Religion and the Sciences of Origins ― Historical and Contemporary Discussions

Religion and the Sciences of Origins critically discusses issues in religion and the sciences of origins in both historical and contemporary contexts. After developing options on the relationship of science to belief—conflict, separation, and integration—the book treats three historical events: the scientific revolution, the Galileo affair, and the reception of Darwin's Origin of Species. Special attention is paid to the influential yet misleading myth of the warfare between science and religion. The book examines theoretical issues—chance and purpose, the evolutionary psychology of religion, the relation between mind and body (and neuroscience and free will), and the relation of God to the good. After discussing God and the big bang, the book concludes with an analysis of evolution in the Muslim and Jewish traditions. The book, which assumes no prior background on the part of the reader, offers insights into the crucial past and into the most heated current debates surrounding science and religion.

Kelly James Clark is Senior Research Fellow at Grand Valley State University, USA, and is author, co-author or editor of over twenty books including Abraham's Children, Return to Reason, The Story of Ethics, Philosophers Who Believe and 101 Key Philosophical Terms and Their Importance for Theology.