A Scientific Theology: Reality

A Scientific Theology: Reality PDF

Author: Alister E. McGrath

Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 372

ISBN-13: 9780802839268

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A Scientific Theology is a ground-breaking work of systematic theology in three volumes: Nature, Reality, and Theory. Written by one of the world's best-known theologians, these volumes together represent the most extended and systematic exploration of the relation between Christian theology and the natural sciences yet produced. Thoroughly ecumenical in approach, A Scientific Theology is a significant work for Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and evangelical readers. Each volume is marked throughout by a sustained and critical engagement with the history and philosophy of the natural sciences and by a passionate commitment to the legitimacy of theology as an academic discipline. The three volumes together attempt to present an essentially linear argument from nature to theory, so that questions of how reality is represented will be dealt with entirely in the final volume, though preliminary discussions of aspects of reality are naturally included in this present volume. The second volume in the series thus provides a detailed and thorough examination and defense of theological realism. Its themes are set against the backdrop of radical changes in Western philosophy and theology resulting from the collapse of the Enlightenment project and the consequent fragmentation of intellectual discourse. Engaging critically with writers such as George Lindbeck and John Milbank, McGrath offers a sparkling and sophisticated affirmation of theological realism against its modern and postmodern critics. His refutation of the claim that the rise of philosophical nonfoundationalism entails the abandoning of any form of realism is of particular importance, as is his application of the highly influential form of "critical realism" developed by Roy Bhaskar. Viewed as a whole, Reality represents a sustained engagement with natural theology as the basis of a broader dialogue between the Christian tradition and other religious traditions. Book jacket.

Exploring Reality

Exploring Reality PDF

Author: J. C. Polkinghorne

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2007-04-01

Total Pages: 199

ISBN-13: 0300130643

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

The Science of God

The Science of God PDF

Author: McGrath

Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing

Published: 2004-06-21

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 9780802828156

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This book is a clear, concise guide to Alister McGrath's ground breaking three-volume work A scientific theology. McGrath himself here summarizes his major project and sketches out its implications for many aspects of Christian doctrine. He then explores all of the major themes of his three-volume work, including the legitimacy of a scientific theology, the purpose and place of natural theology, the foundations of theological realism, the failure of classic foundationalism, the nature of revelation, and the place of metaphysics in theology.

Reason and Reality

Reason and Reality PDF

Author: John Polkinghorne

Publisher: SPCK Classics

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780281064007

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Written by perhaps the world's foremost authority on the relationship between science and theology, Reason and Reality brings together essays in which John Polkinghorne pursues more deeply themes touched on in his earlier works. The result is a deeply satisfying interpretation of the nature and scope of human knowledge, the extent and limits of science, and the proper place of theology as what Polkinghorne calls science's "cousin under the skin"

Science and Theology

Science and Theology PDF

Author: J. C. Polkinghorne

Publisher: Fortress Press

Published: 1998-01-01

Total Pages: 156

ISBN-13: 9781451411515

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In this short masterpiece, eminent scientist and theologian John Polkinghorne offers an accessible, yet authoritative, introduction to the stimulating field of science and theology. After surveying their volatile historical relationship, he leads the reader through the whole array of questions at the nexus of the scientific and religious quests. A lucid and lively writer, Polkinghorne provides a marvelously clear overview of the major elements of current science (including quantum theory, chaos theory, time, and cosmology). He then offers a concise outline of the character of religion and shows the joint potential of science of religion to illumine some of the thorniest issues in theology today: creation, the nature of knowledge, human and divine identity and agency. Polkinghorne aptly demonstrates that a sturdy faith has nothing to fear and much to gain from an intellectually honest appraisal of the new horizons of contemporary science.

Scientific Theology: Reality

Scientific Theology: Reality PDF

Author: Alister E. McGrath

Publisher: A&C Black

Published: 2007-01-23

Total Pages: 363

ISBN-13: 0567031233

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The second volume of an extended and systematic exploration of the relation between Christian theology and the natural sciences, focussing on the examination and defense of theological realism

The Territories of Human Reason

The Territories of Human Reason PDF

Author: Alister E. McGrath

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2019-01-03

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 0192542508

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Our understanding of human rationality has changed significantly since the beginning of the century, with growing emphasis being placed on multiple rationalities, each adapted to the specific tasks of communities of practice. We may think of the world as an ontological unity-but we use a plurality of methods to investigate and represent this world. This development has called into question both the appeal to a universal rationality, characteristic of the Enlightenment, and also the simple 'modern-postmodern' binary. The Territories of Human Reason is the first major study to explore the emergence of multiple situated rationalities. It focuses on the relation of the natural sciences and Christian theology, but its approach can easily be extended to other disciplines. It provides a robust intellectual framework for discussion of transdisciplinarity, which has become a major theme in many parts of the academic world. Alister E. McGrath offers a major reappraisal of what it means to be 'rational' which will have significant impact on older discussions of this theme. He sets out to explore the consequences of the seemingly inexorable move away from the notion of a single universal rationality towards a plurality of cultural and domain-specific methodologies and rationalities. What does this mean for the natural sciences? For the philosophy of science? For Christian theology? And for the interdisciplinary field of science and religion? How can a single individual hold together scientific and religious ideas, when these arise from quite different rational approaches? This groundbreaking volume sets out to engage these questions and will provoke intense discussion and debate.

Enriching Our Vision of Reality

Enriching Our Vision of Reality PDF

Author: Alister McGrath

Publisher: Templeton Foundation Press

Published: 2017-08-10

Total Pages: 229

ISBN-13: 1599475359

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“Enriching our Vision of Reality is elegant, erudite, and animated by a constant enthusiasm for its subject. There is everything here—science, theology, philosophy, biography, even some poetry—all enlisted to help us to see the world as it is, both more clearly and with greater delight.” —Reverend Doctor Andrew Davison, Starbridge Lecturer in theology and natural sciences, University of Cambridge, and fellow in theology at Corpus Christi College “It’s a pleasure to read an introduction to science and Christian belief that is both erudite and accessible. McGrath’s new book is rich with personal examples, biographies of famous scientists and theologians, and effective refutations of their detractors. This invitation to move forward from a bifurcated to an expansive view of reality is recommended for all who seek an ‘integrated understanding’ of science and Christian faith.” —Philip Clayton, editor of The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Science In this exceptional volume, leading theologian Alister McGrath writes for scientists with an interest in theology, and Christians and theologians who are aware of the importance of the natural sciences. A scene-setting chapter explores the importance of the human quest for intelligibility. The focus then moves to three leading figures who have stimulated discussion about the relationship between science and theology in recent years: Charles Coulson, an Oxford professor of theoretical chemistry who was also a prominent Methodist lay preacher; Thomas F. Torrance, perhaps the finest British theologian of the twentieth-century; and John Polkinghorne, a theoretical physicist and theologian. The final section of the book features six “parallel conversations” between science and theology, which lay the groundwork for the kind of enriched vision of reality the author hopes to encourage. Here, we are inspired to enjoy individual aspects of nature while seeking to interpret them in the light of deeper revelations about our gloriously strange universe.