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Mere Science and Christian Faith: Bridging the Divide with Emerging Adults
Many Christians have been brought up under the assumption that mainstream science is incompatible with genuine Christian faith--so when they see compelling evidence for biological evolution, for example, they feel forced to choose between science and their faith. The devastating effects of this dilemma are plain to see, as emerging adults either leave the faith or shut themselves off to the findings of the scientific community. But it's a false dilemma. In this book, Greg Cootsona argues against the idea that science and faith are inherently antagonistic. We don't have to keep them scrupulously separated--instead, we can bring them into dialogue with one another. Cootsona brings this integration to a number of current topics in science and faith conversations, including hermeneutics, the historical Adam and Eve, cognitive science, and the future of technology. His insights are enhanced by his work with Fuller Seminary's STEAM research project. Emerging adults want to believe that science and faith can coexist peacefully.Mere Science and Christian Faith holds out a vision for how that integration is possible and how it can lead us more deeply into the conversations around science and faith that confront the church today.
192 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 2018
About the author
Greg Cootsona
8 books2 followersGreg Cootsona (PhD, Graduate Theological Union) is a writer, researcher, and speaker. He directs Science and Theology for Emerging Adult Ministries (or STEAM) at Fuller Theological Seminary, and teaches religious studies and humanities at California State University at Chico. Cootsona studied comparative literature at U. C. Berkeley and theology at Princeton Theological Seminary (MDiv), the Universities of Tübingen and Heidelberg, and Berkeley's Graduate Theological Union, where he received his PhD. He recently finished eighteen years as associate pastor for adult discipleship at Bidwell Presbyterian Church in Chico and Fifth Avenue Presbyterian in New York City. He has been interviewed by CNN, the BBC, the New York Times, and the Today Show.
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March 9, 2018
Summary: Many emerging adults think that science and faith should complement each other and are put off by church contexts that force a choice between faith and science. The book contends that it is possible to bring science and faith into fruitful conversation, and provides examples of how this is possible.
Emerging adults (18-30 year-olds) are leaving the church in record numbers. "Nones" or those who identify as "spiritual but not religious" are on the rise. There are a number of causes for this but one is that emerging adults encounter congregations where science is the enemy and the relationship between faith and science is defined as a conflict. Many of these emerging adults see beauty in creation that is enhanced by their study of science and don't see science and faith as opposed. But if forced to choose, many choose science. Science and technology play a huge role in their lives, whether it is in their concern for their environment, their understanding of human sexuality, or the smartphones that are a ubiquitous presence and have changed their ways of relating to each other and the world.
Greg Cootsona writes about these trends and how Christians might foster a better conversation that aspires to intersection and integration rather than conflict and warfare. After profiling emerging adults, he discusses our engagement with the new atheism, often alienated by anti-science attitudes in Christian communities, principles for interpreting the Bible, recognizing both the good in technology, and where we may need to take a break from it.
These chapters are interspersed with "case studies" of engaging various contemporary developments--cognitive science, the Big Bang and fine-tuning arguments, Intelligent Design, climate change, and sexuality. Can cognitive science explain belief? How can we take fine-tuning arguments too far? What does Intelligent Design's focus on irreducible compexity miss? How can we have a fruitful conversation about the highly politicized subject of climate change? How do we engage genetic understandings of orientation and gender?
The concluding chapter is titled "Moving Forward." Cootsona articulates a compelling vision of telling better, true and beautiful stories that bring faith and science together. He writes:
"I do know, however, that these true, better stories are also beautiful. They will bring together the goodness and truth of the good news with the beauty of God. There truth becomes beautiful. And it should not be overlooked that rhetoric--as an engagement with beauty--should be used in concert with philosophy--as the pursuit of truth. Truth is only worth engaging if it's beautiful, and beauty is that which allures us." (p. 162)
This is a short, pithy book that is written conversationally rather than didactically. Quotes from emerging adults illustrative of chapter themes are sprinkled throughout the text. Pithy however does not mean light weight. Current scientists like Katherine Hayhoe and Elaine Ecklund are cited, writers on the philosophy of science like Ian Barbour, and theologians like Arthur Peacocke. Both text and footnotes point readers to further resources in both print and online form. This is an ideal introduction for those working with emerging adults as well as for emerging adults themselves who are wondering if it is possible for there to be a better conversation between science and faith. If Greg Cootsona is right, there are indeed many better conversations we might have.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Emerging adults (18-30 year-olds) are leaving the church in record numbers. "Nones" or those who identify as "spiritual but not religious" are on the rise. There are a number of causes for this but one is that emerging adults encounter congregations where science is the enemy and the relationship between faith and science is defined as a conflict. Many of these emerging adults see beauty in creation that is enhanced by their study of science and don't see science and faith as opposed. But if forced to choose, many choose science. Science and technology play a huge role in their lives, whether it is in their concern for their environment, their understanding of human sexuality, or the smartphones that are a ubiquitous presence and have changed their ways of relating to each other and the world.
Greg Cootsona writes about these trends and how Christians might foster a better conversation that aspires to intersection and integration rather than conflict and warfare. After profiling emerging adults, he discusses our engagement with the new atheism, often alienated by anti-science attitudes in Christian communities, principles for interpreting the Bible, recognizing both the good in technology, and where we may need to take a break from it.
These chapters are interspersed with "case studies" of engaging various contemporary developments--cognitive science, the Big Bang and fine-tuning arguments, Intelligent Design, climate change, and sexuality. Can cognitive science explain belief? How can we take fine-tuning arguments too far? What does Intelligent Design's focus on irreducible compexity miss? How can we have a fruitful conversation about the highly politicized subject of climate change? How do we engage genetic understandings of orientation and gender?
The concluding chapter is titled "Moving Forward." Cootsona articulates a compelling vision of telling better, true and beautiful stories that bring faith and science together. He writes:
"I do know, however, that these true, better stories are also beautiful. They will bring together the goodness and truth of the good news with the beauty of God. There truth becomes beautiful. And it should not be overlooked that rhetoric--as an engagement with beauty--should be used in concert with philosophy--as the pursuit of truth. Truth is only worth engaging if it's beautiful, and beauty is that which allures us." (p. 162)
This is a short, pithy book that is written conversationally rather than didactically. Quotes from emerging adults illustrative of chapter themes are sprinkled throughout the text. Pithy however does not mean light weight. Current scientists like Katherine Hayhoe and Elaine Ecklund are cited, writers on the philosophy of science like Ian Barbour, and theologians like Arthur Peacocke. Both text and footnotes point readers to further resources in both print and online form. This is an ideal introduction for those working with emerging adults as well as for emerging adults themselves who are wondering if it is possible for there to be a better conversation between science and faith. If Greg Cootsona is right, there are indeed many better conversations we might have.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
January 24, 2021
I highly recommend this fairly short, easy read that covers a lot of territory in the conversation on science and faith, especially as it pertains to emerging adults (ages 18 – 30). Since a little more than half of emerging adults are in or pursuing careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, many are looking for ways to reconcile science and their Christian faith. The author describes 4 typical approaches: warfare, independence, dialogue, and integration and spends much of the book on dialogue and integration which he feels are most productive.
The book consists of 8 chapters with 7 case studies embedded in various chapters.
1. Creation, Beauty, and Science: This chapter introduces the book by telling a story of a child finding beauty and wonder in rocks along a hike – this is the beginning of science. It also gives a little background on the author and gives a few examples from surveys of how emerging adults view science and faith.
2. Emerging Adult Faith: Not an LP, but a Digital Download: The author gives an overview of some of the research in this area and gives an analogy using an LP (with artist selected songs and order) compared with a Spotify mix (a user-inspired playlist or genre). Emerging adults are moving away from a two-dimensional science vs religion to a more nuanced, multi-dimensional approach. This chapter also has a case study “Addressing the New Atheism.”
3. Emerging Adults: Are They None and Done?: Emerging adults are turning away from the church. The church’s attitude toward science is a factor. Nones are people who did not grow up with much of a religious background and do not identify with any particular religious expression. Dones are people who grew up as Christians and were actively involved with their church but now are finished, done, with Christianity. The case study in this chapter is “Cognitive Science and Reasons Not to Believe”.
4. On a Crash Course with Hermeneutics: “Emerging adults often have difficulty with biblical texts because they seem obscure and scientifically dubious.” It is important to offer faithful and deep approaches to the biblical text that include information on the ancient near eastern culture and context. This chapter includes 2 case studies: “Making Too Much of a Good Thing”, and “Big Bang and Fine Tuning”.
5. Adam, Eve, and History: The author looks at 3 approaches to Adam and Eve and discusses their viability in the context of both scripture and scientific findings. One of the things I liked the most about this book was the case study here “What About Intelligent Design? Where’s Your ID?” in which he discussed the results of asking many Christians who are scientists their take on ID (and id).
6. Calling Out the Good in Technology: Technology is a tool that can be used for good or for bad. As a church, we need members who are proficient in technology and can use it to further the Gospel and to help the poor and vulnerable. We also need wisdom on ethics and the limits of technology. Science can’t answer ethics questions but should be used to inform ethics.
7. Give Technology a Break: There is a need to take time away from technology to worship and fellowship. We also need to be mindful of when new technological advancements are displacing jobs. What is our role and responsibility as a church here? The 2 case studies in this chapter are “On Global Climate Change and Sexuality (Where We’re Tempted to Ask Science for Things It Can’t Deliver”. These are both important topics to emerging adults and I thought the author addressed them thoughtfully.
8. Moving Forward: Too often the church shies away from discussing these topics but now we need to step up and begin the conversation. The author points to several resources and also recommends mentors for emerging adults. The author says “We have to engage the convincing, true narratives that God has written in the book of Scripture and in the book of nature.” “Our final goal is this: to weave together mainstream science and the good news of mere Christianity into a narrative that’s truly beautiful and beautifully true.”
The book consists of 8 chapters with 7 case studies embedded in various chapters.
1. Creation, Beauty, and Science: This chapter introduces the book by telling a story of a child finding beauty and wonder in rocks along a hike – this is the beginning of science. It also gives a little background on the author and gives a few examples from surveys of how emerging adults view science and faith.
2. Emerging Adult Faith: Not an LP, but a Digital Download: The author gives an overview of some of the research in this area and gives an analogy using an LP (with artist selected songs and order) compared with a Spotify mix (a user-inspired playlist or genre). Emerging adults are moving away from a two-dimensional science vs religion to a more nuanced, multi-dimensional approach. This chapter also has a case study “Addressing the New Atheism.”
3. Emerging Adults: Are They None and Done?: Emerging adults are turning away from the church. The church’s attitude toward science is a factor. Nones are people who did not grow up with much of a religious background and do not identify with any particular religious expression. Dones are people who grew up as Christians and were actively involved with their church but now are finished, done, with Christianity. The case study in this chapter is “Cognitive Science and Reasons Not to Believe”.
4. On a Crash Course with Hermeneutics: “Emerging adults often have difficulty with biblical texts because they seem obscure and scientifically dubious.” It is important to offer faithful and deep approaches to the biblical text that include information on the ancient near eastern culture and context. This chapter includes 2 case studies: “Making Too Much of a Good Thing”, and “Big Bang and Fine Tuning”.
5. Adam, Eve, and History: The author looks at 3 approaches to Adam and Eve and discusses their viability in the context of both scripture and scientific findings. One of the things I liked the most about this book was the case study here “What About Intelligent Design? Where’s Your ID?” in which he discussed the results of asking many Christians who are scientists their take on ID (and id).
6. Calling Out the Good in Technology: Technology is a tool that can be used for good or for bad. As a church, we need members who are proficient in technology and can use it to further the Gospel and to help the poor and vulnerable. We also need wisdom on ethics and the limits of technology. Science can’t answer ethics questions but should be used to inform ethics.
7. Give Technology a Break: There is a need to take time away from technology to worship and fellowship. We also need to be mindful of when new technological advancements are displacing jobs. What is our role and responsibility as a church here? The 2 case studies in this chapter are “On Global Climate Change and Sexuality (Where We’re Tempted to Ask Science for Things It Can’t Deliver”. These are both important topics to emerging adults and I thought the author addressed them thoughtfully.
8. Moving Forward: Too often the church shies away from discussing these topics but now we need to step up and begin the conversation. The author points to several resources and also recommends mentors for emerging adults. The author says “We have to engage the convincing, true narratives that God has written in the book of Scripture and in the book of nature.” “Our final goal is this: to weave together mainstream science and the good news of mere Christianity into a narrative that’s truly beautiful and beautifully true.”
September 10, 2019
An exploration regarding faith, science, and "emerging adults."
The author draws from his life experience working with young people trying to reconcile faith and science. He attempts to demonstrate that the "war" between faith and science is overblown, and does well at showing that there are things each has to say. He speaks of faith formation and development and how many young people wish to find ways to balance faith and science commitments.
The author is associated with BioLogos and seems to maintain a theistic evolutionist position. He is willing to accept those who disagree with his scientific views as fellow Christians although misinformed (how nice of him). He attempts to allegorize the narrative of Adam and Eve; he points out their importance in Paul's narrative, but as with most theistic evolutionists, does not address the fundamental disconnect between the conception of a creation without death into which sin and death enters through the fall of man and death as a major driver of evolutionary processes.
The author is at his best in discussing the benefits and challenges of technology in life.
The good in the work is the recognition that one can maintain faith commitments and explore the sciences, and that one can have a proper view of wonder through the faith commitment when exploring the sciences. I can appreciate that the author wishes to maintain balance between faith commitments and science, and seeks to harmonize, although I personally put far less confidence in science and more in the faith commitment.
If nothing else, the work helps to open up the thought process about how to work with young people as they navigate their faith commitment with their understanding of science.
**--originally galley received as part of early review program; final work, which I purchased, is reviewed
The author draws from his life experience working with young people trying to reconcile faith and science. He attempts to demonstrate that the "war" between faith and science is overblown, and does well at showing that there are things each has to say. He speaks of faith formation and development and how many young people wish to find ways to balance faith and science commitments.
The author is associated with BioLogos and seems to maintain a theistic evolutionist position. He is willing to accept those who disagree with his scientific views as fellow Christians although misinformed (how nice of him). He attempts to allegorize the narrative of Adam and Eve; he points out their importance in Paul's narrative, but as with most theistic evolutionists, does not address the fundamental disconnect between the conception of a creation without death into which sin and death enters through the fall of man and death as a major driver of evolutionary processes.
The author is at his best in discussing the benefits and challenges of technology in life.
The good in the work is the recognition that one can maintain faith commitments and explore the sciences, and that one can have a proper view of wonder through the faith commitment when exploring the sciences. I can appreciate that the author wishes to maintain balance between faith commitments and science, and seeks to harmonize, although I personally put far less confidence in science and more in the faith commitment.
If nothing else, the work helps to open up the thought process about how to work with young people as they navigate their faith commitment with their understanding of science.
**--originally galley received as part of early review program; final work, which I purchased, is reviewed
March 19, 2018
This book is a result of Greg Cootsona’s many years of ministry to emerging adults (18- to 30-year-olds), with a focus on the science and religion conflict. It is a very personal book, in that he frequently refers to his own interactions with emerging adults and his own research on their issues with science and religion.
Referring to Ian Barbour’s four-part typology (conflict, independence, dialogue, and integration), he primarily advocates for integration. He proposes that churches need to teach collaboration, not the controversy, and to engage the Internet. He believes that “Christians need to embrace, not fear, mainstream science, and that this work is critical for emerging adults.” (p. 82)
Along the way, he briefly discusses hermeneutics, the Big Bang, fine-tuning, historical Adam, original sin, intelligent design and technology.
The two pages of Further Reading and seventeen pages of end notes contain many good, current references to helpful books and websites.
Although this book is intended primarily for ministry leaders of young adults, it is also a good up-to-date discussion of the current issues by a non-scientist who does a very good job of keeping up with developments in science and their significance for Christianity.
Referring to Ian Barbour’s four-part typology (conflict, independence, dialogue, and integration), he primarily advocates for integration. He proposes that churches need to teach collaboration, not the controversy, and to engage the Internet. He believes that “Christians need to embrace, not fear, mainstream science, and that this work is critical for emerging adults.” (p. 82)
Along the way, he briefly discusses hermeneutics, the Big Bang, fine-tuning, historical Adam, original sin, intelligent design and technology.
The two pages of Further Reading and seventeen pages of end notes contain many good, current references to helpful books and websites.
Although this book is intended primarily for ministry leaders of young adults, it is also a good up-to-date discussion of the current issues by a non-scientist who does a very good job of keeping up with developments in science and their significance for Christianity.
April 9, 2018
When I was a teenager, in my fundy evangelical days, I was taught to be suspicious of science. Scientists were you using their big bang black magic, their carbon-dating-voodoo, and evolutionary processes to explain away the Creator. My youth leaders would do role-playing exercises designed to help us take a brave Christian response to our godless philosophy or biology professors when we got to college (I'm convinced that the entire plot to God's Not Dead was written in a youth group). I was told if Genesis 1 was not literally how God created the earth, that would mean you couldn't trust anything in the Bible (there is a logical fallacy there, see if you can spot it).
I can't say this is all entirely to blame for my undergrad, underachieving self, but it is pretty hard to make yourself try hard in class if you think your Geology professor is lying to you (I think this suspicion of sciences is also partly to blame for certain Christians' ambivalence to global warming or evidence-based research).
Thankfully, there are a number of Christians today which are exploring the interconnection between science and faith. Among them is Greg Cootsona. Cootsona directs Science and Theology for Emerging Adult Ministries (STEAM) at Fuller Theological Seminary and teaches religious studies and humanities at Chico State. He wrote Mere Science and Christian Faith: Bridging the Divide with Emerging Adults as a manifesto for pastors, emerging adult ministries leaders, and emerging adults themselves (18 to 30-year-olds). He discusses the disconnect between science and faith, places where they may be brought into greater integration and dialogue, and he provides various case studies of relevant issues to faith and science.
Mere Science and Faith unfolds in eight chapters. In chapter 1, Cootsona describes his own history of science and faith—his Christian conversion in college at UC Berkley, and subsequent antagonism toward faith he experienced from faculty and fellow students. He then introduces his thesis, an integrative approach to faith and science. In chapter 2, Cootsona cites psychological and social scientific research to discuss how to engage science and faith with emerging adults (18 to 30-year-olds). He concludes that the conversation between faith and science has shifted with the development of new technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence, transhumanism, screen time), new understandings of faith, and the eclectic "Spotify mix" style of engaging faith and science of emerging adult Christians today which breaks down some of the old dichotomies (28-29). A bricolage of mismatched ideas (Spotify) instead of an LP album, allows emerging adults to see connections between science and faith, or at least regard them as independent spheres without any felt antagonism. Cootsona extends this analysis in chapter 3 ("Emerging Adults: Are They None and Done?").
Chapter 4 and 5 are a crash course on biblical hermeneutics. Chapter 4 has an eye to how best make sense of the creation passages in our Scientific age. Cootsona discusses creation narratives of Genesis 1-2, and other relevant passages. Chapter 5, looks at Adam and Eve and human history. Cootsona concludes this section on hermeneutics with 5 reflections on reading the Bible:
1. We hold to the Bible because there we find our relationship to God through Jesus Christ.
2. Although we seek integration, we need to interpret Scripture with a sufficent dose of independence between science and faith when necessary
3. The interests of the interpreter are critical to the task of interpretation [i.e. we bring ourselves to the text and engage it with critical realism]
4. Science is not the sole arbitrator of truth.
5. Our biblical interpretation is about learning to live with the narrative of Scripture (96-98).
These hermeneutical reflections help Christians navigate truth in science and Scripture while acknowledging that each has a peculiar lens for comprehending reality. Chapters 6 and 7 describe the gifts and limits of technology and chapter 8 concludes the book.
Interspersing these chapters are various case studies exploring: the New Atheism, Cognitive Science, the Big Bang and Fine Tuning, Intelligent Design and the problem of irreducible complexity, climate change, and human sexuality. If the chapters are more conceptual, these case studies explore the nature of the dialogue between faith and science as they relate to particular issues.
I didn't have this book during my own emerging adulthood, but somehow I discovered that pressing into scientific questions (e.g. evolution, cosmology, geology) and adjusting how I understood particular passages, did not cause my faith in God to slide down a slippery slope toward secularism. For myself, it was exposure to Christians outside my narrow evangelical bubble that enabled me to make my peace with science, but certainly, a book like this would have been quite helpful. As an erstwhile and intermittent pastor, I appreciate the sound advice which Cootsona offers in guiding emerging adults to greater integration of science and faith. I particularly liked the emphasis on hermeneutics. I was reminded of one of my seminary professors saying, "When science and faith disagree, there is always a hermeneutical problem. Either we are misreading God's Special Revelation (i.e., the Bible) or we are miss reading Creation. Or both." Cootsona explores how to navigate the issues well (I did wish his chapters on technology probed the issues a little more, but this is a short book).
This is a book about science, but not really a science book. Cootsona mentions research and some important thinkers, but this is pretty accessible to us non-scientists. I give this four stars - ★★★★
Notice of material connection: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I can't say this is all entirely to blame for my undergrad, underachieving self, but it is pretty hard to make yourself try hard in class if you think your Geology professor is lying to you (I think this suspicion of sciences is also partly to blame for certain Christians' ambivalence to global warming or evidence-based research).
Thankfully, there are a number of Christians today which are exploring the interconnection between science and faith. Among them is Greg Cootsona. Cootsona directs Science and Theology for Emerging Adult Ministries (STEAM) at Fuller Theological Seminary and teaches religious studies and humanities at Chico State. He wrote Mere Science and Christian Faith: Bridging the Divide with Emerging Adults as a manifesto for pastors, emerging adult ministries leaders, and emerging adults themselves (18 to 30-year-olds). He discusses the disconnect between science and faith, places where they may be brought into greater integration and dialogue, and he provides various case studies of relevant issues to faith and science.
Mere Science and Faith unfolds in eight chapters. In chapter 1, Cootsona describes his own history of science and faith—his Christian conversion in college at UC Berkley, and subsequent antagonism toward faith he experienced from faculty and fellow students. He then introduces his thesis, an integrative approach to faith and science. In chapter 2, Cootsona cites psychological and social scientific research to discuss how to engage science and faith with emerging adults (18 to 30-year-olds). He concludes that the conversation between faith and science has shifted with the development of new technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence, transhumanism, screen time), new understandings of faith, and the eclectic "Spotify mix" style of engaging faith and science of emerging adult Christians today which breaks down some of the old dichotomies (28-29). A bricolage of mismatched ideas (Spotify) instead of an LP album, allows emerging adults to see connections between science and faith, or at least regard them as independent spheres without any felt antagonism. Cootsona extends this analysis in chapter 3 ("Emerging Adults: Are They None and Done?").
Chapter 4 and 5 are a crash course on biblical hermeneutics. Chapter 4 has an eye to how best make sense of the creation passages in our Scientific age. Cootsona discusses creation narratives of Genesis 1-2, and other relevant passages. Chapter 5, looks at Adam and Eve and human history. Cootsona concludes this section on hermeneutics with 5 reflections on reading the Bible:
1. We hold to the Bible because there we find our relationship to God through Jesus Christ.
2. Although we seek integration, we need to interpret Scripture with a sufficent dose of independence between science and faith when necessary
3. The interests of the interpreter are critical to the task of interpretation [i.e. we bring ourselves to the text and engage it with critical realism]
4. Science is not the sole arbitrator of truth.
5. Our biblical interpretation is about learning to live with the narrative of Scripture (96-98).
These hermeneutical reflections help Christians navigate truth in science and Scripture while acknowledging that each has a peculiar lens for comprehending reality. Chapters 6 and 7 describe the gifts and limits of technology and chapter 8 concludes the book.
Interspersing these chapters are various case studies exploring: the New Atheism, Cognitive Science, the Big Bang and Fine Tuning, Intelligent Design and the problem of irreducible complexity, climate change, and human sexuality. If the chapters are more conceptual, these case studies explore the nature of the dialogue between faith and science as they relate to particular issues.
I didn't have this book during my own emerging adulthood, but somehow I discovered that pressing into scientific questions (e.g. evolution, cosmology, geology) and adjusting how I understood particular passages, did not cause my faith in God to slide down a slippery slope toward secularism. For myself, it was exposure to Christians outside my narrow evangelical bubble that enabled me to make my peace with science, but certainly, a book like this would have been quite helpful. As an erstwhile and intermittent pastor, I appreciate the sound advice which Cootsona offers in guiding emerging adults to greater integration of science and faith. I particularly liked the emphasis on hermeneutics. I was reminded of one of my seminary professors saying, "When science and faith disagree, there is always a hermeneutical problem. Either we are misreading God's Special Revelation (i.e., the Bible) or we are miss reading Creation. Or both." Cootsona explores how to navigate the issues well (I did wish his chapters on technology probed the issues a little more, but this is a short book).
This is a book about science, but not really a science book. Cootsona mentions research and some important thinkers, but this is pretty accessible to us non-scientists. I give this four stars - ★★★★
Notice of material connection: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 7, 2020
I found the chapters on hermeneutics and the two chapters about the relationship between Genesis and Science interesting, that is what I was looking for from this book.
However, I found the first 80 pages slightly pointless for me personally, as written to establish that young adults have doubts about faith as a result of the "conflict" between science and religion. Perhaps that would be more relevant to youth ministers and parents and not an actual young person. I think that the blurb should make it more clear that young adults will find over half of this book irrelevant.
Then the last few chapters about technology, and climate change and sexuality, which I thought were quite outdated and covered in much more detail in a much better way in many other books.
However, I found the first 80 pages slightly pointless for me personally, as written to establish that young adults have doubts about faith as a result of the "conflict" between science and religion. Perhaps that would be more relevant to youth ministers and parents and not an actual young person. I think that the blurb should make it more clear that young adults will find over half of this book irrelevant.
Then the last few chapters about technology, and climate change and sexuality, which I thought were quite outdated and covered in much more detail in a much better way in many other books.
November 23, 2022
My first impression was that this book would represent science in a more apologetic format, and provide reasonable insights for why young adults can have confidence in science, as well as faith. It seemed the author focussed more thoroughly on some subjects than others, and the writing was more conference style than academic. I also got bored after the first three chapters that all discussed the current reality about young adults, and the uncertainty of faith and science in their life, before getting into content. I believe the author has insight into this field, more than what was communicated in this book.
January 8, 2023
Science continues to reveal the existence of God. At my church we talk a lot about science because of this. May you also read this so you can learn the wonder of science revealing God.
December 17, 2019
Though I agree with Cootsona on many different issues in this book, including the chapters on technology, my main points of contention with this book lies in errors in the treatment of very fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith.
Cootsona downplays biblical inerrancy, calling us to look beyond a doctrine that is holding us behind, but never argues on why it is holding us behind, only that it doesn't fit with a naturalistic theistic evolution worldview. He also uses the God-of-the-gaps argument, a philosophical fallacy, for no ID proponent would think that there are any gaps in creation, only TE proponents would. In addition, he constantly quotes from The Message translation of the Bible, which does a lot of damage to the original meaning to the original text, and makes it difficult to see verses in context.
All in all he doesn't do enough service to actual arguments from the Intelligent Design perspective. Though I do enjoy what he has to say about technology.
Cootsona downplays biblical inerrancy, calling us to look beyond a doctrine that is holding us behind, but never argues on why it is holding us behind, only that it doesn't fit with a naturalistic theistic evolution worldview. He also uses the God-of-the-gaps argument, a philosophical fallacy, for no ID proponent would think that there are any gaps in creation, only TE proponents would. In addition, he constantly quotes from The Message translation of the Bible, which does a lot of damage to the original meaning to the original text, and makes it difficult to see verses in context.
All in all he doesn't do enough service to actual arguments from the Intelligent Design perspective. Though I do enjoy what he has to say about technology.
August 14, 2019
One of the things that my teens most enjoy talking about is science and faith. Note that I said talking about; Not debating. Having facilitated this conversation a number of times in the past, I wanted to freshen up my approach with some fresh fodder. I found what I was looking for in Greg Cootsona’s Mere Science and Christian Faith .
In Mere Science and Christian Faith, Greg explores topics ranging from creation, to Adam & Eve and Intelligent Design, to Technology and Hermeneutics. He offers a fresh perspective on each, including some research he conducted with his team at the Science for Students and Emerging Young Adults at Fuller. Quotes from his team’s interviews are scattered throughout this book, which he calls a manifesto for pastors and emerging-adult ministry leaders. To them he says, “My hope is that you’ll do something as a result of reading the pages that follow – that you’ll write some new, true narratives that integrate Scripture and science and that will speak to emerging adults.” Because of its target audience, Greg also takes time early in Mere Science and Christian Faith to help his reader understand who today’s emerging adults are.
From the beginning of Mere Science and Christian Faith, Greg establishes that science and faith are not at odds with one another, but rather contribute to understanding one another. In his words, “The love of the surprisingly intricate beauty of nature is the beginning of science. This experience is intuitive in our early years of life – God created the world; let’s figure out how to understand it.”
One of my favorite chapters in Mere Science and Christian Faith is actually “On a Crash Course with Hermeneutics.” In it, Greg gives a great primer on hermeneutics and reminds his reader that “Christians through the ages have argued that our interpretation of the Bible needs to be updated and correlated with good science.” He then raises three key questions on creation (1. What do we mean by the teaching that God create the world? 2. How long are the 6 days of creation? 3. All in all, what is the Bible designed to do?) designed to help readers understand how their hermeneutics impact their understanding of faith and science.
Finally, I also really appreciated Greg’s exploration of technology – a conversation that often gets very negative in the faith world. Yet, in Greg’s case, he instead remains positive while at the same time raising critical concerns like this one: “If using technology decreases our empathy, and empathy is correlated with faith, maybe technology decreases our capacity for spiritual life.”
All in all, I’d highly recommend Mere Science and Christian Faith. Although I’m quite confident this book isn’t on most youth pastor’s radars, it should be. Reading it will help youth workers and pastors learn how to effectively help teens in their congregations wrestle with faith and science.
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Thanks to InterVarsity Press for graciously sending me a copy of Mere Science and Christian Faith to review. All opinions are my own.
In Mere Science and Christian Faith, Greg explores topics ranging from creation, to Adam & Eve and Intelligent Design, to Technology and Hermeneutics. He offers a fresh perspective on each, including some research he conducted with his team at the Science for Students and Emerging Young Adults at Fuller. Quotes from his team’s interviews are scattered throughout this book, which he calls a manifesto for pastors and emerging-adult ministry leaders. To them he says, “My hope is that you’ll do something as a result of reading the pages that follow – that you’ll write some new, true narratives that integrate Scripture and science and that will speak to emerging adults.” Because of its target audience, Greg also takes time early in Mere Science and Christian Faith to help his reader understand who today’s emerging adults are.
From the beginning of Mere Science and Christian Faith, Greg establishes that science and faith are not at odds with one another, but rather contribute to understanding one another. In his words, “The love of the surprisingly intricate beauty of nature is the beginning of science. This experience is intuitive in our early years of life – God created the world; let’s figure out how to understand it.”
One of my favorite chapters in Mere Science and Christian Faith is actually “On a Crash Course with Hermeneutics.” In it, Greg gives a great primer on hermeneutics and reminds his reader that “Christians through the ages have argued that our interpretation of the Bible needs to be updated and correlated with good science.” He then raises three key questions on creation (1. What do we mean by the teaching that God create the world? 2. How long are the 6 days of creation? 3. All in all, what is the Bible designed to do?) designed to help readers understand how their hermeneutics impact their understanding of faith and science.
Finally, I also really appreciated Greg’s exploration of technology – a conversation that often gets very negative in the faith world. Yet, in Greg’s case, he instead remains positive while at the same time raising critical concerns like this one: “If using technology decreases our empathy, and empathy is correlated with faith, maybe technology decreases our capacity for spiritual life.”
All in all, I’d highly recommend Mere Science and Christian Faith. Although I’m quite confident this book isn’t on most youth pastor’s radars, it should be. Reading it will help youth workers and pastors learn how to effectively help teens in their congregations wrestle with faith and science.
***********************************************
Thanks to InterVarsity Press for graciously sending me a copy of Mere Science and Christian Faith to review. All opinions are my own.
July 14, 2019
The author points out that slightly more than half of today's high school students will end up working in science/technology related fields. He discerns that many are not well prepared in terms of integrating their Christian faith with scientific endeavors. He challenges the hard core skepticism and disdain of the scientific method found in certain Christian circles. At the same time he sets forth the limitations of science and the assumption that it is the only source of reliable knowledge. Overall a helpful book though he does dabble in related topics like hermeneutics and technolocy in a too cursory a fashion.
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