Reasoning Faith: Is Belief In God Rational?

In February 2013, William Lane Craig and Alex Rosenberg debated the question 'Is Faith in God Reasonable?' at Purdue University. Craig, a Christian apologist, argued that faith in God is eminently reasonable, presenting eight arguments to support his position. Rosenberg, an atheist philosopher, disagreed, criticising Craig's arguments and presenting his own case for the unreasonableness of faith in God. The debate covered a wide range of issues, including the origin of the universe, the applicability of mathematics, the problem of evil, and the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. The event was well-attended, with an estimated ten thousand people watching live, both on-campus and online.

The applicability of mathematics to the physical world

One prominent argument for the existence of God based on the applicability of mathematics to the physical world was proposed by William Lane Craig. Craig's argument states that if God does not exist, then the applicability of mathematics to the physical world is just a coincidence. However, Craig asserts that this applicability is not merely a coincidence, but rather evidence of God's existence. He suggests that God must have been responsible for designing the universe using mathematics.

On the other hand, Graham Oppy, a philosopher, offers a rebuttal to Craig's argument. Oppy postulates that the applicability of mathematics to the physical world can be explained as a necessary brute fact, which does not require further explanation. Oppy's view is that there are versions of naturalism that can account for this applicability without invoking a theistic explanation.

The debate between Craig and Oppy highlights the differing perspectives on the role of mathematics in understanding the physical world. Some, like Craig, see it as evidence of a divine creator, while others, like Oppy, seek naturalistic explanations.

Mathematician and physicist Eugene Wigner also weighed in on this topic with his article, "The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences." In this article, Wigner observes that mathematical theories often have predictive power in describing nature and can lead to further advances in theoretical physics. He provides examples from Newton's law of gravitation and quantum mechanics to illustrate his point.

Wigner's article sparked responses from various scholars, including Richard Hamming, Arthur Lesk, Peter Norvig, and Max Tegmark, who offered their own interpretations and explanations for the effectiveness of mathematics in the natural sciences.

The discussion around the applicability of mathematics to the physical world continues to be a subject of interest and exploration, with philosophers and scientists offering diverse perspectives and arguments.

The fine-tuning of the universe for intelligent life

In his book, *The Atheist's Guide to Reality*, Alex Rosenberg argues that the fine-tuning of the universe is not due to physical necessity or chance. Rosenberg claims that the odds of a life-permitting universe governed by our laws of nature are infinitesimal. He further argues that proponents of chance have been forced to postulate the existence of a world ensemble of other universes, which is an "unparsimonious extravagance".

William Lane Craig, on the other hand, argues that design is the best explanation for the fine-tuning of the universe. He claims that the fine-tuning of the universe constitutes evidence for a cosmic designer. Craig also refutes Rosenberg's multiverse hypothesis, stating that if we were just a random member of a multiverse, we would be having totally different observations than the ones we do.

The debate between Craig and Rosenberg on the fine-tuning of the universe for intelligent life highlights the ongoing discussion between theism and atheism. While Craig argues for the existence of a cosmic designer, Rosenberg claims that the fine-tuning of the universe can be explained by chance or physical necessity.

Objective moral values and duties

In a debate between Dr. William Lane Craig and Dr. Alex Rosenberg on the topic of whether faith in God is reasonable, Dr. Craig argues that God is the best explanation for objective moral values and duties in the world. He states that in moral experience, people recognize moral values and duties that are objectively binding and true, such as the wrongness of shooting innocent people. From a naturalistic perspective, however, Dr. Rosenberg argues that there is nothing inherently wrong with such actions, and that moral values are simply the subjective byproducts of biological evolution and social conditioning.

Dr. Craig contends that the theist grounds objective moral values in God and our moral duties in His commands. He suggests that God, being a mind Himself, makes the existence of finite minds comprehensible. Thus, intentional states fit comfortably into a theistic worldview.

Dr. Craig presents the following argument:

• Objective moral values and duties exist.
• If God did not exist, objective moral values and duties would not exist.
• Therefore, God exists.

On the other hand, Dr. Rosenberg, a moral nihilist, asserts that moral values are subjective and relative. He challenges the notion that God's nature or character is the standard of moral goodness. Instead, he posits that God chose certain moral norms because He recognized their moral rightness. This leads to the Euthyphro Dilemma, which asks whether moral norms are right because God chose them or if God chose them because they are morally right.

Dr. Craig offers a solution to this dilemma, suggesting that God, being the greatest conceivable being, is the paradigm of goodness. God's character qualities, such as compassion and fairness, define what is morally right, rather than Him conforming to an external standard.

The historical facts about Jesus of Nazareth

• Jesus was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious leader.
• He was born in Bethlehem, in around 6-4 BC, and died in Jerusalem in around 30 AD.
• He was baptised by John the Baptist and then began his own ministry, during which he gathered followers and twelve apostles.
• He was an itinerant teacher who interpreted the law of God with divine authority and was often referred to as "rabbi".
• He was arrested in Jerusalem, tried by the Jewish authorities, and turned over to the Roman government, who ordered his crucifixion.
• After his death, his followers became convinced that he had risen from the dead, and the community they formed became the early Christian Church.
• Jesus is the central figure of Christianity, the world's largest religion.
• Virtually all modern scholars of antiquity agree that Jesus existed.

God can be personally known and experienced

In this section, I will argue that belief in God can be a properly basic belief grounded in our experience of God. Philosophers call beliefs like these properly basic beliefs. They aren't based on some other beliefs; rather, they are part of the foundations of a person's system of beliefs. Other properly basic beliefs would be belief in the reality of the past or the existence of the external world. In the same way, belief in God is, for those who seek him, a properly basic belief grounded in our experience of God.

The Bible promises, "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you." We mustn't so concentrate on the external proofs that we fail to hear the inner voice of God speaking to our own hearts. For those who listen, God becomes a personal reality in their lives.

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