Craig, Strobel, Wilson, Denison, and Hitchens debate God’s Existence

You’ve got to hand it to Christopher Hitchens.  Such is his self-confidence, and perhaps his disdain for the ‘opposition’, that he is prepared to take on all-comers when it comes to debating religion.  Oh, and it must help his book to sell as well.

In March of this year Hitchens took on not one, not two, not even three, but FOUR Christian apologists at the same time.  Of course, he comes out fighting, and if he was feeling a little bruised by the end he is too wily a campaigner to let it show.

Actually, I found this debate one of the more interesting that I have come across.  Hitchens seemed reasonably sober, and at times was almost charming.  The Christians were unfailingly courteous towards him, and he seemed genuinely touched by that.  (Even evangelicals have manners.  Sometimes.)  There were some nice touches of humour on both sides (like when someone referred to Hitchens being thrown into a den of lambs.  Hitchens had a quip of his own in reply to that).

Wright on Romans in a Day

We’re about to embark on a series of sermons on Romans at my church.

For those who are interested in beginning to get to grips with a ‘New Perspective’ view of Romans, then I would warmly recommend N.T. (Tom) Wright’s series of three lectures that provide a rapid survey and a summary of preaching suggestions.  These were given in 2003, soon after the publication of his commentary on Romans in the  New Interpreter’s Bible series, and they helpfully draw on that commentary.

I think that these lectures do an effective job in highlighting the strengths of the New Perspective reading of Romans.  However, the listener will have to work out for his or her self whether there might be some aspects of Paul’s teaching that Wright over-states, and other aspects that he under-states.

Recommended audio: Christians You Should Know

Each month, for several years, Don Stephens of Belvedere Baptist Church, Liverpool, would give a short (10 minute) talk about some notable Christian.

These included Christian Fathers, Reformers, Puritans, hymn writers, preachers, and missionaries.  Most of the famous names are here (Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Spurgeon), but also a number of lesser-known Christians who are equally fascinating in their way.

No less than 75 of these have been collected together on a single MP3 CD, and this is available from Know Your Bible Recordings for the giveaway price of £3.00 (including postage).  A few samples are available for immediate download.

I highly recommend the CD – it’s inspiring stuff.

Top Audio on Emerging Church

The Emerging Church is a rapidly shifting mix of ideas and activities.  The term covers a wide spectrum, from those who retain the historic evangelical message but seek new methods of commending it and celebrating it, to others who raise more radical questions questions about the message itself.

The following list represents speakers from various points along the spectrum.

Top Audio Downloads on Christianity & Islam

Mark Ryan has a helpful series of lectures called, ‘An Islam Primer’.  The first four talks are mainly descriptive, giving a balanced and informative account of Islam and its beliefs and practices.  The last lecture is, as the title suggests, more evaluative but even here the discussion is irenic and even-handed:-

1. Islam’s Holy Prophet
2. The Qu’ran
3. The Pillars of Islam
4. Islam’s One and Only God
5. Why I am not a Muslim

 Jay Smith engages in regular debate with Moslem scholars, and offers a more forceful – but still respectful – critique of Islam.  The Real Problem with Islam faces up to the question, Is Islam fundamentally a religion of peace, or of violence?

Top Audio Downloads on Atheism and Christian Faith

Here are some of the mp3s that I have found helpful on the atheism/Christian faith debate. 

• Francis Collins – “The Language of God”.  Point of Enquiry’s website is committed to a sceptical approach to all things religious, but here offers a thoughtful interview with Collins, former Director of the Human Genome Project and a Christian believer.
• Richard Dawkins – “Science and the New Atheism” (Point of Enquiry)
• John Lennox – “God and Richard Dawkins”.  ‘Bethinking’, an excellent Christian apologetics website, hosts this engaging lecture.
• Alister McGrath – “Has Science Eliminated God?”.   Helpful lecture from McGrath.
• Alister McGrath – “Is God a Delusion?  Atheism and the Meaning of Life”.  Alister McGrath is well clued-up on Dawkins, and provides a balanced assessment.
• Dawkins/Quinn debate
• Dawkins/McGrath debate
• Hitchens/McGrath debate – Christopher Hitchens is too nasty, and Alister McGrath too nice, for this debate to work very well.  But worth a listen.
• Hitchens/D’Souza debate – Dinesh D’Souza a capable Catholic apologist, and matches Hitchen’s pugilistic style quite effectively.
• Joanna Collicutt McGrath – joins the Godpod team to discuss Dawkins’ The God Delusion, among other things.
• David Robertson - discusses his book ‘The Dawkins Letters’ in which he gives a robust rebuttal to Dawkins’ arguments for atheism in ’The God Delusion’.