Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Can atheists be moral realists — and does that actually help the case for God? Dr. David Baggett returns to walk through the full moral argument with Dr. William Lane Craig.
In part two of this conversation, Dr. David Baggett and Dr. William Lane Craig continue discussing their new book, Reasonable Moral Faith (Baker Academic). They survey the leading rivals to moral realism — expressivism, error theory, and constructivism (including ethical relativism) — before building the positive case for moral realism itself, including divine command theory and the role of intrinsic human worth. From there they lay out the "five-fold" moral argument (objective moral values, objective moral duties, moral knowledge, the argument from grace, and the argument from providence), examine John Hare's concept of the "moral gap," critique atheistic moral Platonism as an alternative account, and close with several distinctively Christian extensions of the argument — from Christ as moral exemplar to the doctrine of the Trinity. If you're interested in moral apologetics, this is one of the most thorough treatments you'll find.
About the guest: Dr. David Baggett is one of the foremost philosophers writing on ethics and theism today. He is the author of a four-volume series on the moral argument published by Oxford University Press, formerly headed the Center for the Foundations of Ethics at Houston Christian University, and is now studying law at the University of Missouri School of Law.
0:00 Cold open / preview
0:56 Continuing the conversation: trends toward moral realism among atheists
4:59 Why opponents in debate rarely embrace full moral anti-realism
6:08 The metaethics "flowchart" (p. 155) and expressivism
9:16 Error theory, moral nihilism, and Mackie's "queerness" argument
16:50 Constructivism and the problem with ethical relativism
20:49 A critique of ideal observer theory
22:32 Building the positive case for moral realism
28:04 The five-fold moral argument and C.S. Lewis's "boats" analogy
35:14 The Good, objective value, and intrinsic human worth
40:53 Summarizing the five-point argument
41:31 The argument from grace: John Hare's "moral gap"
51:49 Naturalism, atheistic moral Platonism, and three criticisms
56:31 Distinctively Christian extensions of the moral argument
Links:
Watch Part 1 of this conversation: youtu.be/MyefL7sjcPM
Get Reasonable Moral Faith (Baker Academic): https://a.co/d/01tMHBAZ
Forthcoming: Moral Arguments for God's Existence: Navigating the Terrain (Hare & Baggett, Oxford University Press, Sept.): https://a.co/d/05GI98AW
Related: The Good, the Right, and the Real (Baggett & Walls): https://a.co/d/0ayIZsyS
Related: Finite and Infinite Goods (Robert Adams): https://a.co/d/00m753WW
Related: The Moral Gap (John Hare): https://a.co/d/0dm4sh1s
More from the Reasonable Faith Podcast: reasonablefaith.org/podcasts/reasonable-faith-podcast
Support Reasonable Faith's 20th anniversary: reasonablefaith.org/donation
Further reading:
Adam Johnson, Divine Love Theory
Marilyn McCord Adams on the problem of evil and horrendous suffering
Subscribe for more conversations on faith, philosophy, and the case for Christianity.
About Reasonable Faith: Reasonable Faith is the ministry of Dr. William Lane Craig, providing an articulate, intelligent voice for biblical Christianity in the public arena. Learn more and explore hundreds of free resources at https://www.reasonablefaith.org.
#MoralArgument #WilliamLaneCraig #DavidBaggett #Apologetics #Christianity
For more resources visit: reasonablefaith.org
We welcome your comments in the Reasonable Faith forums:
reasonablefaith.org/forums
Be sure to also visit Reasonable Faith's other channel which contains short clips: youtube.com/drcraigvideos
Follow Reasonable Faith On Twitter: twitter.com/rfupdates
Like the Reasonable Faith Facebook Fan Page: facebook.com/reasonablefaithorg
For more resources visit: reasonablefaith.org
We welcome your comments in the Reasonable Faith forums:
reasonablefaith.org/forums
Be sure to also visit Reasonable Faith's other channel which contains short clips: youtube.com/drcraigvideos
Follow Reasonable Faith On Twitter: twitter.com/rfupdates
Can atheists be moral realists — and does that actually help the case for God? Dr. David Baggett returns to walk through the full moral argument with Dr. William Lane Craig.
In part two of this conversation, Dr. David Baggett and Dr. William Lane Craig continue discussing their new book, Reasonable Moral Faith (Baker Academic). They survey the leading rivals to moral realism — expressivism, error theory, and constructivism (including ethical relativism) — before building the positive case for moral realism itself, including divine command theory and the role of intrinsic human worth. From there they lay out the "five-fold" moral argument (objective moral values, objective moral duties, moral knowledge, the argument from grace, and the argument from providence), examine John Hare's concept of the "moral gap," critique atheistic moral Platonism as an alternative account, and close with several distinctively Christian extensions of the argument — from Christ as moral exemplar to the doctrine of the Trinity. If you're interested in moral apologetics, this is one of the most thorough treatments you'll find.
About the guest: Dr. David Baggett is one of the foremost philosophers writing on ethics and theism today. He is the author of a four-volume series on the moral argument published by Oxford University Press, formerly headed the Center for the Foundations of Ethics at Houston Christian University, and is now studying law at the University of Missouri School of Law.
0:00 Cold open / preview
0:56 Continuing the conversation: trends toward moral realism among atheists
4:59 Why opponents in debate rarely embrace full moral anti-realism
6:08 The metaethics "flowchart" (p. 155) and expressivism
9:16 Error theory, moral nihilism, and Mackie's "queerness" argument
16:50 Constructivism and the problem with ethical relativism
20:49 A critique of ideal observer theory
22:32 Building the positive case for moral realism
28:04 The five-fold moral argument and C.S. Lewis's "boats" analogy
35:14 The Good, objective value, and intrinsic human worth
40:53 Summarizing the five-point argument
41:31 The argument from grace: John Hare's "moral gap"
51:49 Naturalism, atheistic moral Platonism, and three criticisms
56:31 Distinctively Christian extensions of the moral argument
Links:
Watch Part 1 of this conversation: youtu.be/MyefL7sjcPM
Get Reasonable Moral Faith (Baker Academic): https://a.co/d/01tMHBAZ
Forthcoming: Moral Arguments for God's Existence: Navigating the Terrain (Hare & Baggett, Oxford University Press, Sept.): https://a.co/d/05GI98AW
Related: The Good, the Right, and the Real (Baggett & Walls): https://a.co/d/0ayIZsyS
Related: Finite and Infinite Goods (Robert Adams): https://a.co/d/00m753WW
Related: The Moral Gap (John Hare): https://a.co/d/0dm4sh1s
More from the Reasonable Faith Podcast: reasonablefaith.org/podcasts/reasonable-faith-podcast
Support Reasonable Faith's 20th anniversary: reasonablefaith.org/donation
Further reading:
Adam Johnson, Divine Love Theory
Marilyn McCord Adams on the problem of evil and horrendous suffering
Subscribe for more conversations on faith, philosophy, and the case for Christianity.
About Reasonable Faith: Reasonable Faith is the ministry of Dr. William Lane Craig, providing an articulate, intelligent voice for biblical Christianity in the public arena. Learn more and explore hundreds of free resources at https://www.reasonablefaith.org.
#MoralArgument #WilliamLaneCraig #DavidBaggett #Apologetics #Christianity
For more resources visit: reasonablefaith.org
We welcome your comments in the Reasonable Faith forums:
reasonablefaith.org/forums
Be sure to also visit Reasonable Faith's other channel which contains short clips: youtube.com/drcraigvideos
Follow Reasonable Faith On Twitter: twitter.com/rfupdates
Like the Reasonable Faith Facebook Fan Page: facebook.com/reasonablefaithorg
For more resources visit: reasonablefaith.org
We welcome your comments in the Reasonable Faith forums:
reasonablefaith.org/forums
Be sure to also visit Reasonable Faith's other channel which contains short clips: youtube.com/drcraigvideos
Follow Reasonable Faith On Twitter: twitter.com/rfupdates
