McGrath’s Surprised by Meaning is a fairly accessible and slender volume that quickly immerses the reader into the ongoing conversation between radical atheism, science, and Christianity, centering on the latter’s ability to provide meaning to experience. As the title, an allusion to C.S. Lewis’ work, suggests, Surprised by Meaning falls into the tradition of intellectually robust and academically informed yet pietistic apologetics. It seeks to navigate and renegotiate this tradition through modern scientism and militant atheism. In the process, McGrath builds an irenic yet polemical argument that comes to crescendo in a more deeply appreciable presentation of the Gospel.

Alister McGrath, a North Irish theologian, is currently a faculty member of Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford. He is also an ordained Anglican priest. Prior to his work as a theologian and priest, McGrath pursued studies in biochemistry and molecular biology, earning a D. Phil in the latter. He has written a number of other books on the relationship between science and faith, the New Atheism, and historical theology. He has recently written a biography on C.S. Lewis (2013) and a book on Swiss theologian Emil Brunner. As a conservative and intellectually engaged Christian, McGrath’s work represents some of the best thought engaging influential currents in contemporary, Western society. However, for some American Evangelicals, McGrath would be considered somewhat liberal, as he endorses a type of theistic evolution and appropriates truth from literature and philosophy as well as the Scriptures.

Alister McGrath

Surprised moves slowly, especially through the first seven chapters. McGrath, accustomed to writing tomes, tends towards the same pace with this text. It is almost a quarter of the way through the book before he describes the thesis of the book by quoting Bernard Lonergan, “‘God is the unrestricted act of understanding, the eternal rapture glimpsed in every Archimedean cry of Eureka’” (29).

Several more pages later, the thesis is clearer:

The argument of this book is that Christianity offers an intellectual sun that illuminates an otherwise dark and enigmatic world: it gives a deeply satisfying “empirical fit” between theory and observation, which suggests that the map of reality that it offers is reliable and may be trusted (57).

Prior to this, McGrath traces his own turn from atheism to faith, the contours of the New Atheism and some of its fallacies, and the proper role, use, and definition of science. He writes: “[T]hings that are really worth believing in lie beyond proof. Our most important beliefs are the ones that simply cannot be proved” (19) and “Science is about warranted belief, not about rational belief. The history of science is about the recalibration of notions of ‘rationality’ in the light of what was actually discovered about the deeper structure of nature” (27). In more philosophical argot, McGrath seeks to provide the beginnings of a Christian epistemology. In another sense, the first half of the book feels more like a prolegomenon than the building of a sustained thesis. Nonetheless, many of the threads pulled out in the first seven chapters are interwoven in the final six.

The other half of Surprised seeks to display how the intellectual sun of Christianity illuminates the world. McGrath begins this endeavor by looking at cosmology. Although at times too dense for the non-specialist, his main point in this section unpacks the anthropic principle at a universal and biological level. In short, the universe is “fine tuned” for life (61, 66, 68). He then discusses the latest developments in regards to teleology and evolutionary theory. Here he argues that there seems to be purpose in the evolutionary process and this suggestively coheres with what could be called Providence.

Moving from developments in science and their illumination by the Christian sun, McGrath explores the meaning of history, culture and faith vis-à-vis an atheistic account. He charts his course by centering on the concepts of the image of God and the sinfulness of humanity (86). Keeping interpretations of history and humanity oscillating between these two poles provides a necessary realism, neither angel nor devil.

Alister McGrath, The Living God: A Guide for Study and Devotion, The Heart of Christian Faith Series (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2014), ix + 111 pages.

Alister McGrath is professor of theology, ministry, and education at Kings College, London. He is also a historian and a biochemist. McGrath has written these volumes for ordinary Christians rather than professional theologians or clergy. In undertaking this task in that manner, he is following in the footsteps of Chesterton, Lewis, and Sayers. Like them, McGrath explores a consensual, basic Christianity, using accessible and engaging language and images. The present two books under review are two of five in a series entitled The Heart of Christian faith in which McGrath seeks to answer three questions: What do Christians believe? Why do we believe this? And what difference does it make? The first book under review deals with the nature of faith and how it came to be expressed in the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed. The second book under review deals with God the Father and what we believe about Him.

In chapter one of Faith and Creeds, which outlines both McGrath’s and Lewis’ once atheistic positions in life, McGrath quotes Lewis as saying, “A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful about his reading. There are traps everywhere”. McGrath also notes that Lewis was drawn to Christianity not so much by the individual arguments in it’s favor, but rather by its big picture of reality (10). Christianity seemed to make sense of everything that really mattered to him and it connected with his inner longing for truth, beauty, and goodness.

In chapter 2, McGrath likens the Creeds to maps, which distinguish and delineate the framework of Christianity. The Creeds are indeed a map that distills the core themes of the Bible, disclosing a glorious, loving and righteous God. The Creeds give us a framework for going further and deeper into our faith. As chapter 3 points out, one of the virtues of the Christian faith is that it makes sense in and of itself, while also making sense of what we experience in the world around us. In chapter 4, it is noted that although the Creeds often seem wordy and formulaic, they are verbal vessels containing the treasure of the gospel. Chapter 6 introduces the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed by noting the words at the beginning — I believe — suggest that the focus of faith is the individual (83).

The Heart of Christian Faith series: Faith and Creeds (2013), The Living God (2014), Jesus Christ (2014), The Spirit of Grace (2015), and The Christian Life and Hope (2016).

All in all, both of these titles are worthy of study. Moreover, I look forward to getting the chance to read and study the other three volumes in this set.

Reviewed by Bradford McCall

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As a well-known professor of theology, ministry, and education at Kings College, London, McGrath needs no introduction. This book serves as an introduction to apologetics, the field of Christian thought that focuses upon the justification of the core themes of the Christian faith, and its effective communication to the non-Christian world. Apologetics aims to convert believers into thinkers, and thinkers into believers (11). This book sets out to introduce its readers to the leading themes of apologetics, presenting a basic understanding of its agendas and approaches. McGrath has tried to make this book accessible, interesting, and useful. It is not comprehensive. In many ways, the book’s approach mirrors that of CS Lewis, perhaps the greatest apologist of the 20th century.

Alister E. McGrath

In chapter 3, in perhaps his most important contribution to be found within this title, McGrath lays out the basic approach of the book that can be summarized in the following sequence of steps. First, it is essential to have a good to great understanding of the Christian faith in order to do apologetics. Second, it is important to understand the audience that is addressed. Third, we must communicate in such a way that our audiences can understand. Fourth, we need to identify points of contact for the gospel that are already embedded in human culture and experience. And fifth, we must present the whole gospel, not merely our interpretation of it (35-38).

This is more of what we have come to expect from McGrath: erudite scholarship, attention to detail, and persuasive argumentation. I highly recommend this book to all people who have at least a surface-level interest in exploring Christianity, as well as devout believers who wish to find out more on how they can become effective apologists for the faith in the 21st century.

Reviewed by Bradford McCall

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Alister McGrath, an Anglican priest, theologian, and Christian apologist, is currently Professor of Theology, Ministry, and Education at Kings College London and Head of the Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture. He was previously Professor of Historical Theology at the University of Oxford, and was principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford until 2005. McGrath is noted for his work in historical, systematic, and scientific theology, as well as his writings on apologetics and his opposition to anti-religionism. He holds both a DPhil (in molecular biophysics) and an earned Doctor of Divinity degree from the University of Oxford. His The Passionate Intellect is an interesting and readable offering for those wishing to understand or defend the intellectual viability of the historic Christian faith. Scholars and clergy alike as well as informed laity will benefit from reading it. This collection of diverse essays, lectures, and presentation or talks is divided into two parts, “The Purpose, Place, and Relevance of Christian Theology,” and “Engaging with Our Culture.” The Passionate Intellect is well written in a warm, personal style but has a “take no prisoners” approach to its opponents. It is scholarly without being pedantic and witty without being trite. Overall, it’s both an enjoyable and informative read.

In 2006 the movement now widely known as the new atheism exploded on the cultural scene in an aggressive manner. In this vein, Richard Dawkins’s The God Delusion (2006) and Christopher Hitchens’s God is Not Great (2007) created a quite stir. Debate often centered on the rationality of faith and the coherence of the Christian vision of reality. For the new atheists Christianity represents an antiquated way of explaining things that cannot be accepted in the modern scientific age. For example Hitchens has declared that since the invention of the telescope and the microscope religion “no longer offers an explanation of anything important.” In large part, The Passionate Intellect (McGrath has debated Dawkins publically several times) responds to such statements and presents a view of an exciting and stimulating version of intellectual Christianity. McGrath thinks Christians can and should be well prepared to respond to any and all intellectual challenges from today’s culture (cp. 1 Pet 3:15). Too many Christians seem to feel intimated by atheists; but, the fact is that Christian thought is more than strong enough to stand up to the task of refuting them. McGrath concurs with the statement of C.S. Lewis that, “I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen—not only because I see it, but because by it, I see everything else.”

McGrath suggests the defense of the intellectual credibility of Christianity has become increasingly important in recent years, in part due to the rise of the new atheism. Christians must see themselves as standard-bearers for a vibrant faith. Accordingly, they must expand our vision of the Christian gospel. The need for a Christian presence and voice in our culture has never been greater. Apologetics, or rationally defending the faith, has become a critical task for all believers. In order to do so effectively, believers need to know the Bible, Christian history and tradition, and be able to reason calmly and clearly with doubters.

The new atheists tend to portray the Christian view of the natural world as naïve and unscientific. However, McGrath persuasively argues, that is not at all true. Some seem to want a war between religion and science. In fact, historically some of the greatest scientists have been devout Christians. A problem between the two only arises today when science and/or religion forget their place and try to do the other’s proper work. Science deals with observable phenomena of the natural world but has no authority in the realm of metaphysics or religion. Religion deals with ultimate values and purpose but is not authorized to make scientific pronouncements. McGrath adheres to the idea that true religion and true science are completely compatible. The personal testimony (included in this book) of Alister McGrath, once an atheist and himself a scientist coming to faith in Christ and becoming a leading theologian is a powerful example of that possibility.

Alister E. McGrath, A Fine-Tuned Universe: The Quest for God in Science and Theology (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2009), xv + 262 pages.

Alister McGrath is Professor of Theology, Ministry, and Education at King’s College, London, holding doctorates in both the natural sciences and theology. This title could be seen as an extension of his title from 2008, The Open Secret: A New Vision for Natural Theology, being a reformulation of his 2009 Gifford Lectures. In this newest title, McGrath examines the apparent ‘fine-tuning’ of the universe and its significance – if any – for natural theology. In so doing, he explores a wide range of physical and biological phenomena and draws on the latest research in biochemistry and evolutionary biology. He purports to set out an approach to natural theology within the context provided by a distinctly Trinitarian framework. Notably, he does not attempt to ‘prove’ the existence of God or the truth of Christian teaching; instead, McGrath’s claim is that there is a coherent ‘fit’ between the observable world and the resources of Christian tradition. The book is divided into two sections, the first of which sets out his ‘Trinitarian Natural Theology’ (seven chapters), and the second of which gives a case study, of sorts, regarding the apparent fine-tuning of the universe, or the so-called ‘anthropic principle’ (seven chapters). The majority of what follows will focus on the first part of McGrath’s text, note.

Of particular significance, the second chapter reviews the crisis of confidence in modern natural theology, which leads him to posit a renewed vision for natural theology in chapter three. The fourth chapter discusses possible challenges to his proposal, whereas the fifth provides his argument that natural theology should be seen as an endeavour that seeks consonance between theology and science. Chapter six purports to be a presentation of the ‘dynamics of a Trinitarian natural theology’, whereas chapter seven approaches the idea of counterfactuals. The eighth chapter, which could very well be seen as the core of the book, is a re-reading of St. Augustine, during which McGrath argues that Augustine’s creation theology provides resources for making sense of both the origins of the universe and the processes of Darwinian evolution. Chapters nine through fourteen all highlight the apparent fine-tuning and directionality present within the universe. The constructive portion of the book ends with some reflections on what the relatively recent developments within the emergence debate might entail for natural theology; McGrath promises, in a footnote, to address these issues more fully in subsequent titles.

Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction,third edition (Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing, 2001), 616 pages.

Alister E. McGrath, The Christian Theology Reader,second edition (Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing, 2001), 707 pages.

Alister McGrath, the Anglican Evangelical scholar who is based in Oxford University, is a prodigious author with an encyclopedic mind. He is well placed, therefore, to produce these volumes which provide an overview of Christian theology, through the history of Christianity.

The presentation of the volume on Christian Theology is particularly interesting. Rather than approach the task by presenting a matrix of compartments, as is often the case with volumes on Systematic Theology, McGrath divides the work into three sections. In Part 1, he looks at ‘Landmarks: Periods, Themes and Personalities of Christian Theology’, offering the student an overview which invites an intellectual and cultural contextualization of doctrinal developments. In Part 2, he addresses the epistemological question, exploring the relationship of revelation and philosophy. In Part 3, he then goes on to examine the classical doctrines of Christian Theology.

I found this book over ambitious and idiosyncratic. It reads like a course book for Anglican students written by an evangelical: which it probably was designed to be. In its favor is its author’s significant intellect and command of theology. Again, the bibliography is extensive, and the web-references as well as the questions for discussion bring it well up to date. But I wonder at the relevance for scholars or students outside an Anglican, western context this book. The insights and perspectives are interesting, but there is too much ground covered to convey any sense of real depth. Good and trustworthy for a general, introductory course? Yes, if you are prepared to take on the Anglican perspective

Alister E. McGrath

The same applies to the Christian Theology Reader. Again, the range of McGrath’s academic competencies is demonstrated as he bounds through an extensive selection of authors and texts. But the present reviewer is suspicious of pericopes or paragraphs which are meant to introduce us to an author’s thinking. The quotations serve as illustrations for McGrath’s comments, but are too short to give the student any in-depth feel for the authors referred to.

Alister McGrath is one of the world’s leading Christian scholars. If that is good enough for you, and you have never looked at Christian faith from a perspective other than your own, non-Anglican tradition, this will serve as an excellent source book for seeing the evangelical tradition through different eyes. But if you are not an Anglican, and are thinking of these works as potential textbooks for students, then beware!

Cover from the 2010 Fifth Edition

Reviewed by Jim Purves

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Alister E. McGrath, The Science of God: An Introduction to Scientific Theology (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004), 271 pages.

Alister E. McGrath personifies an eclectic and exciting combination of interests and abilities. Professor of theology at Oxford University and principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, he is also director of the John Templeton Oxford Seminars on Christianity and Science. He holds doctorates from Oxford in molecular biophysics and historical and systematic theology. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, his prolific publications in both theology and science have been translated into more than twenty languages. McGrath is especially well-suited to bridge the chasm-like gulf between the all-too-often warring worlds of theology and science. Those who, agreeing with Galileo, “do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect intended us to forgo their use” (Des MacHale, Wisdom, London, 2002), will appreciate McGrath’s ability to correlate theological faith and scientific investigation. Distinctions between science and theology are not collapsed, however; the two are considered positive dialogue partners with disciplinary specific modes of investigation.

The Science of God is a single-volume summary of and introduction to McGrath’s three-volume A Scientific Theology (T & T Clark, 2001-03). It makes abstract and obtuse material more clear and concise. This is not to say sections such as those studying how “ontology determines epistemology” or surveying a priori v. a posteriori metaphysics will not require some work! McGrath explores interfaces between theology and the natural sciences, addresses theological methodology, and defends the overall theological enterprise. He is concerned to construct a public theology countering isolationist inclinations in contemporary theology by building a comprehensive theological system drawing on insights of natural science in conversation with Christian theology. McGrath is sustained by a strong evangelical orientation to Scripture and the gospel of Christ. Though ecumenically open and interactive, he critiques other positions and contrasts them with his own in a constructive fashion. Notable examples include reviews of Enlightenment reductionism and radical postmodernism as well as reevaluations of Karl Barth on natural theology or George Lindbeck on the nature of doctrine. He probably disagrees most forcefully with John Milbank and the “radical orthodoxy” movement. He admittedly relies heavily on T. F. Torrance and Alasdair McIntyre. For McGrath, the Christian doctrine of creation provides ample ontological imperative for engagement between theology and the natural sciences. He ties together creation and Christology nicely with his oft-repeated idea that “what is embedded in creation is embodied in Christ.” Though Alister McGrath sees “scientific theology” as an essentially Christian endeavor, he does not altogether excluding other religions from the dialogue process. Indeed, he argues the value of a Christian natural theology for viewing the “trans-traditional religious quest”, but prefers the Christian tradition’s “robust and resilient account of reality.”