Faith, Science and Understanding
Encyclopedia
Faith, Science, and Understanding is a book by John Polkinghorne
which explores aspects of the integration between science and theology. It is based on lectures he gave at Nottingham University and Yale
and on some other papers.
ISBN 0300083726 and issued in paperback in 2001 ISBN 978-0300091281. There are 17 citations in Google Scholar http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&cites=10720196843939906329
In 2. Motivations for Belief he rejects simplistic accounts of science, commending instead the approach of Michael Polanyi
. He points out that the laws of nature operate all the time, but that understanding is only possible if we have access to regimes that are particularly transparent to our enquiry (p36) and suggests that God is always there, but there have been particular moments in history that have been unusually open to the divine presence, and that Scripture is evidence, the record of foundational spiritual experience (p37). He expounds the doctrine of the Trinity
and commends John Zizioulas
's Being as Communion.
In 3. The Role of Revelation he suggests that "revelation bears an analogy with the role played by observations and experiment in science" and that the pursuit of simplicity through studying extreme conditions (such as Deep inelastic scattering
) is an important part of science. He also suggests that the fact that the Bible is still read with attention and spiritual profit by so many people so long after it was written is a fact that should be taken into account. (p56)
In 4. Design in Biology? he discusses the Anthropic Principle
and in addition to the well-explored physicist perspective he commends the explorations of Michael Denton
of properties of the physical world that seem to be tuned to life's necessities and the Nobel-prizewinner Christian de Duve
's assertion "to Monod
's famous sentence 'The universe was not pregnant with life, nor the biosphere with man,' I reply: 'You are wrong. they were.'" and also discusses with caution Michael Behe
's claims about irreducible complexity
.
In 5. Second Thoughts he modifies some of his earlier positions somewhat, especially in relation to multiverse
theory.
In 6. Kenotic Creation and Divine Action he discusses Arthur Peacocke
and the nature of causality
In 7. Natural Science Temporality and Divine Action he identifies "four different metascientific accounts of the nature of time, each claiming to derive from contemporary physics"
In 8. Contemporaries he discusses the ideas of Wolfhart Pannenberg
, Thomas Torrance
and Paul Davies
In 9. Science and Theology in England he sketches "the long English history of interaction between theology and science" from Robert Grosseteste
via Francis Bacon
, Thomas Browne
and Robert Boyle
, citing Charles Kingsley
, Aubrey Moore
and Frederick Temple
who "all played an important part in welcoming the insights of Charles Darwin
" and noting that the great British physicists of the 19th Century "Faraday
, Maxwell
, Kelvin
and Stokes
were all men of deep religious faith" (p198). He "feels that every German theologian writes with Kant
looking over one shoulder and Hegel looking over another" whereas the English "tend to enjoy a more relaxed relationship with philosophy"(p202)
John Polkinghorne
John Charlton Polkinghorne KBE FRS is an English theoretical physicist, theologian, writer, and Anglican priest. He was professor of Mathematical physics at the University of Cambridge from 1968 to 1979, when he resigned his chair to study for the priesthood, becoming an ordained Anglican priest...
which explores aspects of the integration between science and theology. It is based on lectures he gave at Nottingham University and Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
and on some other papers.
Publication Information
It was published in 2000 by Yale University PressYale University Press
Yale University Press is a book publisher founded in 1908 by George Parmly Day. It became an official department of Yale University in 1961, but remains financially and operationally autonomous....
ISBN 0300083726 and issued in paperback in 2001 ISBN 978-0300091281. There are 17 citations in Google Scholar http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&cites=10720196843939906329
Synopsis
In 1. Theology in the University Polkinghorne suggests that "the essential purpose of a University is the discovery and propagation of knowledge"(p4) and that universities are institutionalised expressions of the beliefs in the value of knowledge for knowledge's sake and the essential unity of all knowledge. He says that quantum theory illustrates the principle "Do not make common sense the measure of everything but be prepared to recognise aspects of reality in those modes that are intrinsic to their natures, however strange these modes may at first sight be."(p7). He argues that personal experience is a fundamental aspect of reality and that the human intuition of an infinite Reality is another fact about humanity and that one of the roles of theology is the intellectual study of the religious dimension of personal experience (p19), whilst theological metaphysics can offer a more profound understanding of reality (p22)In 2. Motivations for Belief he rejects simplistic accounts of science, commending instead the approach of Michael Polanyi
Michael Polanyi
Michael Polanyi, FRS was a Hungarian–British polymath, who made important theoretical contributions to physical chemistry, economics, and the theory of knowledge...
. He points out that the laws of nature operate all the time, but that understanding is only possible if we have access to regimes that are particularly transparent to our enquiry (p36) and suggests that God is always there, but there have been particular moments in history that have been unusually open to the divine presence, and that Scripture is evidence, the record of foundational spiritual experience (p37). He expounds the doctrine of the Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
and commends John Zizioulas
John Zizioulas
John Zizioulas is the Eastern Orthodox metropolitan of Pergamon. He is the Chairman of the Academy of Athens and a noted theologian.-Academic Education and Career:...
's Being as Communion.
In 3. The Role of Revelation he suggests that "revelation bears an analogy with the role played by observations and experiment in science" and that the pursuit of simplicity through studying extreme conditions (such as Deep inelastic scattering
Deep Inelastic Scattering
Deep inelastic scattering is the name given to a process used to probe the insides of hadrons , using electrons, muons and neutrinos. It provided the first convincing evidence of the reality of quarks, which up until that point had been considered by many to be a purely mathematical phenomenon...
) is an important part of science. He also suggests that the fact that the Bible is still read with attention and spiritual profit by so many people so long after it was written is a fact that should be taken into account. (p56)
In 4. Design in Biology? he discusses the Anthropic Principle
Anthropic principle
In astrophysics and cosmology, the anthropic principle is the philosophical argument that observations of the physical Universe must be compatible with the conscious life that observes it. Some proponents of the argument reason that it explains why the Universe has the age and the fundamental...
and in addition to the well-explored physicist perspective he commends the explorations of Michael Denton
Michael Denton
Michael John Denton is a British-Australian author and biochemist. In 1973, Denton received his PhD in Biochemistry from King's College London.-Biography:...
of properties of the physical world that seem to be tuned to life's necessities and the Nobel-prizewinner Christian de Duve
Christian de Duve
Christian René, viscount de Duve is a Nobel Prize-winning cytologist and biochemist. De Duve was born in Thames Ditton, Surrey, Great Britain, as a son of Belgian refugees. They returned to Belgium in 1920...
's assertion "to Monod
Jacques Monod
Jacques Lucien Monod was a French biologist who was awarded a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1965, sharing it with François Jacob and Andre Lwoff "for their discoveries concerning genetic control of enzyme and virus synthesis"...
's famous sentence 'The universe was not pregnant with life, nor the biosphere with man,' I reply: 'You are wrong. they were.'" and also discusses with caution Michael Behe
Michael Behe
Michael J. Behe is an American biochemist, author, and intelligent design advocate. He currently serves as professor of biochemistry at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and as a senior fellow of the Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture...
's claims about irreducible complexity
Irreducible complexity
Irreducible complexity is an argument by proponents of intelligent design that certain biological systems are too complex to have evolved from simpler, or "less complete" predecessors, through natural selection acting upon a series of advantageous naturally occurring, chance mutations...
.
In 5. Second Thoughts he modifies some of his earlier positions somewhat, especially in relation to multiverse
Multiverse
The multiverse is the hypothetical set of multiple possible universes that together comprise all of reality.Multiverse may also refer to:-In fiction:* Multiverse , the fictional multiverse used by DC Comics...
theory.
In 6. Kenotic Creation and Divine Action he discusses Arthur Peacocke
Arthur Peacocke
The Reverend Canon Arthur Robert Peacocke MBE was a British theologian and biochemist.-Biography:Arthur Robert Peacocke was born at Watford in on 29 November 1924...
and the nature of causality
In 7. Natural Science Temporality and Divine Action he identifies "four different metascientific accounts of the nature of time, each claiming to derive from contemporary physics"
In 8. Contemporaries he discusses the ideas of Wolfhart Pannenberg
Wolfhart Pannenberg
Wolfhart Pannenberg is a German Christian theologian. His emphasis on history as revelation, centred on the Resurrection of Christ, has proved important in stimulating debate in both Protestant and Catholic theology, as well as with non-Christian thinkers.-Life and views:Pannenberg was baptized as...
, Thomas Torrance
Thomas Torrance
Thomas Forsyth Torrance was a 20th century Protestant Christian theologian who served for 27 years as Professor of Christian Dogmatics at New College, Edinburgh in the University of Edinburgh, during which time he was a leader in Protestant Christian theology...
and Paul Davies
Paul Davies
Paul Charles William Davies, AM is an English physicist, writer and broadcaster, currently a professor at Arizona State University as well as the Director of BEYOND: Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science...
In 9. Science and Theology in England he sketches "the long English history of interaction between theology and science" from Robert Grosseteste
Robert Grosseteste
Robert Grosseteste or Grossetete was an English statesman, scholastic philosopher, theologian and Bishop of Lincoln. He was born of humble parents at Stradbroke in Suffolk. A.C...
via Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Albans, KC was an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, author and pioneer of the scientific method. He served both as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England...
, Thomas Browne
Thomas Browne
Sir Thomas Browne was an English author of varied works which reveal his wide learning in diverse fields including medicine, religion, science and the esoteric....
and Robert Boyle
Robert Boyle
Robert Boyle FRS was a 17th century natural philosopher, chemist, physicist, and inventor, also noted for his writings in theology. He has been variously described as English, Irish, or Anglo-Irish, his father having come to Ireland from England during the time of the English plantations of...
, citing Charles Kingsley
Charles Kingsley
Charles Kingsley was an English priest of the Church of England, university professor, historian and novelist, particularly associated with the West Country and northeast Hampshire.-Life and character:...
, Aubrey Moore
Aubrey Moore
Aubrey Lackington Moore was one of the first Christian Darwinians. He has been described as "the clergyman who more than any other man was responsible for breaking down the antagonisms towards Evolution then widely felt in the English Church"....
and Frederick Temple
Frederick Temple
Frederick Temple was an English academic, teacher, churchman and Archbishop of Canterbury from 1896 until his death.-Early life:...
who "all played an important part in welcoming the insights of Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
" and noting that the great British physicists of the 19th Century "Faraday
Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday, FRS was an English chemist and physicist who contributed to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry....
, Maxwell
James Clerk Maxwell
James Clerk Maxwell of Glenlair was a Scottish physicist and mathematician. His most prominent achievement was formulating classical electromagnetic theory. This united all previously unrelated observations, experiments and equations of electricity, magnetism and optics into a consistent theory...
, Kelvin
Kelvin
The kelvin is a unit of measurement for temperature. It is one of the seven base units in the International System of Units and is assigned the unit symbol K. The Kelvin scale is an absolute, thermodynamic temperature scale using as its null point absolute zero, the temperature at which all...
and Stokes
George Gabriel Stokes
Sir George Gabriel Stokes, 1st Baronet FRS , was an Irish mathematician and physicist, who at Cambridge made important contributions to fluid dynamics , optics, and mathematical physics...
were all men of deep religious faith" (p198). He "feels that every German theologian writes with Kant
KANT
KANT is a computer algebra system for mathematicians interested in algebraic number theory, performing sophisticated computations in algebraic number fields, in global function fields, and in local fields. KASH is the associated command line interface...
looking over one shoulder and Hegel looking over another" whereas the English "tend to enjoy a more relaxed relationship with philosophy"(p202)
Reviews and Comment
- Review by Prof Tom McLiesh for the Institute of PhysicsInstitute of PhysicsThe Institute of Physics is a scientific charity devoted to increasing the practice, understanding and application of physics. It has a worldwide membership of around 40,000....
IoP Physics Web - “Polkinghorne is eminently qualified to write on theology and science...[he] strongly argues theology's place in the postmodern university, drawing attention to its methodological affinity with the natural sciences. In both, he insists on a "bottom up" approach—that is, more pragmatic than systematic—in which biblical material and creation are read as evidence, not simply as revelation. Later, he locates himself in a group of scientist-theologians that includes Ian BarbourIan BarbourIan Graeme Barbour, born 5 October 1923, is an American scholar on the relationship between science and religion. According to the Public Broadcasting Service his mid-1960s Issues in Science and Religion "has been credited with literally creating the contemporary field of science and religion."In...
and Arthur PeacockeArthur PeacockeThe Reverend Canon Arthur Robert Peacocke MBE was a British theologian and biochemist.-Biography:Arthur Robert Peacocke was born at Watford in on 29 November 1924...
...[and] critically reviews Wolfhart PannenbergWolfhart PannenbergWolfhart Pannenberg is a German Christian theologian. His emphasis on history as revelation, centred on the Resurrection of Christ, has proved important in stimulating debate in both Protestant and Catholic theology, as well as with non-Christian thinkers.-Life and views:Pannenberg was baptized as...
and Thomas TorranceThomas TorranceThomas Forsyth Torrance was a 20th century Protestant Christian theologian who served for 27 years as Professor of Christian Dogmatics at New College, Edinburgh in the University of Edinburgh, during which time he was a leader in Protestant Christian theology...
...The concluding chapter is a concise history of science and theology in England that corrects popular distortions connected with the reception and continuing influence of Darwin...an engaging discussion of an important, little understood disciplinary intersection as well as a congenial point of entry into Polkinghorne's influential work.” Steven Schroeder— BooklistBooklistBooklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. It is geared toward libraries and booksellers and is available in print or online... - “I can’t imagine anyone more qualified to write about science and theology than John Polkinghorne. This is a lively account of his intellectual and theological journey.”— Thomas Appelquist, Yale University
- “Irrespective one’s religious belief or non-belief, this book provides intellectual stimulation of a high order.”—Henry H. Bauer, Journal of Scientific ExplorationJournal of Scientific ExplorationThe Journal of Scientific Exploration is a quarterly scientific journal of fringe science published by the Society for Scientific Exploration that was established in 1987...
- “A gentle discourse, very thoughtful and very English, on the relationship between physics and theology. . . . Worthwhile and intelligent: Polkinghorne has the courage and the ambition to stroll onto a field where most would fear to tread.”—Kirkus Reviews
- “A welcome addition to university or seminary libraries.”— Library JournalLibrary JournalLibrary Journal is a trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey . It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional practice...
- “Polkinghorne is respected in the field of theology and science not only because of his credentials as a physicist and priest, but also because he is lucid writer who never uses interdisciplinary concepts as a smokescreen for sloppy thinking...Polkinghorne impresses with a rare combination of theological sensitivity and technical grasp of the scientific and metascientific issues involved.”— Publishers WeeklyPublishers WeeklyPublishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
- “An engaging examination of the science—and—religion dialogue written by a seminal figure in the field, John Polkinghorne gives his thoughts on reconciling the processes of the universe with the ideas behind theology. Polkinghorne writes with a gentle sensibility that allows even casual readers to appreciate the depth of his knowledge about the subject.”— Research News and Opportunities in Science and Theology
- “For those seeking a very accessible discussion of current issues in theology and science, albeit primarily physics, I highly recommend this book as well as Polkinghorne’s other books. He is the C. S. Lewis of our time in the science-theology dialogue.”—Eugene E. Selk, Theological StudiesTheological StudiesTheological Studies is a quarterly academic journal published by the Society of Jesus in the United States. It is published at Marquette University....
- “Fascinating and engaging treatment in the interplay between physics and theology.”—Steven Norman, University Press Books for Public and Secondary School Libraries