John Lennox

John Lennox
Born	John Carson Lennox (1943-11-07) 7 November 1943 Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Residence	Oxford, England, United Kingdom
Citizenship	British
Nationality	Northern Irish
Fields	Mathematics
Institutions	University of Wales University of Oxford
Alma mater	University of Cambridge (MA, MMath, PhD) University of Oxford (MA, DPhil) University of Cardiff (DSc) University of Surrey (MA)
Doctoral advisor	James Roseblade
Doctoral students	Howard Smith

John Carson Lennox (born 7 November 1943) is a Northern Irish mathematician, philosopher of science, Christian apologist, and Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford. He is a Fellow in Mathematics and Philosophy of Science at Green Templeton College, Oxford University. He is also Pastoral Advisor of Green Templeton College and Fellow of Wycliffe Hall. He is a leading voice defending the notion of the relationship between science and religion. Lennox is considered to be a leading figure of the evangelical intelligentsia movement.

Early life

John Lennox was born in 1943 in Northern Ireland and brought up in Armagh where his father ran a store. He attended The Royal School, Armagh, and went on to become Exhibitioner and Senior Scholar at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where in 1962 he also attended the last lectures of C. S. Lewis on the poet John Donne. Lennox obtained an M.A. and PhD. degree at the University of Cambridge. He was awarded a D.Sc. degree in mathematics by the University of Cardiff for his research. Lennox furthermore holds a D.Phil. degree from the University of Oxford and an M.A. degree in bioethics at the University of Surrey.

Career

Upon completing his doctorate, Lennox moved to Cardiff, Wales, becoming a reader in Mathematics at the University of Wales, Cardiff. During his 29 years in Cardiff he spent a year at each of the universities of Würzburg, Freiburg (as an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow), and Vienna, and has lectured extensively in both Eastern and Western Europe, Russia and North America on mathematics, apologetics, and the exposition of Scripture. He has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles on mathematics and co-authored two Oxford Mathematical Monographs and has worked as a translator of Russian mathematics.

Lennox also teaches science and religion in the University of Oxford. He is the author of a number of books on the relations of science, religion, and ethics, the most recent of which are: Informetika (2001), Hat die Wissenschaft Gott begraben? (Has Science Buried God?) (2002), Worldview (2004) with D. W. Gooding (3 volumes in Russian and Ukrainian). His most recent book is God and Stephen Hawking: Whose Design Is It Anyway? (2011). He has spoken in many different countries, in conferences, and as an academic fellow, including numerous trips to the former Soviet Union. On 14 March 2012 he presented an edition of the Lent Talks for BBC Radio Four. Lennox has also given lectures at the Veritas forum on topics such as the relationship between science and religion, the existence of God, doubt, and the problems of evil and suffering. Additionally, he is a Senior Fellow of The Trinity Forum, a Christian nonprofit that develops leaders so as to contribute to cultural renewal.

Debates

Lennox (left) debating religion with Christopher Hitchens in Alabama, March 2009

Lennox has been part of numerous public debates defending the Christian faith, including debates with Christopher Hitchens, Michael Shermer, Richard Dawkins, Lawrence Krauss, Victor Stenger, Michael Tooley, Stephen Law, and Peter Singer.

• On 3 October 2007, Lennox debated with Richard Dawkins at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in Birmingham, Alabama on Dawkins's views expressed in his book, The God Delusion. The debate was broadcast to millions worldwide and was described by the Wall Street Journal as "a revelation: in Alabama, a civil debate over God's existence".
• Professors Lennox and Dawkins had a discussion in April 2008 at Trinity College, Oxford to expand upon topics left undeveloped during The God Delusion Debate.
• On 9 August 2008, Lennox debated with Christopher Hitchens at the Edinburgh International Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland on the question of whether or not Europe should jettison its religious past and welcome the "New Atheism."
• On 23 August 2008, Lennox debated with Michael Shermer at the Wesley Conference Centre in Sydney, Australia on the existence of God.
• On 21 October 2008, Lennox debated again with Richard Dawkins at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, the site of the 1860 Oxford evolution debate between Thomas Henry Huxley and Samuel Wilberforce. The debate was titled "Has Science Buried God?" and centred on that question. The Spectator called the event "Huxley-Wilberforce, Round Two."
• On 3 March 2009, Lennox debated with Christopher Hitchens for the second time at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama on the question "Is God Great?" The debate addressed the validity of some of Hitchens' claims in his book God is Not Great.
• On 20 July 2011, Lennox debated Peter Singer at the Melbourne Town Hall in Melbourne, Australia on the topic “Is There a God?”

Personal life

Lennox speaks English, Russian, French, German, and Spanish. He is married to Sally and has three children and five grandchildren. He has a brother named Gilbert Lennox, an elder in Glennabbey Church, Glengormley. The recording artist Kristyn Getty is John's niece, being Gilbert's daughter. Lennox is a devout and vocal Christian who has also taken part in many apologetic conferences and debates where he debates with other scientists concerning the existence of God and the compatibility of God with a scientific worldview.

Works

• Subnormal subgroups of groups, John C. Lennox and Stewart E. Stonehewer. Oxford : Clarendon, 1987. ISBN 0-19-853552-X / ISBN 978-0-19-853552-2
• Key Bible Concepts, David Gooding and John C. Lennox. Port Colborne : Gospel Folio Press, 1997. ISBN 1882701410 / ISBN 9781882701414
• Christianity: Opium or Truth?, David Gooding and John C. Lennox. Port Colborne : Gospel Folio Press, 1997. ISBN 1882701461 / ISBN 9781882701469
• The Definition of Christianity, David Gooding and John C. Lennox. Port Colborne : Gospel Folio Press, 2001. ISBN 1882701429 / ISBN 9781882701421
• The Theory of Infinite Soluble Groups, John C. Lennox, University of Oxford, and Derek J. S. Robinson, University of Illinois, 2004 | 458 p | Clarendon Press, ISBN 0-19-850728-3 / ISBN 978-0-19-850728-4
• God's Undertaker: Has Science Buried God?, John C. Lennox, Lion UK, Updated edition (1 September 2009)| 224 p | ISBN 0-7459-5371-9
• The Bible & Ethics, David Gooding and John C. Lennox. Ontario : Myrtlefield Trust, 2011.
• Seven Days That Divide the World: The Beginning According to Genesis and Science, John C. Lennox, Zondervan (9 August 2011) | 192p | ISBN 0-310-49217-3
• God and Stephen Hawking: Whose Design Is It Anyway?, John C. Lennox, Lion UK, 1st edition (1 September 2011) | 96 p | ISBN 0-7459-5549-5
• Gunning for God: A Critique of the New Atheism, John C. Lennox, Lion UK, 1st edition (1 October 2011) | 248 p | ISBN 0-7459-5322-0
• Against the Flow: The Inspiration of Daniel in an Age of Relativism, John C. Lennox, Monarch Books, 1st edition (20 February 2015) | 416 p | ISBN 085721621X

External links

• John Lennox's official website
• The Feed Trust – this has some of his Scripture exposition resources
• Fixed Point Foundation – features both debates and the Trinity College conversation with Richard Dawkins as well as both debates with Christopher Hitchens
• Interview with John Lennox by Tim Bearder, BBC Radio Oxford, 2008-10-16.
• Premier Christian Radio Radio debate on "Are we alone in the Universe?"