Who’s afraid of the big bad … atheist? Over the last decade we have witnessed the rise of the ‘new atheism.’ This type of atheism is bold, brash, and public. The movement began with the convergence of four leading atheists who had just published popular books on their position:

1. Christopher Hitchens—God is Not Great
2. Richard Dawkins—The God Delusion
3. Sam Harris—Letter to a Christian Nation
4. Daniel Dennett—Breaking the Spell

These four scholars from different academic fields sat down to discuss religion and atheism in 2007. Their talk was recorded and published on YouTube. The Four Horsemen is the transcript of that discussion along with three brief reflection essays from the surviving members (sadly, Christopher Hitchens passed away in 2011).

For a Christian (or religionist of any stripe), this book can be maddening. The four horsemen wield sarcastic barbs and take pot shots at religion. I found myself regularly saying, “yes but …” to my Kindle screen! Part of me wonders whether, after all the harmful rhetoric Christians have thrown at atheists over the years, this might be a helpful reminder to return to charity.

I found it interesting that the four horsemen don’t agree many aspects of atheism. For example, Hitchens wants to do away with all religion, viewing it as the source of great evil. Philosopher Dennett, on the other hand, sees a role for religion in society moving forward.

The Four Horsemen is a concise overview of some of the arguments, but especially the ethos of the new atheists. A book like this should be required reading for believers who are determined to love their atheist neighbours as themselves.

Hitchens, Christopher, et al. The Four Horsemen: The Conversation that Sparked an Atheist Revolution. New York: Random House, 2019.