The End of Christianity

This volume marshals fifteen contributors to construct a comprehensive case against Christianity's intellectual and moral foundations. Editor John W. Loftus, following his earlier The Christian Delusion (2010), assembles scholars from biblical studies, philosophy, psychology, and anthropology to challenge core Christian claims through contemporary critical scholarship.

The collection divides into four systematic sections. Part One examines Christianity's purported revelatory basis, with contributors arguing that biblical texts reflect human authorship rather than divine inspiration. Hector Avalos analyzes the Bible's ethical failures, while Paul Tobin demonstrates historical unreliability in Gospel accounts. Part Two addresses philosophical challenges, including critiques of biblical cosmology and the problem of evil. Victor Stenger argues that modern physics renders biblical creation accounts obsolete, while John W. Loftus presents his "insider test for faith," contending that Christianity survives primarily through cultural conditioning rather than evidential merit.

Part Three investigates Christianity's historical development and comparative religion. Richard Carrier examines mystery religion parallels to Christian origins, suggesting syncretistic rather than unique revelation. David Eller's anthropological analysis treats Christianity as one culturally constructed religion among many, undermining claims to exclusive truth. Part Four considers Christianity's social and moral legacy, with chapters addressing its relationship to violence, gender inequality, and scientific progress.

The volume's methodology combines historical-critical biblical scholarship with philosophical naturalism. Contributors consistently apply methodological naturalism to religious claims, treating supernatural explanations as inherently less probable than naturalistic alternatives. This approach particularly shapes chapters on miracles, resurrection claims, and biblical prophecy, where authors argue that historical-critical methods expose these as later theological constructions rather than historical events.

Loftus positions this work within the "New Atheist" intellectual movement while claiming greater scholarly rigor than popular atheist writings. The collection engages contemporary Christian apologists like William Lane Craig, Gary Habermas, and N.T. Wright, offering detailed rebuttals to their historical and philosophical arguments. Contributors share a common assumption that religious beliefs should meet the same evidential standards as scientific claims, a premise that shapes their uniformly negative assessment of Christianity's truth claims.

The volume's significance lies in its systematic compilation of skeptical scholarship across multiple disciplines. Rather than focusing on single issues, it presents a cumulative case meant to demonstrate Christianity's comprehensive intellectual failure. This interdisciplinary approach aims to show that Christianity fails not merely on isolated points but across every domain of critical inquiry.