Why is a Catholic engaging atheism?
I have three reasons:
One day, I realized that my arguments against atheism are projections of my own ideas from my own non-religious days but may not apply to everyone else.
And I realized that I pretty much am only memorizing the Catholic versions of the arguments for the existence of God without understanding the best arguments to the contrary, those of philosophical atheism.
So, I decided I am unsatisfied with the level of engagement by myself, and frankly, other Catholics with atheism and that it would be worthwhile to discover what atheists really think without pressure on either side to convert.
Hence, I’m embarking on this exploratory project, and I hope you will join me. If you’d like to follow the posts and podcast, you can subscribe for free. To participate in the development of a new engagement between Catholics, atheists, and anyone else interested in the God-question, you will need to subscribe as a member for a minimal fee. This project is not a course. It’s not a book. It’s not a newspaper or magazine. It is a development of a better and clearer meeting of the minds. We need yours!
Who is this Catholic person?
My name is Stacy Trasancos, and I have been writing about science and theology since 2010, all intertwined with my real life. That year I was pregnant with my last and seventh-born child. Four years prior (2006), I had been received into the Catholic Church. THAT took two years (2004-2006) because pre-Catholic Stacy Trasancos was all over the place. I’m not sure what you call it, but I was definitely not religious, as in ‘did not care’ about the whole God-question or religion. I did not call myself an atheist because I had no need of a label. What I called myself was a Senior Research Chemist for DuPont’s, Lycra® division. I have a Ph.D. in chemistry from Penn State University. Atoms are my first love! I am well-versed on nanocomposite materials and elastomeric polymers. In my 30s, something happened. I just 360°-d it, left my career to raise children, and embraced the life of a homemaker (i.e., home-chemist).
From 2010 to 2014, I studied dogmatic theology while raising my five youngest (post-Catholic) kids and seeing my oldest two (pre-Catholics) kids off into adulthood. I earned a M.A. from Holy Apostles College & Seminary in 2014 (summa cum laude, thank you very much). During that time, I started writing and shortly thereafter published books, Science Was Born of Christianity: The Teaching of Fr. Stanley L. Jaki (2014) and Particles of Faith: A Catholic Guide to Navigating Science (Ave Maria Press, 2016, 2019). I’ve done some work in bioethics, 20 Answers: Bioethics (Catholic Answers, 2018) and on Eucharistic miracles, Behold, It is I: Scripture, Tradition, and Science on the Real Presence (TAN, 2021). I speak on all these topics, but mostly on my conversion story from chemistry to Catholicism. Spoiler: it was photosynthesis.
In 2022, I decided it was time to learn philosophy. I consider myself a humble Thomist. In 2024, I expect to complete a second M.A. in systematic philosophy, also at Holy Apostles College & Seminary. I teach for three Catholic universities online and work completely from home except for speaking travel. My kids are almost grown. That last-born is a teenager. After raising seven intensely independent kids, nothing shocks me. I am confident in my faith, wiser, and ready to really get my head around atheism. It’s not about winning for me at this point in life. I truly want to understand.
And if you must right-fight, you might win. If you do, I’ll send you a puppy.
What I need from you:
Engagement. Whether you are atheist, Catholic, another religion, or, as I was, just not concerned about the God question, I’d like to hear what you think about the topics about which I publish. I’m trying to present both the Catholic and the atheist arguments correctly. I know the Catholic ones in the Aristotelian-Thomistic intellectual tradition of the Church pretty well. For the atheist positions, I use the best writers on philosophical atheism I can find. Recommendations welcomed!
And if you’d like to be a part of the research, discussion, and development of this daring new engagement between opposite minds, I would greatly appreciate your generosity, ideas, and time. Anyone interested can join. Please tell your friends.
