📘 About This Series
This post is part of a daily response series to The Problem of God: Answering a Skeptic’s Challenges to Christianity by Mark Clark. The series critically engages with each chapter and section of the book, examining Clark’s arguments through the lens of reason, historical evidence, and The God Question’s core philosophy: what’s true doesn’t fear investigation.
Today’s post responds to content found in pages 25-26 of the book — the section titled “The Plantinga Effect”.
If you’re just joining us, you can view all prior entries in this series on The God Question blog at godordelusion.com\thegodquestion.
Why philosophical theism isn’t gaining the ground Clark claims it is.
In The Problem of God, Mark Clark tells a story that many Christians love to hear: that belief in God is once again becoming intellectually fashionable, thanks largely to the work of Alvin Plantinga. He calls this movement “The Plantinga Effect,” and he uses it to argue that theism is not only rational — it’s regaining academic respectability.
But is that really what’s happening?
Let’s examine the claims, the context, and the credibility of what Clark calls a “fundamental shift” in the world of science and philosophy.
🧠 What Clark Argues
Clark builds his case on three main points:
- Quentin Smith’s WarningSmith, a noted atheist philosopher, once warned that Christians were “taking over philosophy departments” and that the field was becoming “de-secularized.” Clark treats this as evidence that theism is resurging — not by ignorance, but through reason.
- Alvin Plantinga’s InfluencePlantinga, a Christian philosopher, is credited with making belief in God “academically respectable.” His arguments for the rationality of theism are portrayed as having turned the philosophical tide.
- David Bentley Hart’s Dismissal of AtheismHart is quoted as saying that atheism is not only irrational but amounts to superstition — a position Clark presents as reflective of a broader academic awakening.
🔍 What’s Actually Going On?
1. Plantinga Is Respected — But Not Convincing the Majority
Alvin Plantinga is, undeniably, a heavyweight in modern philosophy of religion. His work — particularly his claim that belief in God can be a “properly basic belief” — has shaped academic discussions.
But here’s the problem: most philosophers don’t agree with him.
According to the 2020 PhilPapers Survey, about 73% of professional philosophers identify as atheists, while only 15% identify as theists. So while Plantinga has legitimized theism as a discussion topic, his arguments have not reversed the broader philosophical consensus. His influence is real, but not revolutionary.
2. Quentin Smith Was Sounding an Alarm, Not Celebrating a Shift
Clark quotes Smith as though he were acknowledging a renaissance of reasoned Christianity. But Smith’s actual point was one of concern, not endorsement. He was warning that Christian apologetics was gaining visibility — particularly in Christian institutions — not that their arguments were winning converts among secular philosophers.
This is a common rhetorical move: frame critique as concession.
3. David Bentley Hart’s Dismissal Is Polemical, Not Philosophical
Clark ends the section with a quote from David Bentley Hart, who calls atheism a “superstition” and claims it stems from “a tragic absence of curiosity.” It’s a colorful insult, but not an argument.
This kind of language may feel satisfying to believers — flipping the script on those who’ve long dismissed religion — but it doesn’t provide evidence. It simply mirrors the ridicule that many Christians rightly reject when it’s aimed at them.
Ironically, Hart’s mockery commits the very error Clark criticizes elsewhere: dismissing a worldview without engaging its strongest arguments.
💡 The Real “Effect” of Plantinga
If anything, the Plantinga Effect demonstrates this:
It is possible to argue for theism in academically serious ways —
but it is not inevitable that reason leads to belief.
Clark wants his readers to feel reassured that theism is gaining intellectual ground. But citing a few Christian philosophers and institutional trends does not amount to a paradigm shift. In fact, it reveals a deeper truth:
Christian apologetics often relies not on evidence, but on reframing old ideas as newly respected.
If theism is making a comeback in some circles, it’s not because the arguments have suddenly become airtight. It’s because, like any belief system, it’s finding ways to adapt, promote, and repackage itself for modern audiences.
And that’s not a triumph of reason. It’s a triumph of marketing.
God or Delusion? 