The Great Mystery: Science, God and the Human Quest for Meaning

by Alister E. McGrath

There is currently huge interest in the question of human nature and identity, and what the human future might look like. Who are we? Why are we here? What is our future? Are we alone? And what can religion bring, alongside biology and anthropology, to these important and exciting questions? The Great Mystery focuses on this fascinating field of study. Alister McGrath, bestselling author and Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion at Oxford University, explores the question of human nature from both scientific and religious perspectives, and weaves together the results to open up and explore some of the deepest and most important questions about who we are, why we matter, and what our future might be. A follow-up to his critically acclaimed Inventing the Universe, in The Great Mystery Alister McGrath once again brings together science with religion to yield an enriched vision of reality, along with rigorous and thoroughly up-to-date scholarship and intellectual accessibility.

Genres: Theology, Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

Published November 20, 2018

About the author

Alister Edgar McGrath is a Northern Irish theologian, priest, intellectual historian, scientist, and Christian apologist. He currently holds the Andreas Idreos Professorship in Science and Religion in the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford, and is Professor of Divinity at Gresham College. He was previously Professor of Theology, Ministry, and Education at King's College London and Head of the Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture, Professor of Historical Theology at the University of Oxford, and was principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, until 2005. He is an Anglican priest and is ordained within the Church of England.

Aside from being a faculty member at Oxford, McGrath has also taught at Cambridge University and is a Teaching Fellow at Regent College. McGrath holds three doctorates from the University of Oxford, a DPhil in Molecular Biophysics, a Doctor of Divinity in Theology and a Doctor of Letters in Intellectual History.

McGrath is noted for his work in historical theology, systematic theology, and the relationship between science and religion, as well as his writings on apologetics. He is also known for his opposition to New Atheism and antireligionism and his advocacy of theological critical realism. Among his best-known books are The Twilight of Atheism, The Dawkins Delusion?: Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine, Dawkins' God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life, and A Scientific Theology. He is also the author of a number of popular textbooks on theology.

Reviews

[Robert]

The Great Mystery: Science, God and the Human Quest for Meaning. There are definitely pieces of this book that made a lot of sense to me but then other parts that I didn't think made coherent arguments and were only OK, although argument is the wrong word as I feel from reading this book that Allister McGrath is too polite to argue with anyone and he does clearly state that we should all be open to listening to the opinions of others.
Some of the book is quite self evident to me, Alister writes about humans as being creatures that seek meaning in everything. From the outset of the book Mr. McGrath makes it clear that he wants to analyse humanity's place in the universe from both a scientific and Christian viewpoint. He argues, rightly in my opinion, that science is neither good or bad but depends on how people put it to use, to help or hinder others, it is a tool to aid us in our endeavours only.
He makes a descent argument that people should never lose their sense of wonder at nature and the world around us. People do not need to rationalise absolutely everything, nor in all probability will we ever know all that there is to be known about life , the universe and everything. In essence what Alister McGrath is saying is that it is important to keep a balance between the objective scientific view of nature and the subjective personal experience.
The author proposes that often times humans have intuitions of something more than the material world or at least our sense of place within it as being incomplete, that we long for another more spiritual world, time and place. He continues with his argument that we are just here on a journey to somewhere else. This I feel is a weak analysis as I would think that this is very dependent on the individual and is subjective to one's world-view, the type of religion one follows, or not, and other external factors that influence that individual. Certainly it seems a natural part of human nature for many people to wish for more out of life than they have.
He tackles the question of whether or not meaning for humanity is internally produced by people and cultures or is meaning an external attribute given to us (by God).
I just feel that none of his analysis or propositions left me in awe or wonderment. The Great Mystery I guess is an apt name for the book as there is no great reveal in its pages. That is not to say that the book wasn't worth the read. I agree with the author that it is worth pondering the thoughts of others, and the material within this book may speak to everyone differently, so why not digest this piece of food for thought.

[Graham Beattie]

One Reader’s Review

An intellectually and spiritually satisfying discourse on the nature of ultimate reality and the human quest for meaning. McGrath’s scientific and theological qualifications well equip him to explore this critical issue. However it is his personal humility that enables him to connect with the rest of us who are also fellow ‘travellers on the road’.

[Barbara]

I thought this was a really good book, but I give this guy top marks anyway.

[Ros Tibbs]

lost a star for acknowledging isnotreal <\3