Faith & Science
UK Atheist Finally Agrees to Debate William Lane Craig
An atheist in Great Britain has finally agreed to debate noted philosopher William Lane Craig on the existence of God, but it’s not Richard Dawkins. With Dawkins still AWOL, the head of the British Humanist Association has stepped in to vindicate the honor of atheists everywhere:
Toynbee steps in where Grayling & Dawkins fear to tread
New Atheists urged to put their mouths where their money is
President of the British Humanist Association (BHA), Polly Toynbee, has agreed to debate the existence of God with eminent Christian Philosopher, William Lane Craig, when he visits the UK for a tour of speaking engagements in October.
Leading British atheists Richard Dawkins and A.C. Grayling have both flatly refused to debate with Craig, who was recently described by Sam Harris as “the one Christian apologist who seems to have put the fear of God into my fellow atheists”.
Accepting the invitation Toynbee, whose award-winning journalism is frequently critical of religion, has said she would be “glad to debate” with Craig. Their debate, which will take place in London, is expected to attract a capacity audience.
Meanwhile between them, Dawkins and Grayling have produced a litany of excuses for declining to debate. Dawkins now claims that he has “no interest” in the subject, despite putting the question of the existence of God firmly into the public domain in his best-selling book, The God Delusion. Fellow Oxford academic and atheist philosopher Dr Daniel Came recently wrote to Dawkins warning him that his refusal of a one-to-one debate with Craig was “apt to be interpreted as cowardice”.
Read the full account here.