Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life

Writing with bracing intelligence and clarity, internationally renowned evolutionist and bestselling author Stephen Jay Gould sheds new light on a dilemma that has plagued thinking people since the Renaissance: the rift between science and religion. Instead of choosing them, Gould asks, why not opt for a golden mean that accords dignity and distinction to each realm?

In his distinctively elegant style, Gould offers a lucid, contemporary principle that allows science and religion to coexist peacefully in a position of respectful noninterference. Science defines the natural world; religion our moral world in recognition of their separate spheres of influence. In exploring this thought-provoking concept, Gould delves into the history of science, sketching affecting portraits of scientists and moral leaders wrestling with matters of faith and reason. Stories of seminal figures such as Galileo, Darwin, and Thomas Henry Huxley make vivid his argument that individuals and cultures must cultivate both a life of the spirit and a life of rational inquiry in order to experience the fullness of being human.

In Rocks of Ages, Gould’s passionate humanism, ethical discernment, and erudition are fused to create a dazzling gem of contemporary cultural philosophy.

Science and Religion in Dialogue

This two-volume collection of cutting edge thinking about science and religion shows how scientific and religious practices of inquiry can be viewed as logically compatible, complementary, and mutually supportive.

Features submissions by world-leading scientists and philosophers.

Discusses a wide range of hotly debated issues, including Big Bang cosmology, evolution, intelligent design, dinosaurs and creation, general and special theories of relativity, dark energy, the Multiverse Hypothesis, and Super String Theory.

Includes articles on stem cell research and Bioethics by William Hurlbut, who served on President Bush's Bioethics Committee.

How John Polkinghorne Found God in Science and Religion

Using key events in the life of physicist Sir John Polkinghorne, this is an introduction to the central ideas that make the relationship between science and religion such a fascinating field of investigation. 

An engaging biography-cum-appraisal of John Polkinghorne's life and work, this book uses his story to approach some of the most important questions in life, including How should a scientist view God? Why do we pray, and what do we expect from it? Does the universe have a point? and What happens after death? Sir John Polkinghorne 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. Since then he has written more than 20 books exploring the relationship of science and theology. As a physicist, he participated in the research that led to the discovery of the quark, the smallest known particle. Here, both his religious and scientific beliefs are explored in full detail.

Dean Nelson, Karl Giberson

Science and Faith within Reason

Scientists, historians, philosophers and theologians often engage in debates on the limitations and mutual interactions of their respective fields of study. Serious discussions are often overshadowed by the mass-produced popular and semi-popular literature on science and religion, as well as by the political agendas of many of the actors in these debates. For some, reducing religion and science to forms of social discourse is a possible way out from epistemological overlapping between them; yet is there room for religious faith only when science dissolves into one form of social discourse? The religion thus rescued would have neither rational legitimisation nor metaphysical validity, but if both scientific and religious theories try to make absolute claims on all possible aspects of reality then conflict between them seems almost inevitable.

In this book leading authors in the field of science and religion, including William Carroll, Steve Fuller, Karl Giberson and Roger Trigg, highlight the oft-neglected and profound philosophical foundations that underlie some of the most frequent questions at the boundary between science and religion: the reality of knowledge, and the notions of creation, life and design. In tune with Mariano Artigas’s work, the authors emphasise that these are neither religious nor scientific but serious philosophical questions.

God and Nature

Historical Essays on the Encounter between Christianity and Science

Since the publication in 1896 of Andrew Dickson White's classic History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom, no comprehensive history of the subject has appeared in the English language. Although many twentieth-century historians have written on the relationship between Christianity and science, and in the process have called into question many of White's conclusions, the image of warfare lingers in the public mind.

To provide an up-to-date alternative, based on the best available scholarship and written in nontechnical language, the editors of this volume have assembled an international group of distinguished historians. In eighteen essays prepared especially for this book, these authors cover the period from the early Christian church to the twentieth century, offering fresh appraisals of such encounters as the trial of Galileo, the formulation of the Newtonian worldview, the coming of Darwinism, and the ongoing controversies over “scientific creationism.” They explore not only the impact of religion on science, but also the influence of science and religion.

This landmark volume promises not only to silence the persistent rumors of war between Christianity and science, but also serve as the point of departure for new explorations of their relationship, Scholars and general readers alike will find it provocative and readable.

Galileo in Rome

Galileo's trial by the Inquisition is one of the most dramatic incidents in the history of science and religion. Today, we tend to see this event in black and white--Galileo all white, the Church all black. Galileo in Rome presents a much more nuanced account of Galileo's relationship with Rome.

The book offers a fascinating account of the six trips Galileo made to Rome, from his first visit at age 23, as an unemployed mathematician, to his final fateful journey to face the Inquisition.

The authors reveal why the theory that the Earth revolves around the Sun, set forth in Galileo's Dialogue, stirred a hornet's nest of theological issues, and they argue that, despite these issues, the Church might have accepted Copernicus if there had been solid proof.

More interesting, they show how Galileo dug his own grave. To get the imprimatur, he brought political pressure to bear on the Roman Censor. He disobeyed a Church order not to teach the heliocentric theory. And he had a character named Simplicio (which in Italian sounds like simpleton) raise the same objections to heliocentrism that the Pope had raised with Galileo.

The authors show that throughout the trial, until the final sentence and abjuration, the Church treated Galileo with great deference, and once he was declared guilty commuted his sentence to house arrest. Here then is a unique look at the life of Galileo as well as a strikingly different view of an event that has come to epitomize the Church's supposed antagonism toward science.

William R. Shea, Mariano Artigas

Is there a universe?

Medieval Cosmology

These selections from Le système du monde, the classic ten-volume history of the physical sciences written by the great French physicist Pierre Duhem (1861-1916), focus on cosmology, Duhem's greatest interest. By reconsidering the work of such Arab and Christian scholars as Averroes, Avicenna, Gregory of Rimini, Albert of Saxony, Nicole Oresme, Duns Scotus, and William of Occam, Duhem demonstrated the sophistication of medieval science and cosmology.

The Foundations of Dialogue in Science and Religion

In this new book, Alister McGrath explores the relationship between religion and the natural sciences, focusing specifically on Christianity as a case study. The book explores the way in which religions and the natural sciences differ from each other, yet converge on matters of considerable interest in a number of areas. 

"The Foundations of Dialogue in Science and Religion" develops the agenda set out by Thomas F. Torrance in his 1969 work "Theological Science." Like Torrance, McGrath sees the need to examine the relation between Christian theology and the natural sciences at the level of method - that is to say, the way in which reality is apprehended, investigated, and represented. 

The study starts from three major points of investigation: the inexplicability of the world, the way in which our reflection on the nature of things is controled or modulated by the way things are and the way in which the external world is represented. 

This book will be of great interest to those researching and studying in the areas of science and religion, Christian theology and history and the philosophy of science.

Science & Religion: A New Introduction

Now thoroughly updated to reflect the latest debates, this popular textbook introduces readers to the central questions in the field of science and religion. Ideally suited to those who have little or no prior knowledge in either area, it incorporates numerous student-friendly features, including maps, summaries, and historical references, resulting in the most up-to-date introduction to the study of religion and the natural sciences available.

Examines the historical, theological, philosophical and scientific aspects of the interaction between religion and science.

Fully updated to reflect current, cutting-edge debates on scientific atheism and the limits of scientific method, and discussions about the relationship between science and religion in major world faiths.

Includes a historical component to enable readers to orientate themselves within the subject.

Takes a topic based approach which fits into the existing structure of most courses, and includes explanatory material not found in other works of this kind, making it highly accessible for those with little scientific or religious background knowledge.

Incorporates illustrations, tables, maps, summaries and questions for a lively and engaging approach to the subject.

Written by world-renowned theologian, Alister McGrath; author of bestselling books such as Dawkins’ God, and an acknowledged expert in the field of science and religion.

Dawkins' God

Alister E. McGrath is one of the world’s leading theologians, with a doctorate in the sciences. Richard Dawkins is one of the bestselling popular science writers, with outspoken and controversial views on religion. This fascinating and provoking work is the first book-length response to Dawkins’ ideas, and offers an ideal introduction to the topical issues of science and religion.

Addresses fundamental questions about Dawkins’ approach to science and religion: Is the gene actually selfish? Is the blind watchmaker a suitable analogy? Are there other ways of looking at things?


Tackles Dawkins’ hostile and controversial views on religion, and examines the religious implications of his scientific ideas, making for a fascinating and provoking debate.

Written in a very engaging and accessible style, ideal to those approaching scientific and religious issues for the first time.

Alister McGrath is uniquely qualified to write this book. He is one of the world’s best known and most respected theologians, with a strong research background in molecular biophysics.

Oracles of Science: Celebrity Scientists Versus God and Religion

Oracles of Science examines the popular writings of the six scientists who have been the most influential in shaping our perception of science, how it works, and how it relates to other fields of human endeavor, especially religion. Biologists Stephen Jay Gould, Richard Dawkins, and Edward O. Wilson, and physicists Carl Sagan, Stephen Hawking, and Steven Weinberg, have become public intellectuals, articulating a much larger vision for science and what role it should play in the modern worldview. The scientific prestige and literary eloquence of each of these great thinkers combine to transform them into what can only be called oracles of science. Their controversial, often personal, sometimes idiosyncratic opinions become widely known and perceived by many to be authoritative. Curiously, the leading 'oracles of science' are predominantly secular in ways that don't reflect the distribution of religious beliefs within the scientific community. Many of them are even hostile to religion, creating a false impression that science as a whole is incompatible with religion. Karl Giberson and Mariano Artigas offer an informed analysis of the views of these six scientists, carefully distinguishing science from philosophy and religion in the writings of the oracles. This book will be welcomed by many who are disturbed by the tone of the public discourse on the relationship between science and religion and will challenge others to reexamine their own preconceptions about this crucial topic.

The mind of the universe: understanding science and religion

The Mind of the Universe provides a study in which a competent presentation of physical discoveries is combined with a rational search for philosophical presuppositions of science. An important contribution to the dialogue between religion and science, the explanatory patterns presented in this book offer scientists, philosophers, and artists a philosophical unity on the topic, so important for discussing a holistic and consistent worldview.

The beginning of Science in the Western World

The story of how Greek science and philosophy was eventually translated, developed and transmitted to Europe through the mediation of Arabic culture is well known. The role played by religious beliefs and institutions in the nurturing of the sciences has, however, been the subject of competing master-narratives. Until relatively recently there has been a tendency in Western historiography to diminish the originality of Muslim thinkers, with a consequent emphasis on Christian values and doctrines in the launch of ‘modern science’. By contrast, Muslim scholars, in celebrating the originality of Arabic astronomy, mathematics, optics and medicine, have tended to present Christianity as a cultural force that, if anything, was (and continued to be) opposed to scientific initiatives. The debate is coloured by the fact that apologists for particular religious beliefs like to present their own tradition as having a special relationship with the sciences. This particular trait is sometimes visible in scholarship that has emphasised the role of the Protestant Reformation in creating favourable conditions for the expansion of science. My argument in this paper will be that it is no longer possible to claim that Christianity gave birth to modern science. At the same time, during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries both Catholic and Protestant Christianity provided resources for the justification of new, empirical methods of enquiry. While the revival of atomism and the mechanisation of nature generated anxieties for Christian theologians, new ways were found for re-integrating scientific and theological principles that helped to produce an enduring scientific culture in Western Europe.

John Hedley Brooke

The Galileo affair, does it still matter?

The Galileo affair has been extensively used as a "war" case between Science and Religion. It is known that the first effect of war, whether real or imaginary, is to obscure the truth, since the subject becomes highly controversial and the necessary historical accuracy is often ignored. I have tried to approach this issue from scratch, without any previous judgment, reading directly from the historical sources. My conclusions are then in line with the standard beliefs about the case, but with some divergences which I will discuss in my lecture, dealing both with the personal and the epistemological aspects of the controversy, as well as with its consequences on the development of Science.

Ignacio Sols

Geo-ethics and Geo-theology: The contribution of religious values to environmental conservation

Religions may play a very relevant role in environmental conservation. On one hand, they provide cosmological visions that help to explain human-nature relations and on how humans should relate to their environment. On the other hand, religions include a set of moral values, which would help to change economic and social behaviors that are behind the current ecological crisis.

The goal of this lecture will be to identify points of convergence between the great religious traditions in addressing human-nature relations, as well as presenting a critical evaluation of whether those approaches have in fact affect environmental conservation in representative countries. Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism have been considered. 

The main traditions considered are: (1) dominion: humans are at the top of Creation and use the natural resources as needed; (2) stewardship: humans have a delegate dominion over Creation and are responsible and accountable for their use of natural resources; (3) empathy: nature follows moral behavior of humans; (4) analogy: nature is an image of God; (5) God worshipper, nature gives glory to God (6) natural mysticism, union with God is accomplished through contemplation of the created world; (7) worship: nature is sacred. These approaches are not necessary conflicting, but rather they can be considered in some cases as complementary. Their actual impact of water and environmental conservation should be further researched.

Emilio Chuvieco

John Wyatt

John Wyatt is Emeritus Professor of Neonatal Paediatrics at University College London, UK. He has practised as an academic neonatologist for more than 25 years and has led a multidisciplinary research team investigating the mechanisms and prevention of brain damage at the beginning of life. He has a long-standing interest in the ethical, philosophical and theological issues raised by advances in medical technology and is actively involved in research and teaching in these areas. His book Matters of Life and Death is published by InterVarsity Press.

Jennifer Wiseman

Dr. Jennifer Wiseman is an astronomer and the Director of the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion for the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She is also the Senior Project Scientist for NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. She previously served as Chief of the Laboratory for Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Her research employs the use of radio, infrared and optical telescopes to study the formation of stars and planets in dense interstellar clouds. She received her B.S. in physics from MIT, discovering comet Wiseman-Skiff in 1987, and continued her studies at Harvard, earning a Ph.D. in astronomy in 1995. She continued her research as a Jansky Fellow at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory and as a Hubble Fellow at the Johns Hopkins University. She is currently a Fellow of the American Scientific Affiliation, a network of Christians in science. Dr. Wiseman also has an interest in public science engagement and policy and has served as a Congressional Science Fellow of the American Physical Society, working with the staff of the Science Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Ignacio Sols

Ignacio Sols is Professor of Mathematics at Universidad Complutense of Madrid since 1982. He took his PhD in Mathematics at the University of Zaragoza in 1975. Then, he worked at the Université de Paris-Sud (Orsay) as Boursier de Haute Niveau of the French Government, and at the University of California at Berkeley as Research Associate until 1981. His research has focused on Algebraic Geometry and his present interest are its applications to Number Theory. He has supervised 7 doctoral theses and promoted the scientific work in Spain and abroad of another 7 research students. He has published about 50 articles in research journal of Mathematics, two of them in the Annals of Mathematics. He has been the founder of the research group GESTA, and has participated in many international mathematical conferences, acting as keynote speaker at the meeting of the American Mathematical Society (2003) and as chairman of the Algebraic Geometry session of the World Mathematical Conference in 2006.

Fernando Sols

Fernando Sols is Professor of Physics, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, since 2004. Licenciado en Física, Universidad de Barcelona (1981). Doctor en Física, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (1985). Fulbright Fellow and Research Associate, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1986-1990). Associate Professor of Physics, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (1990-2004). First National Award for Undergraduate Achievements (1982). He has been director of the Instituto Nicolás Cabrera, UAM (2001-2004) and currently is Director of the Department of Physics of Materials since 2010. Editorial Board Member, New Journal of Physics (IOP-DPG). Fellow of the Institute of Physics (UK). He conducts research on theoretical physics problems related to the dynamics and transport of electrons and cold atoms, as well as to macroscopic quantum phenomena.