Christopher Hitchens Debates Alister McGrath (2007)

Poison or Cure - Religious Belief in the Modern World

Christopher Hitchens debates Oxford University professor Alister McGrath on
October 11, 2007.

The Ethics and Public Policy Center and the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University hosted a debate between writer Christopher Hitchens and Oxford University professor Alister McGrath on the role of religious belief in the modern world. The debate was held on October 11, 2007 in Gaston Hall, in Georgetown University's Healy Hall. CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS contributes an essay on books each month to The Atlantic Monthly and is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair. He is the author of twelve books, including the best-selling God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (May, 2007). He is also the author of Thomas Jefferson: Author of America (2006), A Long Short War: the Postponed Liberation of Iraq (2003), Why Orwell Matters (2002), The Trial of Henry Kissinger (2001), and Letters to a Young Contrarian (2001). ALISTER MCGRATH is Professor of Historical Theology at Oxford University. He has written extensively on historical theology, the Reformation, doctrine, the interaction of science and theology, and biographies of John Calvin, Thomas Torrance, and J. I. Packer. His most recent books include The Dawkins Delusion (2007), Dawkins' God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life (2005), and The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in the Modern World (2005). His A Scientific Theology (4 volumes, 2001-2004) has been hailed as one the most important works of systematic theology to appear in recent years. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2005 and in 2009 he will give the prestigious Gifford Lectures at the University of Aberdeen. MICHAEL CROMARTIE (moderator) is Vice President at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where he directs both the Evangelicals in Civic Life and Religion and the Media programs. The Ethics and Public Policy Center and the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University hosted a debate between writer Christopher Hitchens and Oxford University professor Alister McGrath on the role of religious belief in the modern world. The debate was held on October 11, 2007 in Gaston Hall, in Georgetown University's Healy Hall. CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS contributes an essay on books each month to The Atlantic Monthly and is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair. He is the author of twelve books, including the best-selling God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (May, 2007). He is also the author of Thomas Jefferson: Author of America (2006), A Long Short War: the Postponed Liberation of Iraq (2003), Why Orwell Matters (2002), The Trial of Henry Kissinger (2001), and Letters to a Young Contrarian (2001). ALISTER MCGRATH is Professor of Historical Theology at Oxford University. He has written extensively on historical theology, the Reformation, doctrine, the in...all » The Ethics and Public Policy Center and the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University hosted a debate between writer Christopher Hitchens and Oxford University professor Alister McGrath on the role of religious belief in the modern world. The debate was held on October 11, 2007 in Gaston Hall, in Georgetown University's Healy Hall. CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS contributes an essay on books each month to The Atlantic Monthly and is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair. He is the author of twelve books, including the best-selling God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (May, 2007). He is also the author of Thomas Jefferson: Author of America (2006), A Long Short War: the Postponed Liberation of Iraq (2003), Why Orwell Matters (2002), The Trial of Henry Kissinger (2001), and Letters to a Young Contrarian (2001). ALISTER MCGRATH is Professor of Historical Theology at Oxford University. He has written extensively on historical theology, the Reformation, doctrine, the interaction of science and theology, and biographies of John Calvin, Thomas Torrance, and J. I. Packer. His most recent books include The Dawkins Delusion (2007), Dawkins' God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life (2005), and The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in the Modern World (2005). His A Scientific Theology (4 volumes, 2001-2004) has been hailed as one the most important works of systematic theology to appear in recent years. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2005 and in 2009 he will give the prestigious Gifford Lectures at the University of Aberdeen. MICHAEL CROMARTIE (moderator) is Vice President at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where he directs both the Evangelicals in Civic Life and Religion and the Media programs.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• religion
• jesus
• christianity
• bible
• god
• atheist
• atheism
• secularism
• agnosticism
• agnotic
• humanism

[SuperMemzzz]

I am deeply saddened whenever I think that I couldn't see this person live ...:(

[hollyzone]

"If I can't be erect, at least I can be upright". :)

[SuperMemzzz]

@Hanensens lol...

[Hanensens]

@SuperMemzzz you can. McGrath lives in the UK. ( :P )

[TheReexa]

@proximaism Guess some people just don't care about the truth...

[rezomegrelidze]

wow that guy really believes in human nature

[SmileyGarrish]

at 1:16:00 Revelation opens in the discussion. That Book fore tells the catastrophic violence, bloodlust and war crimes called world war one and two. In 1935 Europeans attacked Ethiopia, again, but the Fascist Italians opened the seven seals, and the king of Ethiopia was returned to His throne, after Mussolini lost offensive capacity over 5 years of combat.

[SmileyGarrish]

THE CURE? Haile Sellassie I - born Lij Tafari Makonnen crowned HIM Haile Sellassie I - pure indica is provisioned by God on the first pages of Genesis; all herbs for humankind. Hemp for the planet - all healthy and productive.Third world hemp. Reinvigorate global economy with hemp based industry. McGrath deserves a better laugh with his Nun joke. Listen twice still funny. Gut ripping. Rasta is a diffuse Christian sect. Peace

[SmileyGarrish]

Approaching 37:00 strict justification for legalization for Rastafarians and all other humankind.

[SmileyGarrish]

Approaching 33 minutes the biosocial imperative is explained. Humans are naturally inclined to help each other. And find ways of codifying that: Religion. In many disguises.

[SmileyGarrish]

@economist737 Church of England still hasn't acknowledged or apologized for their part in allowing for the invasion of Coptic Ethiopia in 1935 by the then British Ally, Fascist Italy. This crime perpetrated through the League of Nations and Suez Canal, facilitated the use of chemical weapons against civilians and the bare foot shaman clad Ethiopian Patriot Army. Not a word from the Archbishop, whose forerunners actually refused Edward VIII his crown because he was unsuitable being fascist......