search for books and compare prices
J. C. Polkinghorne has written 14 work(s)
Search for other authors with the same name
displaying 1 to 14 |
at end
show results in order: alphabetically | oldest to newest | newest to oldest
Is it possible to think like a scientist and yet have the faith of a Christian? Although many Westerners might say no, there are also many critically minded individuals who entertain what John Polkinghorne calls a "wistful wariness" toward religion--they feel unable to accept religion on rational grounds yet cannot dismiss it completely. Polkinghorne, both a particle physicist and Anglican priest, here explores just what rational grounds there could be for Christian beliefs, maintaining that the quest for motivated understanding is a concern shared by scientists and religious thinkers alike. Anyone who assumes that religion is based on unquestioning certainties, or that it need not take into account empirical knowledge, will be challenged by Polkinghorne's bottom-up examination of Christian beliefs about events ranging from creation to the resurrection.The author organizes his inquiry around the Nicene Creed, an early statement that continues to summarize Christian beliefs. He applies to each of its tenets the question, "What is the evidence that makes you think this might be true?" The evidence Polkinghorne weighs includes the Hebrew and Christian scriptures--their historical contexts and the possible motivations for their having been written--scientific theories, and human self-consciousness as revealed in literary, philosophical, and psychological works.He begins with the words, "We believe," and presents understandings of the nature of humanity, showing, for example, that Cartesian theory, evolution, and natural selection do not tell the entire story of what humans are about, especially in light of many sources that attest to our spirituality. Moving through the Creed, Polkinghorne considers the concept of divinity and God as creator in discussions that cover the Theory of Everything, the Big Bang Theory, and the possibility of divine presence within reality so that God is not simply an outside observer. Chapters on Jesus analyze the different ways events are described in the Gospels and the way motivation for belief is conveyed--for example, how do these writings explain why a young man killed in public disgrace could inspire a following, when other major world religious leaders lived to become highly revered elders in their communities?"Faith seeking understanding" is, according to Polkinghorne, like the scientific quest. Both are journeys of intellectual discovery in which those who survey experience from an initially chosen point of view must be open to correction in the light of further experience. "Religion," he writes, "has long known that ultimately every human image of God proves to be an inadequate idol." The Faith of a Physicist, based on the prestigious 1993 Gifford Lectures, delivers a powerful message to scientists and theologians, theists and atheists alike.Originally published in 1994.The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.
Hardcover:
9780691633497 | Princeton Univ Pr, April 19, 2016, cover price $77.50
Paperback:
9780691604350 | Princeton Univ Pr, July 14, 2014, cover price $30.95 | About this edition: Is it possible to think like a scientist and yet have the faith of a Christian?
John Polkinghorne, an international figure known both for his contributions to the field of theoretical elementary particle physics and for his work as a theologian, has over the years filled a bookshelf with writings devoted to specific topics in science and religion. In this new book, he undertakes for the first time a survey of all the major issues at the intersection of science and religion, concentrating on what he considers the essential insights for each. Clearly and without assuming prior knowledge, he addresses causality, cosmology, evolution, consciousness, natural theology, divine providence, revelation, and scripture. Each chapter also provides references to his other books in which more detailed treatments of specific issues can be found.For those who are new to what Polkinghorne calls "one of the most significant interdisciplinary interactions of our time," this volume serves as an excellent introduction. For readers already familiar with John Polkinghorne's books, this latest is a welcome reminder of the breadth of his thought and the subtlety of his approach in the quest for truthful understanding.
Hardcover:
9780300174786 | Yale Univ Pr, September 27, 2011, cover price $26.00 | About this edition: John Polkinghorne, an international figure known both for his contributions to the field of theoretical elementary particle physics and for his work as a theologian, has over the years filled a bookshelf with writings devoted to specific topics in science and religion.
Paperback:
9780300188110 | Reprint edition (Yale Univ Pr, November 13, 2012), cover price $20.00
Hardcover:
9780199605057 | Oxford Univ Pr, July 14, 2011, cover price $36.95
Paperback:
9781587433139 | Brazos Pr, July 1, 2011, cover price $18.00
Paperback:
9780802865120 | Eerdmans Pub Co, August 25, 2010, cover price $30.00 | also contains The Trinity and an Entangled World: Relationality in Physical Science and Theology
Hardcover:
9780300149333 | Yale Univ Pr, March 17, 2009, cover price $26.00
Paperback:
9780300164565 | Yale Univ Pr, April 20, 2010, cover price $20.00
Paperback:
9780664233518 | Westminster John Knox Pr, January 16, 2009, cover price $20.00
Paperback:
9781556359101, titled "From Physicist to Priest: An Autobiography" | Wipf & Stock Pub, September 1, 2008, cover price $23.00
Paperback:
9780300138405 | Yale Univ Pr, February 19, 2008, cover price $16.50
Product Description: In this brief and highly accessible book for general readers, distinguished physicist-turned-theologian John Polkinghorne presents a reasoned account of the Christian view of the world as seen by the one of the world's leading interpreters of the interface between science and religion...read more
Paperback:
9780664232146 | Westminster John Knox Pr, October 17, 2007, cover price $17.00 | About this edition: In this brief and highly accessible book for general readers, distinguished physicist-turned-theologian John Polkinghorne presents a reasoned account of the Christian view of the world as seen by the one of the world's leading interpreters of the interface between science and religion.
Product Description: 'In science, it is well-articulated proposals that lead ultimately to conviction. What is true about the scientific understanding of the physical and biological world is also true of theology's quest for an understanding of God'. At the outset, Polkinghorne provides a helpful overview of the ways scientists approach and dialogue with theology...read more
Hardcover:
9780281056446 | Society for Promoting Christian, September 17, 2004, cover price $29.40 | About this edition: 'In science, it is well-articulated proposals that lead ultimately to conviction.
Paperback:
9780300080032 | Yale Univ Pr, October 1, 1999, cover price $9.95 | also contains No Pirates Allowed! Said Library Lou
Paperback:
9780824515218 | Crossroad Pub Co, September 1, 1995, cover price $15.95 | About this edition: This book discusses the belief in God, chaos, evolution, miracles, and prayer,and gives an answer to the question:Can a scientist believe?
Paperback:
9780691023885 | Reprint edition (Princeton Univ Pr, January 1, 1986), cover price $23.95
displaying 1 to 14 |
at end