The Faith of a Physicist
As an Anglican priest and a theoretical physicist, John Polkinghorne writes for critical thinkers, specifically those who find it difficult to embrace religious belief but cannot reject it entirely. Polkinghorne considers most theologians to be "top-down thinkers"--that is, they begin with faith and subsequently search for evidence of truth. As a scientist, Polkinghorne considers himself to be a "bottom-up thinker" by beginning with tangible evidence to arrive at definitive conclusions. Polkinghorne asks of every Christian belief, "What is the evidence that makes you think this might be true?" His entire treatise is based on the Nicene Creed, which he feels provides a sensible theological outline for religious belief. Moving through the creed, Polkinghorne discusses the nature of humanity, knowledge of God, the act of creation, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and Trinitarian theology. He looks at each topic in light of contemporary scientific understanding and shows how traditional Judeo-Christian beliefs are as relevant today as they were when the Nicene Creed was written in the fourth century. With its complex terms and theories, this book will most likely not appeal to the average reader, but it is a relevant addition to scientific and theological collections.Patty O'Connell