Alister McGrath

Biography

McGrath was born on 23 January 1953 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and grew up in Downpatrick, County Down, where he attended Down High School. In September 1966 he became a pupil at the Methodist College Belfast, where his studies focused on mathematics, physics and chemistry. He went up to Wadham College, Oxford, in 1971 and gained first-class honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in chemistry in 1975. He began research in molecular biophysics in the Oxford University Department of Biochemistry under the supervision of George Radda and was elected to an E.P.A. Cephalosporin Research Studentship at Linacre College, Oxford, for the academic year 1975–1976, and to a Domus Senior Scholarship at Merton College, Oxford, for the period 1976–1978. During these three years, he carried out scientific research while studying for the Oxford University Final Honour School of Theology. He was awarded an Oxford Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree for his research in molecular biophysics (December 1977), and gained first-class honours in theology in June 1978.

Reflecting on his time as an undergraduate at Wadham, McGrath has written, "I was discovering that Christianity was far more intellectually robust than I had ever imagined. I had some major rethinking to do, and by the end of November [1971], my decision was made: I turned my back on one faith and embraced another."

McGrath then left Oxford to work at the University of Cambridge, where he also studied for ordination in the Church of England at Westcott House, Cambridge. In September 1980, he was ordained deacon and began ministry as a curate at St Leonard's Church, Wollaton in the Diocese of Southwell. He was ordained priest at Southwell Minster in September 1981. In 1983, he was appointed lecturer in Christian doctrine and ethics at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, and a member of the Oxford University's Faculty of Theology. He was additionally chaplain to St Hilda's College, Oxford from 1983 to 1987. He was awarded a postgraduate Bachelor of Divinity (BD) degree by Oxford in 1983, for research in historical theology. He spent the fall semester of 1990 as the Ezra Squire Tipple Visiting Professor of Historical Theology at the Divinity School of Drew University, Madison, New Jersey.

McGrath was appointed university research lecturer in theology at Oxford University in 1993 and also served as research professor of systematic theology at Regent College, Vancouver, from 1993 to 1999. In 1995, he was elected principal of Wycliffe Hall and in 1999, was awarded a personal chair in theology by the University of Oxford with the title Professor of Historical Theology. He was awarded the Oxford degree of Doctor of Divinity (DD) degree in 2001 for his research in historical and systematic theology, and was a founding member of the International Society for Science and Religion. On 1 September 2008 McGrath took up the chair of theology, ministry and education in the Department of Education and Professional Studies at King's College London. In 2009, he delivered the Gifford Lectures on A Fine-Tuned Universe: The Quest for God in Science and Theology at the University of Aberdeen. In 2010 McGrath was included in "The 20 Most Brilliant Christian Professors" list. In 2013 he was awarded his third doctorate from Oxford University, a Doctor of Letters (DLitt) degree, Division of Humanities, for research into science and religion, and natural theology.

In 2014, McGrath returned to the University of Oxford, having been appointed Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion and director of the Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion, and elected fellow of Harris Manchester College, Oxford. From 2015 to 2018, he was additionally the 32nd Professor of Divinity at Gresham College, a position dating back to 1597. In this position he delivered a series of free public lectures on Science, Faith, and God: The Big Questions, in which he aimed to present "a coherent exploration of how Christian theology can engage with concerns and debates within modern culture, focusing on one of its leading elements – the natural sciences." In 2022, he retired as Andreas Idreos Professor in 2022, and was appointed Professor Emeritus of Science and Religion and made an emeritus fellow of Harris Manchester College.

Views

A former atheist, McGrath accepts and promotes evolution. In 2004 McGrath suggested in The Twilight of Atheism that atheism was in decline. He has been highly critical of Richard Dawkins, calling him "embarrassingly ignorant of Christian theology". His book, The Dawkins Delusion? – a response to Dawkins's The God Delusion – was published by SPCK in February 2007, and the two had public debate on the topic, "Does religious belief damage the health of a society, or is it necessary to provide the moral and ethical foundations of a healthy society?"

McGrath has also debated with Daniel Dennett, at the Greer-Heard Point-Counterpoint Forum in New Orleans in February 2007, as well as Christopher Hitchens at Georgetown University. In March 2007, McGrath debated with Peter Atkins at the University of Edinburgh on the topic 'Darwin and Humanity: Should We Rid the Mind of God?' In November that year, he debated with Susan Blackmore on the existence of God. McGrath has debated with David Helfand at the Veritas Forum on whether belief in God is a delusion. In 2011, he debated with Stephen Law on the topic 'Why Won't God Go Away?' He was interviewed by Richard Dawkins about his book Dawkins' God and faith in general for the television documentary The Root of All Evil? McGrath's interview was not included in the final cut, but the unedited footage is available online.

Personal life

In 1980, he married Joanna Collicutt. She is a psychologist, Anglican priest, and academic specialising in the psychology of religion. Together they have two children.

Writings

The author of more than 50 books, among McGrath's more notable works are:

• A Life of John Calvin (1993)
• A Passion for Truth: The Intellectual Coherence of Evangelicalism (1996)
• Science and Religion: An Introduction (1998)
• Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought (1998)
• I Believe: Exploring the Apostles' Creed (1998)
• T. F. Torrance: An Intellectual Biography (1999)
• The Journey: A Pilgrim in the Lands of the Spirit (2000)
• Christian Theology: An Introduction (2001) (often used as a seminary textbook)
• The Christian Theology Reader (2001) (containing primary sources referred to in his Christian Theology)
• In the Beginning : The Story of the King James Bible and How It Changed a Nation, a Language, and a Culture (2001)
• Glimpsing the Face of God: The Search for Meaning in the Universe (2001)
• The Reenchantment of Nature: The Denial of Religion and the Ecological Crisis (2002)
• Knowing Christ (2002)
• A Scientific Theology v. 3 (2003)
• A Brief History of Heaven (2003)
• The Intellectual Origins of the European Reformation (2003)
• The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in the Modern World (2004)
• Christianity's Dangerous Idea: The Protestant Revolution from the Sixteenth to the Twenty-First Century (2007)
• The Dawkins Delusion? Atheist Fundamentalism and the denial of the divine (2007) (A critical response to Dawkins' book The God Delusion)
• The Open Secret: A New Vision for Natural Theology (2008)
• A Fine-Tuned Universe: The Quest for God in Science and Theology (2009)
• Heresy: A History of Defending the Truth (2009)
• Mere Theology: Christian Faith and the Discipleship of the Mind (2010)
• Chosen Ones (Series: The Aedyn Chronicles Volume: 1) (2010)
• Surprised by Meaning: Science, Faith, and How We Make Sense of Things (2011)
• Why God Won't Go Away: Engaging with the New Atheism (2011)
• Flight of the Outcasts (Series: The Aedyn Chronicles Volume: 2) (2011)
• Darkness Shall Fall (Series: The Aedyn Chronicles Volume: 3) (2011)
• Reformation Thought: An Introduction (2012)
• Darwinism and the Divine: Evolutionary Thought and Natural Theology (Oxford: Blackwell-Wiley, 2011). The 2009 Hulsean Lectures at the University of Cambridge
• Mere apologetics: how to help seekers and skeptics find faith (Baker Books, 2012)
• The Intellectual World of C. S. Lewis (2013)
• C. S. Lewis- A Life: Eccentric Genius, Reluctant Prophet (2013)
• Dawkins' God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life ([2004] 2015), 2nd ed., Wiley. , pbk. (A critique of scientist Richard Dawkins' attitude towards religion)
• The Big Question: Why We Can't Stop Talking About Science, Faith, and God (2015), St. Martin's Press,
• Enriching Our Vision of Reality: Theology and Natural Sciences in Dialogue (2016), Templeton Press,
• The Landscape of Faith: An Explorer's Guide to Christian Creeds (2018), SPCK,
• Mere Discipleship: Growing in Wisdom and Hope (2018), Baker Books,
• Narrative Apologetics: Sharing the Relevance, Joy, and Wonder of the Christian Faith (2019), Baker Books,
• Richard Dawkins, C.S. Lewis and the Meaning of Life (2019), SPCK,
• A Theory of Everything (That Matters): A Brief Guide to Einstein, Relativity, and His Surprising Thoughts on God (2019), Tyndale,
• J.I. Packer: His Life and Thought (2020), InterVarsity Press,
• A Cloud of Witnesses: 10 Great Christian Thinkers (2005), Wipf and Stock Publishers,

References

References

1. (2006). "Review Article: Alister E. McGrath's ''A Scientific Theology''". Andrews University Seminary Studies.
2. (2006). "Review Article: Alister E. McGrath's ''A Scientific Theology''". Andrews University Seminary Studies.
3. Dew, James K. Jr.. (2011). "Science and Theology: An Assessment of Alister McGrath's Critical Realist Perspective". Wipf and Stock.
4. McMath, Terence Handley. (7 July 2017). "Alister McGrath, Theologian". Church Times.
5. McDonald, Jeffrey S.. (2017). "John Gerstner and the Renewal of Presbyterian and Reformed Evangelicalism in Modern America". Pickwick Publications.
6. "Frank A. James III, DPhil, PhD". Missio Seminary.
7. "Science and the Christian Faith".
8. Aitken, Jonathan. (2006). "Heroes and Contemporaries". Continuum.
9. (24 September 2003). "Banner of Truth Trust".
10. [http://www.christchurchbetweentherivers.org/about/evangelical-anglican.html What is an Evangelical Anglican?] {{webarchive. link. (19 August 2012)
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14. [http://www.gresham.ac.uk/gresham-college-press-release-080415 'Gresham College Press Release, 08/04/15'] {{webarchive. link. (22 July 2015 (accessed 8 April 2015))
15. "Alister McGrath". University of Oxford.
16. McGrath, Alister. "Curriculum Vitae".
17. "Archived copy".
18. "Revd. Professor Alister McGrath".
19. "Sound and fury of the New Atheists – Alister McGrath – The Times (London) – RichardDawkins.net".
20. McGrath, Alister. (31 January 2011). "Thank God for the New Atheism".
21. "Theology and reality: Critical realism in the thought of Alister E. McGrath – Udini".
22. "Wipf and Stock Publishers".
23. "Alister McGrath | Participants | Profile | Closer to Truth".
24. "Alister E. McGrath".
25. McGrath, Alister. (2010). "Mere Theology". SPCK.
26. "Biography".
27. McGrath, Alister. (2010). "Mere Theology". SPCK.
28. (1 December 1999). "Crockford's Clerical Directory 2000". Church House Publishing.
29. "Curriculum Vitae".
30. [[International Society for Science and Religion. ISSR]] [http://www.issr.org.uk/about/founding_members.asp List of founding members] {{webarchive. link. (7 March 2005)
31. "The Gifford Lectures". University of Aberdeen.
32. Brill, Alan. (18 April 2010). "The 20 Most Brilliant Christian Professors".
33. "Science, Faith and God: The Big Questions".
34. "Professor Alister McGrath".
35. "Alister McGrath". University of Oxford.
36. Nigel Bovey. "Alister McGrath talks of God, science and Richard Dawkins". [[Christian Evidence Society]].
37. Interview on CBC: The Hour 18 May 2007
38. Nigel Bovey. "Alister McGrath talks of God, science and Richard Dawkins". [[Christian Evidence Society]].
39. Roger Morris. "Is 'Theistic Evolution' a Cop-Out?". Faith Interface.
40. "Audio Visual Resources". [[Ravi Zacharias.
41. "NOBTS – Alister McGrath and Daniel Dennett debate the future of atheism at Greer-Heard".
42. "Christopher Hitchens Debates Alister McGrath – FORA.tv".
43. (4 February 2012). "Alister McGrath & David Helfand - The God Delusion?".
44. "Unbelievable? 5 Feb 2011 - Alister McGrath & Stephen Law - Why Won't God Go Away?".
45. "The Root of All Evil? The Uncut Interviews - Alister McGrath vs. Richard Dawkins - YouTube".
46. (1 December 2024). "Article McGrath, Prof. Alister Edgar, (born 23 Jan. 1953), Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion and Director, Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion, University of Oxford, 2014–22, now Emeritus; Fellow, Harris Manchester College, Oxford, 2014–22, now Emeritus". Oxford University Press.
47. "Dr Joanna Collicutt". University of Oxford.
48. Alister McGrath, ''A Theory of Everything That Matters: A Brief Guide to Einstein, Relativity, and His Surprising Thoughts on God'', Tyndale House Publishers (2019), p. 217