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Summary: An interesting application of math to Pauline Christianity.
Review: Beyond the CosmosHugh Ross' book "Beyond the Cosmos" pulls science together with Pauline Christianity to show how many classical religious stories make sense when explained using the fourth and higher dimensions. Mathematicians and scientists have actively used higher dimensions and fractional dimensions (fractals) since the 19th century. In the 20th century, relativity, superstrings, black holes, quantum dynamics, and gravity seem difficult to explain without assuming that the universe has more than four dimensions. I found many parts of the book interesting, for example, the blurring of the infinite and the finite in Chapter 3, multiple time dimensions ("the Creator's capacities include at least two, perhaps more, time dimensions" and "... our time dimension had a beginning..."), and multiple space dimensions ("... God must be operating in a minimum of eleven dimensions...or the equivalent"). There may be a way to turn into higher dimensions (Figure 5.2). And the fires of hell may be a place where people "get what they want more than anything else: freedom from the will and rule of God." There is even an explanation of why the people in hell have to be tormented while they exercise that freedom. The book fulfills its stated purpose and the flaws are only minor. It could be improved by discussing the effect of fractional dimensions, entropy, and dark matter in the universe. The book portrays the curious idea that there can be any freedom of will if a higher power (God, in this case) knows what we do. The book uses a particular vocabulary, referring to God as a personal being of masculine gender and employing translations of those verses of Scripture and of the Pauline writers that are accepted by its author. Nevertheless, mature non-Pauline Christians and non-Christians can simply accept this style of writing and enjoy this book thoroughly. For non-Christians, this book provides a fun introduction to what Christians believe.
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Summary: you PhDs, please, let the layperson contemplate God
Review: For all of those who feel that Ross didn't do a very good job in relating the concepts of higher physics and theology, it would help to remind yourselves that this book wasn't written for scientists with a PhD, it was written for the layperson. If it had been written for you high-brow types, in a manner to suit you, it would no longer be a book that the average person could enjoy. I just want you to know that I am not uneducated, I have a degree in the mathematical sciences.
Sure, sometimes the thread between the cosmos and some of the paradoxes of theology aren't completely answered by this book, but then theologians have been arguing these points for centuries. At least, Ross is attempting to pursue these questions in an original manner, from a cosmological and physics perspective. This is highly unusual, compared to the regular reading fare on this subject.
It isn't that I necessarily agree with everything in this book, Ross writes as a Calvinist and I'm of the Arminian persuasion (for you science types, this is Protestant history and theology that I'm talking here), but he did give me provocative things to consider. For instance, how could the death of one be an atonement for so many people? How many dimensions does God have? Is God really in an infinite dimension? Why are we "stuck" in a space-time dimension which is extremely limited and where we die?
Another book that helped to round out some of this was a book "Hyperspace" by Kaku. This is written for the layperson, but is written from a secular perspective (so some of its conclusions I didn't agree with, although it occupied only a small part of the book). However, it helped to fill in some of the "holes" to round out my reading for fun on this subject.
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Summary: The Cosmos must have been created
Review: For many years I have believed that Scripture contradicts what is found in science. For this reason, I believed that scientists who do not believe in God, and vehemently oppose the concept of a God, must question the validity of findings that point to an origin for the universe. I'll summarize for all of his books here, because I don't remember which is which. They all sort of support each other. I would like to point out that Ross's primary goal with this book (and his others) is the demonstrate that our universe did, indeed, have a beginning. Einstein's theories have been proven beyond an inkling of a doubt, and those theories troubled Einstein himself. The origin of the universe. The concept is now a century old, and new research is only reinforcing the theory so that it is now, for all practical purposes, a proven fact. Another theory, that there are an infinite number of universes, and that our actions dictate our presence in one universe or another (as fantasized by sci-fi stories), has been proven wrong. It is now fairly well established that there is just one universe. This further erodes the chances for spontaneous life, because in the infinite universe theory, when infinity is involved, anything and everything will happen. Our universe had a beginning in the not-so distant past! It is not infinite, but expanding. COBE has measured the edges of the universe. Therefore, given the amount of time estimated for life to emerge, this universe--our universe--the only universe that physics points to--could not have evolved life spontaneously. Ross effectively teaches these concepts for the layman. The goal, of helping the reader to understand not ultimately how all the little details were worked out, but only that the universe had a beginning. That single concept is paramount! Without a beginning, there is no creator. With a beginning, there is a creator. Who knows what God really is? Who knows, really? The Bible was written by human beings. Anyone who has based their religion on the Bible must agree that the Bible is significant. How could so many individuals over so many centuries write such with such consistency? Do away with all biases toward your own religious beliefs--or lack thereof--and consider the value of the Bible for establishing values in life and as a historical text. Consider the age of it, and then compare modern scientific discoveries with the stories in the Bible. You will find no discrepancies. Take it at face value. We know that the universe and the earth is more than a few thousand years old. Therefore, what does Genesis really teach? How could ancient Hebrews have understood the concept of a billion, when their numbers did not go that high? The Old Testament Bible was written long ago, and is not a science text. We therefore should read it in that light. What does Genesis 1:2 really mean? For those who believe in God: Suffice it to say, Ross doesn't have all the answers, doesn't explain the meaning of the universe. But what he does do is help you to accept modern science and the teachings of our origins in the Bible. Ross's main point, and the one that I found most compelling is this: God does not lie. He created the universe as is. What we see is the real deal. God inspired the text in the Bible. Therefore, science must agree with the Bible. Accept the age of fossils and the apparently contradictory evidence that violent death happened before Adam and Eve, and that the world was full of life even while the two lived in the Garden of Eden. Do you really believe, as a good little Christian, that Noah ushered in behemoth dinosaurs onto the Ark? COME ON! The dinos were long gone by the time Adam and Eve came along. Within, the Garden was a haven. Outside Eden--the world was a harsh place. Death is a part of life. Lower lifeforms serve the higher lifeforms. That is just how the world works. Another of Ross's revelations is that of perspective--point of view. Genesis 1 and 2 take place inside the Garden. That which is described in those chapters is how life was inside the garden. Just like the 7 creation days are described from the point of view of the Spirit, near the surface of the earth. Not in space (as we might imagine the scene while reading it). From the surface of the Earth, as the atmosphere changed, the Sun, Moon, and stars appeared. How? Plant life and single-celled lifeforms, producing oxygen, clearing up the primordial atmosphere. Make no mistake!! Life could not have lived for even a single day without the sun! The temperature would have been hundreds of degrees below zero. Yes, even in that short amount of time. Why would God do it apparently backwards, creating Earth first, a frozen ball of ice, and then the Sun? No way. The oceans would have frozen over in an instant. Genesis is not contradictory. It clearly explains that God said "Let there be light!" He didn't say "Let there be the sun!" No. The sun was already there. What God did, at that point, was to say "Let the light shine through!" So let's just be practical, okay? God created the sun, moon, and stars long before the plants and animals. Perspective, which is a key aspect of the scientific method. Read Genesis 1 again, with this in mind, and you will see it is clear and wonderful. Ross clearly explains this. You will love this book! It's an eye opener.
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Summary: Crossing the Line Betwen Science and Theology
Review: I am a great fan of Hugh Ross and his books. They are always thought provoking and well written. This book, however, is one of those sad cases where a scientist plays theologian, with disasterous results. In this book, Ross puts limits and "dimensionality" on God. They are great and fantastic limits- but limits nonetheless. God and his attributes can be defined and understood within mathematical formulas that add 6+ dimensions to our 4 (length/width/heigth/time)and recent discoveries relating to Einsteins theory of relativity can mathematically make a case for the necessary existence of God. Sadly, the god defined in this book is one that has dimensional boundaries. The God Ross believes in (from the Bible) is transcendant, above all else- the God he defines in this book is encompassed withing created dimensions. Another problem arises from these "created dimensions" arising from the Big Bang- if God operates within them- what did He do before they existed? The logical conclusion would be "nothing" since He could not have. Science and Theology are two perfeclt legitimate realms of inquiry- not at all incompatible- but those trained in one often fall into trouble when making pronouncements about the other- this book is no exception. There is much in this book that is thought provoking, more along philosophic lines than scientific or Orthodox Christian Theology. I would recommend any of his other books,but not this one.
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Summary: Enlightening, exciting, and encouraging
Review: In "Beyond the Cosmos" Hugh Ross presents scientific findings that assist in explaining how certain Biblical statements and theology can be true. Ross gives no implication that the Bible is anything other than infallible, and he recognizes that science has not discovered all the answers. His attitude seems to be that because God created this universe, true scientific discoveries support that fact. As a Christian research chemist, I found the book enlightening, exciting, and encouraging.
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Summary: responce to "Just plain bad, April 16, 2002"
Review: in responce to Just plain bad, April 16, 2002
Reviewer: A reader from New York City, NY i havent read the book but i was reading review to see if i would be interested in it and you seem to have a problem with the author because of his interpretation of the fourth day of genesss. that it cant mean that the sun became visible but im going to have to argue against you on that one, first of all you have to go by the hebrew text, a lot can be learned from the writings that you wont find in any version of the bible from KJV to NIV, second an ancient kabalist and leading auhority on genesis (who used the bible to estimate the age of the universe and came out with an answer in agreement with current science) also interpreted the 4th day in tha manner. and that is before anyone had an idea that there was a time on earth that you couldnt see the sun.
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