Cogent, concise, and coherent, that is The Dawkins Delusion. Written as a response to The God Delusion, Alister McGrath takes Richard Dawkins head on. A former atheist, Alister, along with his wife Joanna, convincingly demonstrate the errors of Richard Dawkins's atheism. Equal to the task, Alister received a doctorate in molecular biophysics and presently is a professor of historical theology at Oxford University (where Dawkins also teaches). An admirer of Dawkins's earlier work, The Selfish Gene, McGrath clearly points out that Dawkins has diverged into new territory with his diatribe against God, resulting in erroneous conclusions. McGrath considers himself an "evidence-based" thinker (like Dawkins), yet ultimately his conclusions are vastly different than Dawkins. Ironically, although Dawkins considers himself an evidence-based thinker, The God Delusion is anything but. As McGrath states, . . ."Dawkins simply offers the atheist equivalent of slick hellfire preaching, substituting turbocharged rhetoric and highly selective manipulation of facts for careful, evidence-based thinking." McGrath goes on to state, "The book [The God Delusion] is often little more than an aggregation of convenient factoids suitably overstated to achieve maximum impact and loosely arranged to suggest that they constitute an argument." Because of this, McGrath says, "Every one of Dawkins's misrepresentations and overstatements can be challenged and corrected." Rather than correct him point for point, McGrath instead chooses to pick "representative points" to discuss. Answering Dawkins's flawed argumentation, McGrath demonstrates that God is not a delusion created by a deluded people, science has not disproved God, that science need not be locked in a battle with religion unto death and that they can actually be compatible with one another, God is not based on superstitious beliefs, not all religions are the same, and that Christianity is not evil. McGrath reminds Dawkins that in our modern times there have already existed societies which have sought to stamp out religion, resulting in great, evil atrocities. Not a heavy handed treatise, but a highly accessible answer to Dawkins's ranting and raving, The Dawkins Delusion? makes for an enlightening, educating, and entertaining read.

I highly recommend this terrific little book for everyone who wishes to share their faith with others – especially with their family and friends. Karen is an atheist-turned-Catholic (and Catholic homeschool mom, and contributor to this website) who shares in this book many common aspects of the conversion journey through her own experiences and those of a number of her friends. These stories are organized around a very practical set of “do’s” and “don’ts” that will help readers be better prepared to witness to and support those who are being drawn to the faith. Karen’s tone is gentle and friendly (and prayerful!), but not at all timid about tackling many important issues, concepts, teachings, relationships and potential misunderstandings. The end result is a very great set of connections to help believers be more loving, patient, understanding and supportive of others.

When I first considered converting from a "mere Christianity" form of Protestantism to the Catholic faith, I had several issues to deal with. I believed that "Scripture alone" was the rule of faith. I thought that the Catholic Church had added several non-Biblical doctrines throughout the years – for example, praying to Mary and the saints and the existence of Purgatory. Though I knew that Jesus had given the apostles and particularly Simon Peter the power to bind and loose sins and to heal the sick, I couldn't see how Catholics could consider priests, bishops and the Pope to have inherited these powers. I was scandalized by evil people and actions in the Church's history (some real evils and some that were exaggerated).

I vividly remember my surprise and increasing respect for the Church as my husband and I read and discussed a Catholic apologetics book in which these questions were specifically dealt with from a Scriptural and historical perspective. Once I could see intellectually that Catholic doctrines were not just pious accretions and institutionalized hypocrisy, my road to conversion became a lot more direct.

Beginning Apologetics is written to help Catholics dialogue with sincere Protestants like I was, and to help them convey a Catholic perspective on these major issues using support from the Bible, from the writings of the Church Fathers and with the help of logical reasoning from common ground. The book is a simple 8 1/2 by 11 format, inexpensively paper bound, but has a lot of substance packed into its 40 pages. Its tone is reasonable and unconfrontational "Apologetics fulfills the command of St. Peter: Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence..(1 Peter 3:15-16)".

It begins with an introductory section on method: how to be an effective, charitable apologist for our Faith, and how to read and mark your Bible. The body of the book is laid out topic by topic. The Eucharist, the role and origin of the Bible, and the primacy of the Pope have first priority, because it is from these central points that most of the central divisions of Christendom proceed. For instance, if a Catholic can convince a Protestant that Jesus in John 6 meant His words about His Body and Blood to be taken literally – which indeed is the plain sense of what He said – that in itself is a huge stumbling block removed, because that is a doctrine held only by the Catholic and Orthodox Church. If he can further convince the Protestant that "Scripture alone" is not a Scripturally supported doctrine, and thus contradicts itself, then he has significantly narrowed the separation between the Catholic and the devout and sincere Protestant.

The book goes on to address other questions and misconceptions that a sincere Bible-believing Christian may have about the Catholic Faith. Do Catholics really "worship" Mary? (the answer is no, and our reasons for "venerating" or honoring her are carefully supported from Scripture). Isn't it "necromancy" to pray to the saints in heaven? (again no, and again reasons are laid out proceeding from doctrines that Catholics and Protestants have in common). The manual closes with some briefer questions and answers like "Why do Catholics baptize infants?" and gives a list of recommended resources for further reading and study. Among these are the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Karl Keating's Catholicism and Fundamentalism which is the apologetics book that first helped me to consider conversion seriously.

This book is one of the resources used by Mother of Divine Grace School for high school religion. It could be profitably read by anyone from 6th or 7th grade up to adulthood. It is a handy reference tool because it lays out the basic issues so simply and concisely, and because it puts the Scriptural references and key terminology in bold font so they are easily located. The book is #1 in a series that now includes 7 books.

See below for a separately sold Study Guide for this book.