Atheism for Christians

What can Mary Wollstonecraft teach Christians about sexual ethics? Can John Stuart Mill help the church understand toleration? Are there lessons for the Christian world from writers like Marx, Nehru, Shelley, Popper, and Hume? Atheism for Christians looks at the work of some of the most influential secular thinkers and asks what Christians can learn without giving up their faith or core values. Looking at important modern issues such as gender equality, same-sex marriage, creationism and evolution, abortion, universal health, biblical literalism, and religious tribalism, this work offers a fresh perspective on old questions.
The Bible says the value of wisdom is far above rubies. It should not matter where that wisdom comes from. The Christian world should be able to celebrate and learn from the intellectual giants in the secular tradition just as atheists can still appreciate the great academic and artistic contribution of Christianity. The nexus between faith and reason is sometimes stretched but should never be abandoned. Atheism for Christians offers a unique insight into the work of some of the greatest secular thinkers and argues there is much to learn.

""Benjamin T. Jones's Atheism for Christians is by turns erudite, witty, autobiographical, both laid-back (as befits an Australian) yet hortatory. This short book presents nine sparkling chapters that highlight the contributions of atheists, secularists, and plain-old nonreligious thinkers from which the contemporary Christian churches could learn--a lot. The works of a gallery of notables, including Karl Marx, David Hume, Peter Singer, Rosa Luxembourg, John Stuart Mill, and Simone de Beauvoir, are mined for insights regarding sexism, science, ethics, the social contract, and politics, among other important topics. One great strength of Jones's readable book is that he draws upon many important Christian thinkers whose work interacts productively with that of the nonreligious scholars he presents, significantly increasing the relevance of his message for Christians.""
--Carole M. Cusack, Professor of Religious Studies, Studies in Religion, Arts and Social Sciences, The University of Sydney

""This book is an essential read for everyone who is sure of their faith, or lack thereof. Dr. Jones highlights the ways that Christians and atheists are learning from each other: an urgent message when there is so much conflict around faith, and so little resolution, with his thorough and cutting edge style of writing and research. If you are a Christian, or an atheist, don't miss out.""
--Tanya Levin, author of People in Glass Houses: An Insider's Story of a Life in and out of Hillsong


Benjamin T. Jones is a historian and social commentator at the Australian National University. His previous books include Republicanism and Responsible Government (2014) and Project Republic (2013).