{"title":"Books by Alister, DPhil, DD McGrath","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9780281059270","title":"The Dawkins Delusion?","description":"\u003cp\u003eWorld-renowned scientist Richard Dawkins writes in The God Delusion: 'If this book works as I intend, religious readers who open it will be atheists when they put it down'. The volume has received wide coverage, fuelled much passionate debate and caused not a little confusion.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlister McGrath is ideally placed to evaluate Dawkins' ideas. Once an atheist himself, he gained a doctorate in molecular biophysics before going on to become a leading Christian theologian. He wonders how two people, who have reflected at length on substantially the same world, could possibly have come to such different conclusions about God. McGrath subjects Dawkins' critique of faith to rigorous scrutiny. His exhilarating, meticulously argued response deals with questions such as:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIs faith intellectual nonsense? Are science and religion locked in a battle to the death? Can the roots of Christianity be explained away scientifically? Is Christianity simply a force for evil?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis book will be warmly received by those looking for a reliable assessment of The God Delusion and the many questions it raises - including, above all, the relevance of faith and the quest for meaning.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56231279886709,"sku":"9780281059270","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780281059270_86af8091-b990-4647-85ba-fa5b9843508d.jpg?v=1786012752"},{"product_id":"9780281075102","title":"Mere Apologetics – How To Help Seekers And Sceptics Find Faith","description":"Any Christian who wants a fresh and flexible approach on apologetics. This book is ideal for those spiritually seeking or spiritually skeptical.   Are you looking for a different approach to apologetics that resonates with the 21st Century?Helps readers work out their own way to effectively communicate and defend the gospel...A great read for both beginning and experienced apologists.   The faith has been defended by great and articulate voices down the centuries. But the challenges of scientific atheism mean we now need a fresh and flexible approach.   Alister McGrath is ideally placed to offer robust and intriguing insights into the biblical basis for apologetics and its historical uses. He explores different pointers to faith, such as our innate sense of longing for justice, our appreciation for beauty, and the order we see in the physical world. Various approaches to sharing our faith with others are outlined and McGrath shows how explanations, arguments, stories, and images are all right and useful ways to communicate what we believe. Armed with the tools we need to engage others on this subject, we are guided on choosing the best approach for our particular personality and how we can adapt our approach to suit our audience. Practical, insightful and warmly affirming, this book will have you longing for a chance to put these techniques into practice.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56231285457269,"sku":"9780281075102","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780281075102_cfea2d3e-0def-4205-a119-3e6c80bcf190.jpg?v=1786012912"},{"product_id":"9780281063871","title":"Why God Won't Go Away","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe recent rise of the New Atheism has aroused great general interest, thrown up questions of fundamental importance, and started a fascinating conversation. \u003ci\u003eWhy God Won't Go Away\u003c\/i\u003e invites us to join in.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe volume opens with a survey of the main ideas of the New Atheism, as expressed in the works of Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens. We then examine the core views of the movement closely, making due reference to its 'virtual community' of websites and blogs. Subjects explored include: whether religion is delusional and evil, the belief that human beings are fundamentally good, whether we should have faith only in what can be proved through reason and science, the idea that the best hope for humanity is a 'New Enlightenment' The result is a lively and highly thought-provoking volume that poses a number of interesting questions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhy is religion experiencing a resurgence in the twenty-first century, when we are meant to have grown out of such a primitive fixation? Has the New Atheism's fascination with rationality led to a fatal underestimation of the longing of the human heart to adore? And if, as Christopher Hitchens writes in exasperation, religion is 'ineradicable', doesn't this tiresome fact suggest that dismissing belief in God as irrational and unscientific might just be a waste of time?\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56231836811637,"sku":"9780281063871","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780281063871_0058fefb-541f-4fa3-bf8f-fa6cbea84819.jpg?v=1786012800"},{"product_id":"9780281086894","title":"What's the Point of Theology?","description":"\u003cp\u003eWe may be aware that theology is the study of the nature of God and of religious belief. But why should that matter to us? What's the \u003cem\u003epoint\u003c\/em\u003e of theology?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this wonderfully accessible book, renowned Christian theologian Alistair McGrath explores just why theology is so important and what it can bring to our lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrawing on insights from his own experience of coming to Christianity from atheism, this exhilarating and enlightening volume reveals how theology offers a gateway to discovery: it helps us grow in wisdom; it contributes to our wellbeing; it sparks our innate sense of wonder. Above all, theology help us to grow in faith and love as we draw ever closer to the divine.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat's the Point of Theology?\u003c\/em\u003e is ideal for new and seasoned Christians who want to engage more deeply with their faith but are unsure if theology can help them. It also has much to offer those who are interested in spiritual matters and curious to find out more.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStimulating and encouraging, \u003cem\u003eWhat's the Point of Theology?\u003c\/em\u003e will open your eyes to all that theology can teach us and has to offer - a wiser understanding of what really matters, a richer vision of the good life, a deeper appreciation of the beauty of nature - as well strengthening your faith and relationship with God.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56232265318773,"sku":"9780281086894","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780281086894_b5b93b8a-c245-4b9d-954a-b108d5ee5a83.jpg?v=1786012235"},{"product_id":"9780281080199","title":"Richard Dawkins, C. S. Lewis and the Meaning of Life","description":"In this pithy, entertaining guide to what really matters, Alister McGrath brings together Richard Dawkins and C.S. Lewis, two intriguing and well-known writers, in 'conversation'.   The two men could hardly have more different perspectives; these arguments provide an excellent means of sharpening our own thinking on the meaning of life.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56232587919733,"sku":"9780281080199","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780281080199_63b5ffdd-4570-4d10-8897-4a97255adce2.jpg?v=1786012126"},{"product_id":"9780334043522","title":"Imaginative Apologetics","description":"Imaginative Apologetics draws on much that is most vibrant in contemporary theology to develop Christian apologetics for the present day. The contributors are leaders in their fields. They represent a confident approach to theology, grounded in a deep respect for the theological tradition of the Church. They display a perceptive interest in philosophy, and unlike many works of apologetics their interest is in the philosophy of the present day, not only that of previous centuries. Drawing on the theology of the imagination they show the centrality of the imagination to apologetics; from the significant of virtue in Christian ethics they show that Christian ethics is part of the Good News; from developments in the theology of knowledge they show that apologetics must be communal and must learn to tell stories. Dealing with history, the arts and the nature of atheism, with the natural sciences and social theory, Imaginative Apologetics presents a theological account of apologetics for the twenty-first century.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56286071488885,"sku":"9780334043522","price":21.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780334043522_4e27f369-69a4-43d7-a807-98e0ac13ea22.jpg?v=1786013710"},{"product_id":"9780861549214","title":"Why We Believe","description":"\u003cb\u003eBelief: surely it’s a relic from the past, a hangover from a superstitious age that is totally out of sync with today’s rational, science-led culture?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A timely, often bracing and always highly stimulating book.' Tom Holland, author of \u003ci\u003eDominion \u003c\/i\u003eand co-host of \u003ci\u003eThe Rest is History\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eIn today’s science-driven, rational world, belief is dismissed as an artefact of a bygone era – something absurd at best, harmful at worst. The prevailing narratives paint belief as primitive, weird, even dangerous.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eBut as life grows ever more confusing and our societies more atomised, contemplating something bigger than ourselves has never been more vital.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eAlister McGrath offers a fresh perspective on belief, presenting it not as a weakness of rational thought but as an essential tool for navigating uncertainty. Elegant and thought-provoking,\u003ci\u003e Why We Believe\u003c\/i\u003e reveals how belief provides meaning in the face of existential despair, how it fosters community and offers solace.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eAs society moves beyond the dismissive rhetoric surrounding people of faith, here is a powerful manifesto for the re-enchantment of the Western mind.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Scholarly, compulsively readable and with gems of information on every page... a must read.' Revd Fergus Butler-Gallie, author of \u003ci\u003eA Field Guide to the English Clergy\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":57685855469941,"sku":"9780861549221","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":56295467614581,"sku":"9780861549214","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780861549221.jpg?v=1792599070"},{"product_id":"9781913657406","title":"My Theology","description":"My Theology:The world’s leading Christian thinkers explain some of the principal tenets of their theological beliefs.‘I never expected to be a Christian theologian, mainly because I never expected to be a Christian,’ writes Alister McGrath. ‘I assumed that scientific atheism would be my permanent intellectual homeland; in fact, it turned out to be a temporary place of exile, from which I would later return, wiser and somewhat chastened.’In this fascinating book, McGrath describes his journey into faith and his vision of Christian theology, focussing on the distinct role of historical theology; the importance of engaging the relation of science and faith; the need for theologians to engage in major public debates; and the significance of theological education.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56309339324789,"sku":"9781913657406","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"twilight-of-atheism","title":"The Twilight Of Atheism","description":"\u003cp\u003eAtheism is one of the most important movements in modern Western culture. For the last two hundred years, it seemed to be on the verge of eliminating religion as an outmoded and dangerous superstition. Recent years, however, have witnessed the decline of disbelief and a rise in religious\/spiritual devotion throughout the world. In this highly readable book, the distinguished historian and theologian, Alister McGrath examines what went wrong with the atheist dream and explains why religion and faith are destined to play a central role in the twenty-first century. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA former atheist who is now one of Christianity's foremost scholars, McGrath traces the history of atheism from its emergence in eighteenth-century Europe as a revolutionary worldview that offered liberation from the rigidity of traditional Christianity and the oppression of tyrannical monarchs, to its golden age in the first half of the twentieth century. Blending thoughtful, authoritative historical analysis with incisive portraits of such leading and influential atheists as Sigmund Freud, Marx and Richard Dawkins, McGrath exposes the flaws at the heart of atheism and argues that the renewal of faith is a natural, inevitable and necessary response to its failures.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57490124210549,"sku":"9781844131556","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781844131556.jpg?v=1786442013"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-alister-dphil-dd-mcgrath.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}