CHRISTMAS GREETINGS TO ALL!

Dr Flew at 81:
The pilgrimage of the World’s [former] leading philosophical Atheist
GEM 04:12:23

This morning, in my usual online reading, I found a most interesting report, so much so that I will break the series on Rebuilding Montserrat to cite and comment on some excerpts from the Baptist Press news article of Dec 22, 2004: “Atheist's turn toward God was a 4-year process, friend says” :

. . . in December 2004 the unexpected happened when [Dr Anthony] Flew [arguably the world’s leading – now, former -- philosophical atheist] took a step toward Christianity, announcing that scientific evidence led him to a belief in God . . . . [Dr Gary] Habermas [Head, Dept. of Philosophy and Theology at Liberty University, who has debated, befriended and corresponded with Dr Flew] . . . had known that Flew was reconsidering his position since the fall of 2000 when Flew sent Habermas a letter in which the atheist acknowledged the strength of arguments for theism and Christianity. "In September 2000, that's about the earliest indication that I had that he was changing . . . He wrote me a long letter, quite an incredible letter, where at several points he conceded the evidence for [theism and Christianity]." . . . . By January 2003 Flew began considering arguments from the "intelligent design" movement and was on the verge of belief in God . . . . "He told me he was really rethinking theism and had corresponded with [naturalistic scientist Richard] Dawkins and was putting the ID arguments up against what Dawkins was saying and trying to compare the arguments," Habermas said. "And he was going back and forth as to whether he should be a theist or not."By early 2004, Flew completed his transition to theism and indicated his change of mind to Habermas in a telephone conversation . . . . Flew currently holds a position known as deism -- the belief that god created the universe but is not actively involved in people's lives today . . . . a short-lived movement in the history of philosophy over the last few centuries," Habermas said. "One reason deism is a troubled position is that it usually moves one way or the other."Flew could revert back to atheism, Habermas noted. "Still, he has made a number of statements to me indicating that he is open, even to revelation," Habermas said."Three weeks ago I received a letter from him where he said that he was rereading my arguments for the resurrection and was very impressed with them,'" he said . . . . "He's told me on many occasions that he was impressed with the arguments for the resurrection ... and he says it's the best miracle claim in the history of religions," Habermas recounted. "So he's impressed with them . . . " [URL: http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=19780 ]

Let us consider several highlights:

1] Flew was impressed by Intelligent Design -- which argues that the intricate fine-tuning of the cosmos and the highly structured ordered complexity of life at the molecular level show that the universe was most likely designed -- and Richard Dawkins [the leading evolutionary materialist biology advocate today] did not have a solid comeback.

2] Flew is open to revelation (and we can compare an earlier interview [ CF. www.biola.edu/philchristi ] in which he expresses the impression the Judaeo-Christian claim has made on him, but not the Islamic; and those are the three major live theistic options today).

3] Finally, Habermas reports: “"Three weeks ago I received a letter from him where he said that he was rereading my arguments for the resurrection and was very impressed with them . . . . He's told me on many occasions that he was impressed with the arguments for the resurrection ... and he says it's the best miracle claim in the history of religions . . . "

Remember, that is from the former leading philosophical atheist in the world, a man who has publicly stated that he knows there is no God because the very concept of God is incoherent [ cf. http://www.angelfire.com/pro/kairosfocus/resources/Intro_phil/God.htm ]. In defense of his thinking, he was the author of such books as "Atheistic Humanism" and "Darwinian Evolution."
What a Christmas gift for 2004!

Thanks be to God.. So, now, let’s talk, let’s pray . . . especially for Dr Flew. AMEN