Comedian and actor Russell Brand recently met up with a Christian apologist to ask: “Is there any point in God?”
Brand held a fascinating conversation with former atheist Alister McGrath, a well-known theologian and pastor, on the latest episode of Brand’s podcast,”Under the Skin,” asking a series of thought-provoking theological questions about the Almighty.
The conversation, which the outlet described as “constructive,” showed that Brand is on board — or at least admires — some Christian sentiments, but that he also understands why atheism so resonates with various individuals across the globe.
While Brand seemed to understand Jesus’ teachings about dying to one’s self and relying on something more powerful, he struck a sympathetic tone with atheists who would look at the world and see so much negative unfolding, the outlet noted.
McGrath, who teaches science and religion at Oxford University, responded to each inquiry, while also sharing his own experience of moving from atheism to Christianity. “There no place for God in the scientific universe,” McGrath once assumed. But after going on a deeply profound journey, his perspective changed.
“I was sort of forced to reconsider things when I began to study the philosophy of science … things were not as straightforward as I thought,” he said.
Now, McGrath said he has come to realize that “science is on a journey” and that “it hasn’t arrived yet,” as the field is forced to change its mind as time progresses and new details about the world and universe unfold. Brand, though, noted that nonbelievers’ case is, to a degree, understandable.
“I think the atheist case is one that is easy to understand. So much about religion is causing violence and conflict … the most important things can never really be proved,” he said. “And science has solved the problems where mankind most needed them to be solved, dealing with death, disease, fear … connection, communication, healing … all of these problems seem to have been resolved [by science].”
But Brand also seemed to admit that there are also some issues of concern with atheism, breaking down those sentiments during his discussion with McGrath.
“My fear of atheism is that, if there is nothing else, if this is all there is, the material, the mechanical, then why not materialism?” he said. “Why not individualism … for me, without some sense of a deeper truth, for me there is only hedonism … only indulgence.”
Listen to the fascinating discussion below:
(h/t: Christian Today)