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Science & Religion in Quest of Truth

Reviewed by Julian Reindorp.

John Polkinghorne has been writing about these issues for thirty years and this is the distillation of his life's work about God, humanity and the cosmos.

Former Cambridge professor of Mathematical Physics, Fellow of the Royal Society, knighted for chairing a government committee on ethics, he is the “unquestioned leader in the growing field of science and religion.” Largely using his previous writing, he reflects on “the deep intelligibility of the universe...a fortunate fact, a wonderful gift that makes science possible” (10).

Science seeks to answer the 'How' questions, by what process things happen? Religion, on the other hand, seeks answers to the 'Why' questions: what is the meaning and purpose in cosmic history? He rehearses his well known view that both disciplines are “cousins under the skin” because of their shared truthful intent.

His five chapters survey the issues: truth and understanding; some lessons from history; insights from science; theology and science in interactive context; motivated Christian belief. He outlines four possible approaches to the discussion between science and religion, using Ian Barbour's helpful categories: conflict, independence, dialogue and integration. His approach is to tackle the integration of science and religion. His 'bottom-up thinking' seeks to move from experience to well motivated belief and understanding, rather than relying on 'a top-down' approach based on prior access to clear ideas from which one can descend to experience. He notes how much there is to learn in science. For example, quantum theory and chaos theory do not fit consistently together.

He outlines the fine tuning in the universe required for human beings to emerge over thirteen billion years. This “has disclosed...a world shot through with signs of mind.” He discusses the speculative character of 'string theory' and much else, but his real contribution is how to integrate science and Christian faith. He covers natural theology, creation, evolution and evil, the free will defence, divine providence – the search for some kind of “causal joint”, prayer, miracles, God and time, eschatology, revelation and scripture, Christology, the Trinity, with a post script about other faiths. His is a remarkable achievement written in an easily accessible style. If you want to ask questions about his wide ranging approach, the book Questions of truth – fifty one responses to questions about God, Science and Belief, by Polkinghorne and Beale, which came out in 2009, is extremely helpful. This is both a summary and distillation of his many previous books and is warmly recommended.