Culture & Ethics
Faith & Science
Intelligent Design
Meyer, Murray, Holland: Join the Conversation about Faith and Science
If you haven’t had a chance yet to watch the new episode of Uncommon Knowledge that features philosopher of science Stephen Meyer, historian Tom Holland, and journalist Douglas Murray, by all means do so and enjoy. It’s delightful to take in such a meeting of the minds, and on such a heady topic as the existence of God:
But there’s another important reason to engage with this video interview: you can add your own voice to the conversation. When it comes to the big questions in life, such as who we are, why we are here, and what’s behind it all, we all have a stake, and we all have a say. As Meyer puts it: “We all sense that there is more than blind, pitiless indifference at work, and I think wrestling with that is the thing we all should be doing.”
In the Digital Age
Today, some of that wrestling is done in the comments section of websites like YouTube. The Meyer/Murray/Holland discussion has garnered over 80k views so far in its first four days online. Of the comments posted under it thus far, the majority are enthusiastic and positive, praising both the content of the discussion and the caliber of the thinkers involved.
But a few viewers aren’t so happy. One, for instance, voices his displeasure at the idea of Stephen Meyer being part of the panel: “Tom and Douglas are worthy guests, but…Stephen Meyer?! Really? What a disappointing inclusion!”
One wonders how much of the interview this viewer actually watched. Meyer spends much of the first half of the interview weighing the opinions of both Murray and Holland. In the second half, he brings the power of his life’s work on intelligent design to bear on the conversation.
A Fresh Argument for Faith
Out of the three guests, it is Meyer who offers up a fresh intellectual argument for faith in the God of Judeo-Christian tradition. While Holland and Murray do well to recognize and defend Christianity’s fundamental influence on Western civilization, it is Meyer who gives us reasoned, rational, and scientifically backed arguments that support a continued belief in God in this day and age. As such, Meyer is the perfect candidate to have a conversation with these two thinkers.
What about you? Your own take on both the interview and the topics at hand is important, too. So, after or while you watch the episode, I invite you to post your thoughts as a comment under the video. You’ll be doing your part to further the pursuit of truth. And you may encourage someone else out there who is wrestling with these important ideas.