Oxford University mathematician John Lennox stars in the three-nights-only film Against the Tide: Finding God in an Age of Science, with Kevin Sorbo, in theaters across the country on November 19, 20, and 23. Get your tickets here, and don’t forget to bring family and friends! Looking forward to the documentary’s release, Professor Lennox took time to answer some questions from Evolution News.

Is there anyone you’ve always wanted to debate but haven’t had the opportunity?

Well, the big debates have gone. I need to explain that. The atheists don’t want them either. What has happened is, those confrontational debates — 15 minutes, 15 minutes, 10 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes — they are very expensive on time and energy. My preparation for some of those debates took months, full time. Now, nobody can afford that if you take it seriously as I do. 

But what has come out of all this is the notion of a very well moderated discussion. And it depends, of course, crucially on a moderator. There are some very good moderators who don’t try to participate in the debate, but instead to control it. And I enjoy those. I feel we have a very good show in the UK, where I’ve appeared. It’s called Unbelievable, and the moderator is Justin Brierley. Have you heard of it? This is a marvelous show. The most famous one I’ve done was with Dave Rubin. I did it in California last year. That was an amazing one. But I’ve done several with him, and the most pugnacious was where I was debating an atheist scientist, [Oxford University chemist] Peter Atkins — I mean, talk about going for the jugular. That would give you a lot of fun. It’s on YouTube. [See the videos below.] It was at Southampton University. Talk about pugnacious. It was unbelievable. And the show is called Unbelievable! Let me say, in passing, that show is one of the best sources for getting discussions between Christians and atheists that there is in the world. [Brierley] has all the big players on, Americans as well as others. It is very good. 

I was pitched to debate Sam Harris. That didn’t come off. I’m a bit sorry that didn’t happen. That was stymied, I think, by the presidential primaries. I’ve had so many opportunities to do things and interviews about C. S. Lewis and lectures around the world. I’ve had a huge privilege, you see.

Screenings of Against the Tide will include an exclusive conversation after the film with Discovery Institute philosopher of science Stephen Meyer. Be sure to get tickets before it sells out, as events with John Lennox tend to do! Find conversations between John Lennox, Dave Rubin, and Peter Atkins, hosted by Justin Brierley.