Download or read book Exploring the Evolving View of God written by John M. Perry and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 1999 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Exploring the Evolving View of God outlines cultural and historical limitations that continue to shape our language and ideas about God. It relates abstract thinking about God to the concrete history of ancient Israel and draws parallels between Israel's history and the New Testament confession of Jesus as Messiah.
Download or read book God and Evolution written by Jay Wesley Richards and published by . This book was released on 2010-10 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This book is part of a series published by the Center for Science & Culture at the Discovery Institute in Seattle."--T.p. verso.
Download or read book The Language of God written by Francis Collins and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2008-09-04 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dr Francis S. Collins, head of the Human Genome Project, is one of the world's leading scientists, working at the cutting edge of the study of DNA, the code of life. Yet he is also a man of unshakable faith in God. How does he reconcile the seemingly unreconcilable? In THE LANGUAGE OF GOD he explains his own journey from atheism to faith, and then takes the reader on a stunning tour of modern science to show that physics, chemistry and biology -- indeed, reason itself -- are not incompatible with belief. His book is essential reading for anyone who wonders about the deepest questions of all: why are we here? How did we get here? And what does life mean?
Download or read book Discovering God written by Rodney Stark and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2009-03-17 with total page 605 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winner of the 2008 Christianity Today Award of Merit in Theology/Ethics The History of God In Discovering God, award-winning sociologist Rodney Stark presents a monumental history of the origins of the great religions from the Stone Age to the Modern Age and wrestles with the central questions of religion and belief.
Download or read book Evolving God written by Barbara J. King and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2017-04-21 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author of How Animals Grieve “contends that religion . . . is a consequence of primate evolution” in this “brilliant book” (Booklist, starred review). Religion has been a central part of human experience since at least the dawn of recorded history. The gods change, as do the rituals, but the underlying desire remains—a desire to belong to something larger, greater, most lasting than our mortal, finite selves. But where did that desire come from? Can we explain its emergence through evolution? Yes, says biological anthropologist Barbara J. King—and doing so not only helps us to understand the religious imagination, but also reveals fascinating links to the lives and minds of our primate cousins. Evolving God draws on King’s own fieldwork among primates in Africa and paleoanthropology of our extinct ancestors to offer a new way of thinking about the origins of religion, one that situates it in a deep need for emotional connection with others, a need we share with apes and monkeys. Though her thesis is provocative, and she’s not above thoughtful speculation, King’s argument is strongly rooted in close observation and analysis. She traces an evolutionary path that connects us to other primates, who, like us, display empathy, make meanings through interaction, create social rules, and display imagination—the basic building blocks of the religious imagination. With fresh insights, she responds to recent suggestions that chimpanzees are spiritual—or even religious—beings, and that our ancient humanlike cousins carefully disposed of their dead well before the time of Neandertals. “Her interpretations result in a provocative hypothesis about the evolution of spirituality.” —The Dallas Morning News
Download or read book Four Views on Creation Evolution and Intelligent Design written by Zondervan, and published by Zondervan Academic. This book was released on 2017-11-21 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Evolution--or the broader topic of origins--has enormous relevance to how we understand the Christian faith and how we interpret Scripture. Four Views on Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design presents the current "state of the conversation" about origins among evangelicals representing four key positions: Young Earth Creationism - Ken Ham (Answers in Genesis) Old Earth (Progressive) Creationism - Hugh Ross (Reasons to Believe) Evolutionary Creation - Deborah B. Haarsma (BioLogos) Intelligent Design - Stephen C. Meyer (The Discovery Institute) The contributors offer their best defense of their position addressing questions such as: What is your position on origins - understood broadly to include the physical universe, life, and human beings in particular? What do you take to be the most persuasive arguments in defense of your position? How do you demarcate and correlate evidence about origins from current science and from divine revelation? What hinges on answering these questions correctly? This book allows each contributor to not only present the case for his or her view, but also to critique and respond to the critiques of the other contributors, allowing you to compare their beliefs in an open forum setting to see where they overlap and where they differ.
Download or read book Designed to Evolve written by Christopher Davis and published by . This book was released on 2015-05-07 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why do we exist? Why is there something rather than nothing? Designed to Evolve examines the question of existence in light of modern science. From the birth of the universe 13.8 billion years ago, to the intricacy of the DNA molecule, nature is explored at the most fundamental level. Two possible explanations emerge. Are we the result of chance or designed for a purpose? There has never been a time when more information on origins has been available. Now we can probe this question and take a critical look at the nature of existence. In the end, the evidence for purpose prevails.In this book big bang cosmology, particle physics, natural history, and biology are analyzed in a vivid chronology of the universe, revealing the beauty of creation and making the sciences of origin comprehensible to the non-scientist. Designed to Evolve presents a compelling depiction of creation that is supported by modern science.
Download or read book Christianity in Evolution written by Jack Mahoney and published by Georgetown University Press. This book was released on 2011-08-01 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Evolution has provided a new understanding of reality, with revolutionary consequences for Christianity. In an evolutionary perspective the incarnation involved God entering the evolving human species to help it imitate the trinitarian altruism in whose image it was created and counter its tendency to self-absorption. Primarily, however, the evolutionary achievement of Jesus was to confront and overcome death in an act of cosmic significance, ushering humanity into the culminating stage of its evolutionary destiny, the full sharing of God’s inner life. Previously such doctrines as original sin, the fall, sacrifice, and atonement stemmed from viewing death as the penalty for sin and are shown not only to have serious difficulties in themselves, but also to emerge from a Jewish culture preoccupied with sin and sacrifice that could not otherwise account for death. The death of Jesus on the cross is now seen as saving humanity, not from sin, but from individual extinction and meaninglessness. Death is now seen as a normal process that affect all living things and the religious doctrines connected with explaining it in humans are no longer required or justified. Similar evolutionary implications are explored affecting other subjects of Christian belief, including the Church, the Eucharist, priesthood, and moral behavior.
Download or read book Discovering God and His Creation written by Carl R. Turner M. D. and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2008-10 with total page 67 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Is there evidence for the existence of God? Is evolution true and if so, is evolution compatible with Christianity? These questions face not only students each year but also our modern society as a whole. The answers to these questions are important because they will determine our understanding of nature and our relationship with God. Dr. Turner in his book, Discovering God and His Creation, focuses on these two questions. He tells of his lifelong journey in the worlds of faith, science and evolution and what he has discovered as he searched for answers. He outlines the overwhelming evidence for both the existence of God and evolution and explains how nature cannot be understood without evolution. He reveals that the solution to the faith and science dilemma lies in a deeper understanding of the Christian belief that God is a father. Dr. Turner's journey began with the influence of a father and, after completion of graduate studies in evolutionary biology and medical school, ended with his realization that evolution is more compatible with Christianity than any other explanation for nature. The reasons behind Dr. Turner's conclusion are enlightening and will provide a long sought for answer to the standoff between faith and science.
Download or read book Evolution Scripture and Nature Say Yes written by Denis Lamoureux and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2016-11-15 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Christians throughout history have believed that God reveals himself both through Scripture and nature. The metaphor of God’s Two Books is often used to represent these two divine revelations. The Book of God’s Words is the Bible. Scripture reveals inerrant spiritual truths. These include, the God of Christianity is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the creation is very good, and only humans are created in the Image of God (Gen. 1:1, 27, 31). The Book of God’s Works is the physical world. Nature declares God’s glory, eternal power, and divine nature (Ps. 19:1; Rom. 1:20). Through the gift of science, our Creator has blessed us with the ability to explore and understand the structure, operation, and origin of his creation. Together God’s Two Books offer us a complementary divine revelation of who created the world and how he created it. A majority of Americans view science and religion as being in conflict, according to the Pew Research Center. Christians and non-Christians alike share this view, yet if this perceived conflict misrepresents the relationship between modern science and Christian faith, then it is both unhelpful and unnecessary today. In Evolution: Scripture and Nature Say Yes, theologian and scientist Denis O. Lamoureux reviews several options for embracing biblical Christianity and findings of science, including biological evolution. Holding to a high view of Scripture alongside an expert appreciation for scientific discovery, Lamoureux further outlines a way to understand passages referring to the natural world in the Bible and also demonstrates how modern science can point toward God. Lamoureux shares his own story along the way, recounting struggles many readers will relate to on his journey toward PhDs in both theology and biology and a fruitful relationship between the two. Topics in this book include: A biblical model of intelligent design in nature based on Psalm 19 and Romans 1. Examination of the ancient science in Scripture, such as a flat earth and 3-tier universe. Comparison of different Christian views on origins—young earth creation, progressive creation (old earth creation), and evolutionary creation. Criticisms of the atheistic interpretation of evolution held by Richard Dawkins and his belief that intelligent design is merely an illusion. Galileo’s peaceful relationship between Scripture and nature, including his view that “the intention of the Holy Spirit [in the Bible] is to teach us how one goes to heaven, and not how heaven goes.” Darwin’s religious beliefs and evidence of the impact that intelligent design had on him throughout his life, along with his claim, “It seems to me absurd to doubt that a man may be an ardent Theist [personal God] and an evolutionist.” Believers wanting to honor God’s Two Books—Scripture and Nature—faithfully and without conflict will find an excellent introduction in Evolution: Scripture and Nature Say Yes.
Download or read book Perspectives on an Evolving Creation written by Keith B. Miller and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2003-09-25 with total page 550 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: According to the authors of this book, who explore evolutionary theory from a clear Christian perspective, the common view of conflict between evolutionary theory and Christian faith is mistaken. Written by contributors representing the natural sciences, philosophy, theology, and the history of science, this thought-provoking work is informed by both solid scientific knowledge and keen theological insight. The three sections of the book address (1) relevant biblical, historical, and scientific background, (2) the scientific evidence for an evolving creation, and (3) theological issues commonly raised in connection with evolution, including the nature of God's creative activity, the meaning of the miraculous, and the uniqueness of humankind. Woven through the volume are short meditations designed to direct readers toward worshiping the God of providence. Contributors: Laurie J. Braaten Warren S. Brown Jr. David Campbell Robin Collins Edward B. Davis Terry M. Gray Jeffrey K. Greenberg Deborah B. Haarsma Loren Haarsma James P. Hurd Conrad Hyers David N. Livingstone Keith B. Miller John C. Munday Jr. George L. Murphy Mark A. Noll Robert John Russell Howard J. Van Till David L. Wilcox Jennifer Wiseman
Download or read book The Evolution of the Idea of God written by Grant Allen and published by . This book was released on 1897 with total page 498 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book God and Evolution Science Meets Faith written by Dr. Gerard M. Verschuuren and published by "O'Reilly Media, Inc.". This book was released on 2012-10-29 with total page 211 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Meet the “match made in heaven” between religion and science as they harmoniously converge through exploring the Catholic view on God and evolution. Author Dr. Verschuuren, a practicing Catholic and human geneticist, challenges the ‘black and white’ attitude toward matters of religion and science. Through drawing upon religion, philosophy, and biology, he reveals that science and religion answer different dimensions to the same fundamental question, “Where do we come from?” allowing for a compatible, and desirable coexistence—one that preserves, and in fact intensifies, God’s splendor.
Download or read book Nature s Witness written by Dr. Daniel M. Harrell and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2010-09-01 with total page 245 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: People of faith insist that God is the God of the world around us. Yet scientific evidence supporting evolution seems to offer an explanation of reality different from the biblical one. In light of this apparent conflict, some choose either to deny the scientific data or separate science and faith from each other, giving the appearance that faith is disconnected from reality. Others accommodate faith to science, but run the risk of watering down faith such that faith “fills in the blanks” left by science. Against these options, Daniel Harrell asserts that the evidence for evolution accurately describes the world we see, but insists that this description does not adequately serve as an explanation for the world. Rather than seeing science and faith as diametrically opposed, Harrell suggests that evolutionary data actually opens the door for deeper theological reflection on God’s creation. Writing out of a pastoral concern for those struggling to negotiate faith and evolution, Harrell argues that being reliable witnesses to creation helps people of faith be reliable witnesses to its creator. Whether they are pastors wondering how to talk about these issues with their congregations, or students asking whether their biology classes make their faith irrelevant, Harrell’s readers are winsomely led on a journey of exploration in which a robust biblical faith can be held along with affirmation of the scientific data for evolution.
Download or read book The Illusion of God s Presence written by John C. Wathey and published by Prometheus Books. This book was released on 2016 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An essential feature of religious experience across many cultures is the intuitive feeling of God's presence. More than any rituals or doctrines, it is this experience that anchors religious faith, yet it has been largely ignored in the scientific literature on religion.Starting with a vivid narrative account of the life-threatening hike that triggered his own mystical experience, biologist John Wathey takes the reader on a scientific journey to find the sources of religious feeling and the illusion of God's presence. His book delves into the biological origins of this compelling feeling, attributing it to innate neural circuitry that evolved to promote the mother-child bond. Dr. Wathey argues that evolution has programmed the infant brain to expect the presence of a loving being who responds to the child's needs. As the infant grows into adulthood, this innate feeling is eventually transferred to the realm of religion, where it is reactivated through the symbols, imagery, and rituals of worship. The author interprets our various conceptions of God in biological terms as illusory supernormal stimuli that fill an emotional and cognitive vacuum left over from infancy. These insights shed new light on some of the most vexing puzzles of religion, like the popular belief in a god who is judgmental and punishing, yet also unconditionally loving; the extraordinary tenacity of faith; the greater religiosity of women relative to men; religious obsessions with sex; the mysterious compulsion to pray; the seemingly irrepressible feminine attributes of God, even in traditionally patriarchal religions; and the strange allure of cults. Finally, Dr. Wathey considers the hypothesis that religion evolved to foster reproductive success, arguing that, in an age of potentially ruinous overpopulation, magical thinking has become a luxury we can no longer afford, one that distracts us from urgent threats to our planet.Deeply researched yet elegantly written in a jargon-free and accessible style, this book presents a compelling interpretation of the evolutionary origins of spirituality and religion.
Download or read book Richard Hooker and the Vision of God written by Charles Miller and published by James Clarke & Company. This book was released on 2013-07-25 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Charles Miller's rigorous and sensitive examination of Richard Hooker's theology makes a valuable addition to the field of study of the cleric, one of the founding theologians of modern Anglicanism. Miller examines Hooker's works in detail, leading the reader through different facets of his vision of God: creation, Scripture, the sacraments, and practices of Christian devotion. Hooker's theology challenges an increasingly time-bound, relativistic approach to doctrine and truth; his sources were as wide, as ancient, and as modern as Hooker could make them. Miller's thoughtful analysis is informed throughout by an understanding of the context of Hooker's theological development against the backdrop of continental Calvinism and the remnants of Roman Catholicism in England. The growth of interest in Hooker among specialists has been accompanied by an abandonment of the serious study of Hooker's thought among theological students, clergy and theologians. Miller's work addresses thislack; Hooker's insights must not be forgotten in the daily distribution of theological food to Christian people. A study which attunes readers to Hooker's particular theological 'voice' and teaches its value both in his own context and as a present-day interlocutor, this volume will be of great interest to Christians and theological students alike.
Download or read book Evolution Chance and God written by Brendan Sweetman and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2015-10-22 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Evolution, Chance, and God looks at the relationship between religion and evolution from a philosophical perspective. This relationship is fascinating, complex and often very controversial, involving myriad issues that are difficult to keep separate from each other. Evolution, Chance, and God introduces the reader to the main themes of this debate and to the theory of evolution, while arguing for a particular viewpoint, namely that evolution and religion are compatible, and that, contrary to the views of some influential thinkers, there is no chance operating in the theory of evolution, a conclusion that has great significance for teleology. One of the main aims of this book is not simply to critique one influential contemporary view that evolution and religion are incompatible, but to explore specific ways of how we might understand their compatibility, as well as the implications of evolution for religious belief. This involves an exploration of how and why God might have created by means of evolution, and what the consequences in particular are for the status of human beings in creation, and for issues such as free will, the objectivity of morality, and the problem of evil. By probing how the theory of evolution and religion could be reconciled, Sweetman says that we can address more deeply key foundational questions concerning chance, design, suffering and morality, and God's way of acting in and through creation.
