The New Encyclopedia of Unbelief

This comprehensive reference work represents a landmark contribution to the literature of religious skepticism and secular thought. Under Flynn's editorial direction, The New Encyclopedia of Unbelief assembles over 200 contributors to produce what stands as the most extensive single-volume treatment of unbelief in its various historical and contemporary manifestations. The encyclopedia serves both as a successor to Gordon Stein's 1985 Encyclopedia of Unbelief and as a substantially expanded treatment that reflects two decades of growth in secular scholarship and activism.

The work's scope extends far beyond simple definitions of atheism or agnosticism. Flynn organizes entries that trace unbelief from ancient Greek and Roman skeptics through Enlightenment critics of religion to contemporary secular humanist movements. Biographical entries profile major figures from Epicurus to Dawkins, while thematic articles examine philosophical arguments against theism, scientific challenges to religious claims, and sociological analyses of secularization. The encyclopedia particularly excels in documenting the institutional history of freethought organizations, secular ethical systems, and church-state separation movements across different national contexts.

Methodologically, the encyclopedia adopts what Flynn terms "sympathetic objectivity" toward its subject matter. While the work clearly emerges from within the secular humanist tradition, contributors generally maintain scholarly standards in presenting historical information and philosophical arguments. This approach distinguishes the encyclopedia from mere advocacy, though the selection of topics and framing of issues inevitably reflects the perspective of those who view religious skepticism as intellectually and ethically superior to religious belief.

The work's significance for the God debate lies in its systematic documentation of the intellectual resources available to those who reject theistic claims. By gathering diverse strands of unbelief into a unified reference work, Flynn provides both a historical record and a contemporary arsenal of arguments. The encyclopedia functions simultaneously as a scholarly resource for researchers studying irreligion and as a practical handbook for activists promoting secular values. Its appearance in 2007 coincided with the height of "New Atheist" publishing, and the work both draws upon and contributes to that movement's confidence in challenging religious authority. For scholars of religion and irreligion alike, Flynn's encyclopedia offers an indispensable mapping of unbelief's intellectual terrain, even as its committed perspective shapes how that terrain appears.