"The Christianity of history is not Protestantism. If ever there were a safe truth it is this, and Protestantism has ever felt it so; to be deep in history is to cease to be a Protestant." (-John Henry Newman, An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine).

"Where the bishop is, there let the people gather; just as where ever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church". -St. Ignatius of Antioch (ca 110 AD)a martyr later thrown to the lions, wrote to a church in Asia Minor. Antioch was also where the term "Christian" was first used.

“But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth.” 1 Timothy 3:15

"This is the sole Church of Christ, which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic." -CCC 811

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Dr. Stephen Bullivant: An Atheist Philosopher Became Catholic

Shared from BrandonVogt Blog

NOTE: This interview originally ran at StrangeNotions.com, the website I created to bring Catholics and atheists into dialogue.


Dr. Stephen Bullivant has long been one of the most popular contributors at Strange Notions. Atheists appreciate his respectful, fair-minded articles while Catholics value his careful articulation of what Catholicism actually teaches about atheism.

Part of the reason he’s beloved by both groups is because he’s seen both side of the divide. After adopting atheism for many years, and devoting his doctoral research to the topic, he converted to Catholicism in 2008.

Since then, Stephen has authored two books, The Salvation of Atheists and Catholic Dogmatic Theology (Oxford University Press, 2012) and Faith and Unbelief (Canterbury Press, 2013; Paulist Press, 2014). He also just released a massive tome that he co-edited with the philosopher Michael Ruse, titled The Oxford Handbook of Atheism (Oxford University Press, 2013).

I recently sat down with Stephen to discuss his conversion from atheism to Catholicism, the role of Christianity in the rise of atheism, and what Catholicism teaches about the salvation of atheists. Enjoy!



Topics Discussed:

1:32 – How did you, as an atheist, become interested in researching Catholicism?
3:16 – What role have Christians played in the rise of atheism?
6:10 – What does the Catholic Church teach about the salvation of non-believers?
10:19 – What can Christians and atheists learn from each other?

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