For an introduction to Dr. Craig pick up Reasonable Faith

It has been a couple of weeks since William Lane Craig visited the UK. I was privileged to catch Dr. Craig a number of times – twice in London and then at the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford (see below for the full video of that evening).

Dr. Craig is one of the foremost Christian philosophers of his generation and argues in the Academy that belief in God is credible. It was fascinating to hear first hand from him of the ‘renaissance’ of Christian Philosophy in the last 40-50 years. For more on that take a look at God and the Philosophers edited by Thomas Morris.

Hype

Before Craig came to England an invitation was extended to Professor Richard Dawkins to a debate in Oxford. Dawkins declined the offer, blowing off the evening with contempt. He then penned an article in the Guardian the week prior to the event stating his reasons for not attending.

This article, laced with invective, drew responses from fellow Oxford academics and atheists. Daniel Came responded in the Guardian a couple of days later labelling Dawkins’ refusal to debate as “cynical and anti-intellectual”.

Tim Stanley added to the conversation in the Telegraph, who asks if Dawkins is a coward for his no-show.

Peter Hitchens, who attended the evening at the Sheldonian, sums up the evening from his eyes in An Evening Without Richard Dawkins.

It is encouraging to hear that Christianity is once more being taken seriously in philosophy departments across the world. It is becoming increasingly apparent that Professor Dawkins and his fellow ‘new atheists’ need to catch up to a conversation that is moving at a rapid pace and of a very high quality.

The Take Home

William Lane Craig has devoted his life to defending Christianity through his academic field and has committed to doing it at the highest level. It is a commitment spanning decades and with much toil. Academia is tough. The processes involved are rigorous and require skill and commitment.

His passion isn’t a fleeting feeling or a spur of the moment inspiration. It is born of conviction.

So I ask, what are you called to? What will you spend your life for?

For more on William Lane Craig check out his website. For more audio and video recordings check out Unbelievable? on Premier.

William Lane Craig at The Sheldonian

And now I have returned to England. Despite picking the worst time to travel with oversize and excess baggage I have made it back to the south-west. When travelling back to England to visit I would invariably be hit by questions from well-meaning friends about America, some of whom had visited the country and others who have yet to. Some stereotypes are true – yes, many Americans are overweight (but hey, while you’re looking that way, take a look at our own children these days), but many ideas about America were grossly unfair.

I have found that my time in the States has afforded me a much broader view of the world. As a result my politics, theology, worldview etc. – my positions on many things have changed. I can see many more flaws in my own nation – which is a wonderful blessing of travelling – and realise that so much of the finger-pointing is an act of oversight from people not willing to look at their own nation’s issues!

I could write at length about this area, but my daily reading took me to this post from Peter Hitchens on his recent return from America. Mr. Hitchen’s skills of the written word far exceed my own and so I direct you to him to hear what another Englishman with a fondness for the old colonies has to say.