The Blackwell Companion to Science and Christianity by Stump, J. B. -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Title page Copyright page Acknowledgments Notes on Contributors Introduction Part I: Historical Episodes

1 Early Christian Belief in Creation and the Beliefs Sustaining the Modern Scientific Endeavor

The Old Testament and Second-Temple Judaism The Autonomy of Nature: Basil of Caesarea to John Buridan The Comprehensibility of Nature: Gregory of Nazianzus to Johannes Kepler The Twelfth-Century Reinterpretation: Nature versus God

2 The Copernican Revolution and the Galileo Affair

The Copernican Controversy The Trial of Galileo The Subsequent Galileo Affair Lessons, Problems, Conjectures

3 Women, Mechanical Science, and God in the Early Modern Period

Margaret Cavendish (1623–1673) Anne Conway (1631–1679) Aphra Behn (1640–1689) Mary Astell (1666–1731) Conclusion

4 Christian Responses to Darwinism in the Late Nineteenth Century

Darwin’s Impact The Initial Response Human Origins The Eclipse of Darwinism

5 Science Falsely So Called

Evolution as False Science and Bad Theology Fundamentalists and the Age of the Earth Fundamentalists, Progressive Creation, and the Rise of Young-Earth Creationism Fundamentalist Views Today

Part II: Methodology

6 How to Relate Christian Faith and Science

The Goals of Science and Christianity The Epistemologies of Science and Christianity

7 Authority

Introduction Epistemic versus Practical Authority Scientific Authority and Its Limits The Validation for Acknowledging Authority Ecclesiastical Authority Which One?

8 Feminist Philosophies of Science

Background Themes in Feminist Philosophies of Science Christianity and Feminist Philosophies of Science Changing the Liturgy Towards a Prophetic Epistemology

9 Practical Objectivity

Science and Rationality as Human Practices Practical Objectivity and Explanatory Focus Methodological Naturalism and Informal Reasoning Microdesign and Macrodesign in Science

10 The Evolutionary Argument against Naturalism

Evolution and Naturalism Reliability of Our Cognitive Faculties Naturalists Are Committed to Materialism Materialist Construal of Beliefs Reductive and Non-reductive Materialism The Argument against Non-reductive Materialism Reductive Materialism Objection Conclusion

Part III: Natural Theology

11 Arguments to God from the Observable Universe

The Relevance of Arguments The Nature of Inductive Arguments Arguments from the Existence of the Universe and Laws of Nature Personal Explanation The Argument from Fine-Tuning Conclusion

12 “God of the Gaps” Arguments

Introduction Shrinking Gaps? Strengthening Supernatural Arguments

13 Natural Theology after Modernism

Natural Theology and Its Dissolution in the Modern Period The Valueladenness of Science and the Example of Intelligent Design A Religiously Neutral Concept of Nature? Natural Theology and credo ut intelligam

14 Religious Epistemology Personified

Natural Theology and God Inadequate Arguments Natural Theology Undone God, Agape, and Personifying Evidence

15 Problems for Christian Natural Theology

Incoherency Objections Objections to Theistic Arguments Empirical Arguments against God’s Existence

Part IV: Cosmology and Physics

16 Modern Cosmology and Christian Theology

The Beginning and Creation Attitudes about a Beginning and the Big Bang Theory Was the Big Bang Indeed the Beginning? Can Science Explain the Beginning?

17 Does the Universe Need God?

The Universe We Know Theories of Creation Why This Universe? The Multiverse and Fine-Tuning Accounting for the World God as a Theory

18 Does God Love the Multiverse?

Parallels between Evolution and Multiverse Ideas Fine-Tuning in Our Universe Explanations for Fine-Tuning The Growth of Our Knowledge of the Universe Objections to Multiverse Ideas Conclusion

19 The Fine-Tuning of the Cosmos

Introduction Multiverse Explanation Theistic Explanation Single-Universe Naturalism Concluding Thoughts

20 Quantum Theory and Theology

Introduction The Two-Slit Experiment and Wave-Particle Duality Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle Schrödinger’s Cat The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Experiment Interpretation: Quantum Reality? Critical Realism in Science and Theology Determinism, Human Free Will, and Divine Action Consonance with Christian Doctrine

Part V: Evolution

21 Creation and Evolution

The Historical Background The Contemporary Discussion The Christian Doctrine of Creation Questions Posed by Evolution for Christian Theology Conclusions

22 Darwinism and Atheism

Biblical Literalism Miracles Design Morality Original Sin Natural Evil Contingency Conclusion

23 Creation and Evolutionary Convergence

Christianity and Science Evolutionary Myths Predictable Evolution? Three Evolutionary Pitfalls The Emergence of Cognition And Christianity?

24 Signature in the Cell

Early Theories of the Origin of Life Beyond the Reach of Chance Self-Organization Scenarios Chance and Necessity: Pre-biotic Natural Selection The RNA World The Return of the Design Hypothesis Intelligent Design as the Best Explanation?

25 Darwin and Intelligent Design

Introductory Summary Statement The Design Argument The Design Argument in Antiquity Christian Authors William Paley’s Natural Theology The “Theory” of Intelligent Design Natural Selection Natural Selection and Design Unintended Consequences: ID’s Denigration of Religion and God The “Disguised Friend”

26 Christianity and Human Evolution

Human Evolution and the Image of God The Significance of “Information” The Perspective of Cosmology Critical Consciousness and Human Dignity Summary and Conclusion

27 Christian Theism and Life on Earth

Introduction Evolution Flourishing and Floundering Conclusion

Part VI: The Human Sciences

28 Toward a Cognitive Science of Christianity

Cognitive Science of Religion in Brief The Naturalness of Christianity How Christianity Deviates from Natural Religion Is Cognitive Science a Threat to Theism? Conclusion

29 The Third Wound

Introduction Human Error The Placebo Effect and “Faith Healing” The Mechanical Mind Conclusion

30 Sociology and Christianity

Relationships between Christianity and Sociology Cell 1: Maintaining the Idea Boundary While Admitting the Influence of Christian Ideas on Sociological Work Cell 2: Maintaining the Idea Boundary While Admitting the Sociological Influence on Christian Activity Cell 3: The Influence of Christian Ideas on Sociological Ideas Cell 4: The Influence of Sociological Ideas on Christian Ideas Conclusion

31 Economics and Christian Faith

Defending Markets and Capitalism Christian Faith and Economics Conclusion

Part VII: Christian Bioethics

32 Shaping Human Life at the Molecular Level

Body Matters Direction Genetic Testing Conclusion

33 An Inclusive Framework for Stem Cell Research

The Beneficiaries of Treatment The Sources of Materials The Subjects of Research Conclusion

34 The Problem of Transhumanism in the Light of Philosophy and Theology

Humanism as Historical Reality Manifestations of an Overhuman Idea The Spirit of Technology Technology as Driving Force The Place of Evolution The Kind of Being That We Are Limits and Motivations of Nature’s Manipulation The Place of Fiction and the Reclaiming of Eschatology From Autonomy to Theonomy

35 Ecology and the Environment

Green Critiques of Religion and Science The Problem of Suffering and the Turn to Physics “Storied” Nature and the Rapprochement of Science and Religion Conclusion: Science and the Future of Christianity

Part VIII: Metaphysical Implications

36 Free Will and Rational Choice

The “Standard” Causal Theory of Rational Action An Alternative “Libertarian” Account of Rational Action Responsiveness to Reasons

37 Science, Religion, and Infinity

Brief History How We Talk Science and Infinity Religion and Infinity Concluding Remarks

38 God and Abstract Objects

Platonism The Indispensability Argument for Platonism Challenge to the Truth of Mathematical Statements: Fictionalism Challenges to the Customary Semantics for Mathematical Discourse Challenges to the Customary Semantics in General Theological Objection to Platonism Conclusion

39 Laws of Nature

Introduction The Early Modern Concept of Laws of Nature The Universality of Laws of Nature The Book of Nature Written in the Language of Mathematics Exact Science in a Material World Quantum Mechanics: An Aristotelian Comeback? Laws of Nature Grounded in God’s Covenant Faithfulness Laws without a Lawgiver?

Part IX: The Mind

40 Christianity, Neuroscience, and Dualism

Clarification of Important Preliminaries Relevant to the Autonomy Thesis Two Paradigm Case Studies on Behalf of the Autonomy Thesis Response to Two Counter-Arguments

41 The Emergence of Persons

Alternatives to Emergence Emergence and Its Varieties Emergent Dualism and Emergentist Materialism Evaluating the Two Emergentisms

42 Christianity and the Extended-Mind Thesis

Two Versions of the Extended-Mind Thesis Extended Systems and Christianity Extended Cognition and Christianity The Upshot Conclusion

43 In Whose Image?

Introduction: In Whose Image? “In the Image of God He Created Them” In the Image of Humans Who Are We?

44 How Science Lost Its Soul, and Religion Handed It Back

No Use for That Hypothesis Swinburne on Souls Material Souls Whatever Works for You

Part X: Theology

45 The Trinity and Scientific Reality

Deep Intelligibility Intrinsic Fertility An Evolving World Causal Structure Relationality Trinitarian Belief

46 God and Miracle in an Age of Science

Miracles: A Theological Definition Violation and Intervention: A Critique of Metaphors Physically Impossible and SEE: Definition Miracles, Science, and the Order of Nature Conclusions

47 Eschatology in Science and Theology

Introduction The Place of Eschatology in Christian Theology The Challenge of Scientific Cosmology Eschatology and Cosmology: A Variety of Minimalist Responses Dialogue and Interaction: Eschatology and the Transformation of the Universe Conclusions and Future Research

48 The Quest for Transcendence in Theology and Cosmology

Transcendence in Eucharistic Experience Eucharistic Experience in Science? The Apophatic Approach in Philosophical Theology The Possibility of Dialogue in Science and Theology Transcendence-in-Immanence in Cosmology Conclusion

Part XI: Significant Figures of the Twentieth Century in Science and Christianity

49 Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Introduction Cosmic Life Two Attractions in Human Lives Law of Complexity-Consciousness Matter-Spirit Teilhard’s Omega Point and Christogenesis Building the Earth: The United Nations

50 Thomas F. Torrance

Torrance’s Life Space and Time as the Stage of God’s Revelation The Theological Character of Space and Time Realism Based on Theology The Threat of Dualism A Scientific Lesson to Learn Conclusion

51 Arthur Peacocke

Biography The Relevance of the Sciences for Theology Metaphors, Models, and the Doctrine of God The Nature of the Cosmos and Panentheism Humanity and Christ

52 Ian G. Barbour

Life Key Contributions Beyond Instrumentalism and Classical Realism: Critical Realism Barbour’s Typology: Four Ways of Relating Science and Religion A Theology of Nature and Process Thought Conclusion

53 Wolfhart Pannenberg

Theology as the Science of God Provisionality of All Knowledge Necessity for the Theological Dimension Posing Theological Questions to Scientists Scientific Metaphors in Theology

54 John Polkinghorne

Biography The Scientist-Theologians Bottom-Up Thinking and Consonance Traditional Theological Concerns Divine Action Natural Theology

Index

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