#88: John Lennox on Faith & Grace
Many of you may be familiar with John Lennox. For those who are not, he is a distinguished mathematician, philosopher of science, and Christian apologist. His academic credentials include master’s degrees and a Ph.D. in mathematics from Cambridge University, as well as a D.Sc. in mathematics from Cardiff University. He also holds a master’s degree in bioethics from the University of Surrey. Lennox is currently Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford.
In addition to his academic work, Lennox writes, speaks, and debates in defense of Christianity. He has engaged leading atheists such as Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Daniel Dennett (three of the so-called “Four Horsemen” of New Atheism), as well as others including Stephen Hawking, Sean Carroll, Lawrence Krauss, and Peter Singer. These exchanges have taken place at major institutions such as Oxford, Cambridge, and Harvard.
The central themes of Lennox’s work include:
Faith and science
The existence of God
The origins of the universe and life
Ethics and human value
Critiques of New Atheism
Lennox is widely respected not only for his intellect but also for his clarity, humility, and effectiveness as a Christian communicator. He serves as both a thoughtful apologist and a model for believers seeking to engage a skeptical culture.
This month, we examine a short video titled “John Lennox on Faith & Grace.” In this 6½-minute clip, Lennox sits before a group of university students and responds to the question: “In a society with many religions, how do we decide which one to follow?” [1]
Lennox’s response is a concise, evangelically grounded answer aimed at a skeptical academic audience. He explains faith and grace in terms that non-Christian students can readily understand.
He begins by noting that belief in religion is not fundamentally different from belief in anything else—it is based on evidence. While Lennox, given his theological background, affirms that faith ultimately involves the work of the Holy Spirit, his emphasis here is that belief is not irrational. Rather, it is grounded in evidence that can be examined and weighed.
Christianity, he argues, is a historically rooted faith, centered on the incarnation and resurrection of Jesus, supported by prophecy, eyewitness testimony, and the broader witness of Scripture and creation.
Lennox then defines faith simply: “It means trust.” This aligns with the classical understanding of faith as involving knowledge (the content of belief), assent (agreement that it is true), and trust (personal commitment/reliance). In this context, Lennox is emphasizing trust.
He also challenges the common misconception that faith means “believing where there is no evidence.” In his characteristically direct style, he calls this idea “nonsense,” identifying it instead as blind faith. True faith, he argues, is evidence-based and rational.
Addressing the question more directly — how to choose between religions — Lennox compares the claims of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity regarding Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jews do not affirm the resurrection; Muslims deny the crucifixion. Christianity, however, stands or falls on the historical claim that Jesus rose from the dead (1 Cor 15:12-19).
Lennox points to historical investigation as the key means of evaluating these claims. He recalls a formative experience as a student when he heard legal scholar Sir Norman Anderson present a forensic case for the resurrection. Today, similar – and more extensive – work continues through scholars such as Gary Habermas, Michael Licona, and N.T. Wright. [2]
Ultimately, Lennox states that he is a Christian because he is convinced that the evidence for the resurrection is convincing. For many students in the audience, this perspective —t hat belief in Christianity can be grounded in historical evidence — may have been both surprising and thought-provoking.
He concludes by highlighting Christianity’s distinctive teaching on grace. In contrast to religions where individuals must earn acceptance or salvation, Christianity teaches that salvation is not based on human effort.
As Lennox explains, while good works matter, they are not the basis of acceptance before God. Rather, acceptance is grounded in the person and work of Christ. Those who trust in Him receive eternal life — not as a reward earned, but as a gift given.
This message of grace, radically different from merit-based systems, was likely unfamiliar to many in his audience.
Thank you, John Lennox, for communicating truth with clarity and conviction in a way that engages both mind and heart. May we, as Christians, learn from your example. [3]
In Christ,
Doug
1 Peter 3:15
Notes
[1] The video’s exact setting is not identified on YouTube. It may originate from a talk given by Lennox in Perth, Australia (2014), though it could also be a compilation of multiple recordings.
[2] For further study on the resurrection, see Gary Habermas (garyhabermas.com), Michael Licona’s The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach, and N.T. Wright’s The Resurrection of the Son of God.
[3] Artificial Intelligence (ChatGPT) was used to assist with reviewing this document for clarity and grammar.