Category Archives: Faith & Science

Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible — by John Polkinghorne Chapter 7- Cross and Resurrection Polkinghorne begins this chapter by observing that all the Gospels are in the active voice in the course of Jesus’ public ministry.  This relates to his authoritative words and powerful deeds.  However, when the narratives reach the final weekContinue reading “Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible- by John Polkinghorne, Chapter 7- Cross and Resurrection”

Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible — by John Polkinghorne Chapter 6- The Gospels Polkinghorne begins this chapter with the observation that no literature in the ancient world has been subjected to such intense scholarly scrutiny as the four Gospels.  For at least the last two hundred years, critical study has concentrated on seekingContinue reading “Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible- by John Polkinghorne, Chapter 6- The Gospels”

Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible – by John Polkinghorne Chapter 5- Israel’s Bible Polkinghorne begins this chapter by noting that even though he believes that parts of the Old Testament convey deep truth in the form of symbolic story that in other parts God chose to reveal the divine nature through a particularContinue reading “Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible- by John Polkinghorne, Chapter 5- Israel’s Bible”

Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible – by John Polkinghorne Chapter 4- Ambiguity The tapestry of life is not coloured in simple black and white, representing an unambiguous choice between the unequivocally bad and unequivocally good.  The ambiguity of human deeds and desires means that life includes many shades of grey.  What is trueContinue reading “Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible- by John Polkinghorne, Chapter 4- Ambiguity”

Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible – by John Polkinghorne Chapter 3- Creation and Fall What is the genre of the opening chapters of Genesis?  What type of literature is it?  Even the most convinced young earth creationist admits that the Psalms are not to be taken “literally”; that figurative language and the languageContinue reading “Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible- by John Polkinghorne, Chapter 3- Creation and Fall”

Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible – by John Polkinghorne Chapter 2- Development In the Anglican lectionary, the reading for the sixth chapter of Joshua ends at verse 20, the triumphal entry of the Israelite army into the city, and omits the verse that follows.  That verse states, “Then they devoted to destruction byContinue reading “Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible- by John Polkinghorne, Chapter 2- Development”

Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible – by John Polkinghorne Introduction and Chapter 1- Scripture We are going to blog through the book: “Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible” by John Polkinghorne.  John Polkinghorne, KBE, FRS, is internationally known as both a physicist and a priest. He served as president of Queens’ College,Continue reading “Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible- by John Polkinghorne, Introduction and Chapter 1- Scripture”

Evolution: Scripture and Nature Say Yes! Chapter 9- Let the Students Speak! By Denis O. Lamoureux NOTE TO READERS: Denis has contacted me and proposes to hold a discussion session via Adobe Connect, which will be free to all interested Imonkers.  It’s a great opportunity to interact with the author of this book personally, andContinue reading “Evolution: Scripture and Nature say Yes!  Chapter 9- Let the Students Speak!”

Evolution: Scripture and Nature Say Yes! Chapter 8- The Religious Evolution of Darwin By Denis O. Lamoureux In this chapter Denis strives to rehabilitate Darwin’s popular image as the atheist of atheists.  After all, Richard Dawkins has famously noted that while it had always been possible to reject theology, “Darwin made it possible to beContinue reading “Evolution: Scripture and Nature say Yes!  Chapter 8- The Religious Evolution of Darwin”

Evolution: Scripture and Nature Say Yes! Chapter 7: Galileo and God’s Two Books By Denis O. Lamoureux The story of the Galileo affair has become the primary symbol of the popular understanding of the relationship between science and religion, known as the “conflict” or “warfare” model.  The picture is of ignorant, superstitious religious leaders armedContinue reading “Evolution: Scripture and Nature say Yes!  Chapter 7- Galileo and God’s Two Books”