Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and author Christopher Hitchens debated the resolution: "be it resolved, religion is a force for good in the world." Former Prime Minister Blair, founder of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, argued that religious faith has a major part to play in shaping the values which guide the modern world, and can and should be a force for progress. Mr. Hitchens, author of God is Not Great, argued that if religious instruction were not allowed until the child had attained the age of reason, the world would be quite different.


The debaters gave opening arguments and then cross-examined each other. Then questions were submitted by members of the audience in the hall, on stage, and on line on topics including the role of religion in the Iraq war and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as the concept of separation of church and state. Each debater gives his final summation. The audience voted on the resolution both before and after the debate.

The program contains language that some might find objectionable.