Religion and science Books

Book Synopsis'An extraordinary book . . . It will shake up your most fundamental beliefs about everyday experience, and it just might change your life.' Paul Bloom___For the millions of people who want spirituality without religion, Sam Harris's new book is a guide to meditation as a rational spiritual practice informed by neuroscience and psychology. Throughout the book, Harris argues that there are important truths to be found in the experience of contemplatives such as Jesus, Buddha and other saints and sages of history-and, therefore, that there is more to understanding reality than science and secular culture generally allow.Waking Up is part seeker's memoir and part exploration of the scientific underpinnings of spirituality. No other book marries contemplative wisdom and modern science in this way, and no author other than Sam Harris-a scientist, philosopher, and famous sceptic-could write it. ___'A demanding, illusion-shattering book.' Kirkus Reviews'A pleasure to read.' Huffington PostTrade ReviewSam Harris reminds us that awakening does not depend on religious belief. With his usual probing clarity, Sam points out the rational methodology for exploring the nature of consciousness. -- Joseph Goldstein, author of 'Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening' and 'One Dharma'So entirely of this moment, so keenly in touch with the growing number ... who are willing to say that they do not find the succor they crave, or a truth that makes sense to them, in organized religion. -- Frank Bruni * New York Times *Sam Harris ranks as my favourite sceptic, bar none. In Waking Up he gives us a clear-headed, no-holds-barred look at the spiritual supermarket, calling out what amounts to junk food and showing us where real nutrition can be found. Anyone who realizes the value of a spiritual life will find much to savour here – and those who see no value in it will find much to reflect on. * Daniel Goleman, Author of 'Emotional Intelligence' and 'Focus' *Harris shows how our egos are illusions [and] how abandoning this illusion can wake us up to a richer life, more connected to everything around us. * Jerry Coyne, Professor of Biology at the University of Chicago *Waking Up is an extraordinary book ... It will shake up your most fundamental beliefs about everyday experience, and it just might change your life. * Paul Bloom, Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Yale University *

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Book SynopsisNEW EDITIONThe Science Delusion is the belief that science already understands the nature of reality. The fundamental questions are answered, leaving only the details to be filled in. In this book (published in the US as Science Set Free), Dr Rupert Sheldrake, one of the world's most innovative scientists, shows that science is being constricted by assumptions that have hardened into dogmas. The 'scientific worldview' has become a belief system. All reality is material or physical. The world is a machine, made up of dead matter. Nature is purposeless. Consciousness is nothing but the physical activity of the brain. Free will is an illusion. God exists only as an idea in human minds, imprisoned within our skulls.Sheldrake examines these dogmas scientifically, and shows persuasively that science would be better off without them: freer, more interesting, and more fun.In The God Delusion Richard Dawkins used science to bash God, but here Rupert Sheldrake shows that Dawkins' understanding of what science can do is old-fashioned and itself a delusion. 'Rupert Sheldrake does science, humanity and the world at large a considerable favour.'The Independent'Certainly we need to accept the limitations of much current dogma and keep our minds open as we reasonably can. Sheldrake may help us do so through this well-written, challenging and always interesting book.' Financial TimesTrade Review'Sheldrake powerfully reminds us that science must be pursued with an open mind.' * Robert Jackson, former UK Minister for Science *'This is a terrific, engrossing book that throws open the shutters to reveal our world to be so much more intriguing and profound than could ever have been supposed.' * Dr James Le Fanu, author of The Rise and Fall of Modern Medicine *'The author, a biologist, takes issue with the idea that science already understands the nature of reality - and in doing so, frees up the spirit of enquiry.' * The Times *'There is something rather odd about the current state of science. For Rupert Sheldrake, [it is] facing a 'credibility crunch' on many fronts. He presents this challenging argument by identifying 'ten core beliefs that most scientists take for granted.' He then interrogates each in turn by reformulating it, in the spirit of radical scepticism, as a question. This Socratic method of inquiry proves surprisingly illuminating. A serious mind-expanding book.' * James le Fanu, The Spectator *'Certainly we need to accept the limitations of much current dogma and keep our minds open as we reasonably can. Sheldrake may help us do so through this well-written, challenging and always interesting book.' * Crispin Tickell, Financial Times *'Rupert Sheldrake does science, humanity and the world at large a considerable favour.' * Colin Tudge, The Independent *Rupert Sheldrake shows very convincingly the way that time and again scientists refuse to look at anything outside a very limited set of possibilities. Sheldrake shows powerfully how some professional skeptics simply have no interest in looking into claims for anything outside of our current scientific understanding. A valuable and powerful message. * www.popularscience.co.uk *'Isn't it nice to have some mystery back? Isn't it nice to have doubts?' * Esquire *'We must somehow find different, more realistic ways of understanding human beings - and indeed other animals - as the active wholes that they are, rather than pretending to see them as meaningless consignments of chemicals. Rupert Sheldrake, who has long called for this development, spells out this need forcibly in his new book. He shows how materialism has gradually hardened into a kind of anti-Christian principle, claiming authority to dictate theories and to veto inquiries on topics that don't suit it, such as unorthodox medicine, let along religion. He shows just how unworkable the assumptions behind today's fashionable habits have become. The 'science delusion' of his title is the current popular confidence in certain fixed assumptions - the exaltation of today's science, not as the busy, constantly changing workshop that it actually is but as a final, infallible oracle preaching a crude kind of materialism... His insistence on the need to attend to possible wider ways of thinking is surely right.' * Mary Midgley, The Guardian *'A fascinating, humane and refreshing book that any layman can enjoy, in which he takes ten supposed scientific 'laws' and turns them, instead, into questions... Dr Sheldrake wants to bring energy and excitement back into science... he has already done more than any other scientist alive to broaden the appeal of the discipline, and readers should get their teeth into the important and astounding book.' * Country Life *'This is a delightful, interesting, informative, highly readable and much needed book and we definitely recommend it.' * Greenspirit.org.uk *'This is a book about science and understanding the world that I have been hoping to read for years. It should be on every science student's course.' * The Oldie *'This book is worth reading because of the depth of focus that the author brings to bear not only on the mind and our fixed opinions but also on our unthinking acceptance of the world, as we like to see it, along with our unquestioned assumptions.' * The Middle Way: Journal of the Buddhist Society *'Sheldrake will be seen as a prophet.' * The Sunday Times *An entertaining read. * The Sunday Times *Whether or not we want to follow Sheldrake's further speculations on topics such as morphic resonance, his insistence on the need to attend to possible wider ways of thinking is surely right. * Guardian *The maverick scientist questions the orthodox of "scientific worldview". * Observer *

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Book SynopsisImpossible Monsters is the captivating story of the discovery of the dinosaurs and how it upended our understanding of the origins of the world. An astonishing book about an extraordinary subject' PETER FRANKOPAN'As thrilling as it is sweeping' TOM HOLLAND'This book dazzles in its originality . . . a triumph' SATHNAM SANGHERAIn 1811, a twelve-year-old girl uncovered some strange-looking bones in Britain's southern shoreline - and so sparked a crisis that would engulf science and religion for the next six decades. By its end, the literal reading of the Bible had been overturned, science had been liberated from religion and the secular age had begun. Impossible Monsters takes us into the lives and minds of the extraordinary men and women whose discovery of the dinosaurs revolutionised our understanding of the world, as well as those who resisted them and those, like Charles Darwin, who took great risks to construct a new account of the earth's and mankind's origins. It is the riveting story of a group of people who dared to think impossible things and then showed them to be true. Truly marvellous ... an intellectual thriller' RICHARD HOLMESA stunning work ... of surprises and revelations' STEVE BRUSATTE

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Book SynopsisIn his bestselling book, The Language of God, Francis Collins-the director of the National Institutes of Health and the scientist who led the Human Genome Project-attempted to harmonize the findings of scientific research with Christian belief. In this response to Collins's work, fellow geneticist George C. Cunningham presents a point-by-point rebuttal of The Language of God, arguing that there is no scientifically acceptable evidence to support belief in a personal God and much that discredits it. Written with admirable clarity for the nonscientist, Decoding the Language of God covers much of the same ground addressed by Collins in his book: the origins of moral behavior, the difficulty of reconciling belief in a good God with the existence of evil.and anthropic coincidences as evidence of God as creator. Cunningham also devotes chapters to the unreliability of the Bible as a basis for belief; the conflict between naturalistic explanations of reality, which are anchored in scientific research, and supernatural interpretations, which are not; and the many difficulties in conceptualizing the origins of the universe in terms of a personal God. Unlike recent hostile attacks on religious belief, Cunningham's respectful, well-reasoned discussion will appeal to open-minded people across the whole spectrum of belief and unbelief.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewBOOK OF THE MONTH: forces you to consider the unknown and try to come to terms with the unexplained. * Independent *From a less authoritative source, these stories could seem mawkish or flaky. Told here with calm precision, and with a conversational flair, they are both absorbing and convincing. With so much evidence available for further investigation, the most vexing question now is not whether life continues in some form after we die, but why mainstream science is so resistant to the idea. -- Christopher Stevens * Daily Mail *After is that rare thing, a scientific book that is also a page-turner. Greyson's meticulous research leaves little doubt that the human mind somehow survives beyond the point of death. * Nick Evans, bestselling author of The Horsewhisper *This very captivating book by Dr. Bruce Greyson chronicles his personal, spiritual and professional quest to understand the meaning of near-death experiences. His long-awaited and amazing book is a major contribution to the study of what happens when we die, and will quickly prove to be a classic in near-death studies. * Raymond Moody, MD, PhD, Author of Life After Life *Bruce Greyson is the most influential medical doctor-investigator over the last 40 years of this world-changing analysis. His work has done much to organize the scientific investigation of these experiences, to take them from fascinating anecdotes to systematic and objective study that will truly enable the world to benefit from these deep lessons. His work has the potential to completely change our fractured and confused world, offering insights that may lead to an explanation of the nature of consciousness. It will also help to nudge the entire scientific community towards realizations that can alter human history — bringing far more peace, harmony, and comfort to uncountable millions of souls both now and in future generations. * Eben Alexander, MD, New York Times bestselling author of Proof of Heaven *

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Book SynopsisScience is often presented as a set of propositions to affirm. On those terms, the existence of God becomes yet another such proposition, and all science can offer is a yes or a no. Andy Walsh thinks science offers more.By enriching our language with new concepts, science can help us know God, rather than merely know of him. This is the pattern established in the Bible; the psalmists, the prophets, the epistle writers, they all use language about nature to help us understand God. Even Jesus relied on metaphors from the natural world when he wanted to explain the kingdom of God.Faith across the Multiverse explores concepts from contemporary science to illuminate scripture and reveal more about the God who has unfurled the multiverse. Sections of the book cover metaphors and parables from mathematics, physics, biology, and computer science.

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Book SynopsisThis investigation of religion by greatest psychoanalyst of the twentieth-century explores the role faith can take in the life of man, what it can mean to us and why as a species we are inclined towards it. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.

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Book SynopsisBy the author of The Science Delusion a detailed account of how science can authenticate spiritualityTrade ReviewI thought I was undergoing a mild mid-life crisis, but after reading Rupert Sheldrake's book I realise that - despite being a lifelong non-believer - I was actually embracing various rituals employed by followers of all major world religions to bring themselves closer to their particular deity...it's fascinating to learn that the pursuits that I, and many of my peers, are embracing aren't simply badges of incipient middle-age, but proven mood-enhancers employed by all cultures throughout history. * Mail on Sunday *I have personally adopted many of the practices Rupert describes in his book and experienced more love, joy, empathy, gratitude and equanimity as a result. We are all indebted to Rupert who has tirelessly brought us deep insights from both science and spirituality. * Deepak Chopra *Urgent, vital, gently devastating, and an exhilarating read. Buy it, read it, and give it to all your friends and all acolytes of scientism. Sheldrake will help us stay alive and be more alive. We all need his help. * Charles Foster, Fellow of Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, and author of Being a Beast *I love this book! Few living scientists have the courage and the verve to ask the questions Rupert does, research them, and deliver answers in language all can understand. Be prepared as you read this book for an exciting and free-ranging ride, a sort of scientific pilgrimage journeying into spiritual practices and how they have benefited and can benefit humanity. * Matthew Fox, spiritual theologian and author of Original Blessing, The Reinvention of Work, and Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior for Our TImes *Praise for the Science Delusion * : *Sheldrake will be seen as a prophet. * The Sunday Times *Rupert Sheldrake does science, humanity and the world at large a considerable favour. * The Independent *Certainly we need to accept the limitations of much current dogma and keep our minds open as we reasonably can. Sheldrake may help us do so through this well-written, challenging and always interesting book. * Financial Times *There is something rather odd about the current state of science. For Rupert Sheldrake, [it is] facing a 'credibility crunch' on many fronts. He presents this challenging argument by identifying 'ten core beliefs that most scientists take for granted.' He then interrogates each in turn by reformulating it, in the spirit of radical scepticism, as a question. This Socratic method of inquiry proves surprisingly illuminating. A serious mind-expanding book. * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisNow revised and updated--John Lennox''s acclaimed method of reading and interpreting the first chapters of Genesis without discounting either science or Scripture. What did the writer of Genesis mean by the first day? Are the seven days in Genesis 1 a literal week or a series of time periods? If I believe that the earth is 4.5 billion years old as cosmologists believe, am I denying the authority of Scripture?With examples from history, a brief but thorough exploration of the major interpretations, and a look into the particular significance of the creation of human beings, Lennox suggests that Christians can heed modern scientific knowledge while staying faithful to the biblical narrative. He moves beyond a simple response to the controversy, insisting that Genesis teaches us far more about the God of Jesus Christ and about God''s intention for creation than it does about the age of the earth.With this book, Lennox offers a careful and accessible introduction to a scientifically-savvy, theologically-astute, and Scripturally faithful interpretation of Genesis.Since its publication in 2011, this book has enabled many readers to see that the major controversy with which it engages can be resolved without compromising commitment to the authority of Scripture. In this newly revised and expanded edition, John clarifies his arguments, responds to comments and critiques of the past decade since its first publication. In particular, he describes some of the history up to modern times of Jewish scholarly interpretation of the Genesis creation narrative as well as spelling out in more detail the breadth of views in the Great Tradition of interpretation due to the early Church Fathers. He shows that, contrary to what many people think, much of the difficulty with understanding the biblical texts does not arise from modern science but from attempting to elucidate the texts in their own right.

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Book SynopsisBelievers from a variety of faith communities were asked to assess how the Covid pandemic has affected their faith. The anthology collects their responses to key questions, such as: How does your faith explain why such events occur? How has it affected your religious practices? What changes has it necessitated? What differences might we expect once the pandemic is over? What have we learned from it? Two exponents of each major religion and a number of minority faiths comment on these issues, combined with a concluding essay by the editors assessing the overall impact of the pandemic on religion worldwide. Faiths explored include Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, Sikh Baha'i, Jain, African Traditional Religion, Zoroastrian, Unitarian, Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian Science.Trade ReviewFor religions of all kinds, the imperative to remember is of great importance. As we tentatively move into a post-Covid society, it is easy to forget the impact the pandemic had on our understanding and practice of faith and spirituality. This remarkable collection of reflections from a very wide range of traditions should serve as a multi-faceted reminder to the deep religious and ethical issues which Covid created, uncovered and amplified. * Michael Ipgrave OBE, Bishop of Lichfield, UK *By sharing experiences of the Covid Pandemic, people of different countries and beliefs will be better prepared to act together in the event of future global threats to peace and prosperity. * Marcus Braybrooke, Former President of the World Congress of Faiths, UK *George D. Chryssides and Dan Cohn-Sherbok have assembled an informed collection of contributors who provide a comparative window into how adherents of a wide variety of religious traditions responded to the global pandemic. Readers will learn not only how differently the religions understood and responded to the traumatic events, but also how united the human species is in drawing upon religion in times of need. * John W. Morehead, Director, Evangelical Chapter of the Foundation for Religious Diplomacy/Multifaith Matters, USA *A collection of insightful responses and reflections from a wide variety of religious voices that are valuable in themselves and, as Rowan Williams says in the foreword, “They suggest that the process of distilling what is to be learned from the pandemic will need spiritual insight, not just a superficial optimism about doing better next time." * David Steers, Editor of Faith and Freedom, UK *Table of ContentsNotes on Contributors Foreword, Rowan Williams, Former Archbishop of Canterbury Acknowledgements Table of Acronyms 1. Covid and Religion – Christopher Lewis, (Dean Emeritus, Christchurch Cathedral, Oxford, UK) 2. Pandemics and Jewish Responses – Oliver Leaman (University of Kentucky, USA) 3. Some Jewish Perspectives from the United States – David J. Zucker (Rabbi and Author, UK) 4. Covid, Communion and Christianity – Clare Amos (World Council of Churches, Switzerland) 5. We Can’t Forget: Conservative Protestants in the COVID-19 Pandemic – Camille Kaminski Lewis (Furman University, USA) 6. “What people's hands have earned”: Islamic perspectives on Covid – Usama Hasan (Al Quran Society, UK) 7. Glimpses into Islamic Perspectives and Practice – Farhana Mayer (University of Oxford, UK) 8. Turning to Medicine is Not Turning Away from God: Hindu Resilience in a Pandemic – Anantanand Rambachan (St Olaf College, Minnesota, USA) 9. Karma, Chanting, Love, and Zoom; Hindu Responses to a Pandemic – Shaunaka Rishi Das (Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, UK) and Utsa Bose 10. The Buddha’s Prescription for the World: How People Used Buddhism to Cope with the Pandemic – Bogodá Seelawimala (Head of the London Buddhist Vihara and the Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain, UK) 11. Covid and Theravada Buddhism – Peter Harvey (University of Sunderland, UK) 12. Fostering Everyday Culture at Shinto Shrines under Covid – Taishi Kato (Shinto Priest, Hattori Tenjingu Shrine, Osaka, Japan) 13. The Significance of Matsuri festivals in Shinto during Epidemics – Koji Suga (Kokugakuin University, Japan) 14. Covid and Sewa: Practising Sikhi during a Global Pandemic – Tejpaul Singh Bainiwal (University of Southern California Riverside, USA) 15. Sikh Scriptemics during Pandemic – Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh (Colby College, USA) 16. Navigating the Covid-19 Pandemic: Building Resilience: Reflections of a Bahá’í – Wendi Momen (University of Derby, UK) 17. World-Embracing Vision Against World-Threatening Pandemic – George Merchant Ballentyne (Leicester Council of Faiths, UK) 18. Jains and Covid-19 – Vinod Kapashi (World Congress of Faiths, UK) 19. Jain Perceptions of the Pandemic – Kumarpal Desai 20. African Religion – Vibrant amid Covid-19 in Eswatini – Hebron L Ndlovu (University of Swaziland, Swaziland) 21. Opening our eyes: Covid-19 and Indigenous Funeral Processes in African Traditional Religion – Nokuzola Mndende (Nelson Mandela University, South Africa) 22. Zarathustra’s Wisdom: Accepting Natural Consequences – Jehangir Sarosh (The World Council of Religions for Peace) 23. Transforming Challenges into Progress: A Zoroastrian Perspective – Karishma Koka (University of Cambridge, UK) 24. Unitarians and global catastrophe: a pandemic, a war and a climate emergency – Feargus O’Connor (World Congress of Faiths, UK) 25. Unitarian Universalists Face Covid: Challenges, Surprises, and New Pathways – Jay Atkinson (Starr King School, USA) 26. When ‘No Resident Will Say: “I Am Sick”’ – The Global Religious Response of Jehovah’s Witnesses to the Covid-19 Pandemic – Jolene Chu (Archivist, World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, USA) 27. How one Jehovah’s Witness community negotiated the ride of the ‘pale horse’ – Gary Perkins (Independent Scholar, UK) 28. Practising my Christian Science Faith during the Covid-19 Pandemic – Shirley Paulson (Formerly Head of Ecumenical Affairs, Christian Science Church, USA) 29. Personal Experiences of the Christian Science Faith during Covid – Susan Searle, (Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia, Australia) 30. Covid and Theology – Dan Cohn-Sherbok 31. What Have We Learned? – George D. Chryssides Index

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Book SynopsisThe New York Times bestselling author of Darwin’s Doubt, Stephen Meyer, presents groundbreaking scientific evidence of the existence of God, based on breakthroughs in physics, cosmology, and biology.Beginning in the late 19th century, many intellectuals began to insist that scientific knowledge conflicts with traditional theistic belief—that science and belief in God are “at war.” Philosopher of science Stephen Meyer challenges this view by examining three scientific discoveries with decidedly theistic implications. Building on the case for the intelligent design of life that he developed in Signature in the Cell and Darwin’s Doubt, Meyer demonstrates how discoveries in cosmology and physics coupled with those in biology help to establish the identity of the designing intelligence behind life and the universe. Meyer argues that theism—with its affirmati

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Book SynopsisAs lifelong meditators and mindfulness teachers, we confess we were almost embarrassed when we stumbled onto a 5-15 second shortcut to transcendence. This idea ran counter to everything we knew about meditation before we began our research. But, yes, it is possible. It only requires accessing the powerful emotion of awe in ordinary, everyday life. The changes in our lives have been profound, and after seeing the results repeated again and again in our thousands of patients, clients, and study participants, we''ve proven that our shortcut, coined the A.W.E. Method, works. -from the Preface Think about the last time you were truly in awe - perhaps on a walk or whilst watching a musician perform live - maybe you felt goosebumps or you lost your sense of time? Unbeknownst to you, some pretty incredible things were happening inside your body. Your fight-flight-freeze response became less active and activity decreased in your brain''s default mode network, whichTrade ReviewEnlightening... This convincing appraisal of awe's many possibilities helps frame mindfulness in a fascinating and eminently actionable way. Wellness gurus and those merely seeking a break from frenetic daily life will want to take a look * Publishers Weekly *A powerful, practical, science-backed book that shows us how finding awe everywhere, every day is essential to our health and well-being. In The Power of Awe, the authors generously share their A.W.E. Method, a novel and refreshing approach to reduce stress, anxiety and pain by finding awe in the ordinary. -- Judson Brewer, MD, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Unwinding AnxietyI love this book! It's direct, powerful, heartfelt and grounded in science. Frankly, I am in awe of the deep practices offered by the authors. A gem. -- Rick Hanson, PhD, senior fellow at UC Berkeley’'s Great Good Science Center, and New York Times bestselling authorIn this deeply insightful book, Jake Eagle and Michael Amster introduce their A.W.E. contemplative approach, tested during the stress and trauma of the COVID pandemic, to increase your everyday sense of awe and wonder. This original book offers a new path to enjoying a more meaningful and awe-filled life, inspiring us to open our eyes to the wonders around us. -- Dacher Keltner PhD, Professor of Psychology, UC Berkeley, author, AWE: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How Iit Can Transform Your LifeThe Power of Awe encapsulates the essence of the healing journey out of chronic mental and physical pain. I have witnessed hundreds of patients break from pain with these concepts. I am in awe of Eagle and Amster's work and how well it is presented. -- David Hanscom, MD, author of Back in Control: A Surgeon’'s Roadmap Out of Chronic PainThe Power of Awe is an extraordinary book ... that helps us cultivate the fuller treasures and lifetime benefits of this gem of an emotion. Through practical methods of accessing awe at any moment, along with keen existential insights, this book takes us a major step toward a revitalised consciousness that is needed now. -- Kirk J. Schneider, PhD, author of Awakening to Awe, The Spirituality of Awe, and The Depolarizing of America: A Guidebook for Social HealingEagle and Amster's A.W.E. Method, is an extraordinary technique for synthesizing our panoramic understanding of mindfulness, biochemistry, neuroscience, and psychology, and turning it into a pure and conscious laser focus that resets the way we feel, while it opens up our minds to connectivity with others and clarity of thought within. Supported by a boatload of science, the fundamentals of this approach are easily understood and quickly implemented by anyone wanting to enhance their lives. I recommend it highly. -- Rick Foster, bestselling author of How We Choose to Be HappyThis unprecedented work introduces readers to the ingenious practice of microdosing on mindfulness. Jake Eagle and Michael Amster are wise and trustworthy guides who explain the science and impact of their research with clarity and confidence. Using relatable examples from clients and their own lives, the authors lead readers through this incredibly simple yet remarkably profound technique. The Power of Awe is a brilliant book that will revolutionize the way we think about mindfulness. -- Sebene Selassie, writer, teacher, author of You Belong: A Call for ConnectionA brilliant and original take on the emotional state of awe that eloquently illustrates what science is showing: Awe is indeed powerful, able to dampen fight-flight responses and activate a parasympathetic state to support calm feelings and relaxation-the only state, we're learning, in which healing of both mental and physical challenges and disruptions can efficiently occur. -- Stephen Porges, PhD, creator, Polyvagal TheoryThe Power of Awe is my idea of an antianxiety playbook for parents-and their kids. This simple A.W.E. Method can help turn the tide of our anxiety-ridden society in the most natural of ways-by showing us how to access awe, an emotion that is our birthright and that puts us in a state from which we can better access our resources. The A.W.E. Method is must-have addition to our antianxiety toolbox. -- Alison Escalante, MD, FAAP, pediatrician, inventor of the Sigh, See, Start parenting method, adjunct faculty at Rush Medical College of Rush UniversityThe Power of Awe is a breakthrough that integrates the wisdom of all great religious traditions with the insights of modern psychology to bring healing to anyone who seeks it -- Jack Riemer, rabbi, author of Finding God in Unexpected PlacesSafer and possibly more effective than psychotropic drugs, AWE also is more approachable for most of us than meditation. I would argue that the A.W.E. Method offers a simple, free and effective way to microdose on the biology of love. -- Sue Carter, distinguished university scientist, The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University

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Book SynopsisScience and Civilization in Islam has remained unsurpassed as the authoritative statement on this subject. With his characteristic breadth of learning, clarity of exposition and insight, Seyyed Hossein Nasr presents here for the first time a full picture of Islamic science, not as a chapter in the history of Western science, but as an integral aspect of Islamic civilisation and the Islamic intellectual tradition.By means of an historical presentation, an analysis of its forms, including the use of passages from the writings of many Muslim scientists and philosophers, the author is able to convey not only a sense of the operative context of Islamic science but he also demonstrates its inter-relatedness with the sapiential wisdom on which it is based. An introductory chapter provides the reader with a necessary orientation to the subject according to the principles of Islam, while subsequent chapters survey the whole spectrum of the individual sciences from cosmology, philosophy, and theology to alchemy, physics, mathematics, astronomy, and medicine concluding with a chapter on the gnostic tradition.For this edition, Dr Nasr has written a preface surveying the fields covered in the book since its first appearance in 1968, and has provided a supplement that brings the Bibliography up to date.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review...American Cosmic is well worth the attention of scholars interested in how the religious is both created and functions in the contemporary world. * Jeremy Rapport, International Journal for the Study of New Religions *This book deserves to be given attention by those in the religious studies field whose familiarity with UFO Religions is confined to historical cases or more modern personality-driven organizations. * Aaron John Gulyas, Nova Religio *refreshingly engaging * Benjamin E. Zeller, Journal of the American Academy of Religion *The book as a whole is a highly sensitive, and erudite. * Paradigm Explorer *Table of ContentsPreface- A Tour of Silicon Valley with Jacques Vallee Acknowledgements Introduction Chapter 1- The Invisible Tyler D. Chapter 2- James: Master of the Multiverse Chapter 3- Scott Browne's In the Field: The War is Virtual, The Blood is Real Chapter 4- When Star Wars Became Real: The Mechanisms of Belief Chapter 5- The Material Code: Moving Beyond the Disembodied Soul to the Materiality of Quantum Information Chapter 6- The Human Receiver: Matter, Information, Energy... Contact Chapter Seven- Suspended in Space: Levitating, Bilocating Saints and Tyler D.'s Spiritual Conversion in Rome Conclusion- The Artifact

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Book SynopsisBeloved teacher and thought leader Gregg Braden explains how word-specific patterns used by ancient civilisations can help us rewire our brains for resilience and healing.Long before the advent of neuroscience, our ancestors understood intuitively that the words we speak and think can cause deep inner transformation: they created specific word patterns to provide healing, strength and inner power in difficult times, and encoded these in prayers and sacred writings.In this book, Gregg Braden shares Wisdom Codes for the full range of life experiences, including:- healing from loss- giving and receiving love- addressing anger, anxiety and addiction- finding forgivenessEach Wisdom Code - distilled from a quote, a scripture passage or a parable - is accompanied by a brief discussion of what the code means, why it's important and how to apply it in your life.

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Book SynopsisFrom a bestselling author, an incendiary and uproarious assault on the pretensions of scientific atheists (National Review)Militant atheism is on the rise. Prominent thinkers including Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitchens have published best-selling books denigrating religious belief. And these authors are merely the leading edge of a larger movement that includes much of the scientific community. In response, mathematician David Berlinski, himself a secular Jew, delivers a biting defense of religious thought. The Devil''s Delusion is a brilliant, incisive, and funny book that explores the limits of science and the pretensions of those who insist it is the ultimate touchstone for understanding our world.

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Book SynopsisCharts the rise and fall ofJohn Zahm, examining his ascension to international fame in bridging evolution and Catholicism and shedding new light on his ultimate downfall via censure by the Congregation of the Index of Prohibited Books.Trade Review“No other book has gone into such depth in probing the story of the Catholic Church’s censorship of the attempts by the Notre Dame priest and scholar John Zahm to demonstrate that Catholic teaching, generally speaking, is consonant with Darwin’s evolutionary science. Faith and Science at Notre Dame provides an original and well-written account of Zahm’s life and career. It also provides a detailed study of the often fearful and unjust way in which the Catholic Church in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries dealt with some of its most devoted members when they sought to accommodate Church teachings intellectually and religiously to the age of science.”—John Haught, author of Resting on the Future: Catholic Theology for an Unfinished Universe"According to John Slattery, John Zahm's scientific credentials and expertise far outstripped that of his opponents, but his lack of theological and philosophical sophistication severely hampered his ability to steer clear of condemnation. Faith and Science at Notre Dame explains Zahm's position and the background factors that led him to adopt a pro-evolution perspective in conflict with Church authorities both in the United Sates and in Rome." —Paul Allen, Concordia University"Slattery’s account of Zahm’s work provides a much-needed bridge between this reactionary era in the Church’s recent intellectual history and the more open era of Catholic thought that preceded the French Revolution. Faith and Science at Notre Dame is an indispensable addition to this history." —Commonweal"Faith and Science at Notre Dame gives us a fresh look at the work of Fr. John A. Zahm, C.S.C., the prominent Notre Dame advocate of the compatibility of evolutionary biology and Catholic thought. John Slattery examines Zahm's work within the larger context surrounding the rise of Neo-Scholasticism and against the background of the 'Americanist' controversies of the late nineteenth century. Slattery synthesizes the work of earlier scholars and gives us a new picture of Zahm both as a priest-scientist and also as a religious controversialist writing in a complex period of the history of the Roman Catholic Church. The work is supported by new archival research in Vatican archives, and includes translations of important official Church texts." —Phillip R. Sloan, Professor emeritus, University of Notre Dame"Slattery’s book draws on new archival information from letters and reports that deepen our understanding of the scientific, theological and philosophical forces in the Church and put Zahm’s stance and the consequences he faced in a new light." —Notre Dame Magazine"Father Zahm's life story is a cautionary tale of the challenge that men of faith face as scientists." —The Pilot"The great merit of Slattery’s book is its detailed analysis showing that Zahm and the Vatican officials in the Congregation of the Index (and their chosen 'expert') were operating with vastly different understandings of what 'science' is." —Theological StudiesTable of ContentsTables Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Setting the Stage: An Historical Background 2. The Rise and Fall of John Augustine Zahm, CSC 3. The Scientific Mind of John Zahm, CSC 4. The Development of Catholic Teachings on Science, Faith, and Reason in the 19th Century 5. Trials and Tribulations Appendix A: A New Translation of the 1864 Syllabus of Modern Errors Appendix B: An English Translation of Otto Zardetti’s Condemnation Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThe Robot Will See You Now by John Wyatt and Stephen N. Williams explores developments in artificial intelligence and robotics, and considers how Christians can prepare for the challenges they pose.Trade ReviewOffers an array of insights from some of the world’s leaders in healthcare, employment, security, and the arts [in] a beautifully written, concise treatise . . . perfect for the casual reader. * Christianity on THE ROBOT WILL SEE YOU NOW *A real treasure: encouraging, heart-warming, informative and sensible. It answers the concern of many Christian doctors that the will o’ the wisp of medical imperialism has led the Christian community astray into excessive medicalisation of the process of dying, to the detriment of spiritual and family matters. This is a book for everyone, which will change souls for the better. -- Andrew Sims, Past President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus of the University of Leeds on DYING WELL (IVP, 2018)The book's brilliance lies in the effortless way John blends deep biblical insight, long experience of compassionately accompanying the old, middle-aged, young and very young through their death, world-class medical expertise, and clear-eyed cultural critique of the way over-medicalisation has worked to strip dying of its potential to nourish spiritual growth, relational healing and enriching leave-taking. Full of careful, wise practical advice for the dying, and for all those involved, what emerges is a gentle, unsentimental, moving and liberating gift to us all. -- Mark Greene is Executive Director at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity on DYING WELL (IVP, 2018)We can ask for no wiser nor honest, practical and compassionate guide. -- Timothy Dudley-Smith on DYING WELL (IVP, 2018)

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Book SynopsisIn Breaking the Spell Daniel C. Dennett explores how the great ideas of religion have enthralled us for thousands of years - and whether we could (or should) break free. What is religion and how did it evolve? Is it the product of blind evolutionary instinct or of rational choice? Is the only way to live a good life through religion? Few forces in the world are as potent as religion: it comforts people in their suffering and inspires them to both magnificent and terrible deeds. In this provocative and timely book, Daniel C. Dennett seeks to uncover the origins of religion and discusses how and why different faiths have shaped so many lives, whether religion is an addiction or a genuine human need, and even whether it is good for our health. Arguing passionately for the need to understand this multifaceted phenomenon, Breaking the Spell offers a truly original - and comprehensive - explanation for faith. ''Packed with a mass of intriguing detail and anecdote ... witty and clear prose''  Observer ''He''s the good cop among religion''s critics (Richard Dawkins is the bad cop), but he still makes people angry''  New Statesman ''Dennett writes with brio and humour''  Telegraph ''Elegant, sharp-minded ... clear-eyed but courteous''  Economist Daniel Dennett is one of the most original and provocative thinkers in the world. A brilliant polemicist and philosopher, he is famous for challenging unexamined orthodoxies, and an outspoken supporter of the Brights movement. His books include Brainstorms, Brainchildren, Elbow Room, Consciousness Explained, Darwin''s Dangerous Idea and Freedom Evolves.

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Book SynopsisIn Mind and Cosmos Thomas Nagel argues that the widely accepted world view of materialist naturalism is untenable. The mind-body problem cannot be confined to the relation between animal minds and animal bodies. If materialism cannot accommodate consciousness and other mind-related aspects of reality, then we must abandon a purely materialist understanding of nature in general, extending to biology, evolutionary theory, and cosmology. Since minds are features of biological systems that have developed through evolution, the standard materialist version of evolutionary biology is fundamentally incomplete. And the cosmological history that led to the origin of life and the coming into existence of the conditions for evolution cannot be a merely materialist history. An adequate conception of nature would have to explain the appearance in the universe of materially irreducible conscious minds, as such. No such explanation is available, and the physical sciences, including molecular biology, cannot be expected to provide one. The book explores these problems through a general treatment of the obstacles to reductionism, with more specific application to the phenomena of consciousness, cognition, and value. The conclusion is that physics cannot be the theory of everything.Trade ReviewMind and Cosmos is ... extraordinarily ambitious. Nagel proposes not merely a new explanation for the origin of life and consciousness, but a new type of explanation: 'natural teleology.' * George Scialabba, Inference: International Review of Science *Nagels book is provocative, interesting and important * Simon Oliver, Studies in Christian Ethics *Nagels arguments are forceful, and his proposals are bold, intriguing, and original. This, though short and clear, is philosophy in the grand manner, and it is worthy of much philosophical discussion. * Keith Ward, The Philosophical Quarterly *This is a challenging text that should provoke much further reflection. I recommend it to anyone interested in trying to understand the nature of our existence. * W. Richard Bowen, ESSSAT News & Reviews 23:1 *[This] troublemaking book has sparked the most exciting disputation in many years... I like Nagel's mind and I like Nagel's cosmos. He thinks strictly but not imperiously, and in grateful view of the full tremendousness of existence. * Leon Wieseltier, The New Republic *A sharp, lucidly argued challenge to today's scientific worldview. * Jim Holt, The Wall Street Journal *Nagel's arguments against reductionism should give those who are in search of a reductionist physical 'theory of everything' pause for thought... The book serves as a challenging invitation to ponder the limits of science and as a reminder of the astonishing puzzle of consciousness. * Science *Mind and Cosmos, weighing in at 128 closely argued pages, is hardly a barn-burning polemic. But in his cool style Mr. Nagel extends his ideas about consciousness into a sweeping critique of the modern scientific worldview. * The New York Times *[This] short, tightly argued, exacting new book is a work of considerable courage and importance. * National Review *Provocative... Reflects the efforts of a fiercely independent mind. * H. Allen Orr, The New York Review of Books *Challenging and intentionally disruptive... Unless one is a scientific Whig, one must strongly suspect that something someday will indeed succeed [contemporary science]. Nagel's Mind and Cosmos does not build a road to that destination, but it is much to have gestured toward a gap in the hills through which a road might someday run. * The Los Angeles Review of Books *A model of carefulness, sobriety and reason... Reading Nagel feels like opening the door on to a tidy, sunny room that you didn't know existed. * The Guardian *Fascinating... [A] call for revolution. * Alva Noe, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *The book's wider questions -- its awe-inspiring questions -- turn outward to address the uncanny cognizability of the universe around us... He's simply doing the old-fashioned Socratic work of gadfly, probing for gaps in what science thinks it knows. * Louis B. Jones, The Threepenny Review *[Attacks] the hidden hypocrisies of many reductionists, secularists, and those who wish to have it both ways on religious modes of thinking ... Fully recognizes the absurdities (my word, not his) of dualism, and thinks them through carefully and honestly. * Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution *This is an interesting and clearly written book by one of the most important philosophers alive today. It serves as an excellent introduction to debates about the power of scientific explanation. * Constantine Sandis, Times Higher Education *... reading this book will certainly prove a worthwhile venture, as it is certain to have an inspiring effect on the reader's own attitude towards mind and the cosmos. * Jozef Bremer, Forum Philosophicum *Table of ContentsI. Introduction ; II. Antireductionism and the Natural Order ; III. Consciousness ; IV. Cognition ; V. Value ; VI. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisIn this book, Professor Douglas Kelly persuasively argues for a literal interpretation of the six–day account of creation found in Genesis chapters 1 and 2. He assesses both the biblical details and the scientific data to show that there is a convincing and scientifically viable case for this understanding. This new edition, written twenty years after the original, contains important revisions and additional chapters, bringing this insightful and relevant volume up–to–date with developments in this field.Trade ReviewKelly ably engages with several scientific debating points ... He makes the complex clear and sophisticated simple. Yet Kelly's most admirable quality is in handling the text of Scripture, presenting a reasonable and winsome case for creation in six, ordinary, consecutive days, culminating in the worship of God on the Sabbath Day. Highly recommended for keen lay readers, theological students, pastors and professors. -- Jonny Gibson (Associate Professor of Old Testament, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and author of ‘The Moon Is Always Round’)... It is the best work that I have read on this subject. With regard to this exegesis of the biblical text I hope that Douglas Kelly's courageous voice will be listened to. -- Frederick N. Skiff (Professor of Physics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa)It is an excellent work. I believe it will be an important contribution to the field. -- John Currid (Chancellor’s Professor of Old Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, Mississippi)... demonstrates that credible science supports the Word of God...For those concerned about the issues involved this book is well worth spending time studying. -- Peace and TruthThis book is very accessible for the lay reader as well as being a very thoroughly argued and persuasive text for the student beginning theological studies in Genesis and wanting to know what the key Biblical arguments are for a young earth creation position. I cannot recommend this book more highly. -- Andy McIntosh (Visiting research Professor at the University of Leeds and Adjunct Professor at Mississippi State University)Douglas Kelly is a theologian who also displays a deep understanding of science and philosophy. The result is this thoughtful, thorough and well researched book that will be valuable to anyone wishing to dig deeper. -- Walter E. Brown (Director, Center for Scientific Creation, Phoenix, Arizona )

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Book SynopsisComprehensive overview of Earth's utterly unique history uses the latest scientific discoveries to show how and why a supernatural Creator purposefully fashioned Earth to support a host of intelligent, physical, spiritual beings.

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Book SynopsisNatural selection, as introduced by Charles Darwin in the Origin of Species (1859), has always been a topic of great conceptual and empirical interest. This book puts Darwin''s theory of evolution in historical context showing that, in important respects, his central mechanism of natural selection gives the clue to understanding the nature of organisms. Natural selection has important implications, not just for the understanding of life''s history single-celled organism to man but also for our understanding of contemporary social norms, as well as the nature of religious belief. The book is written in clear, non-technical language, appealing not just to philosophers, historians, and biologists, but also to general readers who find thinking about important issues both challenging and exciting.Trade Review'Michael Ruse has written many books on evolutionary theory, but this may well be his best: succinct, clear, and comprehensive. Your interpretation of Darwin's accomplishment may differ from Ruse's - mine does - but he offers the classic view of Darwin as having introduced mechanism into biology. His treatment of natural selection runs from an intense examination of Darwin's development of the concept to its role in population genetics and morality. It's a gem of a book.' Robert J. Richards, Morris Fishbein Distinguished Service Professor of the History of Science, University of Chicago, USA'Michael Ruse at his best! This consummate scholar, educator, and communicator on all things evolutionary has gifted us with a masterwork on Darwin's crowning achievement - the theory of natural selection. We now have the definitive 'sourcebook' on this important topic.' Michael L. Peterson, Professor of Philosophy, Asbury Theological Seminary, USA'For decades, Michael Ruse has been a leader in thinking about natural selection. This book is a quick, thorough survey of the subject. Plus, it offers some important recent twists. A masterful writer, Ruse quickly covers the basics before guiding readers outside traditional boxes so they might consider new possibilities. Understanding Natural Selection is certain to encourage debate and investigation. It also will inspire further interdisciplinary synthesis.' Joe Cain, Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology, University College London, UK'In this brief book written for the general reader, Michael Ruse skillfully weaves together the history and philosophy of science to explore natural selection, the concept at the heart of Darwin's celebrated theory of evolution. The writing is brisk, engaging, thoughtful and at times fun, typical of the kind of work we have come to expect from someone who has a devoted a lifetime of study to understanding Darwin and his theory.' Vassiliki Betty Smocovitis, Professor of the History of Science, University of Florida, USA'Natural selection is one of the most important and contested ideas in modern science, helping us understand much of the functional design and order we observe in living nature. In his inimitable way, Michael Ruse gives the definitive account of natural selection, from its Darwinian origins and metaphorical foundation to the many historical, philosophical and scientific controversies that have swirled about it in the last century and a half. If you want to understand natural selection, you can do no better than a careful reading of this compact, highly informative and lively book. It is truly a tour de force.' Richard A. Richards, Professor and Chair, Department of Philosophy, University of Alabama, USATable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. The origin of species; 2. Organism and mechanism: rival root metaphors; 3. 'The non-Darwinian revolution?'; 4. The synthesis; 5. Is natural selection a vera causa?; 6.The positive case; 7.Time for a change?; 8. Natural selection and its discontents; Envoi; Index.

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Book SynopsisWhy are we alive? Most things in the universe aren't. And if you trace the evolutionary history of plants and animals back far enough, you will find that, at some point, neither were we. Scientists have wrestled with this problem for centuries, and no one has been able to offer a credible theory. But in 2013, at just 30 years old, biophysicist Jeremy England published a paper that has utterly upended the ongoing study of life's origins. In Every Life Is on Fire, he describes, for the first time, his highly publicized theory known as dissipative adaptation. In any disordered system, matter clumps together and breaks apart, mostly randomly, without consequence. But some of the clumps that form are momentarily better at doing one specific job: dissipating energy. These structures are less likely to fall apart. Over time, they become better at both withstanding the disorder surrounding them and creating copies of themselves. From this deep insight, grounded in thermodynamics, England is able to isolate the emergence of the first life-like behaviors. Scientists have always thought that life began as a stroke of spectacular luck. But in fact, life may be inevitable, a product of the iron physical laws of the universe.England is both a world-class physicist and an ordained rabbi, and so his enquiry doesn't end with the physics of life. We ask questions like "How did life begin?" not just for the fun of scientific inquiry, but because we want a deeper understanding of who we are and why we're here. Even if physics can explain how life-like behaviors emerged, England doubts that reducing life down to the energy flows of a bunch of microscopic particles can ever give us a satisfying answer to what it means to be alive?. He believes that life is fundamentally a philosophical distinction, not a natural one. So before we can seriously look for life's physical origins, we must first make basic choices about what we think life means. This is something researchers often fail to recognize, and it is why, throughout In Every Life Is on Fire, England informs the premises of his theory with a careful exploration of what life is for.For anyone who reads this book, no matter their creed, In Every Life Is On Fire offers a rare work of popular science that explores not just what science does, but how it imbues our lives with meaning.

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Book SynopsisGenomic science indicates that humans descend not from an individual pair but from a large population. What does this mean for the basic claim of many Christians: that humans descend from Adam and Eve? Leading evangelical geneticist Dennis Venema and popular New Testament scholar Scot McKnight combine their expertise to offer informed guidance and answers to questions pertaining to evolution, genomic science, and the historical Adam. Some of the questions they explore include: - Is there credible evidence for evolution? - Do we descend from a population or are we the offspring of Adam and Eve? - Does taking the Bible seriously mean rejecting recent genomic science? - How do Genesis's creation stories reflect their ancient Near Eastern context, and how did Judaism understand the Adam and Eve of Genesis? - Doesn't Paul's use of Adam in the New Testament prove that Adam was a historical individual? The authors address up-to-date genomics data with expert commentary from both genetic and theological perspectives, showing that genome research and Scripture are not irreconcilable. Foreword by Tremper Longman III and afterword by Daniel Harrell.Table of ContentsContentsForeword by Tremper Longman IIIIntroduction1. Evolution as a Scientific Theory2. Genomes as Language, Genomes as Books3. Adam's Last Stand?4. What about Intelligent Design?5. Adam, Eve, and the Genome: Four Principles for Reading the Bible after the Human Genome Project6. Adam and Eve of Genesis in Their Context: Twelve Theses7. The Variety of Adams and Eves in the Jewish World8. Adam, the Genome, and the Apostle PaulAfterword by Daniel HarrellIndex

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Book SynopsisCosmic Roots traces the five-thousand-year conflict between science and religion — and how it has shaped our modern secular worldview.Told with rare clarity and striking insight, this fascinating and thought-provoking book focuses on the history of cosmology and its sister science astronomy. For it was discoveries within these great disciplines which first led to the conflict between science and religion. The story begins with the cosmological beliefs of the ancients — from the flat Earth models of the Sumerians and Hebrews to the Greek notion of the orbits of planets as divine circles. Topics progress from Aristotle and Ptolemy's integrated planetary models to the Sun-centered cosmologies of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and the great Isaac Newton. Their combined scientific achievements stand as testimony to the power and imagination of the human mind.This meticulously researched narrative also traces the roots of Western religion, based on historical events and archeological evidence. It takes us on a captivating journey through Western religious history — from ancient paganism to the ethical monotheism of the Hebrews, Christians, and Moslems. Along the way, we follow the rise and fall of civilizations, of empires, cycles of war and peace, unification and division.The book concludes with how Darwin came up with his theory of evolution and the impact of modern physics on religious beliefs. The cumulative effect of the scientific discoveries presented in Cosmic Roots has, for better or for worse, led to the separation of science and religion we see in Western culture today.

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Book SynopsisText in Arabic. From Musa Al-Khwarizmi who developed algebra in 9th-century Baghdad to Al-Jazari, a 13th-century Turkish engineer whose achievements include the crank, the camshaft and the reciprocating piston, Science and Islam tells the story of one of historys most misunderstood yet rich and fertile periods in science: the extraordinary Islamic scientific revolution between 700 and 1400 CE. Science writer Ehsan Masood weaves the stories of these and other scientists into a compelling narrative, taking the reader on a journey through the Islamic empires of the Middle Ages, and their contributions to science in Western Europe.

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Book SynopsisA leading theologian presents a hopeful account of the universe after Einstein, exploring it as a meaningful drama of awakeningTrade Review“This book is a deep and provocative piece of theology that proposes we engage with the universe as a kind of narrative of awakening and unfolding, as well as an important and useful approach for thinking about theology with respect to modern cosmology.”—Matthew Stanley, New York University “What is really going on in the universe? As Haught argues in his profound and eminently readable book, Christian theology needs to take into account the structure and evolution of the universe as based upon Einstein’s general theory of relativity.”—Helge Stjernholm Kragh, Niels Bohr Institute, Denmark

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Book SynopsisThis new text is a detailed study of an important process in modern Indian history. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, India experienced an intellectual renaissance, which owed as much to the influx of new ideas from the West as to traditional religious and cultural insights. Gosling examines the effects of the introduction of Western science into India, and the relationship between Indian traditions of thought and secular Western scientific doctrine. He charts the early development of science in India, its role in the secularization of Indian society, and the subsequent reassertion, adaptation and rejection of traditional modes of thought. The beliefs of key Indian scientists, including Jagadish Chandra Bose, P.C. Roy and S.N. Bose are explored and the book goes on to reflect upon how individual scientists could still accept particular religious beliefs such as reincarnation, cosmology, miracles and prayer. Science and the Indian TraditionTrade Review"... splendid new book. It is very exciting and contains much more than the exchange between Einstein and Tagore....It really is a very great achievement"- John Bowker, Emeritus Professor of Theology, University of Cambridge.'Be prepared for substantial chapters on a number of intertwined topics, but be prepared also to enjoy this most instructive account of a complex encounter between civilisations and thought-worlds. Somehow Gosling also manages to tell us where physics in general has got to, in a manner which seems rather understandable to the non-expert in that field.'- Marburg Review 'This is a book that is important both for the solid information it offers and for the way it discusses the issues involved with fairness and a rational mind. There is much that is pure science, much more that is philosophy and an understream of religiosity and mysticism' - G. Gispert-Sauch, Journal of Theological Reflection, July 2008'The book is indispensable for those who are interested to learn about the effects of Western Science on the Indian subcontinent and in the interactions between Western and Indo-Pak tradtitions of intellectual thought...A conversation between Rabindranath tagore and Alvert Einstein is also one of the merits of the book which, undoubtedly, makes it an essential and thoroughly entertaining read' - The Frontier Post, September 2008'Students and scholars can draw much inspiration from this storehouse of interdisciplinary data and ideas. It is a most useful volume for all library collections and specialised courses on science and religion.' - Ursula King, Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Bristol and School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London 2009Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. Science in India’s Intellectual Renaissance 3. Tradition Redefined 4. Worldviews in Encounter 5. Relativity and Beyond 6. Indian Science Comes of Age 7. An Investigation into the Beliefs of Indian Scientists 8. How Clear Reason’s Stream? 9. Looking to the Future. Appendix A: The Nature of Reality. Appendix B: Investigation Questionnaire

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Book SynopsisAlister E. McGrath provides a fresh and engaging account of the origins, development, and abiding importance of Christian doctrine. The book explores why Christianity developed doctrines in the first place, and why doctrines continue to be vital to the present and future of Christian communities.Table of ContentsPreface 1: On the Origins of Christian Doctrine 2: Theorizing the Identity of Christ: On Early Christian Doctrinal Development 3: The Functions of Christian Doctrine 4: The Three Worlds of Christian Doctrine: Theoretical, Objective, and Subjective 5: Seeing the Face of God: On the Doctrine of the Incarnation 6: Doctrine: Ontological Disclosure and Coordinating Framework 7: The Doctrine of Salvation: Coherence, Comprehensiveness, and Theological Mapping Conclusion Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThe conflict between science and religion seems indelible, even eternal. Surely two such divergent views of the universe have always been in fierce opposition? Actually, that's not the case, says Peter Harrison: our very concepts of science and religion are relatively recent, emerging only in the past three hundred years, and it is those very categories, rather than their underlying concepts, that constrain our understanding of how the formal study of nature relates to the religious life. In The Territories of Science and Religion, Harrison dismantles what we think we know about the two categories, then puts it all back together again in a provocative, productive new way. By tracing the history of these concepts for the first time in parallel, he illuminates alternative boundaries and little-known relations between them thereby making it possible for us to learn from their true history, and see other possible ways that scientific study and the religious life might relate to, influence

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Book SynopsisRichard Dawkins' "God Delusion" is the bestselling book. This suggests that its arguments are influencing popular culture, and are thus likely to be widely encountered by church leaders and members. This work condenses Dawkins' often rambling arguments into succinct form, and provides responses from a Christian perspective.Trade Review"The Dawkins Delusion? Sets out to rebut Dawkin's central claims, particularly the one suggesting that knowledge of science should lead inevitably to atheism. It is a brief and concise book, dispelling with clarity and efficiency much of what McGrath calls the 'half-baked nonsense' in The God Delusion." -- Philip Wainwright, Salvationist"For those irritated by Dawkins and his attitudes to faith, this book represents the response of intelligent Christians everywhere." -- Matthew Cowie, Life and Work"At only 60 pages, McGrath's work is concise, coherent and, most of all, devestating. By the end of it, Dawkins' work is left looking like the hatchet job it is, the whole thing ripped to pieces by someone with far greater knowledge of the subject." -- James Kelly, Catholic Times"McGrath's book is a fine, dense, yet very clear account, from his particular Christian perspective, of the full case against Dawkins." -- Bryan Appleyard, New Scientist"...The Dawkins Delusion deserves to sell many more copies than The God Delusion. I am sad that Dawkins, once my hero, has descended to unscientific nonesense. McGrath makes more sense." -- Revd Jeremy Craddock, Church Times"The Dawkins Delusion, for example, is excellent at challenging Dawkin's absurd demonisation of Christian history and the concomitant white-washing of secularist history as though atheists have never killed or persecuted religious believers explicitly in the name of anti-religion." -- David Quinn, Catholic Herald

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Book SynopsisWritten by perhaps the world's foremost authority on the relationship between science and theology, this is an interpretation of the nature and scope of human knowledge, the extent and limits of science, and the proper place of theology. Reissued as an SPCK Classic.

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Book SynopsisA pithy, entertaining guide to what really mattersTrade ReviewThe Dawkins Delusion? (SPCK, 2007): Addressing the conclusions of The God Delusion point by point with the devastating insight of a molecular biologist turned theologian, Alison McGrath dismantles the argument that science should lead to atheism, and demonstrates instead that Dawkins has abandoned his much-cherished rationality to embrace an embittered manifest of dogmatic atheist fundamentalism. -- Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health, USARichard Dawkins' utopian vision of a world without religion is here deftly punctured by McGrath's informed discourse. His fellow Oxonian clearly demonstrates the gaps, inconsistencies and surprising lack of depth in Dawkins' arguments. -- Owen Gingerich, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and History of Science, Harvard UniversityA fine, dense, yet very clear account, from [McGrath's] particular Christian perspective, of the full case against Dawkins. -- Bryan Appleyard * New Scientist *The God Delusion makes me embarrassed to be an atheist, and the McGraths show why. -- Michael Ruse, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science Program, Florida State UniversityC. S. Lewis: A Life: Eccentric Genius, Reluctant Prophet (Hodder, 2013): McGrath's lucid and unsentimental portrait . . . offers a new and at times shocking look into the complicated life of this complex figure, in a deeply researched biography. He shows with skill, sympathy, dispassion, and engaging prose that Lewis, like the rest of us, did the best he could with the hand he was dealt. * Publishers Weekly, starred review *McGrath's book will gain a permanent position in Lewis scholarship for his brilliant and, to my mind, undeniable re-dating of Lewis's conversion to Theism. How we all missed this for so long is astonishing! -- Michael Ward, author of Planet NarniaThis biography is the one Lewis's admirers - especially those who, like him, believe that books are to be read and enjoyed - should prefer to all others. * (Booklist, starred review) *

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Book SynopsisNATIONAL BESTSELLERIn Rooted, cutting-edge science supports a truth that poets, artists, mystics, and earth-based cultures across the world have proclaimed over millennia: life on this planet is radically interconnected. Our bodies, thoughts, minds, and spirits are affected by the whole of nature, and they affect this whole in return. In this time of crisis, how can we best live upon our imperilled, beloved earth?Award-winning writer Lyanda Lynn Haupt''s highly personal new book is a brilliant invitation to live with the earth in both simple and profound ways-from walking barefoot in the woods and reimagining our relationship with animals and trees, to examining the very language we use to describe and think about nature. She invokes rootedness as a way of being in concert with the wilderness-and wildness-that sustains humans and all of life.In the tradition of Rachel Carson, Elizabeth Kolbert, and Mary Oliver, Haupt writes with urgency and grace, reminding us that at the crossroads of science, nature, and spirit we find true hope. Each chapter provides tools for bringing our unique gifts to the fore and transforming our sense of belonging within the magic and wonder of the natural world.

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Book SynopsisReligion Online provides an accessible and comprehensive introduction to this burgeoning new religious reality, from cyberpilgrimages to neo-pagan chatroom communities. A substantial introduction by the editors presenting the main themes and issues is followed by sixteen chapters addressing core issues of concern such as youth, religion and the internet, new religious movements and recruitment, propaganda and the countercult, and religious tradition and innovation.Table of Contents1. Introduction, Lorne L. Dawson and Douglas E. Cowan 2. Cyberfaith: How Americans Pursue Religion Online, Elena Larsen Part I: Being Religious in Cyberspace 3. Popular Religion and the World Wide Web: A Match Made in (Cyber) Heaven, Christopher Helland 4. Cyberspace as Sacred Space: Communicating Religion on Computer Networks, Stephen D. O'Leary 5. Young People, Religious Identity, and the Internet, Mia Lövheim 6. Religion and the Quest for Virtual Community, Lorne L. Dawson Part II: Mainstream Religions in Cyberspace 7. Reading and Praying Online: The Continuity of Religion Online and Online Religion in Internet Christianity, Glenn Young 8. This Is My Church: Seeing the Internet and Club Culture as Spiritual Spaces, Heidi Campbell 9. Rip.Burn.Pray.: Islamic Expression Online, Gary R. Bunt 10. The Cybersangha: Buddhism on the Internet, Charles S. Prebish Part III: New Religions in Cyberspace 11. New Religions and the Internet: Recruiting in a New Public Space, Lorne L. Dawson and Jenna Hennebry 12. The Internet as Virtual Spiritual Community: Teen Witches in the United States and Australia, Helen A. Berger and Douglas Ezzy 13. The Goddess Net, Wendy Griffin 14. The House of Netjer: A New Religious Community Online, Marilyn C. Krogh and Brooke Ashley Pillifant Part IV: Religious Quests and Contests in Cyberspace 15. Virtual Pilgrimage to Ireland's Croagh Patrick, Mark W. Macwilliams 16. Searching for the Apocalypse in Cyberspace, Robert A. Campbell 17. Contested Spaces: Movement, Countermovement, and E-Space Propaganda, Douglas E. Cowan

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Book SynopsisWhat if the Christian faith could actually help us to understand science better?Trade Review"An immensely enjoyable and readable account of some of the big questions raised by modern science. The authors provide a wealth of detail as they open up their exciting vision of the relationship of science and Christian faith. Highly recommended." -- Alister McGrath, Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion, Oxford University * Alister McGrath, Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion, Oxford University. *“At a time when one of the great fallacies of our age continues to suggest that science and theology are incompatible, Tom McLeish and David Hutchings bring a creative dialogue between the two disciplines in `Let There Be Science’. They present a compelling vision describing science as a gift from God in which science and theology interrelate and thrive in each other’s company. A timely book which shows Christian apologetics and the public understanding of science at its very best.” -- The Rt Revd Graham Usher, Bishop of Dudley “God has given us the gift of science, and the gift of faith to nurture it, so that we may actively engage the world, making it a better place not only for ourselves but also for those who come after us. This is part of what it means to be human; and science, along with and supported by faith, is right at the heart of it. I commend this book to all who would like to know better how faith is fertile ground for the growth of science.” -- The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu"This is a brilliant book which uses fascinating human stories to demonstrate how science and religion have belonged together in the exploration of fundamental questions about life and the nature of reality. In an easy, approachable style the authors take us into the Big Ideas of science and shine on them the enriching light of biblical wisdom. It’s a thrilling journey and renews the reader’s hope for a mature partnership between the great world-views of science and religion, whereby each is a gift to the other and all of us are the beneficiaries. Read, mark and enjoy." -- The Rt Rev John Pritchard, former Bishop of Oxford"A fascinating and highly original contribution to the God and science discussion. David and Tom show that rather than science and Christianity being at war which other, there’s a powerful fit between science and faith. Far from Christianity only being for Dawkins’ “died in the wool faith heads”, Let There Be Science lays out a myriad ways that Christianity offers rich resources for science — including the most powerful motive for doing science in the first place." -- Dr. Andy Bannister, PhD * Director, Solas Centre for Public Christianity Adjunct Speaker, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries *“This is a book about the wonderfully human nature of science by two most wonderfully human of authors. A must read for those who fear or dismiss science and for those who make science into an idol. Here is the reality of science in all of its fun, its success, its complexity, its limitations, and its relationship to faith.” -- Revd Professor David Wilkinson, Principal of St John's College and Professor in the Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University“`Let There Be Science’ provides fascinating new insights into the worlds of science and faith. Full of engaging examples , this readable book entertains, informs and challenges, breathing new life into a discussion with deep historical roots.” -- Denis Alexander, Emeritus Director of The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, St. Edmund’s College, Cambridge."This book is a highly thought-provoking and thoughtful exploration of the relationship between science and faith. The authors' arguments are clearly and elegantly presented, and supported with fascinating examples from the history of the exploration of science. Recommended for non-scientists and scientists alike, it is a surprising and unexpected page turner." -- Angie Edwards, Director of the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation"Whatever your personal stance on matters of religion and science it’s surely encouraging to see calm and considered conversation being fostered between them. Let There Be Science makes a compelling case that the ethos of science and the insights that it brings into the workings of the natural world can have much to offer to people of faith. With passion and humility David Hutchings and Tom McLeish seek out common ground and show that, despite our differences, we are all united in our curiosity and capacity for wonder." -- Dr Marek Kukula, Public Astronomer, Royal Observatory GreenwichTable of ContentsCONTENTSFOREWORD 6PREFACE 81. TURNING THE LIGHT ON 132. AN ANCIENT STORY 253. A GIFT AND AN INVITATION 474. REVOLUTIONS 615. PAIN, SUFFERING, AND HOPE 896. ORDER FROM CHAOS 1097. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1278. LOVE 1419. RECONCILIATION 15510. CROSSING THE ROOM 175NOTES 191INDEX 201

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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