The Search For Enlightenment

I read with much interest today, that the Cambridge Union debating society are hosting a debate between Professor Richard Dawkins and former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. The topic of the debate, being held on Thursday, is “This house believes that religion has no place in the 21st Century”.

The bringing together of two such polarised views appears to be exciting the members of the society, with their president, Ben Kentish claiming that the event should be the highlight of the society’s 200-year history.

Professor Dawkins is renowned for his outspoken views on religion, coming as he does from a very firm atheist point of view. His book, The God Delusion, sets out to portray Dawkins’ views regarding faith and the position of religion in modern life.

Professor Tariq Ramadan, known as the Muslim Martin Luther, Andrew Copson, the chief executive of the British Humanist Association, and Douglas Murray, founder of the Centre for Social Cohesion, will also take part. The debate will be attended by around 1000 students and will be recorded and made available via the union website.

In all it promises to be a very open and eventful conversation, though it is difficult to see whether the motion will be defeated or passed, given such an inflammatory motion and such illustrious personalities in their fields.

I look forward to seeing the results on video.