Biola University recently honored Oxford University philosopher John C. Lennox with the 2012 Phillip E. Johnson Award for Liberty and Truth, inrecognition of his eloquent responses to naturalism and for his defense of intelligentagency in the universe from the perspective of science and philosophy.

"I feel highly honored," said Lennox upon receiving the award. "I have great respect for his [Phillip Johnson] intellectual courage in challenging the reigning paradigms and he has been a stimulus to me in whatever little contribution I have made to the intellectual battle to defend the Christian faith against naturalism."

The award is given by Biola's Master of Arts in Science and Religion program to a nationally or internationally recognizedscholar every other year who challenges the materialistic bias of the modern academy and advancesa position that fosters an integrative approach to science and religion.

“Like Phil Johnson, John Lennox has been a winsome and insightful voice in responding to the naturalistic assumptions that dominate scientific thinking today in areas relating to origins," said John Bloom, Biola professor of physics and chair of the chemistry, physics, and engineering department. "Dr. Lennox breaks the media stereotype that one cannot be a Christian and a scientist."

Lennox, who received the award at a June 8 luncheon, has been an exceptional scientist-spokesman for design arguments and forconservative Christianity in general, debating atheist Richard Dawkins on “The GodDelusion” in the University of Alabama (2007) and on “Has Science Buried God?”in the Oxford Museum of Natural History (2008). He debated the late ChristopherHitchens on the New Atheism (Edinburgh Festival 2008) and at Samford University,Alabama, on the question: Is God Great? He has also debated Princeton bioethicistPeter Singer (Melbourne 2011) on the question: “Is there a God?” He has respondedto the New Atheist arguments in print form, publishing God's Undertaker: HasScience Buried God? (2009); God and Stephen Hawking: Whose Design is it Anyway?(2010); Gunning for God: Why the New Atheists are Missing the Target? (2011); andSeven Days that Divide the World: The Beginning According to Genesis and Science(2011).
Lennox is Professor of Mathematics in the University of Oxford, Fellowin Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science, and Pastoral Advisor at GreenTempleton College, Oxford. He holds three doctorates. In addition to his works citedabove, he has published many professional books and articles in mathematics.
Biola University established the Phillip E. Johnson Award for Liberty and Truth in2004 to honor legal scholar and Berkeley law professor Phillip E. Johnson, who wasthe award first recipient. The award recognizes Johnson pivotal role in advancingour understanding of design in the universe by opening up informed dissent toDarwinian and materialistic theories of evolution. The late British philosopherAntony Flew, once considered the most prominent defender of atheism in theEnglish-speaking world, became the second recipient of this award in 2006 forhis Socratic approach of “following the evidence where it leads” and abandoningatheism on account of design arguments. Lawyer and former presidentialspeechwriter Ben Stein received the award in 2008 for his key role in the majorfeature film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, which documented the harassment ofintelligent design sympathizers. Bioethicist Richard Land received the 2010 awardfor his advocacy of human dignity, the rights of the unborn and infirm, pro-familypolicies, and other conservative evangelical bioethical concerns.
Written by Jenna Bartlo, Media Relations Coordinator. For more information, Jenna can be reached at 562.777.4061 or at jenna.l.bartlo@biola.edu.