The Death of Classical Theism and the Subsequent Rise of Atheism

Modernity has seen the rise of atheism and a rejection of classical theism. In this book, Shane Himes argues that the two realities are largely dependent on one another. Many modern Christian apologists are not fond of classical doctrines such as divine simplicity and impassibility, and thus they happily reject these ideas. The ramifications of doing so, however, have not been fully appreciated, especially as they relate to Christian arguments for God’s existence.

Himes gives an overview of the arguments for God’s existence by examining the work of both scholars who reject classical theism and those who embrace it. An analysis of these arguments demonstrates that modern models of God make his existence a mere possibility as opposed to a logical necessity. As such, the arguments given by these scholars leave them susceptible to atheist critiques, given that they do not answer the question of why anything exists. Without classical theism, God becomes one possible answer as to why our particular universe exists the way that it does; but apparently this has not been convincing to many, as atheism has seen an unprecedented rise in the last two centuries. Paradoxically, if Christianity is to become dominant once again in academia and Western societies more generally, a recovery of classical depictions of God as the ground of all being is paramount.

Shane Himes is a theologian and cultural commentator with a PhD from Amridge University. He is the founder of the Aletheia Initiative Inc. and serves as senior minister for the North Central Church of Christ in Bloomington, Indiana.