Atheism on Trial: A Lawyer Examines the Case for Unbelief

by W. Mark Lanier

In the courtroom, lawyers depend on rules of evidence to make their arguments. A case is made by establishing certain facts from which proof can be determined. But what happens when the truth seems to be a matter of faith? Can the legal mind discern the validity of one's belief or unbelief? Nationally recognized trial lawyer Mark Lanier turns his analytical mind to the arguments for atheism and agnosticism. With critical thinking and precision of thought, he examines the rationales made for unbelief and assesses them on their own terms, finding points of strength and weakness in their logic and coherence. He considers whether atheistic frameworks give satisfactory and consistent explanatory answers for understanding human existence and the world around us. He cross-examines the strongest arguments of prominent atheists and also interrogates the questions of agnostics as to whether God is knowable. Through his evenhanded, levelheaded approach, Lanier challenges us all to decide for ourselves what we believe.

Genres: Nonfiction

216 pages, Paperback

Published March 8, 2022

Reviews

[Stephanie’s Ninth Suitcase · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. Opinions conveyed are my own.
A Note…

This book would have easily been a five star read for me, but there was one significant element that lowered my rating. There’s a substantial amount of content about evolution, reconciling it with the biblical account of Creation. This is included in a chapter of its own, along with references throughout the book. Basically, the idea is that science and belief in God are not incompatible.

For my part, I absolutely agree with the author’s argument (he quotes Augustine) that it is presumptuous to assume we can understand exactly how God created the world. The book of Job has many verses about how people can’t understand God’s ways and didn’t help Him to create the world. And the author absolutely upholds the truth that God created the world.

The thing is, while Lanier’s arguments are logical, I feel uncomfortable with the need to reconcile evolution with belief in God. The Bible does provide an account of Creation, and I feel strange about reinterpreting that, so that it fits human interpretation. Again, beyond what I know in Scripture, I don’t want to claim clarity/certainty, but I do feel strange about trying to pair that up with human understanding.

That aside, there was a lot to like about the book, which I will discuss below.

What to Expect

Lanier is a trial attorney who has argued in the Supreme Court, among other cases. He sets up the book as an examination of atheism, weighing the evidence for and against the atheistic worldview. Throughout, he includes a visual representation: the scales of justice, on which he balances the Judeo-Christian worldview against the atheistic worldview. Ultimately, the scale tips strongly in favor of the Christian view.

The book is divided into twelve chapters, beginning with “A Legal Primer,” in which Lanier lays the foundation for trial proceedings. The next few chapters introduce the tenets of atheism, including how atheistic ideas play out in practice. Plus, Lanier emphasizes the weaknesses of atheism in terms of carrying the burden of proof. Atheism seeks to disprove a theistic worldview, but it’s not actually proving anything.

The middle chapters deal with arguments in favor of Christianity, as well as certain arguments used to attack Christianity. For instance, there’s a chapter on suffering, addressing the argument that God doesn’t exist, because if He did, He would keep all bad things from happening. This is also where evolution gets its own chapter. Finally, Lanier concludes, appropriately, with a closing argument.

Favorite Quotes

While I have yet to find an agnostic whose life aligns with his or her view that there is no God, I do find the opposite to be true… I find it difficult to embrace the idea (there is no God) that is contrary to what everyone sees and lives.

p. 58
Context: Lanier points out that atheists, in spite of claiming to believe there is no God, seek to live moral lives and adhere to standards of right and wrong. This is inconsistent, because without God, there is no basis for morality.

“I don’t see Him.” This is not a classical proof of anything… It assumes the person knows what to look for. It assumes it is possible to see God, that He is a visible being in our space, time and dimension. It assumes God wants you to see Him visibly.

p. 44
Context: Lanier addresses some of the most common arguments against Christianity, including the argument that God should be visible. I like that Lanier moves beyond human argument and points out the ridiculousness of assuming that God plays by human rules.

What I Liked

I requested this book, because I was excited to see someone who is considered an expert in his field, using the gifts God has given him to proclaim the truth. Last year, I reviewed Believing is Seeing, which is a physicist’s perspective on the Christian worldview, published by Tyndale. As someone who doesn’t read a lot of nonfiction, I am so grateful for what the Lord is doing in raising up Christians to speak into their fields. It is so neat to see how He is using people that are considered successful and knowledgeable in the sight of the world, to proclaim truth.

Lanier’s voice is engaging and he does an excellent job of simplifying complex concepts for the average reader. This is a book that captured my interest, from the start. (I also really enjoyed reading the first few chapters because it brought back my high school Mock Trial days.)

I especially enjoyed the passages that reflected on the core tenets of atheism– as exposited in works by atheist authors– to demonstrate that these ideas really don’t hold water. Additionally, I appreciated the philosophical discussions about how both Christianity and atheism play out practically, and about how the Judeo-Christian worldview answers many of the most common questions people ask about what it means to be human.

Passages with illustrations from Lanier’s real life trials were also a lot of fun to read. I particularly liked the story about how he offered an expert witness a glass of water. In addition to these adding interest, it was neat to see how Lanier is using the gifts God gave him to advocate for those who need justice.

Respectful Discussion

As mentioned above, I was not comfortable with the amount of emphasis placed on reconciling faith in God with secular ideas about the origin of life. My bottom line is that the Bible is true and while I absolutely agree that humans don’t have full understanding/interpretation since God’s ways are higher, I personally feel strongly about “choosing” faith, rather than attempting to mesh faith and science. At the same time, I understand that this goes against the author’s thought project.

I’m emphasizing this a lot in the review, because it’s not just a passing point in the book.

Recommendation Status

There is much to commend in Lanier’s work and, minus the point above, I would absolutely recommend it. As it is, I am not quite comfortable recommending the book, although it is a valuable resource in many ways. This isn’t to say that I don’t consider the book “Christian,” just that, at this time, I can’t get behind all of the ideas it espouses.

[Meagan Walters · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lanier doesn't do a sufficient job of proving anything new; simply restates what's already said in the field of apologetics. Specifically when using the argument that "if we are just chemical beings, then we'd have no view of morality and justice." Morality and justice -and actions which follow belief systems- fall under learned behavior. They came, initially, as a way of survival -- even warlords understood the need for community and compromise.

[Daniel Gagne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to read Lanier's other book, Christianity on Trial, for a more complete argument, as some arguments felt incomplete. Mostly, the last few chapters (which likely a lot more material exists) felt like it was just scratching the surface.

Lanier does well to make comment on a variety of subjects and gives great points for why they point to God. He is honest about when something is not in favour of God or if it appears to not defend either worldview.

Three stars for me often means I wouldn't read again, but that I thought it was worth reading nonetheless. Were I requested to make a recommendation of what books to read to defend the Chrisitan faith, I would recommend books like Person of Interest (4 stars) and Cold Case Christianity (4 stars) by J Warner Wallace, or Jesus Skeptic by John S Dickerson (5 stars) before Atheism on Trial.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5. It was pretty okay. I would put this low on the stack of recommended books serving the same purpose (a Christian answer to Atheism), but it at least makes the stack.

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great logic for why God is real. Some clunky and seemingly irrelevant points near the end with a few tangents. But really solid points overall