101 Great Big Questions about God and Science


Book Description

Have you ever wondered how the universe began, what the point of life might be, or whether God likes science? Then this is the book for you! 101 Great Big Questions asked by children with fascinating responses from leading experts in the areas of science, theology, philosophy and beyond! Explore questions about the universe from the Big Bang and beginnings to what might happen in the future. Discover what the experts think about: could humans ever become mermaids? do other animals have religions? why the Bible doesn't mention dinosaurs? could Jesus get out of a black hole? can science prove the existence of God? and does God like aliens? Read personal stories from world class scientists and theologians about their experiences of exploring their own big questions about God, life, and the amazing universe we live in. Contributors include Dr Jennifer Wiseman, The Revd Prof. David Wilkinson, The Revd Dr Joanna Collicutt, Dr Katharine Hayhoe, Prof. Tom Shakespeare, Prof. Simon Conway Morris, Prof. Rosalind Picard, The Rt. Revd Prof., Dr N T Wright, and Dr Francis S. Collins. Perfect for budding scientists, theologians, and all those curious about the really big questions of life. This exciting question and answer-based book for 7+ year olds to explore key questions asked by children about science-faith interactions. The 'handbook' style is intended to encourage readers to dip in and out of the different chapters rather than reading through. Answers contributed by world-class knowledgeable scientists and theologians are presented in a clear, engaging and open-ended style. Additional material provides information about the Faraday Institute and the website www.faradaykids.com




The Big Questions in Science and Religion


Book Description

The Big Questions in Science and Religion explores these ten queries to determine whether religious beliefs can survive in the scientific age. Author Keith Ward, an expert in the field of world religions, devotes a full chapter to each question, wherein he considers concepts from Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, and Christianity, alongside the speculations of cosmologists, physicians, mathematicians, and philosophers.




The Big Questions: God


Book Description

Easy, enlightening and mind-stretching, here are answers to the 20 biggest questions of religion and its attempts to give meaning to our world. The Big Questions series is designed to let renowned experts address the 20 most fundamental and frequently asked questions of a major branch of science or philosophy. Each 3000-word essay simply and concisely examines a question that has eternally perplexed enquiring minds, and provides answers based on the latest research. This ambitious project is a unique distillation of humanity's best ideas. In The Big Questions: God, Mark Vernon answers the 20 key questions:Can reason prove the existence of God? Will science bring the end of religion? Why do people still have religious beliefs? Is religion a mistake of evolution? Can drugs induce religious experiences? Can you be spiritual without being religious? Have you seen a miracle? What is the literal meaning of Scripture? If you're not religious, is nothing sacred? Can an agnostic pray? Is religion inherently violent? What is it like to be a fundamentalist? What is Buddhist enlightenment? Is Confucianism a religion? Is nature divine? Is there a perennial philosophy? Does human suffering rule out God? Can we be good without God? Are we living in the end times? Is there life after death?




The Big Question


Book Description

Richard Dawkins's groundbreaking book The God Delusion created an explosion of interest in the relation of science and faith. This often troubled relationship between science and religion was seemingly damaged by the rise of the New Atheism, which insisted that science had essentially disproved not just God but also the value of religion. There is increasing skepticism towards its often glib and superficial answers; and the big questions about faith, God and science haven't gone away--in fact, we seem to talk about them more than ever. Alister McGrath's The Big Question is an accessible, engaging account of how science relates to faith, exploring how the working methods and assumptions of the natural sciences can be theologically useful. McGrath uses stories and analogies, as well as personal accounts, in order to help readers understand the scientific and theological points he makes, and grasp their deeper significance. An extremely accomplished scientist and scholar, McGrath criticizes the evangelism of the New Atheists and paves a logical well-argued road to the compatibility between science and faith. Some of his main discussion points include: 1. There is much more convergence between science and faith than is usually appreciated 2. How the three great models of scientific explanation can be adapted to religious belief 3. Belief in God provides a 'big picture' of reality, making sense of science's successes




Surviving Religion 101


Book Description

"I can't imagine a college student—skeptic, doubter, Christian, struggler—who wouldn't benefit from this book." —Kevin DeYoung For many young adults, the college years are an exciting period of selfdiscovery full of new relationships, new independence, and new experiences. Yet college can also be a time of personal testing and intense questioning— especially for Christian students confronted with various challenges to Christianity and the Bible for the first time. Drawing on years of experience as a biblical scholar, Michael Kruger addresses common objections to the Christian faith—the exclusivity of Christianity, Christian intolerance, homosexuality, hell, the problem of evil, science, miracles, and the reliability of the Bible. If you're a student dealing with doubt or wrestling with objections to Christianity from fellow students and professors alike, this book will equip you to engage secular challenges with intellectual honesty, compassion, and confidence—and ultimately graduate college with your faith intact.







God: The Failed Hypothesis


Book Description

Throughout history, arguments for and against the existence of God have been largely confined to philosophy and theology, while science has sat on the sidelines. Despite the fact that science has revolutionized every aspect of human life and greatly clarified our understanding of the world, somehow the notion has arisen that it has nothing to say about the possibility of a supreme being, which much of humanity worships as the source of all reality. This book contends that, if God exists, some evidence for this existence should be detectable by scientific means, especially considering the central role that God is alleged to play in the operation of the universe and the lives of humans. Treating the traditional God concept, as conventionally presented in the Judeo-Christian and Islamic traditions, like any other scientific hypothesis, physicist Stenger examines all of the claims made for God's existence. He considers the latest Intelligent Design arguments as evidence of God's influence in biology. He looks at human behavior for evidence of immaterial souls and the possible effects of prayer. He discusses the findings of physics and astronomy in weighing the suggestions that the universe is the work of a creator and that humans are God's special creation. After evaluating all the scientific evidence, Stenger concludes that beyond a reasonable doubt the universe and life appear exactly as we might expect if there were no God. This paperback edition of the New York Times bestselling hardcover edition contains a new foreword by Christopher Hitchens and a postscript by the author in which he responds to reviewers' criticisms of the original edition.




The Great Mystery


Book Description

There is currently huge interest in the question of human nature and identity, and what the human future might look like. Who are we? Why are we here? What is our future? Are we alone? And what can religion bring, alongside biology and anthropology, to these important and exciting questions? The Great Mystery focuses on this fascinating field of study. Alister McGrath, bestselling author and Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion at Oxford University, explores the question of human nature from both scientific and religious perspectives, and weaves together the results to open up and explore some of the deepest and most important questions about who we are, why we matter, and what our future might be. A follow-up to his critically acclaimed Inventing the Universe, in The Great Mystery Alister McGrath once again brings together science with religion to yield an enriched vision of reality, along with rigorous and thoroughly up-to-date scholarship and intellectual accessibility.




Questions of Truth


Book Description

How did the universe begin? Can God's existence be proven? Do humans matter more than animals? For many years people have sent the scientist-turned-priest John Polkinghorne these and other questions about science and belief. In question-and-answer format, Polkinghorne and his collaborator Nicholas Beale offer their highly informed opinions about some of the most frequently asked of these questions. Readers can follow their own paths through the book, selecting questions that interest them and looking at the additional material if they choose. This unique book will help Christians clarify their beliefs regarding difficult issues and better face challenges--from within and from others--to their faith.




How We Believe


Book Description

Recent polls report that 96% of Americans believe in God. Why is this? Why, despite the rise of science, technology, and secular education, are people turning to religion in greater numbers than ever before? Why do people believe in God at all?