For many centuries, the problem of evil has been regarded as one of the most prominent challenges to theistic belief. Recently, however, some religious apologists have tried to turn this history on its head by suggesting that evil actually constitutes an argument for God’s existence rather than against it. Frank Turek is one such apologist who has made this claim.¹ He argues that evil is the privation of good, which means it cannot be understood apart from good...

Some people have suggested that atheism is a religion. The reasons typically given for this view often vary, but tend to boil down to either the behavior or the opinions of atheists. Atheists are dogmatic in their disbelief, according to certain people, they have faith in materialism, they rally behind a messianic figure like Darwin, and they even have their own brand of apostasy concerning atheists who abandon atheism.

You might already recognize the absurdity of one or two of these claims...

The so-called rise of the “nones,” or those who profess no religious affiliation on social surveys, is a phenomenon that has been widely publicized and talked about over the last few years. According to a Pew Research Center study, the number of Americans that fall into this group has gone up from 16% in 2007 to 23% in 2014.¹ Corresponding declines in overall religious affiliation and with Christianity in particular were also found. Despite the optimism this may instill in some secular humanists and atheists, other research paints a bit of a different picture.

New Atheism has been a predomina...

In this episode, I speak with Candace Gorham about her book The Ebony Exodus Project: Why Some Black Women Are Walking Out on Religion – and Others Should Too. Candace is a licensed professional mental health counselor, a former ordained minister turned atheist activist, as well as a researcher and writer on issues relating to religion and the African-American community. She is a member of the African American Humanist advisory board, The Secular Therapy Project, The Clergy Project, and the Secular Student Alliance Speaker’s Bureau.

Armchair Atheism is the official podcast of GodlessHaven...

From its name, the ‘problem of evil’ might give the mistaken impression that there is one singular problem of reconciling a particular observation with theism. In reality, there have not only been several variations upon the argument within philosophical discourse, but also a multitude of different but related experiences and observations buttressing the general discourse which has inspired debates and dialogues for many centuries...

For this episode, I speak with Caroline Matas about a handful of subjects revolving around New Atheism, the #MeToo movement, and Men’s Rights Activism. Caroline is currently a doctoral student in the Religion in the Americas subfield at Princeton University. She is also the news editor and social media manager at the Harvard Religious Literacy Project. She is a graduate of Harvard Divinity School, where her work focused on contemporary American religious groups’ media use.

Armchair Atheism is the official podcast of GodlessHaven...

Rajani Gudlavalleti is a community organizer, consultant, and writer. For over a decade, she has worked at the intersections of social justice, public health, and the legal system. Rajani has conducted this work through the Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore City Health Department, and Open Society Foundations. Currently, her primary passion is as community organizer for Baltimore Harm Reduction Coalition, coordinating BRIDGES, Baltimore’s grassroots movement for safer consumption spaces...

What was a god assumed to be, according to Hebrew scripture? How do our cultural contexts and philosophical assumptions impact the way we conceive of ancient religious concepts today? Can philosophy help us to understand how these issues have served to shape the very question of what a god is down through history? In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Jaco Gericke about these topics and others that raise important issues with much of our contemporary discourse about God. Dr. Gericke is Professor of Biblical Studies at North-West University, South Africa...

This is a critical review of a 2009 debate between Christian apologist Matt Slick and atheist lawyer Eddie Tabash. Having previously heard Slick debate Matt Dillahunty on The Atheist Experience, as well as Tabash’s 1999 debate with William Lane Craig, I found myself curious to see how these two would square off against one another. Matt Slick is President and Founder of the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry, an ordained minister, and has a BA in Social Science and a Masters of Divinity...

If a loving god exists, and wants to be known, why have so many people down through history not believed in a supreme being? Theologians such as Anselm of Canterbury and Martin Luther developed the idea that the Judeo-Christian god is a hidden god, or one that does not reveal itself to all persons. There is even scriptural support for this view. “Truly you are a God who has been hiding himself,” Isaiah 45:15 states, while Psalm 22:2 reads, “My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer”.

The 17th century French Catholic philosopher Blaise Pascal comments on the significance of this doctrine...