Science and Religion

Coming to Peace With Science: Bridging the Worlds Between Faith and Biology

by Darrel R. Falk

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"As I write this review, I am team teaching with a colleague from the Biology department at Ottawa University in Ottawa, KS. The course we are teaching is one on Intelligent Design. With all the furor over the Kansas State Board of Education's revision of science curriculum, this course is timely, to say the least. As part of our course material, we are attempting to articulate the debate in the broader terms of the science/religion dispute set in the context of differing worldviews. One important area of all of this investigation is the issue of the confrontation between evolutionists and creationists. Must they be opponents, even enemies? Falk say no.

Our author writes from an Evangelical Christian viewpoint. He is clear about his faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and how the first chapters of Genesis are a great hymn celebrating-though not literally- God's creation of the world. He arrives at this conclusion about the creation account from the evidence science has amassed about the age and development of the universe. One of the strengths of this book is Falk's discussion of fossil evidence, geological evidence and genetic theory. These discussions are supplemented by graphs and pictures that are helpful. Since I am trained in theology and not science, I found these parts of the book enlightening without being condescending.

Falk, who has taught biology for over 20 years, supports the idea that species developed gradually, including humans. And he sees no conflict between faith and the naturalist's view of our world. Overall, he appears to attempt to write within the worldview that science should not be depended on to point a person of faith to God and science must realize that it is not equipped to discover the supernatural.

Falk delves into theological issues such as where does death enter in the story, if indeed, animals died before the appearance of humans. Also, he spends 10-15 pages on the question of how humans were created. He shares that there are alternative ways to interpet the picture in Genesis 2-literal and figurative-though he readily admits science cannot answer the `when' or the `how' of the spiritual side of human creation.

Falk is clear to point out that Christianity has been too quick and too harsh to push science away. But he is also intent to bring an end to the war between the opposing camps in Christianity, between those who hold to a literal view of creation as opposed to a gradual creation on the part of God. In some sense his book is a positive addition to the discussion. To see a Christian biologist hold to his faith and to evolution without a crisis developing in his thinking is hopeful. But his book also affirms (at least in my mind) that the two disciplines will never be compatible. Not that they must remain antagonistic toward one another but simply they ask two different sets of questions.

Regardless of my final observation I recommend Falk's book for those interested in the science and religion debate. "

Publisher: InterVarsity Press | More reviews: amazon.com

God and the New Atheism: A Critical Response to Dawkins, Harris, and Hitchens

by John F. Haught

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"In his new book God and the New Atheism John Haught does not directly refute any of the claims of what he is pleased to call "the new atheists" ie Dawkins, Harris and Hitchens. Instead he brings up several old, tired truth claims for religion. To wit;

1. "Science requires as much `faith' as religion does." Haught obviously doesn't understand science when he says something like that. There is zero `faith' in science. Every thing in science is held tentatively, even the scientific method. If a demonstrably better system comes along, scientists will adopt it long before theologians do. Until that happens the scientific method is the best way that we have of assessing the truth of claims. No scientist has `faith' in science. On the contrary, skepticism is the engine that drives science. There is only one assumption underlying science and that that the universe is `knowable' and even this basic assumption is constantly being tested. So far that assumption is holding up but if it can be shown to be false then theologians are in more trouble than scientists are.
2. "The new atheists are intolerant and want to destroy religion." When you turn on a light do you destroy darkness? When you teach a person to read do you destroy illiteracy? When you point out that superstition doesn't work are you destroying `faith'? I suppose that in a sense, Haught is right. The new atheists do seem to be intolerant of darkness, illiteracy and superstition.
3. "The new atheists have not studied the classical religious apologists such as Tillich, Bultmann, Ricoeur, McFague and Pannenberg." This may or may not be true. I suspect that it is not true but the new atheists don't spend much time on these scholars. Tillich, Bultmann, et al start with the assumption that gods exist and then go on from there to fill volume after volume with descriptions of the properties of these hypothesized gods. P. Z. Meyers answered this claim very well with the courtier's response which says (if I may be allowed to paraphrase) it is not necessary to spend years studying the finer nuances of high fashion in order to see that the emperor has no clothes.
4. "Atheism leads inexorably to nihilism". Haught's understanding of Nietzsche is as poor as his understanding of science. Nietzsche was horrified by the void that would be created upon the death of God. However Nietzsche worked through this frightening realization and came up with the saying "say yes to life". Subsequent existentialist thinkers expanded upon this theme to show that giving up superstition is actually quite liberating once you give it a try.

To his credit, Haught admits that it is possible to be moral even without belief in gods but in doing so he destroys the last justification for that belief. So the book is not totally without merit. If I were Dawkins et al I would insist that Haught's book be bundled with mine as a concrete example of just how weak and tired the best of the apologists are.
"

Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press | More reviews: amazon.com

God's Undertaker: Has Science Buried God?

by John Lennox

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"John Lennox, who teaches mathematics and philosophy of science at Oxford University, comes out of the closet as a "creationist" (some will say) in this incisive and readable book. That is to say, not only does he place theoretical limits on the "magisteria" of science, he also finds positive empirical limits to what physics and biology can in fact explain about our strange, glorious, troubling cosmos.

I haven't read Lennox' previous books, so I don't know how far he has gone this way before, but it seems a gutsy move. (When he begins the section on biology, aware of the acrimony that has surrounded the evolution debate, he taps out his own tongue in cheek epitath: "Here lies the body of John Lennox . . . ") Oxford was once the home of Wesley and Boyle and Lewis, but Richard Dawkins casts a shadow there now -- one member of the science faculty told me maybe 60% of his colleagues agree more or less with Dawkins, whether they've read him or not. And unlike Alister McGrath (who however has the class and good taste to recommend this book), Lennox is more in the Intelligent Design camp than "theistic evolution" or "biologos." But the term "camp" here is misleading: to Lennox, the search for truth seems less a "darwinian" competition between fortified and hostile foes lobbying shells at one another, but as a genial and informed dialectical journey among pilgrims.

The book covers all the main questions: the nature of science, origin of the universe, anthropic "coincidences," origin of life, mutations, fossils. Lennox dialogues with Dawkins, as one would expect, and with many leading scientific thinkers. The prose is clear as a mountain creek tumbling over stones.

The main weakness of the book, in my view, has to do with Lennox' discussion of Intelligent Design. Here he quotes a number of people -- Michael Behe, Stephen Meyer, Hugh Ross -- who are in the eyes of many skeptics highly controversial. I don't mind that -- I spent a couple months defending Behe against some rather savage and unfair attacks, so I appreciate his ability to shrug off the jihadist strand of evolutionary apologetics. But I do think Lennox needs to interact with more serious critics at this point a bit more, to establish his arguments. Still, he goes into far more detail than Dawkins on this issue.

In short, this is an excellent contribution to the "God" debates. Readers may also enjoy my new book, The Truth Behind the New Atheism, which responds to Dawkins, Harris, Dennett and Hitchens on a variety of topics, including some covered in this book. "

Publisher: Lion Books | More reviews: amazon.com

Why Religion Matters: The Fate of the Human Spirit in an Age of Disbelief

by Huston Smith

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"I loved this book. I totally agree with Smith's statement that "Built into the human makeup is a longing for 'more' and I agree that religion does matter; however, I also understand why we live in an age of disbelief. So many antiquated religion concepts are difficult for modern men and women to accept. I recently came across a book An Encounter With A Prophet which seems to solve this problem and I would highly recommend it to those seeking the something more but unable to blindly accept religious dogma."

Publisher: HarperOne | More reviews: amazon.com

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Darwinism and Intelligent Design

by Jonathan Wells

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"Recently (August 22, 2006) a short letter of mine was published in The New York Times. The letter criticized a boilerplate, straw man attack on intelligent design written by a crusading Darwinist--an all too common occurence, sadly. I received two letters castigating my audacity in criticizing Darwin.

One letter claimed that no amount of empirical evidence could support design because design is not a physical property. Exactly so. This confirmed my letter's comment that opposition to ID is based on methodological naturalism: no intelligent causes are allowed in the game. Why is this? It is because this is how they--the Darwinian priesthood--set up the rules (dogma). In other words, the question is begged. That is a fallacy.

Another letter accused ID proponents of Lysenkoism; that is, they would get their way by strong arm tactics, as did the Soviet state which shut down dissent to his ideas in the old USSR. I wrote back saying that the Darwinists are the real Lysenkoists, since they constantly censor ID from being presented in public institutions and attack ID proponents personally. (Wells gives plentiful evidence for that.) Moreover, ID people have never advocated banning the teaching of Darwinism. They only want to allow it to be challenged with scientific evidence to the contrary. (Wells also demonstrates that Lysenko, common opinion to the contrary, did not oppose Darwinism, but rather Mendelian genetics.)

These letters highlight just some of the wrongheaded responses of Darwinists against ID. Wells addresses all the rest, such as:

1. ID is religious, not scientific.
2. ID is the same as creationism.
3. ID makes no scientific predictions and is not testable.
4. ID proponents want to restrict the teaching of Darwinism.
5. No ID arguments have been published in peer review literature.

But Wells also presents the positive case for ID with clarity, logic, and ample documentation. He thoroughly and engagingly explains some of the more rarified ID concepts, such as specified complexity, with aplomb but never glibly. (Don't let the title of this book deceive you; it is never flippant lacking in appropriate argumentation.) Wells also repeatedly skewers Darwinian fallacies. My favorite fallacy is the claim that ID is not testable, but that all the evidence is against it. If it is not testable, then no evidence could be marshaled for it or against it.

Wells covers the whole spectrum of issues related to Darwinism and ID: scientific, philosophical, cultural, and political. His concluding chapter predicts the eventual ascendance of ID over Darwinism, given the strength of its evidence and the unimpressive strategies of its antagonists.

This book is ideal for the neophyte who wants to get to the bottom of the debate. However, the more seasoned reader (such as myself) will also benefit from some new ideas she might have missed in her other reading as well as from the sheer pleasure of reading such a well-crafted and timely presentation. "

Publisher: Regnery Publishing, Inc. | More reviews: amazon.com

Ancestral Grace: Meeting God in Our Human Story

by Diarmuid O'Murchu

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"We have the records that Humanity has been around for much more than six thousand years, contrary to the literal interpretation of the Bible. "Ancestral Grace: Meeting God in Our Human Story" comes with a different perspective on God which blends the beliefs of many religions with what humanity knows as a science. Thought provoking, well researched, and with a new approach, "Ancestral Grace" is surely worth reading for those trying to balance their faith with logic. "

Publisher: Orbis Books | More reviews: amazon.com

Monkey Girl: Evolution, Education, Religion, and the Battle for America's Soul

by Edward Humes

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"It appears that the "culture wars" are playing out even in these reviews, and it doesn't seem likely that we'll get any neutral observations. I wonder if people who gave it poor reviews even read it. To my mind, "Monkey Girl" is about as fair to both sides as you can get,... but the trial was a slam-dunk, after all. If you read the book without any pre-conceived ideas, I think you'll be amazed at how sympathetic - and how understandable - the author really is.

More importantly, perhaps, the writing is superb. I have rarely read a non-fiction book that kept my attention as well as this one. Honestly, I could not put it down. It covers not just the famous Kitzmiller v. Dover trial, but the situation leading up to the trial, including background on the entire evolution-creationism war. I learned a great deal from the book, while being even more greatly entertained by it.

If you're interested at all in our public schools, I strongly recommend this book. If you're on a school board, you NEED to read this book. Frankly, I think that nearly everyone should read it, simply because it explains the whole controversy so well - and explains the science, the history, and the politics behind it - while being such a darn good read. It WILL keep your attention. Highly recommended!"

Publisher: Harper Perennial | More reviews: amazon.com

In the Beginning: Compelling Evidence for Creation and the Flood (8th Edition)

by Walt Brown

In this expanded 8th edition, evidence that revolutionizes our understanding of origins is carefully explained. Part I discusses, in quick overview, 131 categories of evidence from biology, astronomy, earth science, and the physical sciences. Part II describes the hydroplate theory, developed during 35 years of study and research by Walt Brown. This theory explains a catastrophic event in Earth's history and solves a host of recognized problems. Some chapters in Part II deal with: the origin of the Grand Canyon, evidence that shows comets, asteroids, and meteroids came from Earth. the sudden freezing and burial of the frozen mammoths, if there was a global flood, where the water came from and where it went, and how mountain ranges, volcanoes, submarine canyons, ocean trenches, and coal and oil deposits were formed. Thirty-seven other frequently asked questions fill a fascinating Part III of Brown's book. A few of those questions are: Is global warming occurring? If so, what causes it? Have scientific tools detected genetic traces of Adam and Eve within us? How accurate is radiocarbon dating? What about the dinosaurs? What hydroplate theory predictions have been confirmed? Is evolution compatible with the Bible?

Publisher: Center for Scientific Creation | More reviews: amazon.com

A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists: Musings on Why God Is Good and Faith Isn't Evil

by David G. Myers

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"Dr. David Myers easily could rest on his laurels as the author of the most widely studied psychology text on college campuses. In fact, much of his time is consumed, these days, researching the cutting edge of psychological research to prepare future editions of his textbooks.

But, in his mid-60s, his lifetime as a scholar, a teacher and a man of deep faith has driven him toward another vocation: Building bridges that may help millions of us to cross over the social chasms of our age.

This includes his work on improving conditions in public places for hearing-impaired people and encouraging a fresh discussion between gay and heterosexual people over faith. If you're interested in those themes, take a look at his earlier books, "A Quiet World: Living with Hearing Loss" and "What God Has Joined Together: The Christian Case for Gay Marriage."

Dr. Myers is an equal-opportunity bridge builder. His eye, his mind and his heart all are focused on the timeless promise of compassionate community that lies at the heart of nearly all of our faith traditions. What fuels his work, year after year, is his vision of what he calls "human flourishing by making sense of the universe, giving meaning to life, connecting us in supportive communities, mandating altruism and offering hope in the face of adversity and death."

That's a pretty good summary of the purpose of faith, right? He's really preaching a message that's universal. Who could disagree with these goals?

And yet -we do find so many issues around which we want to hunker down and dig deep trenches between "us" and "them."

What's so fascinating in recent years is that people of faith suddenly discovered that an influential group of best-selling writers, commonly called "the new atheists," had completely outflanked the religious community. These elite writers are digging their own trenches to separate their new circle of voices from the religious community they seem to despise.

One thing you must understand about Dr. Myers -- and I know this from talking with him and occasionally interviewing him in depth over the years -- is that he's got a boundless, constructive optimism in the way he approaches all questions. In short, think of Mister Rogers.

About the same time as the release of Myers' book, Michael Novak released "No One Sees God: The Dark Night of Atheists and Believers," a book with a similar purpose -- a full-scale response to the new atheists. Novak's book also is a good read on these issues, raising fresh examples and arguments that are different in a number of ways from Myers' own approaches. But the central difference here, I think, is that Novak's book is more muscular, more strident, more the voice of a debater in a TV studio. Novak's book is more Catholic in its cultural references; Myers' is more mainline Protestant.

Both books are good choices, if you're an individual reader wanting to weigh both sides in this fascinating debate. If you're looking for material to read in a small discussion group and you're making a choice between Novak and Myers, then you'll probably find Myers' book, as the title says, more "Friendly." "

Publisher: Jossey-Bass | More reviews: amazon.com

Bioethics: A Primer For Christians

by Gilbert Meilaender

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"This book is an overview, from a Christian perspective, of some of the current issues in clinical ethics or bioethics. While Dr Meilanader's viewpoint may differ significantly from that of many evangelical Christians or Catholics, his application of Christian principles to bioethical questions is very well done. I would strongly recommend this book to those interested in beginning to learn about issues in bioethics with a particular emphasis on the Christian perspective. For those interested in a deeper look at the issues, this book would serve only as an introduction."

Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company | More reviews: amazon.com