God and the Reach of Reason: C.S. Lewis, David Hume, and Bertrand Russell

C. S. Lewis is one of the most beloved Christian apologists of the twentieth century; David Hume and Bertrand Russell are among Christianity’s most important critics. This book puts these three intellectual giants in conversation with one another to shed light on some of life’s most difficult yet important questions. It examines their views on a variety of topics, including the existence of God, suffering, morality, reason, joy, miracles, and faith. Along with irreconcilable differences and points of tension, some surprising areas of agreement emerge. Today, amidst the often shrill and vapid exchanges between ‘new atheists’ and twenty-first-century believers, curious readers will find penetrating insights in the reasoned dialogue of these three great thinkers.

• Serious philosophical examination of the views of C. S. Lewis • Defends a non-theistic point of view in contrast to ‘new atheism’ • Draws on evolutionary psychology to criticize Lewis’s arguments

1. The love of God and the suffering of humanity; 2. Beyond nature; 3. Miracles; 3.1 Introduction; 3.2 Debating miracles in the 18th century; 3.3 A preliminary skirmish; 3.4 Hume’s main assault; 3.5 Lewis’s counter-attack; 3.6 The fitness of the incarnation; 3.7 Lewis’s mitigated victory and the trilemma; 3.8 Conclusion; 4. Faith, design, and true religion.