A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists helps readers — both secular and religious — appreciate their common ground. For those whose thinking has moved from the religious thesis to the skeptical antithesis (or vice versa), Myers offers pointers to a science-respecting Christian synthesis. He shows how skeptics and people of faith can share a commitment to reason, evidence, and critical thinking, while also embracing a faith that supports human flourishing — by making sense of the universe, giving meaning to life, connecting us in supportive communities, mandating altruism, and offering hope in the face of adversity and death. ~ Publisher’s Description

Table of Contents

• • False and Dangerous? 1
  • My Assumptions 4
  • Mea Culpa 8
  • The Dance of Fanatics and Infidels 11
  • Simplistic Stereotypes 14
  • The Heart of Science and Religion 17
  • The Skeptics’ Boys Club 22
  • Inseparable Body and Soul 26
  • Does Prayer “Work”? 33
  • The Benevolent, Fine-Tuned Universe 44
  • Big Ideas and Biblical Wisdom 54
  • Secularism and Civility 64
  • God and Gays 74
  • (Nominal) Religion Feeds Prejudice 82
  • Godliness and Goodliness 87
  • Happy Faith-Heads 107
  • Healthy Faith-Heads 116
  • Does Explaining Religion Explain It Away? 121
  • The Leap of Faith 128
  • Appendix International Society for Science and Religion Statement on Intelligent Design 133
  • Notes 137
  • Acknowledgments 150
  • The Author 152