Books

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The first in the projected series, Essays in Anti-Theology, The God who doesn’t Exist tells the amazing story of two Gods: one who doesn’t exist whom we created ourselves, and one who does exist whom we didn’t create.

The first of these gods is the familiar God of human history, the God or gods we believed in just about forever, then very recently dumped. An unpredictable and judgemental God who seemed occasionally to do right by us, but more often went AWOL just when we needed them the most. We lived in constant fear of offending them and were terrified that if we didn’t play our cards right in this life, they’d consign us to hell in a handcart in the next.

Good riddance to the God who doesn’t exist! The God who exists, however, is a very different god to the one who doesn’t. Their primary quality seems to be something vastly more urgent for the human race than providing daily bread, saving us from enemies and forgiving our sins; it is selfless love teaching. Yes, the acquisition of the capacity for intentional selfless cooperation is a fundamental evolutionary imperative, essential for our survival and flourishing generally, especially critical right now when we seem to be on the brink of self-destruction.

Self-destruction: yes, will we survive the latest threats of global warming, nuclear holocaust, pandemic, rising authoritarianism, uncontrolled development of AI? Will the selfless love-teaching God who exists ride to our rescue just in the nick of time? Read on then, if you dare, and find out …

Review Comments

“Combining a depth of philosophical thought and an engaging, colloquial style of writing, this bold and provocative book challenges those who believe in God and those who don’t to reassess their basic assumptions about the way the universe works. Things may not be the way we think they are, McGinley suggests, and if we open ourselves to new ways of thinking and seeing, new possibilities will also open to us. This is the book we need in these fragile times.” – John Foulcher – Editor, Eremos Magazine

“Is God really dead? yes; Fergus argues that case for one version of ‘him’; but also powerfully demonstrates evidence for a new reading. Thank you, Fergus!” – Michael Furtado – Academic and Public Affairs Commentator

“Oh good one Fergus. Very good one ….. I really appreciate your writing style – your honesty and beautiful ‘out of the box’ thinking. Thank you so much because you have clarified what I have been trying to think about for a few years ….  it is certainly shaping up to be the best book I have ever read! Just great.” – Rev. Brian Polkinghorne – Missionary, Environmentalist, Author

“Without fear or favour, Fergus challenges conventional theology and turns macro-history inside out with his original insights into the totally unnatural selfless love the Other God injects into human evolution. He writes in an engaging manner, sprinkled with humour, as if in a one-on-one conversation with the reader. In a wise and scintillating way he moves clearly from one argument to another, playfully using many everyday examples. A must read if you dare to have your universe up ended.” – Pastor Mike Pietsch – Lutheran University Chaplain

Read the full introduction here