Man and Creation

published by Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, MI 49242

This book is titled Man and Creation: Perspectives on Science and Theology and is written by over a dozen different scientists. Published in 1993 by Hillsdale College in Michigan, this book is part of a series called "The Christian Vision Series." All of the authors except perhaps Ronald Numbers are believers who are active in both scientific pursuits and in theological issues. Perhaps the best way to give you a concept of what the book is like is to give you a listing of each essay, its author, and its content:
  1. "God and Creation: An Historical Look at Encounters between Christianity and Science" by Mark Kalthoff--a straight history from the early 1600s on.
  2. "The Evolution of Scientific Creationism" by Ronald Numbers--a history similar to his recent book.
  3. "Seven Patterns for Relating Science and Theology" by Richard Bube--seven views of how science and faith can relate with criticisms of these views.
  4. "Creation Science and Methodological Naturalism" by J. P. Moreland--a philosophical and theological discussion of how God's activity in the natural world can be understood.
  5. "When Faith and Reason Meet" by Howard Van Till--a theological defense of theistic evolution.
  6. "The Star of Bethlehem: Science of the Ancients" by Craig Chester--an explanation of possibilities with a proposal of a planetary explanation.
  7. "What is Darwinism?" by Phillip Johnson--an attack on neoDarwinism similar to his book.
  8. "A Biologist's Approach to Human Nature" by Richard Alexander--an analysis of human nature from a genetic and evolutionary standpoint.
  9. "Where in the World is God?" by Owen Gingerich--an explanation of how God functions in the world from a theistic evolutionary standpoint.
  10. "Scientists Who Keep the Faith" by Donald Heckenlively--a theological argument for natural selection and theistic evolution.
  11. "Between Jerusalem and the Laboratory: A Theologian Looks at Science" by Michael Bauman--a philosophical and theological treatment of the relationships of science and religion.
  12. "God and Evolution: An Exchange" by Howard Van Till--an attack on Phillip Johnson's criticisms of evolution.
  13. "A Response to Essay #12" by Phillip Johnson.

These brief statements do not do justice to this book. There is a wealth of information in what has been written as well as some controversial proposals which your reviewer disagrees with. The authors are all scholars, all except perhaps Numbers are strong believers in Jesus, and all are good writers who express their ideas well. The book is universally anti-young earth and strongly pro-theistic evolution, but there are also good criticisms of people like Richard Dawkins and Carl Sagan.

We recommend this book as a useful source to theologians and philosophers who want to hear an intelligent defense of theistic evolution and a rebuttal of modern secular humanists. It will be of lesser interest to people looking for fundamental explanations and arguments in apologetics.


Back to Contents Does God Exist?, May/June 1996