A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists

A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists helps readers—both secular and religious—appreciate their common ground. For those whose thinking has moved from the religious thesis to the skeptical antithesis (or vice versa), Myers offers pointers to a science-respecting Christian synthesis. He shows how skeptics and people of faith can share a commitment to reason, evidence, and critical thinking, while also embracing a faith that supports human flourishing—by making sense of the universe, giving meaning to life, connecting us in supportive communities, mandating altruism, and offering hope in the face of adversity and death.

Preface v False and Dangerous? 1 My Assumptions 4 Mea Culpa 8 The Dance of Fanatics and Infidels 11 Simplistic Stereotypes 14 The Heart of Science and Religion 17 The Skeptics’ Boys Club 22 Inseparable Body and Soul 26 Does Prayer “Work”? 33 The Benevolent, Fine-Tuned Universe 44 Big Ideas and Biblical Wisdom 54 Secularism and Civility 64 God and Gays 74 (Nominal) Religion Feeds Prejudice 82 Godliness and Goodliness 87 Happy Faith-Heads 107 Healthy Faith-Heads 116 Does Explaining Religion Explain It Away? 121 The Leap of Faith 128 Appendix: International Society for Science and Religion Statement on Intelligent Design 133 Notes 137 Acknowledgments 150 The Author 152