Signposts to God and More (RJS)

Last updated on: November 10, 2016 at 6:09 am by RJS

Signposts to God and More (RJS) 2016-11-09T20:48:55-06:00 RJS

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Books, books, books …

What is the best book you’ve read on Science and Christian faith?

It seems to be the season … not the holiday season, but the book season. I recently received three new books. Books by a physicist, a biologist (with training in theology as well), and a philosopher. All three tackle questions of science and Christian faith. Each of the three presents an interesting perspective – and I intend to dig into them more completely over the upcoming months.

Bussey Peter Bussey’s book, Signposts to God: How Modern Physics & Astronomy Point the Way to Belief, looks at evidence for the existence of God in the heavens. Bussey is an elementary particle physicist, currently at the University of Glasgow. He appears to address the question: Does science uncover evidence that the world is designed, i.e. evidence for the existence of God (or a god)? Bussey argues that the idea that science and faith are in conflict is grounded in two myths: The myth of social progress (we have outgrown religion – a way station in human development toward a more enlightened future) and and the myth of physicalism (it is naive to think that there is anything more to reality than that which can be revealed through the science of physics.) Biological sciences and chemical sciences are grounded in physics, but is this really all there is to life? Bussey explores ways that physics and astronomy point to something beyond the merely materialist view. Bussey’s book will provide an excellent opportunity to dig once more into natural theology and evidence for design in the universe.

Denis Lamoureux’s book, Evolution: Scripture and Nature Say Yes, builds on his strong background in biology and theology. His focus in this book, as in his others, is primarily on Scripture. Denis writes in an engaging style, opening with his story – dental school followed by a Ph.D. in theology and in biology – initially with the aim to refute the evolutionists who had destroyed his faith in college, but later to show that Christianity and evolutionary biology are not inherently in conflict.

The first chapter, Trapped in “Either/Or” Thinking sets the stage. Denis opens with the story of a student in class angry at her parents, Christian school, and pastors for teaching her that “Satan had concocted the so-called theory of evolution,” that she “had to choose between evolution and creation” and that “evolutionists cannot be true Christians.” He moves on to tell his story of being raised as a Christian, becoming and atheist in college, and returning to faith convinced that evolution was a lie against which Christians should battle. He went on to get a Ph. D. in theology, where he learned to view the Bible through eyes of faith, but more sophistication; after being shaken to the core by a revered professor: “one day after class I cornered my professor in a hallway and asked him directly, “What do you think about the idea that the world was created in six literal days about six thousand years ago?” He answered bluntly, “It is an error.” I can still remember how the word “error” rattled my soul. … This was the very first time in my life I had met a real Christian who said that creation in six days is wrong.” (p. 28) This was a first step toward understanding.

A second Ph.D. in biology focused on the evolution of the jaw convinced him that evolution is grounded in solid evidence. He started the journey with conviction of a call from the Lord to defeat evolution and defend (young earth) creation. He goes on: “In retrospect, I now see that God did indeed call me to attack atheistic interpretations of evolution and defend the belief that the world is his creation.” (p. 44) The mature call just didn’t take the form he had originally imagined. Lamoureux’s book is a bargain ($10.01 on pre-order at amazon) worth a careful look.

Stump The final book, Science and Christianity: An Introduction to the Issues by J. B. (Jim) Stump takes a philosopher’s perspective writing a book designed for use in college and university courses. This isn’t an overwhelming text book though, and Jim is an excellent writer. It is short – 180 pages – and an excellent introduction for Christian leaders at all levels, including (and perhaps most importantly) the local church. Jim’s intent is to introduce the interested reader to the various facets of the problem. This is not an apologetic for either Christian faith or for science.

Each chapter explicitly lists the questions to be addressed and concludes with a summary of the main points about these questions. For chapter 1: Conflict and Independence, the questions include:

What are the ways that scholars organize the relationship between science and Christianity?
What was the conflict between Galileo and the Church?
How can science and Christianity be seen as independent forms of inquiry?
What is the Two Books metaphor.

gal_earth_moon ds3 On the second question, Jim provides a perspective I hadn’t encountered before.

The offending beliefs in particular were the cosmological thesis that the earth moves and the methodological principle that the Bible is not a scientific authority.

The scientific conclusion that the earth moves was certainly jarring to the mindset of 17th century Christians. But perhaps more unsettling was the latter half of the charge – that the Bible should not be used as a scientific authority. …

Galileo thought he was mitigating the potential conflict between his scientific theories and the Bible by adopting a hermeneutic strategy that asserts an independence of the two. In his “Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina” he stated, “the intention of the Holy Ghost [in the role of the Bible’s author] is to teach how one goes to heaven, not how heaven goes” (Drake 1957, 186). In reality Galileo’s attempt to pull the rug out from under the conflict only intensified it. The problem resulted not because he claimed that some things in the Bible were not to be taken literally. That is a practice that had been accepted by the church since its inception. … The real source of conflict between science and Christianity in this episode was that Galileo, a scientist with only lay standing in the Church, was attempting to instruct others on how the Bible should be interpreted. That was the job of the church leaders. (p. 7-8)

Other authors have noted that, in making his arguments, Galileo was not exactly tactful, and his blunt and sarcastic style may have contributed to the conflict. But the idea that an implicit attack on authorities played a role makes some sense (especially when coupled to a lack of tact). Denis Lamoureux has a chapter on Galileo in his book providing us the opportunity to dig deeper in a future post. Many of Galileo’s views shape the church’s approach to science and Scripture today. And few would claim it wrong, much less heretical, to view the earth as rotating on its axis and orbiting the sun. We accept the view of gravity where less massive objects orbit the more massive objects.

All three books should help to shape good conversation. Join us as we work through them.

If you wish to contact me directly you may do so at rjs4mail[at]att.net

If interested you can subscribe to a full text feed of my posts at Musings on Science and Theology.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

November 10, 2016

Brueggemann's Economics: Law

Next Post

November 10, 2016 Gender Hierarchy in Genesis

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Acts of the Apostles Adam Advent Anabaptism Angels Anglican Apologetics Atonement Baptism BCP Prayers Bible Biblical Studies Birds Blogging Bloglossary Bonhoeffer Books Calvinism Christianity Church Church History Coffee Colossians Commentary Recs Conversion Creation Creeds Culture Death Ecclesiastes Economics Education Embracing Grace Emergent Emerging Movement Eschatology Essays Ethics Eucharist Evangelicalism Family Fasting Fathers Fellowship of Differents Footsteps Tour Fun and Whimsical Gospel Grace Happiness Heaven Hell Holy Spirit Irenaeus James Jesus Jesus Creed Job Justification Kingdom of God Law Lectures Lent Liberalism Love and Marriage Mabanteneni Manhood Mary Miracles Missio Alliance MissioLife Missional Missional Jesus Movies and Film New Perspective Northern Seminary OneLife Origins Project Orthodox Parables Pastor's Spouse Pastoring and Leading Pastoring and Preaching Patristics Paul Paul-John Tour Pharisees Pietism Political Theology Prayer and Formation Preaching Problems for Faith Psalm 119 Psalms Public Issues Purgatory Religions Resurrection Revelation Romans Rule of JCreed Science and Faith Sermon on the Mount Sports Ten Commandments Theology Third Way Top Ten Lists Translations Uncategorized Universalism University Ministry Way Out Weekly Meanderings Wisdom Women and Ministry Work Worship Writing & Blogging Youth Ministry

Select a Month July 2021 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 0000

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was the mother of Samuel?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Deborah Rebekah Hannah Ruth