Preston Jones (1) (1966–)

Unlike many people whose reviews I have read, I approach Is Belief in God Good, Bad, or Irrelevant?: A Professor and a Punk Rocker Discuss Science, Religion, Naturalism, and Christianity (or, as I like to call it, the Book of the Inordinately Long Title) not as a fan of Greg Graffin and Bad Religion, but a student of Preston Jones. At first I was unsure whether I really wanted to buy a book by one of my profs lest I come off as a teacher's pet, but once I read about it I knew I had to read it. Most of you know the gist—Christian history professor and BR enthusiast Jones sent atheistic lead vocalist Graffin a fan letter, which began an exchange of e-mails between the two on such difficult topics as ... well, read the title again.

Given the format, it should come as no surprise that the prose isn't the greatest. What may be surprising to some readers is that it is not a very deep read, especially considering the subject. It certainly does not break any new ground. Additionally, Jones is quite ambiguous on a few points (Graffin, on the other hand, is direct and sometimes brutally honest). Still, it remains an interesting example of the interactions between well-educated people of different worldviews, and one that prompted me to add yet another book to my reading list: Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh, which Dr. Jones considers required reading, recommending it to Graffin alongside the four gospels!… (meer)