Alister McGrath is many things, an academic, a historian, a writer, a theologian but above all he is an apologist.

McGrath was born in Belfast and went to study chemistry at Oxford University describing himself at the time as an 'aggressive atheist'. Whilst there he met Christians who were scientists but who were able to talk to him and debate his questions. In his own words he says he realised that atheism was a belief system in itself as they couldn't prove God didn't exist.

Since then he has written about faith and science and his work has been translated into 27 different languages and for many years taught theology at Oxford as a Professor.

In this far-ranging interview with Premier Christianity's Sam Hailes he talks about his own conversion story, the changing practices of Christianity, why atheism offers no sound intellectual arguments and his latest book Why We Believe- Finding Meaning in Uncertain Times.

You can also catch Alister in another Premier Podcast - The C.S. Lewis Podcast where he explores the thought and teaching of the writer and theologian with co-host Ruth Jackson.

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Released on 21 Feb 2025