Science and Faith: An Evangelical Dialogue

Rating:
Summary: "Science and Faith" Treats Both Fairly
Review: Readers interested in a fair-minded treatment of the relationship of faith and science will find this a most helpful volume. Written by a chemistry professor (Davis) and a theologian (Poe), the book provides a useful survey of critical issues concerning the relationship of science and faith. Although both writers are evangelical Christians, their approach will be valued by readers from other perspectives, since they demonstrate a commitment to treat both science and faith seriously and fairly.

Rating:
Summary: Thought-provoking both scientifically and theologically
Review: This book was conceived through everyday conversation about science and faith between two friends. Questions included how knowledge is achieved, what kind of universe exists, where we come from, what can be known with certainty, and what happens when order becomes disorder, all of which should be answerable through the use of the scientific method and through reading the Bible. However, as theologian Poe and scientist Davis discovered, the additional difficult factor of "why" makes pure scientific proof unpredictable and accepted theology difficult to comprehend under certain circumstances. The authors of this stimulating and provocative book attempt to illustrate that science and religion cannot exist entirely apart from each other in idealistic form nor can they exist in conflict. They must coexist through knowledge and values, through the physical and through theory, evidencing that contradictory evidence may be needed in order to view all aspects of a situation.

Though the book is a scholarly work, it is easy to read and includes illustrations, down-to-earth analogies, excellent scientific summaries of difficult concepts, philosophies of classicists as well as those of Christian and other world faiths, helpful linguistic explanations of original Hebrew text, biblical references, an index, and endnotes for the encouragement of further reading. Though words were well-defined in the text, an additional glossary of terms would have been helpful for the serious reader.

The book takes the format of a scientific worldview, followed by theological debate and commentary, and is resolved through dialogue between the two for such complicated issues as creation, quantum physics, the chaotic theory, the Incarnation, why bad things happen to good people, eschatology, the metaphorical use of light vs. darkness, and the Trinity. Once an idea was discussed, it was referred to in later chapters, reinforcing previous discussion and allowing the reader to recognize the fact that the dialogue continues ad infinitum.

Though I do not purport to be a scientist nor a theologian, the book was intriguing and thought-provoking to me, and it sparked a new interest in the connectivity of all disciplines. The authors were careful not to attempt to answer life's difficult questions but rather to present historical scientific events and conflicting theological concepts, attesting that science and ideas can be used for the betterment or for the detriment of our world. It was left to the reader to interpret his or her own beliefs. The book will be of interest to the avid student of any discipline who wonders about the existence of life and its place in time and space.

Rating:
Summary: Thought-provoking both scientifically and theologically
Review: This book was conceived through everyday conversation about science and faith between two friends. Questions included how knowledge is achieved, what kind of universe exists, where we come from, what can be known with certainty, and what happens when order becomes disorder, all of which should be answerable through the use of the scientific method and through reading the Bible. However, as theologian Poe and scientist Davis discovered, the additional difficult factor of "why" makes pure scientific proof unpredictable and accepted theology difficult to comprehend under certain circumstances. The authors of this stimulating and provocative book attempt to illustrate that science and religion cannot exist entirely apart from each other in idealistic form nor can they exist in conflict. They must coexist through knowledge and values, through the physical and through theory, evidencing that contradictory evidence may be needed in order to view all aspects of a situation.

Though the book is a scholarly work, it is easy to read and includes illustrations, down-to-earth analogies, excellent scientific summaries of difficult concepts, philosophies of classicists as well as those of Christian and other world faiths, helpful linguistic explanations of original Hebrew text, biblical references, an index, and endnotes for the encouragement of further reading. Though words were well-defined in the text, an additional glossary of terms would have been helpful for the serious reader.

The book takes the format of a scientific worldview, followed by theological debate and commentary, and is resolved through dialogue between the two for such complicated issues as creation, quantum physics, the chaotic theory, the Incarnation, why bad things happen to good people, eschatology, the metaphorical use of light vs. darkness, and the Trinity. Once an idea was discussed, it was referred to in later chapters, reinforcing previous discussion and allowing the reader to recognize the fact that the dialogue continues ad infinitum.

Though I do not purport to be a scientist nor a theologian, the book was intriguing and thought-provoking to me, and it sparked a new interest in the connectivity of all disciplines. The authors were careful not to attempt to answer life's difficult questions but rather to present historical scientific events and conflicting theological concepts, attesting that science and ideas can be used for the betterment or for the detriment of our world. It was left to the reader to interpret his or her own beliefs. The book will be of interest to the avid student of any discipline who wonders about the existence of life and its place in time and space.