In my D.MIn. class at Fuller on "Ministry in the Postmodern Matrix," our professor, Dr. Keith Matthews, spoke of a new "aggressive atheism" that has developed in our culture. While I have both biology and divinity degrees and once studied atheistic arguments extensively, for a long time now I have not seen the need to deal with these issues in most of the evangelism training that I conduct. In fact, I even considered removing the small amount that I had devoted to basic belief in a divine being in my evangelistic Bible study, as I so seldom encountered atheism. Religious surveys have shown that true atheism in the US is incredibly small, and I have long said that America is spiritual, if not religious, and that it would continue to be so. We had a religious beginning as a nation, and as Alan Hirsch says, the way a country begins has a continual shaping effect upon the culture.

America will still have a significant spiritual future, and it is true that this is embeeded in our culture. Now, however, my eyes are opened. While still very small, the number of atheists doubled in the last religious survey of the US. They are organizing, and they view atheism as a cause like other causes. Ironically, they are "proseltyzing," seeking to convert others to atheism. Books like The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins and God is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens make the case for atheism (and against religion). The Golden Compass is a movie from a book series designed to teach atheism to children.

We need to be prepared to reach out to those who are confronted with these beliefs and help them in their faith, as well as show love and kindness to those who are hardened atheists. This video is a news special on ABC which shows how one atheistic family was treated in Oklahoma. It is difficult to sort out fact from fiction in any of these accounts, but one thing is clear-we need to love people unconditionally, even as we defend our beliefs.

Have you encountered atheism in your circle of people? What have you seen in the larger culture? How should we respond?

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Replies to This Discussion

Yes, true atheism has been rare. It still is--but it is growing. Dawkins espouses the theory of panspemia, the idea that aliens seeded the earth because life appears to be designed. Of course, he then says that the aliens must have evolved because he has a worldview which does not allow for God. It seems to me that this is just kicking the problem down the road. Where did the aliens come from? Where did the universe come from?

You are right in that atheism is a kind of faith. There is faith that atheistic evolution is correct, despite the gaps. There is faith that the universe simply always has been, despite the apparent contradictions with the 2nd law of thermodynamics. But this is not faith in a personal God or divine deity. This is what is different, and the group that is growing.

Yes, Stein is pretty "nice" here. I was shocked that Dawkins let himself be caught on tape espousing this theory.
In my experiences I find that many ex-Catholics turn to atheism. In fact, I am working in engineering at present, and the person I work with is a former Catholic, now atheist.
Bill Bowman
While most atheists site reason as the reason they have become atheists, nearly all have had some bad church or religious experience that they cite as well. In other words, they cite experience, not just reason, in deciding to become atheistic. Much of the time, if we can show them a positive experience of following God, this can help open up the mind as well. We must minister to the whole person--their mind, body, heart, and soul.
Here is a podcast that seeks to counteract Stephen Hawking's argument in his new book The Grand Design that God is not needed. Hawking says that physics shows that universes can spontaneously form from nothing.

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