Science and Faith: Student Questions Explored
Authors: Eagleson Hannah 
Published: November 2022

SCIENCE AND FAITH: Student Questions Explored by Hannah Eagleson, ed. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2019. 116 pages. Paperback; $14.95. ISBN: 9781683072362. *Despite the many introductory books on science and religion that have been published in recent years, Science & Faith: Student Questions Explored is a worthwhile addition to the library of educators and clergy who help young adults think more critically about the relationship between science and their faith. The book's utility comes from its modesty. Rather than trying to give all possible ways for resolving perceived science and religion conflicts, it is designed to start conversations in a small group setting. Each chapter raises a brief topic (some chapters are only three pages) and then presents discussion questions that were chosen by leaders of InterVarsity's Emerging Scholars network. The 116-page book comprises sixteen chapters, with the first half dealing with general questions that promote good conversations about science and faith, the next three describing possible positions on origins, and the last five dealing with questions raised by the history and philosophy of science. *One reason the book works is that it does not have a detached academic style. The authors of the chapters are people of faith, who model the important insight that trust in Jesus does not require intellectual certainty about the complicated questions at the interface of science and Christianity. Some essays speak movingly about how faith carried them through the inevitable struggles of a scientific education. The book handles controversies about creation and evolution irenically, listing options for Christians to locate themselves along the continuum. For groups in which one may not know the faith background of participants, Science & Faith should be uncontroversial. *The modest ambitions of the book lead to weaknesses, which leaders should know in case they want to supplement it with other material. While the book helps to get students talking, some arguments require a certain level of information before one makes an informed decision. The brief chapters on the evolution controversy have students identify their own position, but these chapters give no indications of the evidence that scholars use to support their positions. Perhaps these chapters would be most helpful for those who have already taken college science courses. *The book does not take a consistent view on whether Christians should trust the consensus of scientific experts. The philosopher Jim Stump argues, rightly in my view, that "if you accept a view that is contrary to the vast majority of experts, there is a higher burden of proof for you." A few chapters later, the historian James Ungureanu endorses the view (of James K. A. Smith) that science is not a neutral describer of the way things are, but a contending worldview. This means Christians should expect tensions and conflicts between their faith and science since scientific conclusions have been influenced by scientific naturalism. Ironically, Royce Francis argues that we should promote scientific literacy among believers by having them learn science while also saying that science is "socially constructed" rather than producing objective knowledge. Some students might walk away from these chapters confused or more dismissive of science; this is not the intended purpose of the book. Having a seasoned moderator (ideally someone with a scientific background) leading students through the book would thus be important. *One last weakness is that the book places a strong emphasis on reading scripture devotionally, as one might expect given its evangelical focus. However, it does not give guidance on how to read the Bible in a¬†more sophisticated manner with respect to either scientific or theological matters. In my experience, one of the biggest obstacles to a constructive conversation about science and faith are unrealistic expectations about scientific content in the Bible. If one reads the Bible out of context, one can read all sorts of modern scientific theories into the Bible. At least one chapter (it devoted three to the history of science) on principles of biblical interpretation would have been appropriate. *Having noted these weaknesses, I plan to use parts of the book in the future. It does a good job capturing the questions students have when first thinking about the relationship of science and Christianity. *Reviewed by Josh Reeves, Director of the Samford Center for Science and Religion, Samford University, Birmingham, AL 35229