Image by Professor John Lennox
In a recent message as President of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA), Christian apologist and mathematician Professor John Lennox questioned the stance of renowned atheist Richard Dawkins, particularly regarding ultimate justice and the meaning of life. Lennox, who has debated Dawkins in the past, responded to a passage from Dawkins’ book River Out of Eden, where Dawkins describes the universe as void of purpose or moral framework, stating, “There is no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pitiless indifference.”
Reflecting on this perspective, Lennox shared his belief that atheism strips away any hope for justice or life after death. He argued that while removing God from the equation might seem to address the problem of suffering, it ultimately leads to a loss of hope. “Without God, there is no ultimate justice, no life beyond death. Atheism is a hopeless faith,” he wrote.
Drawing from his experiences, including multiple visits to Auschwitz and the personal tragedy of losing his 22-year-old niece to a brain tumor, Lennox acknowledged the challenge of reconciling suffering with faith. He emphasized that Christianity, particularly the significance of Jesus’ suffering on the cross, provides a source of hope amidst trials. Lennox explained, “The Christian claim is that the person on the cross was God incarnate,” illustrating that God is not distant from human suffering but shares in it through Jesus Christ.
Lennox concluded by contrasting Christianity’s message of hope through Christ’s resurrection with the bleak outlook of atheism, stating, “Atheism can’t offer anything like that.”