Greater Than You Think: A Theologian Answers the Atheists About God (Paperback)

~ Thomas D. Williams (Author)
Key Phrases: atheistic authors, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Jesus Christ (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The recent runaway bestsellers God Is Not Great and The God Delusion have left Christians feeling defensive but not necessarily equipped to refute the accusations of nonbelievers. The bestsellers have also provoked those who are the fence about whether God exists, and if so, whether He's good. In his trademark elegant prose, Father Williams provides accessible but intellectually rich answers for both groups. Questions include "Isn't religion just another name for superstition (or magic or myth)?""If God is all-good and all-powerful, how can evil exist in the world?" and "Hasn't science disproved God's existence?" For believers and those searching for something to believe in, Father Williams offers an easy-to-use resource for building up one's own faith and igniting others'.

About the Author

Thomas D. Williams, LC, ThD, is Vatican Analyst for CBS News and a professor of theology at the ReginaApostolorumPontificalUniversity in Rome. He has also worked extensively for NBC News and Britain's Sky News, covering church and ethical issues, including the final illness and death of Pope John Paul II, the 2005 papal conclave, and the election of Pope Benedict XVI. Father Williams also regularly appeared in the MSNBC series The Ethical Edge and is author of several books and dozens of articles, both scholarly and popular.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: FaithWords (June 23, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446514934
• ISBN-13: 978-0446514934
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #507,459 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Atheist smackdown, June 16, 2008

By	Elizabeth Barnes (Baltimore) - See all my reviews

Having read another of Father Williams' books, I ordered this one on a whim. I ended up reading it all in one night! He refutes the atheists' arguments against God and religion with solid logic and a sense of humor to boot! I really enjoyed it, and stored up some of his wisdom for my own encounters with non-believers. This is a truly great book.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Supported by Reason, Written with Love, July 17, 2008

By	Alan J. Droste (Laguna Beach, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Starting with the clever title with multiple meanings (as the font size decreases to form separate phrases), Father Thomas presents a well reasoned rebuttal to Hitchens, Dawkins et al. This book explains what the nouveau-athiests cannot admit to themselves -- that they cling to their beliefs through a "faith" they claim to rise above. Father Thomas explains his views with love for all, using a quiet voice that best proclaims the value of his foundations.

16 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful and Convincing, June 28, 2008

By	Frank Zahn (Vancouver WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The author provides a thoughtful and convincing refutation of the pseudo-scientific conclusions and assertions of the current crop of atheists, including Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Daniel C. Dennett, and Christopher Hitchens, each of whom denies the existence of God and denounces all religion as superstition. The arguments are organized into a series of questions and answers. Those in Part III are well-known to informed theologians and scientists alike and could have been stated more concisely as follows: Neither reason-based knowledge (science) nor faith-based knowledge (theology) are capable of proof. However, reason-based knowledge is capable of disproof while faith-based knowledge is not. Reason-based knowledge is accepted or rejected on the basis of supporting evidence while faith-based knowledge is either accepted or rejected on the basis of faith--a person either believes it or not. This distinction means, for example, that the existence of God as traditionally defined, cannot be proved or disproved, i.e., the efforts of the faithful to prove it and the efforts of atheists to disprove it are futile. It follows that the belief of atheists in the non-existence of God is as faith-based as the belief of the faithful in the existence of God. This review is also published on my website, frankzahn(dot)com.