Excellent little book from Oxford theologian and scientist Alister McGrath. Probably one of the most readable of his books. Semi-autobiographical at points, McGrath initially examines the value of Christian theology as a means of understanding the world, employing the light metaphor used by C S Lewis and others that Christianity is a light by which we can make sense of everything else. In the second half of the book McGrath again tackles his familiar sparring partners of Dawkins, Hitchens and other 'New Atheists' drawing attention to their aggressive, dogmatic, and inflexible approach to the debate. He also briefly touches on Charles Darwin, and how his ideas do not necessarily need to be held to be in conflict with orthodox Christian belief, along the way drawing upon the writings of St Augustine. McGrath demonstrates for both the New Atheists and for ardent critics of Darwin that their approaches to the questions and their views of science are wrong - he doesn't in this book dispute them much for their answers, more for their methodology. Worth reading if you want a stimulating, but not too in-depth, discussion of the nature and value of theology and the interaction between science and religion. There are few more qualified to address this topic than Alister McGrath. ( )