Overview
This episode of The Word on Fire Show, hosted by Brandon Vogt and Bishop Robert Barron, examines the rise and core arguments of New Atheism, offers responses to common objections to belief in God, and provides resources for deepening faith and understanding.
Distinctive Features of New Atheism
- New Atheism is marked by a more aggressive and disdainful tone compared to earlier atheist thinkers.
- Its arguments largely rehash classical atheism but gained prominence post-September 11, with increased cultural and online presence.
Response to “No Evidence for God”
- Calls for evidence often default to scientific standards, which are not applicable to God as a transcendent reality.
- God is not a being within the world but the foundational cause of existence; thus, scientific methods cannot evaluate God’s existence.
- Rational grounds for belief in God exist that are philosophical, not scientific.
The “What Caused God?” Objection
- The principle in classical arguments is that contingent things require causes, not everything overall.
- The demonstration concludes with the necessity of a non-contingent reality (God) that itself is uncaused.
Science, Scientism, and God
- Scientism, the view that science is the only path to knowledge, is self-contradictory because it isn’t itself a scientific claim.
- Science presupposes philosophical concepts (e.g., intelligibility of the world) that it cannot prove.
- Science and religion address different kinds of questions; claims that science disproves God misunderstand both domains.
Misconceptions about God’s Nature
- Seeing God as one cause among many (a “God of the gaps”) is a misunderstanding.
- The real theological question concerns why anything exists at all, which is philosophical, not scientific.
The Problem of Evil
- The problem of evil is a powerful emotional argument against God but less so intellectually.
- Evil is defined as a privation, not a created thing; God permits evil to bring about a greater good.
- Human understanding is severely limited compared to God’s infinite perspective; our inability to see a purpose doesn’t imply none exists.
Teaching Children about God
- It’s appropriate to begin with simple explanations for children and gradually introduce deeper theological concepts as they mature.
- Encourage ongoing intellectual development in faith to prevent “childish” understandings from persisting into adulthood.
Recommendations for Further Study
- Bishop Barron’s "Mystery of God" study program is intended to help especially young people engage with objections to belief in God.
- Additional recommended resources: David Bentley Hart’s works, Henri de Lubac’s "The Drama of Atheist Humanism," Summa Theologiae (first 13 questions by Aquinas), and Trent Horn’s "Answering Atheism."
Action Items
- TBD – Listeners/Parents: Present faith to children in age-appropriate ways and foster continued theological growth.
- TBD – Interested Individuals: Explore the "Mystery of God" study program and recommended readings for deeper understanding and effective responses to atheism.