[asa] TE and apologetics

Bernie,

A few weeks ago you asked me whether there is any TE literature that engages in apologetics. Polkinghorne's name came up at that point, as it should. I don't recall Keith Ward's name coming up, but it also should be mentioned. You might be aware, for example, of his recent book, Why There Almost Certainly Is a God, which replies directly to Dawkin's opposing view phrased accordingly.

I have sensed from some of the things you've said, Bernie, that what you are looking for is something more aggressive, something that compares with Ken Ham or Lee Strobel without challenging biological evolution. I don't know whether any such literature exists. As a general rule, those who write in a very serious way about the TE position are much more sensitive to nuance and subtlety than those who endorse YEC, ID, or Dawkins. (This is one of the reasons why, speaking for myself, I think they are more likely to be correct.) Thus, when TE authors engage in apologetics, as some of them do in some of their works, it is less likely to sound like apologetics to anyone expecting "slam dunk" arguments. A nice example of this would be the opening chapter (the title chapter) in Polkinghorne's book, "Belief in God in an Age of Science," a work that some of my students find extremely helpful--once they actually read it with some care. It's not the type of thing that would ever b!
 e popular on the internet, where people want and expect sound bites and misleading oversimplifications (see: political discourse and its problems). But, when it comes to responding to Dawkins and company, it's just what the doctor ordered, IMO. I hope you don't overlook this type of thing.

Ted

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Received on Wed Sep 16 10:46:04 2009