Of all the video-recorded debates I’ve done with atheist scientists, the one that’s been viewed the most is the one I did with former Oxford University chemistry professor Peter Atkins. As of August 26, 2022, more than 400,000 people had viewed the debate on various YouTube channels.

Atkins is a physical chemist. He’s the author or coauthor of nine undergraduate chemistry textbooks.1 My colleague Fazale Rana had Atkins’s books assigned for his chemistry classes. Atkins is one of Britain’s best-known atheists. In the British newspaper The Guardian, Atkins’s atheism was described as being “more hardline than Richard Dawkins.”2 When asked during the prep before our debate if there were any scientists, besides himself, that he respected, Atkins responded that there was only one—Richard Dawkins.

Atkins was the first senior member of the Oxford University Secular Society. He is a distinguished supporter of Humanists UK (formerly the British Humanist Association) and an honorary associate of the National Secular Society. He serves on the advisory board of The Reason Project, which presently is headed up by Sam Harris.

The debate took place in London on Premier’s Unbelievable? radio/television show on June 1, 2018. Atkins had just come out with his recent book, Conjuring the Universe: The Origins of the Laws of Nature. Hence, the topic of the debate was “Where Did the Laws of Nature Come From?” The moderator was Unbelievable?‘s Justin Brierley.

We covered many other topics in addition to the origin of the laws of physics. The predominant issues were whether or not the God of the Bible exists, the intellectual integrity of one’s beliefs, and the scientific testing of one’s beliefs. Towards the end of the debate, Brierley asked both of us if we could think of any possible evidence that would cause us to change our minds about the existence or the nonexistence of God. The debate then took a dramatic turn. However, there were many other equally dramatic moments throughout the debate.

There are several reviews of the debate from a Christian perspective. Physician and apologist Erik Strandness wrote one of the best for Patheos.2 I haven’t been able to find a written review from an atheistic perspective. However, Joshua Rasmussen of Worldview Design posted a 10-minute video commentary where he complimented Atkins for his courage in the debate and argued against the falsifiability criterion.3 While reading or watching reviews of the debate can give you a general idea of what was discussed, the best option, by far, is to watch the entire debate (1 hour and 4 minutes) in its unedited form. You can do so here: Hugh Ross vs. Peter Atkins: Debating the Origins of the Laws of Nature. I would encourage readers to share the video recording with friends and associates and to set up a group or forum to discuss the debate’s implications.

Check out more from Reasons to Believe @Reasons.org

Endnotes

  1. The most often used ones are Physical ChemistryShriver and Atkins’ Inorganic Chemistry, and Molecular Quantum Mechanics.
  2. Colin Tudge, “The Art of the Soluble,” The Guardian, London, Society section (December 8, 2007), theguardian.com/books/2007/dec/08/society.
  3. Erik Strandness, “When Atheism Becomes Unfalsifiable: Peter Atkins and the Problem of Evidence,” Patheos (November 6, 2020), patheos.com/blogs/unbelievable/2020/11/when-atheism-becomes-unfalsifiable-peter-atkins-and-the-problem-of-evidence/.
  4. Joshua L. Rasmussen, “How to Debate Courageously: A Note on Atkins vs. Ross,” Worldview Design (July 11, 2019), youtube.com/watch?v=lSsruU70Mnc&t=581s.

About The Author

Dr. Hugh Ross

Reasons to Believe emerged from my passion to research, develop, and proclaim the most powerful new reasons to believe in Christ as Creator, Lord, and Savior and to use those new reasons to reach people for Christ. I also am eager to equip Christians to engage, rather than withdraw from or attack, educated non-Christians. One of the approaches I’ve developed, with the help of my RTB colleagues, is a biblical creation model that is testable, falsifiable, and predictive. I enjoy constructively integrating all 66 books of the Bible with all the science disciplines as a way to discover and apply deeper truths. 1 Peter 3:15–16 sets my ministry goal, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience." Hugh Ross launched his career at age seven when he went to the library to find out why stars are hot. Physics and astronomy captured his curiosity and never let go. At age seventeen he became the youngest person ever to serve as director of observations for Vancouver's Royal Astronomical Society. With the help of a provincial scholarship and a National Research Council (NRC) of Canada fellowship, he completed his undergraduate degree in physics (University of British Columbia) and graduate degrees in astronomy (University of Toronto). The NRC also sent him to the United States for postdoctoral studies. At Caltech he researched quasi-stellar objects, or "quasars," some of the most distant and ancient objects in the universe. Not all of Hugh's discoveries involved astrophysics. Prompted by curiosity, he studied the world’s religions and "holy books" and found only one book that proved scientifically and historically accurate: the Bible. Hugh started at religious "ground zero" and through scientific and historical reality-testing became convinced that the Bible is truly the Word of God! When he went on to describe for others his journey to faith in Jesus Christ, he was surprised to discover how many people believed or disbelieved without checking the evidence. Hugh's unshakable confidence that God's revelations in Scripture and nature do not, will not, and cannot contradict became his unique message. Wholeheartedly encouraged by family and friends, communicating that message as broadly and clearly as possible became his mission. Thus, in 1986, he founded science-faith think tank Reasons to Believe (RTB). He and his colleagues at RTB keep tabs on the frontiers of research to share with scientists and nonscientists alike the thrilling news of what's being discovered and how it connects with biblical theology. In this realm, he has written many books, including: The Fingerprint of God, The Creator and the Cosmos, Beyond the Cosmos, A Matter of Days, Creation as Science, Why the Universe Is the Way It Is, and More Than a Theory. Between writing books and articles, recording podcasts, and taking interviews, Hugh travels the world challenging students and faculty, churches and professional groups, to consider what they believe and why. He presents a persuasive case for Christianity without applying pressure. Because he treats people's questions and comments with respect, he is in great demand as a speaker and as a talk-radio and television guest. Having grown up amid the splendor of Canada's mountains, wildlife, and waterways, Hugh loves the outdoors. Hiking, trail running, and photography are among his favorite recreational pursuits - in addition to stargazing. Hugh lives in Southern California with his wife, Kathy, and two sons.



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