suggested reading: science & Faith

 

 

The Language of God by Francis S. Collins

Recommended by Ken Wilson and Ray Befus

 

Dr. Francis S. Collins, the man at the helm of the Human Genome Project, doesn't think that science and faith are foes. In The Language of God, Collins describes how his Christian faith has worked in tandem with his search for scientific truth.

 

 

 

 

 

Understanding Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism by George M. Marsden

Recommended by Ken Wilson

 

In this historical overview of American fundamentalism and evangelicalism, Marsden provides an introduction to the growing religious movements and a deeper analysis of two themes that have been especially prominent and controversial in these traditions—views of science and views of politics.

 

 

 

Quantum Physics and Theology: An Unexpected Kinship

by John C. Polkinghorne

 

Science and theology have a cousinly relationship, John Polkinghorne contends in his latest thought-provoking book. From his unique perspective as both theoretical physicist and Anglican priest, Polkinghorne considers aspects of quantum physics and theology and demonstrates that the two truth-seeking enterprises are engaged in analogous rational techniques of inquiry.

 

 

The Knight's Move: The Relational Logic of the Spirit in Theology and Science by James E. Loder and W. Jim Neidhardt

Recommended by Mike Brooks

 

A theologian and a physicist search for common ground between their respective areas of inquiry. A challenging and academic book with a lot to offer.

 

 

 

 

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

 

Evolutionary theorist Richard Dawkins is not an atheist who sits quietly in the pews. He refuses to regard religion as mere harmless nonsense; he views it instead as one of humanity's most pernicious creations. In The God Delusion, Dawkins attacks arguments for the existence of God; accuses religions of fomenting divisiveness, war, and bigotry; and castigates believers in intelligent design.

 

 

 

Why God Won't Go Away by Andrew Newberg, Eugene D'Aquili & Vince Rause

Recommended by Ken Wilson

 

Why have we humans always longed to connect with something larger than ourselves? Why, in short, won’t God go away? In this groundbreaking new book, researchers Andrew Newberg and Eugene d’Aquili offer an explanation that is at once profoundly simple and scientifically precise: The religious impulse is rooted in the biology of the brain.

 

 

Galileo's Daughter by Dava Sobel

 

Deemed by Albert Einstein to be "the father of modern physics...of modern science altogether," the man who dropped cannonballs from the Tower or Pisa, improved the telescope to discover the moons of Jupiter, and defended Nicolaus Copernicus's theory of the Earth's orbit was, in his day, considered a heretic.

 

 

 

 

Serve God, Save the Planet by J. Matthew Sleeth, M.D.

 

J. Matthew Sleeth was living the American dream as a medical chief of staffuntil the increasing number of chronic illnesses he was witnessing gave him a new environmental awareness. In this book, Sleeth shares his familys journey to simplicity, stronger relationships, and richer spiritual lives, and relates a prescription for sustainable living.

 

 

 

 

Saving God's Green Earth by Tri Robinson & Jason Chatraw

Recommended by Ken Wilson

 

For hundreds of years, the church championed the beauty of God’s creation, demonstrating in many ways how it points to the Creator. However, over the last century, the evangelical church has let the value of caring for creation slip away. Author and pastor Tri Robinson makes a compelling case for the biblical mandate behind environmental stewardship and shows the church what it can do about this eroding value.

 

 

The Science of God by Gerald L. Schroeder

 

In The Science of God, distinguished physicist Gerald Schroeder offers a wide-ranging and brilliant discussion of such topics as free will, the development of the universe, the origin of life, and the origin of man, arguing that the latest science and a close reading of the Bible are not just compatible but interdependent.

 

 

 

 

The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene

 

In this excellent introduction to string theory (in its simplest form, the theory describes the ultimate matter of the universe as being more like vibrating strings than points of matter), Greene explains clearly its potential to alter our understanding of the universe -- perhaps revealing, for example, the existence of hidden extraspatial dimensions.

 

 

 

 

The Epic of Gilgamesh by Anonymous

Recommended by Emily Swan

 

While not technically a science book, this literary classic will challange your biblical timeline. It's the oldest known written story in human history, and contains characters remarkably similar to those in the Torah. It's one that caused me to wrestle with my faith in college and to reconsider how science and God fit together.