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0391
Dec. 1-2, 1953 in South Lincoln church building in Urbana, Ill.
The debate concerned the reasonableness of Christian supernaturalism. It was similar to the Campbell-Owen debate of 1829. Dewey had debated a Catholic priest and a Lutheran preacher.
Dewey, a self-confessed agnostic, defended naturalism and centered his argument the first night in science and the scientific method. He affirmed that everything in reality may be discovered and observed in the scientific method and concluded, "There is no freak or miracle in nature." Furthermore, Dr. Dewey took a position of complete determination, arguing that man's every action is determined by the many forces of his heredity and environment, so that man does not have a "free will." Dewey made such extreme statements as, "We could not possibly do other than as we do;" and "Even the thoughts we are thinking tonight are the very thoughts that we have to think!" This is the identical position by atheist Robert Owen in his debate with Campbell.
Bro. Hardeman argued forcefully that while there is a natural realm which science may explore, there is also a natural realm over which God is sovereign and which is revealed in the Bible. The case for this supernatural origin of Christianity was built around the prophecies of the O.T. and the person and resurrection of Christ in the N.T. Throughout the debate, Dr. Dewey refused repeatedly to consider these evidences for the truth of the Christian religion (the same tactics used by Robert Owen). Dewey's only reply was, "Before this debate began, a chairman friend of mine warned me that I was meeting a bright young man who knows his Bible and that I had better stay out of a discussion of scripture. And that is exactly what I am going to do."
The 2nd night the discussion centered in moral standards. Bro. Hardeman argued that if man is not responsible and cannot possibly do other than he does, the very idea of moral standards is without meaning. Moral standards presuppose that man is responsible for his conduct. Bro. Hardeman asked Dewey whether, according to deterministic morality, there was any sense in which it could be said that Carl Hall should not have murdered Bobby Greenlease. Dr. Dewey answered that he should not have, but his "should not" was from the stand point of society's good and not from the standpoint of Halls' responsibility. (Shades of Robert Owen.)
Much good was done by the debate. Many college students, most of them skeptics or atheists, attended the sessions; some professors were present. Both men conducted themselves in a splendid manner, and the best feelings possible prevailed throughout the debate.
Dr. Dewey said in one of his speeches, "Now I can tell people around the university which religious group is really tolerant, and will stand up for what it believes." When debates are conducted in the spirit which prevailed throughout this one, and when debate issues rather than personalities, no critic can possibly say, "Debates never do any good." My own personal reaction to the debate is best stated in the words of Dewey, "I feel very much like a New England Zephyr in the wake of a good mid-western tornado."
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Pat Hardeman vs Dr. Richard Dewey (Agnostic)
January 21, 1954
Urbana, Illinois
(Bill. J. Humble)
January 21, 1954
Urbana, Illinois
(Bill. J. Humble)
Dec. 1-2, 1953 in South Lincoln church building in Urbana, Ill.
The debate concerned the reasonableness of Christian supernaturalism. It was similar to the Campbell-Owen debate of 1829. Dewey had debated a Catholic priest and a Lutheran preacher.
Dewey, a self-confessed agnostic, defended naturalism and centered his argument the first night in science and the scientific method. He affirmed that everything in reality may be discovered and observed in the scientific method and concluded, "There is no freak or miracle in nature." Furthermore, Dr. Dewey took a position of complete determination, arguing that man's every action is determined by the many forces of his heredity and environment, so that man does not have a "free will." Dewey made such extreme statements as, "We could not possibly do other than as we do;" and "Even the thoughts we are thinking tonight are the very thoughts that we have to think!" This is the identical position by atheist Robert Owen in his debate with Campbell.
Bro. Hardeman argued forcefully that while there is a natural realm which science may explore, there is also a natural realm over which God is sovereign and which is revealed in the Bible. The case for this supernatural origin of Christianity was built around the prophecies of the O.T. and the person and resurrection of Christ in the N.T. Throughout the debate, Dr. Dewey refused repeatedly to consider these evidences for the truth of the Christian religion (the same tactics used by Robert Owen). Dewey's only reply was, "Before this debate began, a chairman friend of mine warned me that I was meeting a bright young man who knows his Bible and that I had better stay out of a discussion of scripture. And that is exactly what I am going to do."
The 2nd night the discussion centered in moral standards. Bro. Hardeman argued that if man is not responsible and cannot possibly do other than he does, the very idea of moral standards is without meaning. Moral standards presuppose that man is responsible for his conduct. Bro. Hardeman asked Dewey whether, according to deterministic morality, there was any sense in which it could be said that Carl Hall should not have murdered Bobby Greenlease. Dr. Dewey answered that he should not have, but his "should not" was from the stand point of society's good and not from the standpoint of Halls' responsibility. (Shades of Robert Owen.)
Much good was done by the debate. Many college students, most of them skeptics or atheists, attended the sessions; some professors were present. Both men conducted themselves in a splendid manner, and the best feelings possible prevailed throughout the debate.
Dr. Dewey said in one of his speeches, "Now I can tell people around the university which religious group is really tolerant, and will stand up for what it believes." When debates are conducted in the spirit which prevailed throughout this one, and when debate issues rather than personalities, no critic can possibly say, "Debates never do any good." My own personal reaction to the debate is best stated in the words of Dewey, "I feel very much like a New England Zephyr in the wake of a good mid-western tornado."
VIEW NEXT REPORT >>
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