What To Make of Richard Dawkins’ Cultural Christianity

Richard Dawkins, a biologist who is perhaps one of the world’s most prominent apologists for atheism, recently said that he considers himself a “cultural Christian.”

“I do think that we are culturally a Christian country, and I call myself a cultural Christian,” Dawkins said of his home nation, Britain. “I’m not a believer, but there’s a distinction between being a believing Christian and being a cultural Christian.”

Dawkins added, “But I must emphasize that I think that the things that Christians believe are actually nonsense.” Specifically, he scoffed at the idea that Jesus could be born of a virgin or that he rose from the dead. So it seems like Dawkins wants the societal benefits of Christianity, just without Christ.

On this episode, we discuss what to make of Dawkins’ cultural Christianity by looking into his comments within their context. Is Dawkins turning toward faith, or is something else going on here? What is cultural Christianity, and is it something Christians should seek to cultivate? If so, what should that even look like?

RELATED RESOURCES

READ: To Win the Culture, the Church Needs a Losing Strategy
READ: War Is Hell—Including The Culture War
READ: Why the Virgin Birth Is an Essential of the Christian Faith
READ: Did Jesus Really Rise From the Dead?
LISTEN: When Culture War Conversations Jump the Shark

REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE

READ: Richard Dawkins, Famed Apologist for Atheism, Considers Himself ‘A Cultural Christian’
The God Delusion” by Richard Dawkins

 

Subscribe On Apple Podcasts | Follow On Spotify

Latest Episodes

Is There Such a Thing as a Gay Christian?
Do the 10 Commandments Belong on Public School Classroom Walls?
Tony Evans, Robert Morris, Carl Lentz, and the Fallout From Pastor Scandals
What If We’ve Gotten Heaven All Wrong?
Is the Pope Catholic? Francis' Appearance on 60 Minutes
PTSD, John MacArthur, and Mental Health Awareness Month
What Is the Purpose of the Church?
What To Make of Richard Dawkins' Cultural Christianity
When and How Should Christians Start Disciplining Their Children?
A Better Christian Vision for Immigration
Who Is the Devil? A Deep Dive on Satan
A Christian Perspective on IVF and Other Reproductive Technologies
Cremation, Sainthood, Unforgivable Sin, and Other Questions
Religious Scrupulosity: Super Faithful or Mentally Ill?
Is Alistair Begg Wrong About Christians Attending Same-Sex Weddings?
Does Paul Contradict Jesus? Progressive Christianity on TikTok
Is Joe Biden a Christian Nationalist?
Asian Jesus? Exploring Our Cultural Assumptions About Jesus Through Artwork
Pro-Life or Abortion Abolitionism: Who’s Right?
The Christian Origins of Santa Claus
Can You Walk Away From Church Without Walking Away From Jesus?
Are Ghosts Real?
Seeking Moral Clarity in Israel and Palestine
Unconditional Conference, Andy Stanley, and LGBTQ+ Issues in the Church
Ecumenism: How United Should the Global Church Be?

Explore More Episodes