God According to God
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.25
Get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade in God According to God: A Scientist Discovers We've Been Wrong about God All Along for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.25, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
Brilliant.... Schroeder's book demands the attention of anyone who wonders if God must be exiled from the modern, enlightened mind. --David J. Wolpe, author of Why Faith Matters
A remarkable tour de force, combining science, theology and biblical exegesis in a most compelling and significant way, casting a new light on how we view God and our own place within the world --Jerusalem Post
Full of paradox, existential tensions, and spiritual and intellectual epiphany, the book is another gift to humanity from a scientist who is also a great man, a deep thinker, a spiritual counselor and a wonderful teacher. --Rabbi David Lapin
A remarkable tour de force, combining science, theology and biblical exegesis in a most compelling and significant way, casting a new light on how we view God and our own place within the world --Jerusalem Post
Full of paradox, existential tensions, and spiritual and intellectual epiphany, the book is another gift to humanity from a scientist who is also a great man, a deep thinker, a spiritual counselor and a wonderful teacher. --Rabbi David Lapin
Product Description
In Defense of God Renowned scientist Gerald L. Schroeder combines decades of scientific research and biblical study to present a groundbreaking new paradigm of how to understand God.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Dr Schroeder, has many excellent things to say in this book that is worth reading. However, in contrast with his brilliant earlier books, he appears to have moved away from his orthodox position (probably in an attempt to be found more acceptable to the "scientific community"). He teaches us the meaning of cognitive dissonance (CD), which is the universal and natural human characteristic to suppress the truth. Despite the title of the book, "God according to God", Schroeder is human and is not immune and unfortunately demonstrates its meaning in this book. If ever there was a man equipped with a sound basis for faith, Schroeder is that man, having both outstanding reasons from an in depth physicist's understanding of the created order on the one hand, and on the other, having inherited a privileged position of excellent knowledge of the testimony of God himself in the revealed word of the scriptures. Perhaps, I had too high an expectation after reading a few of his earlier books. I am disappointed here.
It is a bit of déjà vu when looking at the history of the Israelites who had seen all the amazing miracles and experienced God's rescue from the Egyptians and His faithfulness through the desert arriving at the border of the promised land and, despite plenty of evidence, their faith failed and they were sent back to roam for 40 years until they had died. Their children believed in God on the basis of the recorded witness of God's faithfulness. Schroeder has been given so much insight into the wisdom, power and perfection of God in the created order, it would seem illogical at this point to have opted for a pathway of unbelief in the faithfulness of the God of the scriptures, who has given certain and non-retractable promises. Yet we find that this book is a move away from faith in the word of God. The faithfulness of God is clearly seen in the created order in his earlier books, however, here the emphasis of uncertainty inherent within the realms of quantum physics is the chosen bias that is emphasized. This allows him to introduce the idea that God has withdrawn control and allowed for imperfections in his creation. As a result of ignoring the most important fact in the history of mankind, which the entire Jewish scriptures point to, he ends up beginning to deny the God of the scriptures, who is perfect, sovereign, personal, immanent and redemptive by inconsistently alluding to the fact that God is also deistic, implicated in the consequences of the fall and He is an impersonal, "It" and a "Force". He has used a presumptuous title in assuming to speak for God, when only the scriptures can legitimately claim to tell us what God has to say about God
He grossly underestimates the predicament that mankind is in by avoiding mention of the key issue of man's culpability in the fall, in Genesis Ch 3 and instead shifts the blame towards God. He claims superior authority to the Hebrew scholars, who translate the bible and have access to the oldest manuscripts. His bible interpretations are anthropocentric, and on re-examination of their context, are often highly suspect. The bias is to show that God is less than perfect in the creation because God's intention is for man to make up for God's imperfections. In this, he provides a faulty unbiblical diagnosis of the problem and the inevitable faulty solution follows (p213). He avoids all references to the need for rescue in the scriptures, despite the cycle of exile and rescue being a theme throughout the Torah and the rest of the Jewish scriptures (the Old Testament). On page 216 he is frankly heretical, when he says, "The Bible is not so interested in how to get to heaven. In fact, there is no direct mention of life after life in the entire Torah. Our God-given goal is to make the world so perfect that we will have heaven here on earth." Schroeder is trying here to make out as if the future hope of the bible is not the bible's emphasis.
If that were true to the bible's teaching, then it would make nonsense of the promises of God. To Abraham, God promised a land, to make from him and Sarah a people of God and relationship with Himself. The first two were only going to happen 400 years later for Abraham. This teaching would make out that God was an unfaithful God and even a liar, who cannot be trusted to keep his promises. Furthermore, if there is no life after life, why then does God address Moses as "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob"? If there is no life after life, then he would have said "I was the God ...of the fathers". He is God of the living, not God of the dead. There is much more that could be said especially if one included the rest of the Jewish scriptures. The hope he expresses in the last sentence is a vote of no confidence in God's faithfulness in fulfilling his promises to Abraham and His people, so without any scriptures to back up his view, (he should read psalms 14 and 53) he claims God has handed that responsibility back to man. The record of Jewish history is recorded in the rest of the scriptures regarding the performance of the people of God, the judges and the kings (except in the case of God's king - the Messiah), should have been evidence enough for Schroeder to see what a false hope that is.
Schroeder avoids any reference to the Messiah and implies second class status to the scriptures that come after the Torah. Is this not further evidence of the CD involved here and the devastating consequence? Deu 1:35,36 'Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers, ... ' Also: Psalm 95 and 118:22 "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone."
"God according to God" may be likened to a house made by a highly competent builder, who, having ignored the rock, has chosen to build his house upon the sand. The inconsistencies regarding God's nature appear as cracks that he is trying to patch up with human frailty. Having rejected the cornerstone (the many Messianic references, the suffering servant, the angel of the Lord, the man who would become the lamb of God, the Good Shepherd etc), Schroeder is left with no other option but to minimize the seriousness of the fall by not mentioning it, but instead shifts the blame towards God. At the same time he chooses to lower the expectations of the promises God gave to the people of God, an expectation of Zion in heaven and a new heaven and new earth, lowered to that of a heaven on earth that is of man's making, not God's. It appears to me that having ignored the rock, the resultant disillusionment is sending him on his way to becoming a secular humanist.
Perhaps, I should reread his other books with greater scrutiny. A more accurate title would be "God according to Schroeder".
It is a bit of déjà vu when looking at the history of the Israelites who had seen all the amazing miracles and experienced God's rescue from the Egyptians and His faithfulness through the desert arriving at the border of the promised land and, despite plenty of evidence, their faith failed and they were sent back to roam for 40 years until they had died. Their children believed in God on the basis of the recorded witness of God's faithfulness. Schroeder has been given so much insight into the wisdom, power and perfection of God in the created order, it would seem illogical at this point to have opted for a pathway of unbelief in the faithfulness of the God of the scriptures, who has given certain and non-retractable promises. Yet we find that this book is a move away from faith in the word of God. The faithfulness of God is clearly seen in the created order in his earlier books, however, here the emphasis of uncertainty inherent within the realms of quantum physics is the chosen bias that is emphasized. This allows him to introduce the idea that God has withdrawn control and allowed for imperfections in his creation. As a result of ignoring the most important fact in the history of mankind, which the entire Jewish scriptures point to, he ends up beginning to deny the God of the scriptures, who is perfect, sovereign, personal, immanent and redemptive by inconsistently alluding to the fact that God is also deistic, implicated in the consequences of the fall and He is an impersonal, "It" and a "Force". He has used a presumptuous title in assuming to speak for God, when only the scriptures can legitimately claim to tell us what God has to say about God
He grossly underestimates the predicament that mankind is in by avoiding mention of the key issue of man's culpability in the fall, in Genesis Ch 3 and instead shifts the blame towards God. He claims superior authority to the Hebrew scholars, who translate the bible and have access to the oldest manuscripts. His bible interpretations are anthropocentric, and on re-examination of their context, are often highly suspect. The bias is to show that God is less than perfect in the creation because God's intention is for man to make up for God's imperfections. In this, he provides a faulty unbiblical diagnosis of the problem and the inevitable faulty solution follows (p213). He avoids all references to the need for rescue in the scriptures, despite the cycle of exile and rescue being a theme throughout the Torah and the rest of the Jewish scriptures (the Old Testament). On page 216 he is frankly heretical, when he says, "The Bible is not so interested in how to get to heaven. In fact, there is no direct mention of life after life in the entire Torah. Our God-given goal is to make the world so perfect that we will have heaven here on earth." Schroeder is trying here to make out as if the future hope of the bible is not the bible's emphasis.
If that were true to the bible's teaching, then it would make nonsense of the promises of God. To Abraham, God promised a land, to make from him and Sarah a people of God and relationship with Himself. The first two were only going to happen 400 years later for Abraham. This teaching would make out that God was an unfaithful God and even a liar, who cannot be trusted to keep his promises. Furthermore, if there is no life after life, why then does God address Moses as "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob"? If there is no life after life, then he would have said "I was the God ...of the fathers". He is God of the living, not God of the dead. There is much more that could be said especially if one included the rest of the Jewish scriptures. The hope he expresses in the last sentence is a vote of no confidence in God's faithfulness in fulfilling his promises to Abraham and His people, so without any scriptures to back up his view, (he should read psalms 14 and 53) he claims God has handed that responsibility back to man. The record of Jewish history is recorded in the rest of the scriptures regarding the performance of the people of God, the judges and the kings (except in the case of God's king - the Messiah), should have been evidence enough for Schroeder to see what a false hope that is.
Schroeder avoids any reference to the Messiah and implies second class status to the scriptures that come after the Torah. Is this not further evidence of the CD involved here and the devastating consequence? Deu 1:35,36 'Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers, ... ' Also: Psalm 95 and 118:22 "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone."
"God according to God" may be likened to a house made by a highly competent builder, who, having ignored the rock, has chosen to build his house upon the sand. The inconsistencies regarding God's nature appear as cracks that he is trying to patch up with human frailty. Having rejected the cornerstone (the many Messianic references, the suffering servant, the angel of the Lord, the man who would become the lamb of God, the Good Shepherd etc), Schroeder is left with no other option but to minimize the seriousness of the fall by not mentioning it, but instead shifts the blame towards God. At the same time he chooses to lower the expectations of the promises God gave to the people of God, an expectation of Zion in heaven and a new heaven and new earth, lowered to that of a heaven on earth that is of man's making, not God's. It appears to me that having ignored the rock, the resultant disillusionment is sending him on his way to becoming a secular humanist.
Perhaps, I should reread his other books with greater scrutiny. A more accurate title would be "God according to Schroeder".
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
35 reviews
73 of 80 people found the following review helpful
Schroeder continues to amaze with the growing scope of his work
9 July 2009
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've been a fan of Gerald Schroeder since reading "Genesis and the Big Bang" about three years ago. Immediately after finishing that book, I had to have his other two, and was amazed how much his wisdom, vision and grasp of the issues seemed to grow with each book. This book continues that pattern, and does so in an amazing fashion. However, the approach of this book might not meet the expectations of those expecting another book based largely on science. While this book opens with a scientific analysis, the bulk of the book is devoted to a philosophical and theological treatise on the true nature of God.
While he often touches upon the same "origins" questions in each book, the manner in which he does so reveals a surprisingly sharp uptick in his growing breadth of knowledge. Many scientists seem to fall into a comfortable groove at mid-life, as evidenced in their writings, but Schroeder's understanding seems to be growing in leaps and bounds, and shows little sign of slowing down. This is a good thing...a Very Good thing. I continue to read a number of authors who deal with the harmony of Genesis and Science, and among them, Mr. Schroeder has risen like cream and sits atop the heap. I should note that I'm typically stingy about heaping praise on anyone, if for no other reason that I don't want to contribute to a complacency that might cause them to "coast" a bit, but I don't think that's a possibility here.
As my own understanding of these scientific/theological issues has grown over the years, I have often found myself reluctantly letting go of traditional beliefs I held dear, and embraced new ideas. It's difficult at times, but ultimately rewarding as these new ideas open up a fresh understanding of God and how He operates within this realm. I was therefore very surprised and happy to see him discuss an observation that I had arrived at on my own just a few years ago.
The issue is the parallels between science and the Torah with regards to the birth of the Universe, the arrival of the species and the arrival of self-aware Homo sapiens. All three of these issues are problematic for anyone building a case for a purely natural universe, as they present origin problems that cannot easily be addressed with scientific facts or testable models. These three issues have strikingly clear parallels in Genesis with the creation of the heavens and the earth, the arrival of the first complex life in the oceans, and the arrival of Adamic Man. The Hebrew word "bara," which describes a unique creative act of God, is only used on these three occasions, and nowhere else in the first chapter of Genesis. Coincidence? I think one would have to be willfully self-deceptive to not see the clear parallels. You're free to disagree with Schroeder's conclusions, but it's difficult to ignore the fact that these scientific and Biblical parallels exist.
But by far the most important issue in this book is how it shapes (and hopefully, reshapes) our flawed image of the Almighty. Yes, He is omniscient and omnipresent, but does not interfere, in general, with how things operate. We have far, far more control over the situation than many believers would be comfortable with should they choose to accept this image of God. Once again (and probably why I enjoyed this book so much), I have come to much the same conclusions myself. The God of the Bible and the God of modern western Judeo-Christian civilization just don't seem to be the same God. For the first time, and just in time, it seems, someone has presented an image of God that is completely consistent with His revealed nature found in His word, and not the one that has been cobbled together from idealistic and unrealistic cultural influences.
Lastly, I would like to say that I truly appreciate Schroeder's approach to dealing with Scripture in that he shows an abiding respect for the Christian perspective as well as his own Jewish one by quoting parallel passages from both Old and New Testaments when discussing particular issues. The Old Testament prophets clearly identified the Jewish faith as the faith that would be proclaimed to the Gentiles, and he appears to respect Christianity as being the "Gentile version" of Judaism that was preached to the rest of the world. I wish more Christian writers would make more effort to better understand the Jewishness of their faith, and see it as part of a whole, as opposed to something separate. Some conservative and literalist Christian denominations see the Jews as separate from Christianity, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. The Apostle Paul, a devout Jew if there ever was one, spent the entire 11th chapter of Romans assuring his Gentile readers that God's promises are irrevocable, and that all Israel will be saved after the fullness of God was delivered to all the nations of the earth. I enjoy Schroeder's books precisely because He works so diligently to understand the true nature of God, and wants the rest of us to come to the same knowledge.
While he often touches upon the same "origins" questions in each book, the manner in which he does so reveals a surprisingly sharp uptick in his growing breadth of knowledge. Many scientists seem to fall into a comfortable groove at mid-life, as evidenced in their writings, but Schroeder's understanding seems to be growing in leaps and bounds, and shows little sign of slowing down. This is a good thing...a Very Good thing. I continue to read a number of authors who deal with the harmony of Genesis and Science, and among them, Mr. Schroeder has risen like cream and sits atop the heap. I should note that I'm typically stingy about heaping praise on anyone, if for no other reason that I don't want to contribute to a complacency that might cause them to "coast" a bit, but I don't think that's a possibility here.
As my own understanding of these scientific/theological issues has grown over the years, I have often found myself reluctantly letting go of traditional beliefs I held dear, and embraced new ideas. It's difficult at times, but ultimately rewarding as these new ideas open up a fresh understanding of God and how He operates within this realm. I was therefore very surprised and happy to see him discuss an observation that I had arrived at on my own just a few years ago.
The issue is the parallels between science and the Torah with regards to the birth of the Universe, the arrival of the species and the arrival of self-aware Homo sapiens. All three of these issues are problematic for anyone building a case for a purely natural universe, as they present origin problems that cannot easily be addressed with scientific facts or testable models. These three issues have strikingly clear parallels in Genesis with the creation of the heavens and the earth, the arrival of the first complex life in the oceans, and the arrival of Adamic Man. The Hebrew word "bara," which describes a unique creative act of God, is only used on these three occasions, and nowhere else in the first chapter of Genesis. Coincidence? I think one would have to be willfully self-deceptive to not see the clear parallels. You're free to disagree with Schroeder's conclusions, but it's difficult to ignore the fact that these scientific and Biblical parallels exist.
But by far the most important issue in this book is how it shapes (and hopefully, reshapes) our flawed image of the Almighty. Yes, He is omniscient and omnipresent, but does not interfere, in general, with how things operate. We have far, far more control over the situation than many believers would be comfortable with should they choose to accept this image of God. Once again (and probably why I enjoyed this book so much), I have come to much the same conclusions myself. The God of the Bible and the God of modern western Judeo-Christian civilization just don't seem to be the same God. For the first time, and just in time, it seems, someone has presented an image of God that is completely consistent with His revealed nature found in His word, and not the one that has been cobbled together from idealistic and unrealistic cultural influences.
Lastly, I would like to say that I truly appreciate Schroeder's approach to dealing with Scripture in that he shows an abiding respect for the Christian perspective as well as his own Jewish one by quoting parallel passages from both Old and New Testaments when discussing particular issues. The Old Testament prophets clearly identified the Jewish faith as the faith that would be proclaimed to the Gentiles, and he appears to respect Christianity as being the "Gentile version" of Judaism that was preached to the rest of the world. I wish more Christian writers would make more effort to better understand the Jewishness of their faith, and see it as part of a whole, as opposed to something separate. Some conservative and literalist Christian denominations see the Jews as separate from Christianity, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. The Apostle Paul, a devout Jew if there ever was one, spent the entire 11th chapter of Romans assuring his Gentile readers that God's promises are irrevocable, and that all Israel will be saved after the fullness of God was delivered to all the nations of the earth. I enjoy Schroeder's books precisely because He works so diligently to understand the true nature of God, and wants the rest of us to come to the same knowledge.
30 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Redefining the nature of God, and getting it right
12 July 2009
Format:Hardcover
I loved this book in spite of the fact that it wasn't what I was expecting. I've read all Schroeder's other books about the harmony between science and the Bible, and expected this to be yet another take on his increasingly well-honed arguments. The author's insights seem to grow and mature with each book, and although this book opens with the usual discussion on origins, it quickly becomes a book about theology and how we've all incorrectly defined God over the millennia.
For anyone who's been paying attention, there has always been a big gap between the somewhat vague, "feel-good" conceptual God of western culture, and the God we find within the Bible (when we take the time to actually read it in its entirety). In this wonderful book, Schroeder does a beautiful job of repairing this harmful breach of understanding. One of the single most important points he makes is showing that the God who's under attack from "The New Atheists" is this conceptual, cultural God that we've invented, but the God of the Bible is far more consistent with the God we encounter on a daily basis, a God who is capable of omnipotence, but has chosen to give us far more control than many of us are prepared for.
This is a God who never attempts to micro-manage our lives, and who often allows us to do all sorts of horrible things to each other because this is the same God who has given us dominion over the earth, and often lets us stew in our own juices when we foul up. This God, whom we actually find in the Bible, is a far cry from the micro-managing God put forth every day on TV programs and espoused from prosperity gospel pulpits.
It's a healthy and good thing to examine our beliefs, and Schroeder does an excellent job of encouraging us to look beyond our comfort zone so that we might bring reality into alignment with our perceptions. I think it's time that western theologians addressed this issue with much more force, and this book is a great place to begin the argument. This is more than an important book...it is also a very profound book and I hope it reaches a wide audience in the years to come.
For anyone who's been paying attention, there has always been a big gap between the somewhat vague, "feel-good" conceptual God of western culture, and the God we find within the Bible (when we take the time to actually read it in its entirety). In this wonderful book, Schroeder does a beautiful job of repairing this harmful breach of understanding. One of the single most important points he makes is showing that the God who's under attack from "The New Atheists" is this conceptual, cultural God that we've invented, but the God of the Bible is far more consistent with the God we encounter on a daily basis, a God who is capable of omnipotence, but has chosen to give us far more control than many of us are prepared for.
This is a God who never attempts to micro-manage our lives, and who often allows us to do all sorts of horrible things to each other because this is the same God who has given us dominion over the earth, and often lets us stew in our own juices when we foul up. This God, whom we actually find in the Bible, is a far cry from the micro-managing God put forth every day on TV programs and espoused from prosperity gospel pulpits.
It's a healthy and good thing to examine our beliefs, and Schroeder does an excellent job of encouraging us to look beyond our comfort zone so that we might bring reality into alignment with our perceptions. I think it's time that western theologians addressed this issue with much more force, and this book is a great place to begin the argument. This is more than an important book...it is also a very profound book and I hope it reaches a wide audience in the years to come.
25 of 33 people found the following review helpful
God According to Dr. Schroeder
19 Jun 2009
Format:Hardcover
Dr. Schroeder does a masterful job at something I didn't think was possible, he makes a strong argument for beneficence of an old testament God. He ably elucidates and uncloaks the golden apples contained in the silver dish by intelligent vitiation of the seemingly unctuous God that roams the pages of the Torah. Schroeder contrasts the readily and almost ubiquitously perceived tyrannical God with a much more loving, merciful, compassionate and involved God; in some cases by simply pointing out the transliteration problems from the Hebraic text to English. As an example the correct translation of Gods name (from Genesis, I believe) is not "I am that I am," but a more active and interactive "I will be that which I will be." A subtle but highly significant difference, I should think.
The author also provides some compelling mathematical/statistical rationale as to the astronomical odds against creation, life and sentience developing from mere chance - we're talking numbers such as 10 to the 700th power.
The upshot of all this is simply that reading the Old Testament with a literal mind will engender a tyrannical God of draconian proportions and appurtenances. However, should one interpret the same material but from the space between the words (i.e. the void between the nucleus and orbiting electrons) then one will find a God that wants to engage in a partnership with Her creation, a relationship that is active and dynamic not reclusive and passive.
Of course having the proper translation of the original works that capture the nuances which by my understanding (thanks to this book) are missing in the English translations - would be of enormous value.
While this book wasn't exactly what I thought it would be, it was still a very evocative read, 4 stars all around from me.
The author also provides some compelling mathematical/statistical rationale as to the astronomical odds against creation, life and sentience developing from mere chance - we're talking numbers such as 10 to the 700th power.
The upshot of all this is simply that reading the Old Testament with a literal mind will engender a tyrannical God of draconian proportions and appurtenances. However, should one interpret the same material but from the space between the words (i.e. the void between the nucleus and orbiting electrons) then one will find a God that wants to engage in a partnership with Her creation, a relationship that is active and dynamic not reclusive and passive.
Of course having the proper translation of the original works that capture the nuances which by my understanding (thanks to this book) are missing in the English translations - would be of enormous value.
While this book wasn't exactly what I thought it would be, it was still a very evocative read, 4 stars all around from me.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
