John Polkinghorne is President of Queen's College, Cambridge, and a Fellow of the Royal Society. A former Professor
of Mathematical Physics, he is also an ordained priest in the Church of England. Among his other books are The
Quantum World and Reason and Reality.
Summary
In this short masterpiece, eminent scientist and theologian John Polkinghorne offers an accessible, yet authoritative,
introduction to the stimulating field of science and theology. After surveying their volatile historical relationship,
he leads the reader through the whole array of questions at the nexus of the scientific and religious quests. A
lucid and lively writer, Polkinghorne provides a marvelously clear overview of the major elements of current science
(including quantum theory, chaos theory, time, and cosmology). He then offers a concise outline of the character
of religion and shows the joint potential of science of religion to illumine some of the thorniest issues in theology
today: creation, the nature of knowledge, human and divine identity and agency. Polkinghorne aptly demonstrates
that a sturdy faith has nothing to fear and much to gain from an intellectually honest appraisal of the new horizons
of contemporary science.
Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter 1 -- The Area of Interaction
Chapter 2 -- The Scientific Picture of the World
Chapter 3 -- Humanity
Chapter 4 -- Theism
Chapter 5 -- Divine Action
Chapter 6 -- Christian Theology
Chapter 7 -- The Wider Scene
Chapter 8 -- The Search for Truth and Wisdom
