Another View on Dawkins

I really like this from Triablogue:

In reviewing his book, we might begin at the end rather than the other way round. For his bibliography is revealing it what it includes or omits.

Nothing by Plantinga or Moreland, Gary Habermas or William Lane Craig. Nothing by Dembski or Denton. Bas Van Fraassen or Stephen Barr.

And I’m only mentioning some of the more famous names.

Nothing by Rupert Sheldrake. Nothing by David Stove.

There’s also a total whiteout where moderate to conservative Biblical scholarship is concerned.

This does to a point of tension in his attitude towards Christianity. He regards Christianity as a spent intellectual force, but a potent political force.

It’s not, I think, that he’s chosen to blacklist conservative Christian opinion. Rather, he’s made up his mind that they have nothing worthwhile to say.

Of course, this is circular. He doesn’t know enough to care, and he doesn’t care enough to know.

As a result, much of his attack on the Christian faith never begins to engage the opposing side of the argument.

But even more striking is whom he chooses to include. It’s rather arresting to see the extent of his reliance on lightweight popularizers like Douglas Adams, Dan Barker, Samuel Harris, Michael Shermer, John Spong, Julia Sweeney, G. A. Wells, and A. N. Wilson.

Not only has Dawkins become nothing more than a soapbox popularizer, but he is increasingly in the intellectual debt of other soapbox popularizers.

There's more; that's a good start for you. But be sure you catch Steve Jackson's comment referencing T. S. Eliot.

Posted: Wed - January 31, 2007 at 01:35 PM |

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Another View on Dawkins

Thinking Christian by Tom Gilson