Atheism is Passe

Alister McGrath of Oxford has an interesting article on atheism in Christianity Today. His critiques are refreshingly different than those of Christian apologists; rather than being defensive about Christianity, he points out how the world has left atheism behind along with the rest of the trappings of rationalism. Some of his piece is almost mocking in its paternalism:

Rationalism, having quietly died out in most places, still lives on here. Yet Western culture has bypassed this aging little ghetto, having long since recognized the limitations of reason. The Enlightenment lives on for secularists. Atheism is wedded to philosophical modernity, and both are aging gracefully in the cultural equivalent of an old folks' home.

And, for those who find their tracts wearisome, the society thoughtfully provides a religious jokes page—though in poor taste, they carry a significantly higher intellectual content than the rest of the site. Here's an example of atheism's winsome arguments: Question: What's the difference between Jesus and a painting? Answer: It only takes one nail to hang a painting.

The joke makes my friends outside the church cringe. Yet I have the impression this is actually meant to persuade people of the intellectual and cultural superiority of a world without religion. Thompson clearly has a point.

Thanks to friend Fred for the link; he'll be attending Dr. McGrath's seminar at McLean Presby this weekend.