Mixed bag. Some conversational debate that helped elucidate positions, but some wacky reasoning on both sides prevented this from being much more than a conversation starter. ( )

God or Godless? is rather short, twenty sections of about 1000-1100 words each, so it doesn't take long to read and is a worthwhile way of filling in a few minutes a day for a couple of weeks.

In each section, one of the authors states a proposition and argues for it, then the other author gives a short rebuttal, followed by a short reply and an even shorter final statement. I read it at the rate one or two sections a day, which is the way I would recommend anyone else to read it, as it gives you time to think about the arguments. The use of this format, giving equal space to arguments for religion (in particular Christianity) and atheism/humanism, was an excellent idea.

Definitely a contender for The Dubious Disciple’s top-10 religion books of 2013. Even the cover is magnificent.

John, an atheist, goes head-to-head with Randal, a Christian, on twenty controversial topics. Each topic is covered in debate fashion, with the contestants presenting their arguments, counter-arguments, and closing statements. It’s friendly for the most part, but the gloves do come off in a couple places.

Two very different philosophies shine through. Rauser’s penchant for imagination and storytelling contrasts John’s trust in cold, hard probability. It’s classic, almost stereotyped … great stuff.

For my own amusement, I rated and tallied up the score. My scoring was 6-4, with 10 ties, in favor of….

Wait a minute. If there’s one single debate that is critical, that reaches to down the core of Christianity, it’s #19. Did Jesus rise from the dead. This is also head-and-shoulders the most interesting of the twenty debates. And the winner on this one is … unfortunately, nobody. A push. No decision.

Another way to choose the winner is to read the book’s concluding remarks. Rauser’s passionate plea for meaning versus Loftus’s argument that Christianity has hardly risen to the surface above all the rest of the world’s religions to earn a debate against atheism. It was such a fitting close to the book that I couldn’t help awarding both contestants a win.

Ah, well, I guess that’s why I’m known as an “agnostic Christian.” Thanks, John and Randal, for a great time. ( )