Dr Alister McGrath, a former atheist who is now one of Christianity's foremost scholars, is currently Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion at the University of Oxford. After initial academic work in the natural sciences, McGrath turned to the study of theology and intellectual history, while occasionally becoming engaged in broader cultural debates about the rationality and relevance of the Christian faith. As a former atheist, McGrath is respectful, yet critical of the movement. In recent years, he has been especially interested in the emergence of ‘scientific atheism', and has researched the distinctive approach to atheist apologetics found in the writings of the Oxford zoologist and scientific populariser Richard Dawkins.