John Lennox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Lennox
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Lennox in 2015
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John Carson Lennox
7 November 1943 Armagh, Northern Ireland
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| Spouse(s) | Sally Lennox |
| Children | 3 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Group theory |
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| Doctoral advisor | James Roseblade |
John Carson Lennox (born 7 November 1943) is a smart person from Northern Ireland. He is a mathematician, which means he studies numbers and patterns. He also studies bioethics, which is about right and wrong in science and medicine. Plus, he is a Christian apologist, someone who explains and defends the Christian faith.
Lennox has written many books. These books often talk about religion, good behavior, and how science and God fit together. Some of his books are Has Science Buried God and Can Science Explain Everything. He is also famous for having public debates with people who don't believe in God, like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens.
He earned several advanced degrees, called doctorates, from top universities. These include the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, and Cardiff University. As a professor, he focused on a part of mathematics called group theory. Today, he is a Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at the University of Oxford. This means he is a retired professor who is still highly respected.
Early Life and Learning
John Lennox was born on 7 November 1943 in Northern Ireland. He grew up in a town called Armagh, where his father owned a store. He went to The Royal School, Armagh for his early education.
Later, he went to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, a famous university. In 1962, he even attended some of the last lectures given by the famous writer C. S. Lewis. Lennox earned several degrees from the University of Cambridge, including a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) for his research on math.
He continued his studies and earned more advanced degrees. He received a Doctor of Science (DSc) in mathematics from Cardiff University in 1993. He also got another Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) from the University of Oxford. Plus, he earned a Master of Arts (MA) degree in bioethics from the University of Surrey. He also spent time studying in Germany as a Humboldt Fellow.
His Work and Career
After finishing his first doctorate, John Lennox moved to Cardiff, Wales. There, he became a mathematics professor at the University of Wales. He taught for 29 years in Cardiff. During this time, he also spent a year teaching at universities in Germany and Austria. He traveled a lot, giving talks in Europe, Russia, and North America. He spoke about mathematics, defending the Christian faith, and explaining the Bible.
Lennox has written many books about how science, religion, and ethics are connected. He has also published over 70 research papers on mathematics. He even helped translate Russian math books.
He has given talks in many countries and at many conferences. He made several trips to the former Soviet Union to share his knowledge. In 2012, he gave a special talk for BBC Radio Four. He has also given lectures at the Veritas Forum. These talks covered big questions like how science and religion relate, if God exists, and why there is evil and suffering in the world. He is also a Senior Fellow at The Trinity Forum, a group that helps Christian leaders.
Public Debates
John Lennox is well-known for taking part in many public debates. In these debates, he defends the Christian faith. He has debated with famous atheists, who are people who do not believe in God. Some of these people include Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, and Lawrence Krauss.
- On 3 October 2007, Lennox debated Richard Dawkins in Alabama, USA. They discussed Dawkins' ideas from his book, The God Delusion.
- In April 2008, Lennox and Dawkins had another talk at Trinity College, Oxford. They talked more about subjects they didn't fully cover in their first debate.
- On 9 August 2008, Lennox debated Christopher Hitchens in Scotland. They discussed whether Europe should move away from its religious past.
- On 23 August 2008, Lennox debated Michael Shermer in Australia. Their topic was whether God exists.
- On 21 October 2008, Lennox debated Dawkins again at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. This debate was called "Has Science Buried God?". It was a very important event, like a "Round Two" of a famous debate from 1860.
- On 3 March 2009, Lennox debated Hitchens a second time in Alabama. They discussed the question "Is God Great?". This debate looked at some of the ideas in Hitchens' book God is Not Great.
- On 20 July 2011, Lennox debated Peter Singer in Australia. The topic was "Is There a God?".
- In August 2021, Lennox was a special guest at the Malhar Fest, a big event hosted by St. Xavier's College, Mumbai.
His Family Life
John Lennox can speak many languages, including English, Russian, French, Spanish, and German. He is married to Sally, and they have three children. They also have 10 grandchildren. His brother, Gilbert Lennox, used to be an elder at Glenabbey Church. John Lennox's niece is Kristyn Getty, a well-known hymn writer and singer.
