Some scientists have religious beliefs we must ourselves be prepared and willing to make a reasoned presentation of our faith, especially to young scientists, who have all too often concluded that a serious faith in a personal God and objective pursuit of scientific truth are incompatible. Professor Francis Collins, Director, National Human Genome Research Institute some do not the beliefs of most popular religions by scientific standards are based on evidence so flimsy that only an act of blind faith can make them acceptable. Dr Francis Crick (co-discoverer of DNA s structure) However, science and belief are both very important for us. Do we have to choose between them? The view that science and belief are in conflict is a major stumbling block for many people today. Michael Poole addresses this issue in Exploring Science and Belief. Is science the ultimate test of what to believe? Do its laws make belief in miracles impossible? Has Darwin s work ruled out the idea of a creating God? How did the universe develop? Was it accidental or planned? What will happen to it eventually? Do we have any significance in it? These are some of the questions addressed in Exploring Science and Belief. Although he start(s) from what is for the theist the conviction, for the agnostic the hypothesis, and for the atheist the delusion that God exists, Michael Poole also dicusses evidence for God s existence. Table of Contents Introduction 1 God s Two Books 2 Watch Your Language 3 Explaining Explanations 4 Belief, Faith and Evidence 5 Miracles 6 First and Last Things 7. The Galileo Affair 8. Enemies or Allies? 9. Creation and Evolution 10. Accident or Design? Endnotes Glossary "

How does science enhance faith? Is God relevant in an age of science? Science and Faith: Student Questions Explored investigates the relationship between science and Christianity in a series of thoughtful and accessible articles written by experts. Chosen from InterVarsity’s Emerging Scholars Network blog, each chapter addresses common faith- and science-related questions. In part one, Science and Faith delves into why Christians should pursue scientific discovery, as well as the Bible’s viewpoint on scientific method and inquiry. Part two begins the conversation on the direct relevance of science to faith and how Christian scientists can talk to their colleagues about their faith, while part three discusses how conversations about science can take place between Christians. Finally, part four explores the history of science and the church and the question “How can the history of science encourage the church?” While ideal for graduate students who are exploring their faith and their chosen scientific fields, this book can also be used in church settings or as a personal resource. The book provides questions to launch small group conversation about faith/science, whether you’re a science PhD, a ministry leader, or an interested layperson. Since each reading is based on questions from real students, it may also be a resource for Christian faculty teaching the sciences. Contributors include Ruth Bancewicz, Gerald Rau, Greg Cootsona, Andy Walsh, and more.

The relationship between science and belief has been a prominent subject of public debate for many years, one that has relevance to everything from science communication, health and education to immigration and national values. Yet, sociological analysis of these subjects remains surprisingly scarce. This wide-ranging book critically reviews the ways in which religious and non-religious belief systems interact with scientific theories and practices. Contributors explore how, for some secularists, ‘science’ forms an important part of social identity. Others examine how many contemporary religious movements justify their beliefs by making a claim upon science. Moving beyond the traditional focus on the United States, the book shows how debates about science and belief are firmly embedded in political conflict, class, community and culture.

Science and Faith Can—and Do—Support Each Other Science and Christianity are often presented as opposites, when in fact the order of the universe and the complexity of life powerfully testify to intelligent design. With this comprehensive resource that includes the latest research, you’ll witness how the findings of scientists provide compelling reasons to acknowledge the mind and presence of a creator. Featuring more than 45 entries by top-caliber experts, you’ll better understand… how scientific concepts like intelligent design are supported by evidence the scientific findings that support the history and accounts found in the Bible the biases that lead to scientific information being presented as a challenge—rather than a complement—to Christianity Whether you’re looking for answers to your own questions or seeking to explain the case for intelligent design to others, The Comprehensive Guide to Science and Faith is an invaluable apologetic tool that will help you explore and analyze the relevant facts, research, and theories in light of biblical truth.

Involved for over thirty years in the politics of Iraq, Ali A. Allawi was a long-time opposition leader against the Baathist regime. In the post-Saddam years, he has held important government positions and participated in crucial national decisions and events. In this book, the former Minister of Defence and Finance draws on his unique personal experience, extensive relationships with members of the main political groups and parties in Iraq, and deep understanding of the history and society of his country to answer the baffling questions that persist about its current crises. What really led the United States to invade Iraq, and why have events failed to unfold as planned? The Occupation of Iraq examines what the U.S. did and didn't know at the time of the invasion, the reasons for the confused and contradictory policies that were enacted, and the emergence of the Iraqi political class during the difficult transition process. The book tracks the growth of the insurgency and illuminates the complex relationships among Sunnis, Shia, and Kurds. Bringing the discussion forward to the reconfiguration of political forces in 2006, Allawi provides in these pages the clearest view to date of the modern history of Iraq and the invasion that changed its course in unpredicted ways.

The historical interface between science and religion was depicted as an unbridgeable conflict in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. Starting in the 1970s, such a conception was too simplistic and not at all accurate when considering the totality of that relationship. This volume evaluates the utility of the “complexity principle” in past, present, and future scholarship. First put forward by historian John Brooke over twenty-five years ago, the complexity principle rejects the idea of a single thesis of conflict or harmony, or integration or separation, between science and religion. Rethinking History, Science, and Religion brings together an interdisciplinary group of scholars at the forefront of their fields to consider whether new approaches to the study of science and culture—such as recent developments in research on science and the history of publishing, the global history of science, the geographical examination of space and place, and science and media—have cast doubt on the complexity thesis, or if it remains a serviceable historiographical model.

Plasma physicist Ian Hutchinson has been asked hundreds of questions about faith and science. Is God’s existence a scientific question? Is the Bible consistent with the modern scientific understanding of the universe? Are there scientific reasons to believe in God? In this comprehensive volume, Hutchinson answers a full range of inquiries with sound scientific insights and measured Christian perspective.