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Dictionary of Christianity and Science: The Definitive Reference for the Intersection of Christian Faith and Contemporary Science
How does Christian theology relate to scientific inquiry? What are the competing philosophies of science, and do they “work” with a Christian faith based on the Bible? No reference work has covered this terrain sufficiently—until now.
Featuring the work of over 140 international contributors, the Dictionary of Christianity and Science is a deeply-researched, peer-reviewed, fair-minded work that illuminates the intersection of science and Christian belief. In one volume, you get reliable summaries and critical analyses of over 450 relevant concepts, theories, terms, movements, individuals, and debates. You will find answers to your toughest questions about faith and science, from Adam and Eve and the Age of the Earth to Evolution and String Theory.
Featuring the work of over 140 international contributors, the Dictionary of Christianity and Science is a deeply-researched, peer-reviewed, fair-minded work that illuminates the intersection of science and Christian belief. In one volume, you get reliable summaries and critical analyses of over 450 relevant concepts, theories, terms, movements, individuals, and debates. You will find answers to your toughest questions about faith and science, from Adam and Eve and the Age of the Earth to Evolution and String Theory.
704 pages, Hardcover
Published April 25, 2017
13 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Zondervan
1,875 books110 followersZondervan is an international Christian media and publishing company. Zondervan is a founding member of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA). They are a part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc. and has multiple imprints including Zondervan Academic, Zonderkidz, Blink, and Editorial Vida. Zondervan is the commercial rights holder for the New International Version (NIV) Bible in North America.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 13, 2017
When you pick up this attractive hardback “Dictionary of Christianity and Science”, edited by Paul Copan, Tremper Longman, Christopher Reese, and Michael Strauss, your first thought will be to wonder if it can live up to its subtitle “the definitive reference for the intersection of Christian faith and contemporary science”. To my mind, it was a boast that turned out to be true.
That’s not to say, that you will agree with everything you read here. Fully conservative views are well defined, but in the interest of providing a comprehensive resource other views are as well. Since evangelical Christianity is not in full agreement on these subjects, you will discover here are all the opinions out there. If you do either theological or apologetic reading, you have already noticed the debate on its margins with science. In our post-Christian age, this is no time for trite platitudes. This resource helps us understand and intelligently discuss at the very point where so much of modern society is attacking Christianity.
The entries given are of three types. Some are short introductions intended to give an overview. There’s longer entries called essays that attempt to give a larger picture. Finally, some oft-debated subjects are given what they call multiple-view discussions. In these cases, scholars of varying opinions make their strongest case. That type of debate can be most instructive.
The range of topics covered almost anything I could think of regarding faith and science. Whether it was common terminology or less common scholarly jargon, you will find it here. You will find scientific terms, hot button issues of our generation, prominent movements and people, and some things I imagine you’ve never heard of before. There’s various creation/evolution theories, the Flood, fossil records, bioethics, and even climate change from various viewpoints.
I could easily see myself in the future reading an article and coming to an obscure concept or the element of debate I was a little rusty on and grabbing this book to get a grasp of what I was reading. This book has clearly found a niche missing in other Bible dictionaries and encyclopedias. This fine volume succeeded in what it set out to do and I think it’s an all-around winner. I predict it will be the go-to volume of its kind for many years.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
That’s not to say, that you will agree with everything you read here. Fully conservative views are well defined, but in the interest of providing a comprehensive resource other views are as well. Since evangelical Christianity is not in full agreement on these subjects, you will discover here are all the opinions out there. If you do either theological or apologetic reading, you have already noticed the debate on its margins with science. In our post-Christian age, this is no time for trite platitudes. This resource helps us understand and intelligently discuss at the very point where so much of modern society is attacking Christianity.
The entries given are of three types. Some are short introductions intended to give an overview. There’s longer entries called essays that attempt to give a larger picture. Finally, some oft-debated subjects are given what they call multiple-view discussions. In these cases, scholars of varying opinions make their strongest case. That type of debate can be most instructive.
The range of topics covered almost anything I could think of regarding faith and science. Whether it was common terminology or less common scholarly jargon, you will find it here. You will find scientific terms, hot button issues of our generation, prominent movements and people, and some things I imagine you’ve never heard of before. There’s various creation/evolution theories, the Flood, fossil records, bioethics, and even climate change from various viewpoints.
I could easily see myself in the future reading an article and coming to an obscure concept or the element of debate I was a little rusty on and grabbing this book to get a grasp of what I was reading. This book has clearly found a niche missing in other Bible dictionaries and encyclopedias. This fine volume succeeded in what it set out to do and I think it’s an all-around winner. I predict it will be the go-to volume of its kind for many years.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
August 13, 2018
Many of the articles are exceptionally good, and I learned quite a bit just reading it straight through, but the lack of an index really makes this very difficult to use as a reference work, thus the mere 3 stars.
July 18, 2017
Dictionary of Christianity and Science is the collective work of over 140 international scholars brought together under the editorial oversight of Paul Copan, Tremper Longman III, Christopher L. Reese, and Michael Strauss. Dictionary of Christianity and Science contains some of the highest standards of research and review, and presents a fair-minded assessment of nearly every corner of the intersection between the Christian worldview and modern science. Together with over 450 articles written on key terms, theories, individuals, debates, and more, by leading scholars and experts in the field, Dictionary of Christianity and Science has rightly positioned itself as the definitive on science and Christian belief.
The organization and format of the Dictionary of Christianity and Science is superb and unlike any other dictionary I’ve seen or used. First, the entries are well-balanced and the contributors are top-tier in the field of the topics they addressed. This is of course of first importance when it comes to any dictionary of this caliber, but this is especially the case for one that boasts itself as a definitive work. Second, the format and organization of Dictionary of Christianity and Science is easy to use and ideal for a resource of this scope. Apart from standard articles on key terms, theories, individuals, and such, the editors have also included multi-view essays on a number of controversial topics—most of which pertain to various aspects of the creation/evolution debate. Additionally, there are introductory articles that function differently than a standard essay and focus on the central facts of a topic in a shorter and more concise form. Third, as one would expect coming to a dictionary, Dictionary of Christianity and Science provides solid, succinct answers to somewhat complex and challenging topics. This provides a clear basis for both understanding and further investigation, which can be explored in the curated bibliography that follows each essay. Lastly, the ground covered in Dictionary of Christianity and Science is simply amazing for its size. To be fair, it is small print crammed into tight double columns, but the riches of information that can be harvested from its pages is simply incredible. Readers will find something new and exciting, or at least interesting, on every page of this dictionary.
While the praises for Dictionary of Christianity and Science certainly outweigh its failed opportunities, there are at least two areas I found difficult or unsatisfying as I interacted with its content over the last few months. First, although there is a decent cross-reference system (using bold text throughout), I found that the navigation between the articles was not as easy as it could have because of some of the sub-titles within articles (e.g. Age of the Universe and Earth [Billions-of-Years View]; p. 28). Also, when I first began reading through the dictionary, I found the bolded text to be distracting and overused in some cases. This turned out to be only a momentary discomfort as I continued to use the resource. Second, I found the “References and Recommended Reading” section to be lacking in many cases, and even a bit unbalanced at times. While I’m neither a scientist nor a student of science, I am familiar with much of the literature and names from that side of the discussion, and would have liked to have seen maybe a bit more representation in the bibliography. That said, what is listed, as far as I could tell during my use of the resource, is well-positioned to point the reader in the right direction.
Apart from a few minor (possible) shortcomings, Dictionary of Christianity and Science edited by Paul Copan, Tremper Longman III, Christopher L. Reese, and Michael Strauss is a fantastic resource that will be unlike anything else on your shelf. The contributors to this volume are to be commended and the editors are to be praised for their work in bringing this phenomenal dictionary into publication. If you are interested in the intersection between the Christian worldview and modern science, then Dictionary of Christianity and Science should be at the top of your wish list and kept within an arm’s reach. It will be used often and unsurpassed for the foreseeable future, and it comes highly recommended!
The organization and format of the Dictionary of Christianity and Science is superb and unlike any other dictionary I’ve seen or used. First, the entries are well-balanced and the contributors are top-tier in the field of the topics they addressed. This is of course of first importance when it comes to any dictionary of this caliber, but this is especially the case for one that boasts itself as a definitive work. Second, the format and organization of Dictionary of Christianity and Science is easy to use and ideal for a resource of this scope. Apart from standard articles on key terms, theories, individuals, and such, the editors have also included multi-view essays on a number of controversial topics—most of which pertain to various aspects of the creation/evolution debate. Additionally, there are introductory articles that function differently than a standard essay and focus on the central facts of a topic in a shorter and more concise form. Third, as one would expect coming to a dictionary, Dictionary of Christianity and Science provides solid, succinct answers to somewhat complex and challenging topics. This provides a clear basis for both understanding and further investigation, which can be explored in the curated bibliography that follows each essay. Lastly, the ground covered in Dictionary of Christianity and Science is simply amazing for its size. To be fair, it is small print crammed into tight double columns, but the riches of information that can be harvested from its pages is simply incredible. Readers will find something new and exciting, or at least interesting, on every page of this dictionary.
While the praises for Dictionary of Christianity and Science certainly outweigh its failed opportunities, there are at least two areas I found difficult or unsatisfying as I interacted with its content over the last few months. First, although there is a decent cross-reference system (using bold text throughout), I found that the navigation between the articles was not as easy as it could have because of some of the sub-titles within articles (e.g. Age of the Universe and Earth [Billions-of-Years View]; p. 28). Also, when I first began reading through the dictionary, I found the bolded text to be distracting and overused in some cases. This turned out to be only a momentary discomfort as I continued to use the resource. Second, I found the “References and Recommended Reading” section to be lacking in many cases, and even a bit unbalanced at times. While I’m neither a scientist nor a student of science, I am familiar with much of the literature and names from that side of the discussion, and would have liked to have seen maybe a bit more representation in the bibliography. That said, what is listed, as far as I could tell during my use of the resource, is well-positioned to point the reader in the right direction.
Apart from a few minor (possible) shortcomings, Dictionary of Christianity and Science edited by Paul Copan, Tremper Longman III, Christopher L. Reese, and Michael Strauss is a fantastic resource that will be unlike anything else on your shelf. The contributors to this volume are to be commended and the editors are to be praised for their work in bringing this phenomenal dictionary into publication. If you are interested in the intersection between the Christian worldview and modern science, then Dictionary of Christianity and Science should be at the top of your wish list and kept within an arm’s reach. It will be used often and unsurpassed for the foreseeable future, and it comes highly recommended!
May 25, 2017
Overall, this is a very impressive resource, with well-written articles, every one of which includes “References and Recommended Reading.”
Therefore, I was a bit surprised at what wasn’t included, such as an Index that would let the reader know that Theistic Evolution was to be found
under Evolutionary Creation, which is reasonable, except that there is no cross-reference to let the reader know.
Also, an Index to the Multiple-Views Discussions would have been a helpful and easy-to-create addition to the Dictionary.
I was also surprised to see so little discussion of current hot-button Christianity and Science issues like Information and Intelligent Design (one very short article each, both by William Dembski, with no multiple-view response), and Original Sin (one page).
Despite these shortcomings, I recommend this book to anyone interested in the Christianity and Science dialogue.
Another similar, though much smaller, book that does include both a List of Entries and an Index is "A Science and Religion Primer," edited by Heidi Campbell & Heather Looy (Baker Academic, 2009).
Therefore, I was a bit surprised at what wasn’t included, such as an Index that would let the reader know that Theistic Evolution was to be found
under Evolutionary Creation, which is reasonable, except that there is no cross-reference to let the reader know.
Also, an Index to the Multiple-Views Discussions would have been a helpful and easy-to-create addition to the Dictionary.
I was also surprised to see so little discussion of current hot-button Christianity and Science issues like Information and Intelligent Design (one very short article each, both by William Dembski, with no multiple-view response), and Original Sin (one page).
Despite these shortcomings, I recommend this book to anyone interested in the Christianity and Science dialogue.
Another similar, though much smaller, book that does include both a List of Entries and an Index is "A Science and Religion Primer," edited by Heidi Campbell & Heather Looy (Baker Academic, 2009).
June 5, 2018
This is a superb reference tool, more a mini-encyclopedia than dictionary, covering the 'intersection' of Christianity and Western science. The articles within the dictionary are concise, comprehensive, and almost always flawless. All articles are signed. They are generally focused on topics biographical, conceptual, or historical. In topics where there are significant divergences of viewpoint in the Christian community, there can be more than one entry. For example, there are three articles, expressing different viewpoints, on the 'Days of Creation', not to mention a fourth article entitled 'Days of Creation, Interpretations'. Cross-referencing and bibliographic citations are extensive. The 'Dictionary of Christianity and Science' should be in the library of anyone having an interest in the historical, philosophical, and theological intersections of Western science and Christianity.
September 2, 2017
The Dictionary of Christianity and Science is a wonderful resource and is essential for anyone who desires to understand how the two areas intersect. The articles are well-written and organized so that it is fairly easy to find the topic of interest. The only thing I wish the editors had changed is that the article on evolutionary creation (i.e., theistic evolution) is separate from the articles on creationism. If the article on EC was linked with the other views on creationism, one could see the vast array of views on the topic side by side. Excellent resource!!!
May 11, 2017
Wow! This is an incredible reference for Christians and so valuable for Christian apologists.
The framework and style makes it easy to use and covers every topic one could think of. There are short introductions, longer essays, and multiple-view discussions. It makes complex concepts easier to understand.
Great resource!
I received a complimentary copy of this title from its publisher in exchange for my honest review.
The framework and style makes it easy to use and covers every topic one could think of. There are short introductions, longer essays, and multiple-view discussions. It makes complex concepts easier to understand.
Great resource!
I received a complimentary copy of this title from its publisher in exchange for my honest review.
June 8, 2022
An excellent resource for anyone interested in the relationship between science and the Christian faith.
September 6, 2023
Good coverage of the players in the science and religion relationship, was one of two main textbooks used in a recent class I took on science and Christianity.
May 3, 2017
Rating of 2.95
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews