"Creation, resurrection, afterlife, the problem of pain, the question of meaning, the nature of reality - I can't think of a meta-question that this book omits." - Philip Yancey. The Revd Dr. John Polkinghorne, KBE, FRS is a British particle physicist who, after 25 years of research and discovery in academia, resigned his post to become an Anglican priest and theologian. A professor of mathematical physics at Cambridge University, he was elected to the Royal Society in 1974. As a physicist he participated in the research that led to the theory of the quark, the smallest known particle. This engaging biography-cum-appraisal of his life and work uses Polkinghorne's own story to explore the most important questions: a scientist's view of God; why we pray, and what we expect; does the universe have a point? ; what happens next?
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I cannot think of a more trustworthy guide than John Polkinghorne, who holds up both ends of the science/faith debate.A" - Philip Yancey The revealing story of an influential Christian and brilliant physicist whose life trajectory has been astonishingly unexpected. Written with sensitivity and clarity, this extraordinary spiritual biography illuminates one of the leading figures in our contemporary science-and-religion dialogue.A" - Dr. Owen Gingerich, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and author of God's Universe "A very accessible guide to the life and thought of this leading thinker. Immensely worthwhile reading for anyone concerned with the relation of faith and science." - Alister E. McGrath, Professor of Theology, Ministry and Education, King's College, London "An interesting and perceptive study of the life of a great and thoughtful person, who emphasized the relation between science and religion." - Charles Townes, winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics, and Professor of Physics, University of California
About the Author
Dean Nelson is an award-winning journalist who has written for the New York Times as well as Sojourners, Christian Century and Christianity Today. He is the director of the journalism program at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, and is the author of 14 books. Karl Giberson is professor of physics and director of the honors program at Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy. He has written more than a hundred articles on science and religion, and seven books including The Language of Science and Faith, with Francis Collins.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By rossuk
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a book for those of you who enjoy the interaction of science and religion. John Polkinghorne is a mathematician, a particle physicist and an ordained minister of the Church of England. He is a professor of mathematical physics at Cambridge University and a fellow of the Royal Society.
This book will give some relief from the rhetoric of the New Atheists, who offer us a false dichotomy between science and religion. Polkinghorne is an example of how this is not true, one can be both a scientist and a theist, and be true to oneself.
The book is endorsed by Dr Owen Gingerich, Alister McGrath, Philip Yancey and Charles Townes. And one of the co-authors Karl Giberson is a professor of physics, and co-authored the book `The Language of Science and Faith' with Frances Collins.
This book will give some relief from the rhetoric of the New Atheists, who offer us a false dichotomy between science and religion. Polkinghorne is an example of how this is not true, one can be both a scientist and a theist, and be true to oneself.
The book is endorsed by Dr Owen Gingerich, Alister McGrath, Philip Yancey and Charles Townes. And one of the co-authors Karl Giberson is a professor of physics, and co-authored the book `The Language of Science and Faith' with Frances Collins.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Chris
Format:Paperback
Firstly why I didn't rate this with 5 stars - some passages, at least in the edition I read, seemed not to have any spaces in, which meant the reader had to work a bit! Also the writers use American words, such as seminary instead of the more usual theological college (in England anyhow)and Brean is described as a tiny village, with population of 3000, that in my book is a small town. All that apart, anyone wanting to explore a book about how someone can hold science and religion together, and want to understand a little would do well to read this. It doesn't answer all the points of new atheism, but it does make an interesting read.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is an exvellent book. It describes Polkinghorne's theological views in a very clear and understandable way, and it is enhanced by many interesting anecdotes about him.
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By truthseeker
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a great tool to use when non-believing folk are arguing the 'science view' of creation. The book is written in lay-man's terms and it is easy to understand what he is saying. The more science looks at creation (the whole 'known' universe)the more, it seems, they agree that there is a most beautiful clever mind that created it all! At one point Polkinghorne deals with the view that "it is sheer random 'luck' that the conditions on earth are perfect for human life to survive and flourish on." He gives the scientific evidence that shows that it took the matter produced by the exploding of ancient stars to create the carbon that is critical to life. He also says that if the gravity present in the universe was changed by even a tiny fraction of a percent (so that for example you would weigh one billionth of a gram heavier or lighter on a set of scales) the universe would become so different that there are no stars, galaxies or planets. No planets - no life. BRILLIANT !!
By pawsher9331
Format:Paperback
As a Christian you will love this book. As an atheist like me you will be appalled at the authors' ability at self delusion. It epitomises the archetypal patronising, glib, absurd reasoning handed out by proponents of faith who use the latter concept to extinguish all argument when there is no scientific counter argument. Self congratulatory, sycophantic drivel at its very best. Polkinghorne is probably a very nice man but the authors do him no favours with their condescending attitude to us poor unenlightened folk who require evidence rather than blind faith.
By Cecilia
Format:Kindle Edition
Interesting, thought-provoking and extremely enlightening. Quantum physics, philosophy, religion...topics that interest me but which I could not reconcile until now. Brilliant!
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