Surprised by Meaning

Editorial Reviews. Review. "McGrath provides a crisp, readable, and deeply personal witness Surprised by Meaning - Kindle edition by Alister McGrath.
Table of contents

And that remains my view today. It seems an attractive theory but again it seems to fall into the massive cauldron of the quarreling between religious and non-religious. That debate somehow doesn't resonate much with me, especially because I find it beyond useless, to the point of being counterproductive. As Joseph Ratzinger once said, God is chiefly about being able to live well with ourselves and with each other, and, in my opinion, not about winning theoretical arguments.

Nov 25, Judy rated it really liked it. Famous for his response to the New Atheists Richard Dawkins, et. He sees no conflict between science and religion. Science is a necessary and ongoing exploration of the universe we live in, a work in progress.


  1. Surprised by Meaning by Alister E. McGrath!
  2. Table of Contents: Surprised by meaning :.
  3. Surprised by Meaning;
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Only religion brings meaning and purpose into our lives as we try interpret how the world works. For McGrath, Christianity provides the framework for both. Excellent, but his writing style is a bit muddy. Mar 26, Harmony Zimmerman rated it it was ok. It reminded me a lot of a science textbook and I didn't like that. Nov 02, Paul Bruggink rated it really liked it. This book is based on material originally presented in a number of lectures given by Alister McGrath in and Some of the material in this book appeared previously in chapters 7 and 11 of McGrath's book "The Passionate Intellect: Christian Faith and the Discipleship of the Mind".

McGrath describes this short and very readable book as an exploration of "the deep human desire. McGrath points out that the conclusion that we are here by accident is not demanded by evolutionary biology itself, but by adding an aggressive and dogmatic atheism to biology. While recognizing that there is more to Christianity than trying to make sense of things, McGrath a former atheist argues that Christianity involves believing that certain things are true and that Christianity provides a framework which makes more sense of the world than does atheism.

Throughout the book McGrath supports his points with excellent illustrations and a relevant selection of quotations from philosophers and others. The book includes 11 pages of Notes and an 8-page Index. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a brief and well written description of the impact of science on Christianity and a critique of the New Atheism. May 24, Chuck Bonadies rated it really liked it. An outstanding book on the relationship between science and religion. Here's a great line from the book: Apr 18, Robert Morschel rated it it was amazing.

McGrath is rapidly becoming one of my favourite contemporary Christian authors, offering in this excellent book a series of well reasoned apologetics to the rants of the so called New Atheism. Jun 20, Nelson rated it it was amazing Shelves: Love me some A-Mac. Reads like a novel, echoes with my soul. Apr 17, Ann Michael rated it it was ok.

Surprised by Meaning

McGrath is not a compelling enough writer to be convincing to me. Not that I didn't learn things from this book, but I guess I am not the audience he's aiming for. If I'm going to read a Christian apologist, I'd prefer one who is a fluid and imaginative writer Wiman, Lewis, etc.

I was given this book as a gift from a dear friend with a deeply spiritual soul. As a writer it seems to me that we are seeking to make sense of the absurd dichotemy between what we can reasonably discern and harsh, cruel reality as it so often exists. Essentially, we can undertake two options: Atheists seem to prefer Option 1 and denounce as intellectually disho I was given this book as a gift from a dear friend with a deeply spiritual soul. Atheists seem to prefer Option 1 and denounce as intellectually dishonest Option 2. My personal preference is to follow Option 1 until life makes no sense and then to kick into Option 2 through the use of faith.

Having once been an atheist as a younger man, I commonly found it maddening that reason was so limited in the face of life's great mysteries.

Cootsona's Blog: Alister McGrath, Surprised by Meaning

Isn't it reasonable to assume that as one human being in a vast universe millions of light years in its range that one's reason cannot possibly understand everything. In other words it is the mark of a highly reasonable human being to understand the limits of one's reason. So what does one do about what lies beyond reason? Surely, faith is a reasonable approach to transcend reason when reason hits the wall. Faith is more robust and takes one further than reason when reason reaches its limits.

Science and reason alone have never brought me personal meaning. Science can explain the facts of existence but it, too, has a blind faith in itself as a panacea. To find true meaning one needs a lens and faith offers one which enables one to look beyond superficial facts, even complex and elegant discoveries of science, into the real existential questions: A person using the lens of faith can answer these four existential questions about the meaning of life.

Many people feel engulfed by a tsunami of facts in which they can find no meaning. In thirteen short, accessible chapters McGrath, author of the bestselling The Dawkins Delusion, leads the reader through a nontechnical discussion of science and faith. How do we make sense of the world around us?

Are belief in science and the Christian faith compatible? Does the structure of the universe point toward the existence of God?

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Faith is a complex idea. It is not a blind leap into the dark but a joyful discovery of a bigger picture of wondrous things of which we are all a part. Join our email list to see the latest blogs, events and more. Some of the material in this book appeared previously in chapters 7 and 11 of McGrath's book "The Passionate Intellect: Christian Faith and the Discipleship of the Mind".

McGrath describes this short and very readable book as an exploration of "the deep human desire. McGrath points out that the conclusion that we are here by accident is not demanded by evolutionary biology itself, but by adding an aggressive and dogmatic atheism to biology. While recognizing that there is more to Christianity than trying to make sense of things, McGrath a former atheist argues that Christianity involves believing that certain things are true and that Christianity provides a framework which makes more sense of the world than does atheism. Throughout the book McGrath supports his points with excellent illustrations and a relevant selection of quotations from philosophers and others.

The book includes 11 pages of Notes and an 8-page Index.

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I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a brief and well written description of the impact of science on Christianity and a critique of the New Atheism. In the wake of the unproductive arguments of logic and the intellect, concerning the provability and existence or not of God, Alister McGrath brings to the forefront of human considerations the strong inner need of people to make sense of their life and world in a deeply satisfying way - a way that provides meaning to them.

He concludes that science-based faith in evolutionary ideas fails to provide this satisfaction, and that the faith of Christians, though challenging to the rationalists, does provide this sought-for meaning.


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    • One person found this helpful. McGrath makes issues so understandable. His educational background and continued brilliance as a scholar brings deep credibility to his works.

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    I highly recommend anything Dr. I have nearly 20 of his works and have yet to be disappointed, unchallenged or more knowledgeable for having read any of his work. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. McGrath make a serious nod to C. His writing makes these important subjects seem so obvious. Surprised by Meaning has to be one of McGrath's best. It's short, lay-friendly, illuminating, and thought-provoking. I could read it again and again.

    I enjoyed this book as it gives some well thought out ideas to offset some of the popular current thinking of the "new atheists". This book covers a lot of territory very succinctly.

    A Huge Surprise for Justin Bieber's Superfan!

    It's very readable for the average person who appreciates scence and philosophical questions, but may not be a scientist or a philosopher. I would not expect such a work to bring tears to my eyes--but the last chapter did. I would highly recommend this book. Could there be a greater pursuit in life than the question of meaning? See all 30 reviews.

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