Debates
See also Theistic Arguments: Debates [ Index ]
Debate Transcripts
The Cooke-Aijaz Debate: Does God Exist? (2002)
An Internet debate on the existence of God between Dr. Bill Cooke of the New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists and Imran Aijaz of the Auckland University Islamic Society. (See also the debate review, below).
The Craig-Washington Debate: Does God Exist? (1995)
An annotated transcript of an oral debate held at the University of Washington in 1995 on the existence of God. Craig’s case for theism included the argument from abstract objects, the kalam cosmological argument, the argument to the fine-tuning of the universe, the moral argument, the resurrection of Jesus, and religious experience. Washington cited abstract objects and harm (read: evil) as evidence for the nonexistence of God.
Does the God of Evangelical Christianity Exist? The Drange-McHugh Debate (2003-2004) [ Index ]
The “lost” Drange-McHugh debate on the existence of the God of evangelical Christianity was originally conducted in the Formal Debates & Discussions forum of the Internet Infidels Discussion Board (IIDB) from November 30, 2003 to May 15, 2004, and has been restored to the Secular Web proper so that it would once again be available to all on the world wide web.
The Fernandes-Martin Debate (1997)
An ongoing Internet debate between Christian philosopher Phil Fernandes and atheist philosopher Michael Martin on the existence of God. Fernandes presents his cumulative case for the existence of God in support of his thesis that “it is more reasonable to be a theist than it is to be an atheist.” Martin’s case for atheism is based upon the argument from incoherence, the argument from evil, and the argument from nonbelief.
The Jesseph-Craig Debate (1996)
A transcript of the oral debate held in 1996 at North Carolina State University between atheist philosopher Doug Jesseph and Christian philosopher William Lane Craig. Jesseph defends the nonexistence of God on the basis of three arguments: the principle of conservatism, the inconsistency of believers in accepting their god but rejecting all others, and the argument from evil. Craig’s case for theism included the kalam cosmological argument, the argument to the fine-tuning of the universe, the moral argument, and religious experience. Jesseph’s performance in this debate is arguably one of the strongest recent performances by an atheist in an oral debate. (See also the debate review, below.)
The Jones-Parsons-Martin Debate (1991)
A written debate originally published in Antithesis magazine on the Transcendental Argument for the existence of God (TAG). Christian apologist Douglas Jones defends TAG; atheist philosophers Keith Parsons and Michael Martin respond.
The Martin-Frame Debate (1996)
A written debate conducted exclusively over the Internet, the exchange between atheist philosopher Michael Martin and Christian philosopher John Frame over Martin’s Transcendental Argument for the Nonexistence of God (TANG), which argues that logic, ethics, and science presuppose the nonexistence of God.
Theism or Atheism: The Krueger-McHugh Debate (2003) [ Index ]
This is a written debate which was originally conducted online and organized by Internet Infidels.
Debate Reviews
Atheism Vs. Apologetics by George Tipton
One atheist’s account of the 1997 debate between atheist Dan Barker and Christian Douglas Wilson.
The Big Debate: Comments on the Barker-Carrier vs. Corey-Rajabali Team Debate (2004)
Carrier offers his impressions of the Barker-Carrier vs. Corey-Rajabali team debate on the existence of God, assesses the technical merit of the debate, and sets the record straight with regard to some of the relevant facts.
Review of the Barker-Rajabali Debate (2003) by Richard Carrier
Carrier reviews a rare, formal, public debate involving a Muslim, molecular biologist Brother Hassanain Rajabali, a teacher at the Tawheed Institute, a Mulsim high school in Queens, New York, and his debate opponent, Dan Barker, a former evangelist, now Public Relations Director of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Subject of the debate: Does God Not Exist?”
The Cooke-Aijaz Debate: Closing Remarks from the Debate Moderator (2003) by Richard Carrier
Carrier registers his disappointment with both sides, concluding that nothing new or useful came out of this debate on the existence of God.
The Eternal Debate (2000) (Off Site) by Steven Mahone
Steven gives us his views on the August 6, 2000 debate, “Does God Exist?” held in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The participants were Pastor Larry Siekawitch of The Vinyard Christian Fellowship, and (former pastor) Dan Barker, spokesperson for the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Summary and Assessment of the Craig-Jesseph Debate (1998) by Jeffery Jay Lowder
A summary and assessment of the 1997 debate on the existence of God between William Lane Craig and Doug Jesseph. Lowder concludes that the overall debate was a draw (in terms of quality of argument), but that Craig won as far as the effectiveness of presentation was concerned.
Summary of the Kurtz-Craig Debate (2001) by Jeffery Jay Lowder
A summary of the 2001 debate between Paul Kurtz and William Lane Craig on ethics without God.
Lawyer vs. Theologian: The Tabash-Craig Debate (2001) by Richard Carrier
Carrier reviews the VHS tape of the debate between famous Christian apologist William Lane Craig and noted atheist activist Eddie Tabash. The subject was sweeping: Secular Humanism or Christianity–which is true? The conclusion was far from decisive. Lessons are to be learned from the mistakes made by both sides.
Jeffery Jay Lowder maintains this page.