Anyone in history...which ones do you admire?
Let me not forget the most famous writer of all time James Joyce. The Middle or Dark Ages Hosted Galileo, Copernicus and Newton whom are Fathers.
Galileo, and Newton were still Christians.
Newton also though the bible hid the secrets of alchemy.
Furthermore, your 3 middle/dark are all age of inlightment.
@Rams91 Galileo was slated for the fire because of his discoveries. He put his daughter in the Convent to keep them off guard. They also wrote a lot of their findings in code as to continue on with what they knew to be correct and scientific. I have the book on Him but haven't been able to get into it which I hope to shortly.
Bart Erhman who is a Professor of Theology at Chapel Hill, South Carolina. Christopher Hitchens is my other choice of Historical Atheists. They are both on You Tube and have very convincing debates with any and all Scholars. Sarcastically I can also state without a doubt that Joel Olsteen, and Jimmy Swaggert are included for the fact that just watching them will make you seriously shake your head. George Carlin is another powerhouse for those who need comedy to make a case and can he be ever so much to the point.
I have heard Bart Erhman speak several times. The interesting thing about him is that he was a true believer until after he became a bible scholar. Consequently, he is probably the most honest bible scholar you will ever meet. His books on Christianity are must reading.
@Heraclitus Dr. Anthony Pinn (Rice Univ.) Neil De Grasse, Malcolm X (who although was a Muslim cites the White Jesus his reason for abandonment.)Matt Dillahunty and his weekly radio broadcast on the "Atheist Experience" All first class persons who make prominent arguments and are able to defend them.
Alfred Jarry (pataphysicist extraordinaire) of course he took the piss out of religion without wasting time on analysis. Can't remember the character in, in one of his books. who when challenged on commitment to religion stated "I am God". And Jarry's mathematical definition... "God is the tangential point between zero and infinity".
Archibald Macleish...favorite because he was the first I read. When I was in 9th grade Honors English we were required to read his play.JB It resonated with me, because the book of JOB and that "only Christians go to heaven continued my seeing fault in what I was told.Job because God making a bet with the devil at Jobs expense seemed mean spirited and the Jesus being key to heaven illogical since you could be born where you never heard of the guy. So I treasure my early introduction to this play.