Gunning for God: Why the New Atheists are missing the target

A rigorous, provocative exploration of faith, reason, and morality – unpacking the claims of New Atheism with sharp logic, historical insight, and the kind of evidence that makes for lively debate and lasting impact.

Is faith nothing more than blind allegiance, or is it grounded in evidence and reason? Does morality depend on God, or can it stand alone in a secular age? In this robust challenge to the modern “Bright Brigade,” John Lennox takes the arguments of Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris, and Dennett head-on – exposing not only the cracks in their claims, but also the historical and philosophical shallowness underlying much of contemporary atheism.

Lennox brings the weight of both scientific reasoning and historical context to the table, dissecting topics such as science versus religion, the historical accuracy of Christian claims, and the moral landscape shaped by Christianity. With lucid storytelling and pointed wit, he uncovers why attempts to erase religion often lead not to enlightenment, but to new varieties of dogma.

For those interested in the intersection of faith, reason, and ethics, Gunning for God stands alongside works like Atheist Delusions and The Dawkins Delusion? as a spirited, thoughtful provocation. Both believers and doubters will find fuel for thought – and perhaps reason to rethink the simple slogans of our age.

From the Publisher

What You’ll Find Inside Gunning for God

Across clear, tightly argued chapters, Lennox walks you through the key questions raised by the New Atheism: Is faith irrational? Is religion poisonous? Has science disproved miracles? Is biblical morality oppressive or liberating?

Drawing on philosophy, history, theology, and cutting‑edge science, he shows why the Christian worldview makes profound sense of the universe, the mind, and our deepest moral intuitions.

Key topics (bullets):

Faith & Evidence – Why “faith” is not blind belief, but reasoned trust grounded in evidence.God & Science – How the very success of science points to, rather than away from, a rational Creator.Religion & Violence – What really lies behind religious conflict – and how Jesus explicitly rejects “gunning for God.”Morality & Meaning – The moral cost of a universe with “no good and no evil, only blind, pitiless indifference.”The Person of Jesus – A fair look at the cross, the resurrection, and why they still matter in a scientific age.

Faith & Reason in Conversation

Is faith really the opposite of reason? Lennox shows how the biblical view of a rational Creator laid the foundations for modern science. Far from being a “God of the gaps,” the God of the Bible explains why there is a universe governed by elegant, discoverable laws – and why our minds are capable of understanding it.

Morality, Meaning, and the Human Person

If we are nothing more than survival machines for selfish genes, can good and evil be anything but useful illusions? Gunning for God probes the ethical implications of naturalism, asking what happens to human dignity, responsibility, and justice when we deny any transcendent source of moral law.

Jesus, the Cross, and the Question of Miracles

New Atheists often dismiss the cross and resurrection as morally offensive or scientifically impossible. Lennox tackles these objections head‑on: What does it really mean for God to forgive? Is vicarious atonement coherent? Do miracles violate science – or presuppose the very order science describes? The book invites you to consider whether the resurrection is not wishful thinking, but the best explanation of the evidence.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lion Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 23, 2011
Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0745953220
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0745953229
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.43 x 0.53 x 8.5 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #53,564 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #13 in Agnosticism (Books) #35 in Atheism (Books) #99 in Science & Religion (Books)
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