A clear explanation of the ideas of recent critics of faith such as Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and Sam Harris in the context of historical atheism and an accessible discussion of the most common themes that characterise contemporary debates on the place of faith in contemporary society, including Darwinism, ethics, and fundamentalism.

• Introduction


• 1: Atheism in historical perspective


• 2: The credibility of religious belief - claims and counter-claims


• 3: Darwinism - how much does it explain?


• 4: Religion, art and morality - invention or discovery?


• 5: Is religion bad for our health? Saints, martyrs, and terrorists


• 6: Sacred texts - how should we read them?


• Conclusion

Educated in philosophy and theology, David Fergusson worked for several years as a parish minister in the Church of Scotland. Before returning to Edinburgh to his present position as Professor of Divinity, he held the Chair of Systematic Theology in the University of Aberdeen from 1990-2000. His research interests include issues in Christian doctrine, theological ethics and the history of Reformed theology, especially in its Scottish context. He is a director and editorial board member of the Scottish Journal of Theology. He is also Principal of New College, Edinburgh, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.