Why the Science and Religion Dialogue Matters
Details and Description
Description
Each world faith tradition has its own distinctive relationship with science, and the science-religion dialogue benefits from a greater awareness of what this relationship is. In this book, members of the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) offer international and multifaith perspectives on how new discoveries in science are met with insights regarding spiritual realities.
The essays reflect the conviction that "religion and science each proceed best when they're pursued in dialogue with each other, and also that our fragmented and divided world would benefit more from a stronger dialogue between science and religion." In part one, George F. R. Ellis, John C. Polkinghorne, and Holmes Rolston III, each a Templeton Prize winner, discuss their views on why the science and religion dialogue matters. They are joined in part two by distinguished theologians Fraser Watts and Philip Clayton, who place the dialogue in an international context. In part three, writers look at the distinctive relationships of their faiths to science:
- Carl Feit on Judaism
- Munawar Anees on Islam
- B. V. Subbarayappa on Hinduism
- Trinh Xuan Thuan on Buddhism
- Heup Young Kim on Asian Christianity
George Ellis summarizes the contributions of his colleagues. Ronald Cole-Turner then concludes the book with a discussion of the future of the science and religion dialogue.
Table of Contents
Preface
Fraser Watts
Part 1: Why the Dialogue Matters
1. Why the Science and Religion Dialogue Matters
George F. R. Ellis
2. Does “Science and Religion” Matter?
John Polkinghorne
3. The Science and Religion Dialogue: Why It Matters
Holmes Rolston III
Part 2: The International Context
4. Science and Religion: Where Have We Come From and Where Are We Going?
John Polkinghorne
5. Science, Religion, and Culture
Fraser Watts
6. The State of the International Religion-Science Discussion Today
Philip Clayton
Part 3: Perspectives from World Faith Traditions
7. Judaism and Science: A Contemporary Appraisal
Carl Feit
8. Is the Science and Religion Discourse Relevant to Islam?
Munawar A. Anees
9. Science and Hinduism: Some Reflections
B. V. Subbarayappa
10. Science and Buddhism: At the Crossroads
Trinh Xuan Thuan
11. Asian Christianity: Toward a Trilogue of Humility: Sciences, Theologies, and Asian Religions
Heup Young Kim
Conclusion: Science, Religion, and the Future of Dialogue
Ronald Cole-Turner
Contributors
Index
Endorsements and Reviews
Reviews
Catholic Library World—Pittsfield, MA
Unique in approach—both international, interdisciplinary, and interfaith.
Theology Digest
This volume contains 12 essays by members of the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR). Fraser Watts, vice-president of the ISSR, is vicar-chaplain of St. Edward, King and Martyr in Cambridge, England, and in 1994 he became the Starbridge Lecturer in Theology and the Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge. Kevin Dutton served from 2004 to 2006 as executive secretary of the ISSR, and is now a research fellow at the University of Cambridge. The first three essays, based on talks given in Boston in 2004 by three Templeton Foundation Prize winners—John Polkinghorne, George Ellis, and Holes Rolston—present views on why the science and religion dialogue matters. Three essays, by John Polkinghorne, Fraser Watts, and Phillip Clayton, look at the international context of the dialogue. Finally, five other members of the ISSR look at the relationship of Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Asian Christinaity to science. In conclusion, Ronald Cole-Turner writes on "Science, Religion, and the Future of Dialogue." An index is included.
Translations
Asian-English