Discussion Questions

Introduction

  • Do you know any atheists personally? If so, how would you account for their unbelief? How might your explanation differ from theirs?
  • In recent years, atheists have become more bold and aggressive in declaring their unbelief and even ridiculing people of faith. Why do you suppose this is the case?
  • Spiegel asserts that atheism has given rise to “harmful ideologies” such as Marxism and nihilism. Do you consider atheists to be less trustworthy than other people? Why or why not?

Chapter One

  • What impact, if any, do you suppose the atheist ad campaigns in the U.S. and Britain will have?
  • Have you read any writings of the “new atheists” (Dawkins, Dennett, Harris, Hitchens, etc.)? If so, what was your response?
  • Spiegel notes that atheists most often appeal to science and the problem of evil in accounting for their refusal to believe in God. What do you think of Spiegel’s responses to these objections? What other reasons might an atheist give for his/her unbelief?
  • Spiegel notes that several atheistic complaints are actually reasonable. Do you agree? Are there any other objections to religious belief or practice to which you are sympathetic?

Chapter Two

  • What, if anything, does Antony Flew’s recanting of atheism suggest about the reasonableness of belief in God?
  • Do you agree with Flew that the existence of the universe, the laws of nature, and the presence of life constitute the three best evidences for God? Are there any other equally conclusive evidences?
  • Do you agree with Spiegel’s account of the “biblical diagnosis” of atheism? If not, why not? If so, what other biblical passages might support this account?
  • Have you personally known anyone whose loss of faith has followed the pattern described by the author (where disbelief was prompted by disobedience)?
  • Do you believe that naturalism is self-defeating as Plantinga claims?

Chapter Three

  • Does Paul Vitz’s “defective father hypothesis” about atheism cohere with your own experience of atheists? How should this affect the way we approach those who reject God?
  • Given the moral corruption of so many major Western intellectuals, as noted by Paul Johnson and E. Michael Jones, what impact, if any, should this have on our view of education and the scholarly world?
  • To what extent do you think the “will to believe,” as William James calls it, is involved in your own faith? Have you ever struggled with a willful refusal to believe something that you knew was true?
  • Are there any attributes of God that you struggle with or wish were not true about God? If so, why do you maintain these beliefs in spite of your desires?

Chapter Four

  • How should Kuhn’s concept of paradigms affect the way we view scientists and other scholars?
  • What sorts of paradigms do even non-scholars bring to experience in other contexts, such as regarding lifestyle, popular culture, and personal relationships? What can we do to become more self-aware regarding the paradigms to which we are committed?
  • Do you believe in the sensus divinitatis, as Calvin and Plantinga describe it? If so, in what ways have you seen this natural awareness of God at work in your own life, even dating back to when you were a child?
  • Plantinga suggests that our moral-spiritual practice impacts our cognitive function. What impact, if any, should this have on our approach to spiritual formation—both regarding ourselves and those to whom we minister, teach, or parent?
  • At the end of the chapter, Spiegel summarizes his account of atheism. To what extent do you agree with his analysis? What would you add or subtract from his account?

Chapter Five

  • Were you surprised by Matthew Parris’s reflections on Christian mission work in Africa? What lessons might we draw from his response?
  • Do you agree with Spiegel’s observation that theists enjoy a “right to complain” and a “privilege to thank” God which is not available to atheists. Do you feel that you take full advantage of both of these blessings?
  • How has this book affected the way you regard atheists? How has it affected your view of your own faith and fellow believers?

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Discussion Questions (PDF)

Endorsements

“The Making of an Atheist is a helpful book that introduces the reader to a biblical analysis to the nature and roots of unbelief. While not disparaging the use of apologetics in laying out a case for theism, Spiegel shows that the central issues influencing disbelief are often more a matter of a commitment to moral and spiritual independence than to an objective assessment of the evidence.”

— Gregg Ganssle
Yale University Philosophy Department and the Rivendell Institute



“Most of the work being done today in response to atheism focuses on intellectual issues and arguments against belief in God. In The Making of an Atheist James Spiegel has crafted a clear, crisp, compelling case that there are non-rational moral and psychological dynamics that lead to unbelief. Rooted in Scripture and argued with the precision of a trained philosopher, this powerful little book is a must read for theists and atheists alike.”

— Chad Meister
Bethel College Philosophy Professor, author of Building Belief and co-editor of God is Great, God is Good



“The Making of an Atheist offers a short and sweet explanation for unbelief with some devastating arguments and memorable illustrations. Its frank tone may put off the timid atheist, but any self-respecting non-believer will welcome the challenges it presents with candor and aplomb. It should prove to be especially helpful for those struggling with questions of faith. ”

— Eric Johnson
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Professor and author of Foundations For Soul Care