin’ of politicians to the yob and drink culture.

3.      The bewildering progress of biotechnology as it relates to human genetics.

4.      The controversy between Intelligent Design and Naturalist theories about the origin and development of life. This controversy surrounds the nature of science itself. For example: Is science about finding exclusively physicalist answers to physical questions or is it about ‘following the evidence’? Here in this proposal I  make the following points:

a.       This controversy and related issues has had wide courage in The Times, The Guardian, The Scotsman, The Herald, The Sunday Mail and other British newspapers. We must not ignore it.

b.      The controversy is raging in the American media and is soon going to be gathering more strength this side of the Atlantic.

c.       My book deals explicitly with this controversy and it is very relevant to it, especially in the first chapter on Naturalism and also the Appendix dealing with Dawkins’ hugely influential ‘The Blind Watchmaker’

d.      Whatever we think of the theory of evolution it is underscored by an atheistic theory of naturalism which simply cannot be true.

Most people realise intuitively that there is more to reality than science can describe. Yet the opposite view is propagated in the media. The first chapter, Why Naturalism Must Fail, shows that the first view is correct and that our society may be throwing away its heritage and opening the way for more objectionable religious practices.

Questions without answers deals with those questions which Bertrand Russell regarded as raising the most important and interesting issues facing us. He says that they have no answer in science or philosophy but only in theology (if one believes in it – which he didn’t). Here I give answers which rely on theology, science and philosophy.

The philosophy of naturalism that there is no overarching purpose for anything is bound to lead eventually to a loss of a sense of value and therefore a breakdown in morality. My next section, Ethics in Crisis, attempts to show why this is the case.

But is the Bible’s faith a trustworthy alternative to naturalism? In the next section, Why Trust the Bible? I argue, using external indications, that indeed it is.

A common objection to belief in God is the presence of evil and suffering. This troubles many people both within and without the Church. My next section has some new things to say on this subject as well as going over old ground.

So what keeps many people away from faith? There are many factors but here I argue, with illustrations from modern scientific writers, that it is the very personal nature of faith that is a problem.

This is illustrated in the next chapter on The Lord’s Prayer

My four appendices deal with Human Bioethics,  a criticism of Dawkins theory of neo-Darwinism, an assessment of the Intelligent Design Controversy, and a proof of why a mechanistic theory of the mind must fail,.

Go to details of the book.

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