Premier Christian Radio host Justin Brierley is optimistic about a gradual resurgence of belief in God, while historian Tom Holland believes the confident atheism spearheaded by the likes of Richard Dawkins within the 2000s has “crumbled and collapsed”.
They were joined in Westminster Chapel by Paul Woolley and Grace Fielding of The London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC) for a conversation inspired by Brierley’s book, The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God, published last 12 months.
“The moment I published the book cover on social media, I used to be deluged with sceptics asking ‘what surprising rebirth?’ because all of the info suggests the alternative,” said Brierley.
“We are all quite acquainted with the statistic that tells us that now we have increased in church decline within the West.”
He continued: “I did not have data to say that ‘x’ variety of secular intellectuals at the moment are talking positively about Christianity and I actually did not have any data saying there’s an influx into the pews. However, I did just sense that the conversations that were naturally opening up did appear to reflect a difference within the atmosphere.”
Brierley, who has hosted conversations between Christians and atheists for over 15 years on his radio show ‘Unbelievable’, says he has seen a change within the pondering of atheists.
“More of the atheists coming on the show are saying ‘I’m not a Richard Dawkins sort of atheist’ and distancing themselves from this New Atheist movement,” he said.
Holland echoed these sentiments, saying, “I completely agree with Justin that this type of confident evangelical atheism has crumbled and collapsed. I believe it has so many contradictions inside it that it hasn’t really been capable of put down firm roots.”
He continued: “I believe actually in Britain, and fewer so within the United states, what now we have now’s a situation where most individuals simply have no idea enough about Christianity or the Bible even to be against it.
“Justin’s book is in regards to the rebirth of the assumption in God. I believe there may be a slight degree of optimism in pondering that there’s a revival, but I do think that this concept of Christian civilization within the West stays as vital because it has ever done,” he said.
Brierley shared with a listening audience that his optimism stems from the “cultural memory of Christianity” still being “strong enough”.
“We are still seeing it come back. When Queen Elizabeth died as an example, there was a national outpouring of grief and spiritual observance,” he said.
According to Brierley, questions pertaining to faith have modified through the years and it’s crucial for Christians to acknowledge this. He stated that great efforts were made within the mid-2000s to reply to the deep-rooted “scepticism” of Dawkins and others.
“Christian apologetics was all about creating five arguments for the existence of God and 4 arguments for the resurrection. I just wonder if it’s time to change tack in that sense because I do not think that’s where most individuals are starting now,” he said.
He continued: “If we try an excessive amount of to present Christianity as only a ‘follow this formula and sign on the dotted line at the underside’, which may work for some people but for plenty of people you could have got to start out someplace else.
“For me it’s about connecting with people’s heartfelt desires, longings and emotions. You’ve got to start out with the center and go from there.”
The full conversation may be heard on The Whole Life podcast later this month.
