God Questions - Contents
Carl Stecher and Peter S. Williams
- Carl Stecher has an undergraduate degree from Carroll College in Wisconsin, an MA from the University of Wisconsin, and a Phd. from the University of Connecticut. He is Professor Emeritus at Salem State College in Massachusetts, where he taught for 33 years. Since retirement, he has taught several courses at the college, including The Bible as Literature, and a course he created titled The Search for God. He has articles in Change, The Humanist, Sextant and Skeptic. View all resources by Carl Stecher
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Peter S. Williams (MA, MPhil) is Assistant Professor in Communication and Worldviews at
Gimlekollen School of Journalism and Communication in Norway, and is philosopher in residence at the Damaris Trust. He is author of several books, including A
Sceptic's Guide to Atheism: God is Not Dead (Paternoster, 2009) as well as articles for journals, magazines and websites.
View all resources by Peter S. Williams
God Questions
God Questions is a record of debate arising out of a correspondence between American Atheist Professor Carl Stecher and English Philosopher Peter S. Williams in 2001-2002. It is reproduced here, as edited by the authors, for the first time.
Introduction
Opening statements from the two participants, giving their own backgrounds, along with an explanation of how the debate came about.
1: Morality & the Biblical God
A discussion of the moral argument for the existence of God, along with moral issues related to the Bible (especially the Old Testament).
2: The Problem of Evil
A wide-ranging discussion of the Problem of Evil, mainly from a philosophical perspective.
3: Cosmological and Design Arguments
A discussion of the Cosmological and Analogical Design arguments, followed by the Intuitive Design argument, Specified Complexity and Intelligent Design.
4: Some Questions about Jesus
Assuming the historicity of the New Testament documents, the morality and accuracy of some of Jesus' teachings are discussed.
5: The Arguments from Desire & Religious Experience
The argument from desire points to the so-called 'God-shaped hole' that exists, it is claimed, in everyone. This need is likened to that for food or love. But is it a good argument for the exstence of God? Religious experience, it is claimed, gives positive evidence for the existence of God. This leads on to consideration of Alvin Plantinga's contention that belief in God may be called a "properly basic belief".
6: Heaven & Hell
What happens after death? Is there a 'soul'? Does Heaven make sense of evil and suffering? Won't Heaven get boring? What about hell?
Closing Reflections on the Meaning of it All
Carl and Peter each reflect on what they believe they have achieved in their dialogue.
© 2010 Carl Stecher & Peter S. Williams. This dialogue, edited by the authors in 2002, is now being published for the first time on bethinking.org, by the kind permission of both authors.
