Understanding Religion and Science: Introducing the Debate

<div>Most texts on religion and science rightly focus on the effect of modern cosmology and biology on views about God and on the place of humankind in the universe. Many analyze current disputes about Intelligent Design. Some add useful material about notions the soul and inner freedom. A few offer thoughts about miracles. Others devote time to differences in methods in religion and science. <em>Understanding Religion and Science</em> covers all those topics well and clearly. <br/><br/>This textbook also reviews relevant historical and philosophical background, showing, for example, that some ancient Christians speculated on how God might give order to history without having to intervene, or that the very earliest Christians did not believe in a naturally immortal soul. <br/>Finally, the text asks why people differ in their basic commitments, some giving priority to a religiously meaningful life, others willing to face even the most uncomfortable conclusions. The author suggests this may be a divide not easily bridged.. <br/><br/>This book will appeal to students of Religion and of Science and Religion Studies. </div>>

Fully comprehensive textbook covering the issues, methods and relations between religion and science throughout history and up to the modern day.

<div>Most texts on religion and science rightly focus on the effect of modern cosmology and biology on views about God and on the place of humankind in the universe. Many analyze current disputes about Intelligent Design. Some add useful material about notions the soul and inner freedom. A few offer thoughts about miracles. Others devote time to differences in methods in religion and science. <em>Understanding Religion and Science</em> covers all those topics well and clearly. <br/><br/>This textbook also reviews relevant historical and philosophical background, showing, for example, that some ancient Christians speculated on how God might give order to history without having to intervene, or that the very earliest Christians did not believe in a naturally immortal soul. <br/>Finally, the text asks why people differ in their basic commitments, some giving priority to a religiously meaningful life, others willing to face even the most uncomfortable conclusions. The author suggests this may be a divide not easily bridged.. <br/><br/>This book will appeal to students of Religion and of Science and Religion Studies. </div>>

IntroductionSection One - Methods in Religion: Relations Between Faith and Reason1. Faith and Reason in Religion: Some Basics2. Modern Theologies about FaithSection Two - The Method of Science: How Does It Arrive at Its Conclusions?3. The Method of Science4. The Limits of Science5. Criticisms of ScienceSection Three - God and Atheism6. The Reality and Nature of God in Western Religion7. Science-Based Atheism and Some Religious ResponsesSection Four - Miracles: Does God Intervene in Natural Processes?8. Belief in Miracles Today9. A Brief History of Christian Thought on Miracles10. Skepticism and Modern Theologies about MiraclesSection Five - Cosmic Evolution: How Did We Get Here?11. Varieties of Universes12.. Cosmic Order13. Religious Interpretations of the CosmosSection Six - Biological Evolution: How Did We Get Here?14. Basic Theories of Evolution15. Evolution and Christianity16. The New Creationism: Intelligent DesignSection Seven - Human Nature: Who Are We?17. The Soul Tradition18. Science on the Mind19. The Freedom of a Material SoulEpilogue20. Religion and Science: Conflicting Commitments BibliographyIndex