RELG 340 - Science and Religion
Course Notes for Module 1
Notes on the textbooks : There are five textbooks for this course
- The Bible : I have not assigned any particular readings from the Bible, but you will need a Bible to check out the references to it which are made in some of the other textbooks. You may use any translation of the Bible you wish, though please make sure that you use a "translation" (which keeps close to the meaning of the original Hebrew and Greek texts) rather than a "paraphrase" (which can be easier to read, but is less true to the original - for example "The Message")
Go here for helps in choosing a Bible. - Science and Religion - A Very Short Introduction, by Thomas Dixon
This is written from a philosophical viewpoint, and gives a general background and introduction to the underlying questions of the Science / Religion debate - Quarks, Chaos, and Christianity, by John Polkinghorne
John Polkinghorne started his career as a physicist, working on particle physics (the structure of the atom). He was appointed to the Chair of Mathematical Physics at Cambridge University. In 1979 he decided to study Christianity more deeply, so attended seminary and was ordained as an Anglican (Church of England) priest. He worked as a pastor for several years, until he was invited to return to Cambridge University to become Dean of Trinity Hall, and then President of Queen's College Cambridge. He is also a Canon Theologian of Liverpool Cathedral. - The Language of God, by Francis S. Collins
Francis Collins was an agnostic, then an atheist, who became a biochemist and a medical doctor. He was Director of the Human Genome project for many years. In this book he recounts the steps leading to his becoming a Christian, and how he integrates his scientific views with his Christian faith. - Practicing Science, Living Faith, edited by Clayton & Schaal
I am using this book because the RELG 340 course is described as "Science and Religion" - not "Science and Christianity". So we need to include other world religions. This book is a collection of interviews with noted scientists who discuss openly their beliefs and spirituality. Some of them are Christian, one is a Quaker, two are Muslim, one is Baha'i, one Buddhist, one an observant Jew, one combines Christianity with her native Judaism, one combined Christianity with a study of African Native religions, one is more comfortable speaking about "Mother Nature" and another speaks of "a Power up there", but all are seeking to integrate their spirituality with their scientific work.
Science and Religion - A Very Short Introduction : Preface, chapters 1, 2 & 3
- p. 23 Copernican theory
- pronounced koh-PER-nik-an : describes the theory put forward by the Swedish astronomer Copernicus, that the earth and other planets moved in circular orbits around the sun. For a biography of Copernicus, see the Biographies Page
- p.23 - Ptolemy
- pronounced TOL-em-ee (or with a slight "p" before the "t"). For a biography of Ptolemy, see the Biographies Page
- p.23 - Aristotelian principle
- pronounced ar-is-tot-EEL-ian : describes the idea put forward by Aristotle, ca. 350 BC, and generally accepted throughout the western world until the 16th century AD, that the earth was the center of the universe. For a biography of Aristotle, see the Biographies Page
- p. 42 - Lourdes
- pronounced LOORD. See the Links Page for more details of Lourdes
- p.46 - Leibnitz
- pronounced LIME-nits. For a biography of Leibnitz, see the Biographies Page
- p.46 - René Descartes
- pronounced ren-AY day-CART. For a biography of Descartes, see the Biographies Page
- p.49 - Erwin Schrödinger
- pronounced ervin SHRER-ding-er. For a biography of Schrödinger, see the Biographies Page
- p.49 - Werner Heisenberg
- pronounced VER-ner HIGH-zen-berg. For a biography of Heisenberg, see the Biographies Page
Copyright © 1999 Shirley J. Rollinson, all Rights Reserved
