A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists helps readers--both secular and religious--appreciate their common ground. For those whose thinking has moved from the religious thesis to the skeptical antithesis (or vice versa), Myers offers pointers to a science-respecting Christian synthesis.

Preface v False and Dangerous? 1 My Assumptions 4 Mea Culpa 8 The Dance of Fanatics and Infidels 11 Simplistic Stereotypes 14 The Heart of Science and Religion 17 The Skeptics’ Boys Club 22 Inseparable Body and Soul 26 Does Prayer “Work”? 33 The Benevolent, Fine-Tuned Universe 44 Big Ideas and Biblical Wisdom 54 Secularism and Civility 64 God and Gays 74 (Nominal) Religion Feeds Prejudice 82 Godliness and Goodliness 87 Happy Faith-Heads 107 Healthy Faith-Heads 116 Does Explaining Religion Explain It Away? 121 The Leap of Faith 128 Appendix: International Society for Science and Religion Statement on Intelligent Design 133 Notes 137 Acknowledgments 150 The Author 152

A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists In response to recent atheist manifestos declaring that religion is "dangerous," social psychologist David G. Myers transcends the skeptic/believer divide by suggesting how faith can be reasonable, science-affirming, and humane. As a respected behavioral scientist and a person of faith, Myers shows how an educated and engaged faith is associated with happiness, health, tolerance, generosity, and volunteerism, and does not imply gay bashing, magical ideas about prayer, or a division of body and soul. A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists helps readers—both secular and religious—appreciate their common ground. For those whose thinking has moved from the religious thesis to the skeptical antithesis (or vice versa), Myers offers pointers to a science-respecting Christian synthesis. He shows how skeptics and people of faith can share a commitment to reason, evidence, and critical thinking, while also embracing a faith that supports human flourishing by making sense of the universe, giving meaning to life, connecting us in supportive communities, mandating altruism, and offering hope in the face of adversity and death.

"As a scientist, open-minded skeptic (who cheers on challenges to irrationalism), and a man of faith, [Myers] seeks to transcend the skeptic/believer divide by suggesting how faith can be reasonable, science-affirming, and humane." –Skeptical Inquirer (January/February 2009) "Reading Myers will not set to rest all the incongruities or failures of Christianity; but it will demonstrate, in a thoughtful and readable format, that God is good and that to follow in the steps of Jesus your soul will become bigger, better and more gracious." – Youth Worker Journal "The humility with which Myers writes and the intelligence with which he composes his arguments could disarm the most jaded cynic." – Worship Leader Magazine "Believers and skeptics could learn much from each other, and the author’s willingness to build a bridge between two sometimes hostile territories is what makes his work so welcome. Myers’s psychological training enables him to grasp the human person in a unique way, and he is able to introduce an intellectual element into the God debate." –(Sept.) (Publishers Weekly, July 7, 2008)