Questions of Truth: Fifty-one Responses to Questions About God, Science and Belief [Paperback]

This book is a series of questions and their answers covering God, belief, the universe, evil, religion and more from the viewpoint of respected scientists. The individual answers aren't particularly long (most one to two pages) but a few are explored in more depth in the appendices. Richard Dawkins is mentioned frequently and the book contains much helpful information about a scientific response to Dawkins' assertions.

The book was strongest in its discussion of how science and Christianity can interact but weaker where the authors strayed more towards philosophy and Christian apologetics. However overall it was a good read; although technical in places there was enough for the layperson to understand and appreciate.

"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." -- John 4:24

If you are like me, it's often frustrating to read what pastors have to say about science because they may not know much about science. The potshots that atheists take at Christianity are often based at least in part on scientific-seeming comments. Wouldn't it be nice to read what a scientist has to say about science and Christianity?

Questions of Truth takes you to the doorway through which you can begin to learn about how science and Christianity stack up, side-by-side. John Polkinghorne is a former professor of physics who often writes about Christianity and science. Nicholas Beale is a management consultant who speaks eloquently in defense of Christianity. Both write from a faith-based perspective that will seem familiar to many Christians.

The book opens with about 100 pages of questions and brief answers. In a few cases, the answers are elaborated on in appendices concerning the extreme delicacy of the universe that allows for us to live, the mind and the brain, and evolution. All sections of the book generously refer to more detailed arguments in other sources through commentaries, footnotes, and a bibliography. In many cases, you won't find what you are really looking for until you get into those more detailed treatments.

This book, rather, mimics the Web site that Nicholas Beale maintains to publicize John Polkinghorne's views about Christianity. As such, it's brief and to the point: That the book's strength.

The authors separate respond to each question so you get at least two perspectives in each case. Here are a few of the key points that the book makes:

1. Science is about "how" things work and Christianity is about "why" they work. The two perspectives can exist side-by-side because they are looking at different questions.

2. The unknowns about the physical world exceed the knowns. As a result, it's premature to say that science can prove much of anything about Christianity in many cases. The seemingly quirky characteristics of quantum physics suggest a world made to permit and encourage free will and loving cooperation.

3. Many of the atheistic arguments made by Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene and The God Delusion don't look so good when you quantify the points.

4. In many areas concerning Christianity and science, you can't prove or disprove key beliefs and theories.

Whimsical arguments sometimes take off in good humor which lends the book some lighthearted moments, such in as the section about how Christian believers live longer and produce more children than atheists suggesting that "natural selection" favors Christian belief.

Although your time would probably be better spent in reading the Bible or in prayer than reading this book, I think you'll find Questions of Truth will increase your appreciation of the truths that the Bible relates.

If you are a Christian, and would like answers to the ubiquitous, and perhaps troubling questions, such as "Can God's Existence Be Proved?" and "Why is there Cancer?", then this book is certainly for you. But I would go so far as to say that I would recommend this to every Christian - it is so good. And I would recommend it to non-Christians, as it is so intelligent and considered that non-believers could easily find a case made for God, and even if not I can guarantee that this book broadens horizons.

The book is divided into eight chapters:

1. Leading Questions

2. The Being and Existence of God

3. The Universe

4. Evolution

5. Evil

6. Human Being

7. Religion

8. Conclusion

And there are also three appendices at the end.

Each chapter is sub-divided into separate questions pertaining to the focal point of the chapter heading. Also, at the end of each chapter, there is a list of books which the authors recommend for further reading in each of the subject areas.

Each of the questions receives a response from Nicholas Beale first and John Polkinghorne second, and sometimes a co-authored response. Both sets of answers are superb and extremely helpful.

All in all, and I do not say this superficially, this is a book which serves as an excellent introduction, but which does so much more than simply introduce, and is a book which cannot be ignored.