Between the Designer and God: On Bad Theological Moves in the Intelligent Design Debate

The debate surrounding Intelligent Design (ID) often intertwines theological considerations with scientific discourse, yet the relationship between the “intelligent designer” and the concept of God remains contentious and ambiguous. Although ID proponents argue that the design argument is scientific and does not identify the designer, it has historically been far more common to understand design arguments as part of a broader theistic natural theology. Through a detailed analysis of ID proponents and critics, the article compares the minimalistic and theistic versions of the design argument. It explores what theological and philosophical factors influence their acceptance and interpretations and argues for a robust theistic understanding of design arguments. This gives the argument greater explanatory power and bypasses unnecessary opposition between design, scientific explanations, and natural theology.