Belief in God in an Age of Science

by John C. Polkinghorne

Book Overview

John Polkinghorne is a major figure in today's debates over the compatibility of science and religion. Internationally known as both a theoretical physicist and a theologian--the only ordained member... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0300080034
• ISBN13: 9780300080032
• Release Date: November 1999
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Length: 133 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Polkinghorne Examines Belief in Light of Science and Settles East

John Polkinghorne is truly an intellectual. I picked up all of his books at the library thinking they would be a fun but brief read. I was dead wrong. His books may be short (this one is 130 pages) but the material is dense. Anyone who is interested in Science and Theology (regardless whether they are a Naturalist or not), Polkinghorne is required reading. He is a Theoretical Physicist, former President (now fellow) of Queens College and Canon Theologian of Liverpool. He is also an ordained Anglican priest. He was part of the group of physicists that discovered quarks and gluons and is unquestionably qualified to write on the intersection of Religion and Science. As someone who took little interest in science in high school, and continued to be apathetic towards science my first year of university, I know nothing about physics. Now I have taken interest in science, particularly evolutionary biology. But physics always seemed too esoteric and dense to be of any interest to me. Until I started reading more about it and realized how fantastic a subject it is. But I am still an amateur and getting through this book was quite difficult but I think the determined reader armed with a dictionary, can plow through and learn much about what theology has to say about Reality in light of science. When discussing the concepts of physics and theology Polkinghorne often takes the readers knowledge for granted assuming everyone knows the mathematics of Chaos Theory or of "epistemological input and ontological belief" in Critical Realism. It can get a little frustrating to be reading and have no clue what he is talking about, but with persitance, it is overall an enjoyable read. This IS NOT an apologetic work and anyone who approaches this as such will not find any conclusive evidence that God exists. Polkinghorne does briefly discuss some basic defenses on the existence of God, but by no means goes into a detailed discussion. Those looking for definitive proof will have to look elsewhere. As a matter of fact, those who think they have found conclusive proof that God exists (or doesn't exist) is quite delusional. I think both stances can be rationally defended. I think this book is focused on "If there is a God what would his character be in light of the processes of the Natural World?" And in my opinion, although Polkinghorne himself does not say this, the Christian God seems to fit this role much easier than the ideas of God in Islam and Judaism, as well as the eternally cyclical and impersonal "essences" of Buddhism and Hinduism. In Eastern Orthodoxy (and Hans Kung also discusses this in "On Being a Christian" and in more detail in "Does God Exist?"), unlike the West, God is not something we can prove by mere methods of reasoning. He is something we cannot even described with words (in the East this is called apophatic theology), but He is a personal living being in which we enter into a mystical relationship, sharing in his divine nature. Polkinghorne d

Intellectually satisfying

As a Christian with an undergraduate exposure to theology and a Ph.D. in physics (and a continuing interest in both), I am offended by the lack of intellectual integrity shown by so many authors who address science/theology issues. Whether from the "creationist" side (which seems to be the principal voice being heard from the Christian viewpoint) or the secular-humanist side (which has been the principal voice being heard from the scientific community) the "discussion" (if you can call it that) is all too often characterized by a circular kind of reasoning which begins with a particular world-view and then, by entertaining nothing but "evidence" congenial to that viewpoint, proceeds to arrive at the pre-held viewpoint as the only "logical" conclusion. Equally insidious are the "post modernists" and "subjectivists" who essentially question the point in seeking "truth" of any kind since they regard our perception of "reality" to be hopelessly distorted by our individual and societal agendas, or those who try to compartmentalize faith and reason as equally legitimate but incompatible activities -- as if the reality of faith is somehow different from the reality of the physical universe.Polkinghorne is a refreshing change from this usual dismal discourse. If you are seeking confirmation that a first-rate scientific mind can exist in company with an unapologetically orthodox Christian faith, this book should do the trick. This is not to say that all readers will agree with all of Polkinghorne's stances. Those of the "Biblical literalist" stripe will undoubtedly be offended that Polkinghorne tolerates no traffic in the Creationist agenda. Secularists will be offended that Polkinghorne unabashedly holds that the revelation of God through scripture and the experience of the Church are expressions of a legitimate reality. Many Christians will be offended that Polkinghorne isn't dogmatic that the Christian faith has a "lock" on theological truth and that he is willing to accept that the other great world religions also have something to contribute to the dialogue. On the other hand, non-Christian religious may well be offended that Polkinghorne is not prepared to negotiate the truth of primary Christian doctrines, such as that of the incarnation. And anyone looking for a "light read" or pat answers will become quickly discouraged -- this is the kind of book you have to read carefully, with the brain fully engaged and open. The satisfaction comes not from achieving closure, but from being engaged with interesting and meaningful questions. Polkinghorne skilfully and credibly notes how the insights and discoveries of modern physical science have, contrary to the expectations of the 19th century scientific community, become more, rather than less amicable to a theistic worldview. He regards this, not as "proof" of the latter, but rather as a demonstration of his principal thesis: that there is a cosmic reality in the search for which both science and

An Accomplished Physicist / Theologian Addresses THE Issue

If you are interested in a shallow, simplistic and facile treatment of an extremely important question, you will have to look elsewhere. The same goes for those who approach the subject with a closed mind, whether they are fundamentalists or atheists. If you think you already know all the answers, this book will only annoy you.However, if you've already spent some time studying this question, buy the book. Or if you are willing to hear from a gentle and thoughtful person who has the highest scientific and theological credentials, buy Polkinghorne's little book.It's short, but it isn't a quick read. Polkinghorne assumes his audience has some knowledge of the points in question. You might read a few pages, put down the book and think about it for a few days. You might feel a need to learn more about a certain aspect of physics, evolution or even philosophy. You might even find yourself asking a friend, "Do you think God will remember everything about me after I've died, so that He can put me back together again? What is a soul anyways?" Then your friend will smile uncertainly and change the subject.Right or wrong, Polkinghorne's ideas are reasonable, careful and thoughtful. Other physicists, more famous than Polkinghorne, have made pronouncements about God. They don't share Polkinghorne's expertise in theology. After reading his work, the difference is obvious.Anyone interested in the interaction between science and religion should read this book.

An honest opinion from a respected physicist

I found Polkinghorne very honest. It is refreshing to see a physicist clearly identify the almost "religious" faith that some scientists (and atheists) have in their explanations for the origin of the universe. Allow me to paraphrase Polkinghorne on pages 8 and 9. "Moving up the scale of bold speculation, one might evoke notions of quantum cosmology which suggest that universes of various kinds are continually appearing, bubbling up as quantum fluctuations in some universal substrate. Speculation becomes even more rash and desperate...maybe the laws of nature themselves fluctuate, so that a vast portfolio of worlds rise and fall within a sea of seething chaos. It is time to consider the other alternative: that there is a divine purpose behind this fruitful universe."Polkinghorne has not convinced me of the existence of a God, though he has made the "godless universe" alternative look almost as bogus as some of the world's religions. Call me a happy agnostic. I cannot be atheist after reading this book. This book, coupled with John Barrow's "Impossibility", leaves me with hope.

An amazing intellectual trip - walking on water.

In this book Polkinghorne tries to show that theology is a rational discipline. The book is intensely honest and filled with intelligent ideas you enjoy thinking about even if at the end you disagree with. Some of them, such as what the Christian dogma of the Fall of Man means within humanity's evolution, took my breath away. The same goes for his proposal on how actually God acts in the world and scientist's model on how He will act to resurrect all souls on the Second Coming. To see a scientist try to make science compatible with religion not to mention Christian mythology is really amazing.Since Galileo, the Church has been frantically retreating from its claims about nature and about natural theology. Today theology finds itself in the corner and Polkinghorne builds his last line defense on arguments such as the "unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics" in physics, the Anthropic Principle and the physicists' subjective search for beautiful theory. These arguments, even though brilliantly constructed, will not convince anybody who is not convinced already, and are, I think, wrong.Polkinghorne, being a scientist, is too respectful of science for my taste. I would have enjoyed a more aggressive stand, showing, for example, that human agency, not to mention human consciousness, is difficult to reconcile with the scientific view. Also, he devotes exactly one phrase on the spooky phenomenon of uniform mystical experience that cuts through time and religious denominations. He plays by the rules of science and insists on the losing proposition that theology is rational and therefore should be as convincing and taken as seriously as science. Polkinghorne puts a lot of emphasis on the "unity of knowledge" and tries to unify science and theology and to show that these are aspects of the same search for truth. A better strategy would be to have theology engulf science and explain that science forms only a small (not even a very relevant part) of knowledge. After all, how we should manage our spouse and kids, how to understand pain and failure in life, are matters outside of science and much more relevant to our well-being and to our understanding of the world and its meaning. For literally everybody, this kind of knowledge is more important than scientific knowledge. To a religious person God is everything and knowledge starts with God and passes through layers before reaching at its most basic level knowledge about the physical world.On the whole, this is a very worthwhile book that is filled with ideas and references to other books. I have not read much on this subject but this book probably shows how far rational theology can go which is not very far - a sobering and important conclusion.