There is a growing awareness of cultural diversity and plurality on the one hand and shared responsibility for our planet on the other. The sense of cultural identity exposes the wealth and richness of our heritage but also introduces its risks, like the proliferation of often violent independence and separatist movements. A sense of shared responsibility represents the hope to avoid ecological catastrophe and highlights the problems of inequality, poverty and suffering. Is our understanding of cultures and contexts affected, or even dramatically transformed, by our perception of Christ and Trinitarian theology? This series of essays addresses the issues of cultural plurality and diversity, poverty, sexist and racist oppression and ecological crisis, and aims to discuss the place of Christ in our understanding of human contextuality. Authors include Gustavo Gutierrez, Jurgen Moltmann, Johann Metz, Janet Martin Soskice and John de Gruchy.

In popular culture, science and theology have often been portrayed as antagonistic. Some writers have described the history of the debate in terms of a surrender by theology, a retreat from the field of engagement: theology has abandoned the public arena, leaving all creation to science, and has opted instead for the safer ground of ethics, morality and personal or private belief. Science and Theology advocates a constructive dialogue between the two subjects and suggests the topics where they might meet. The essays in this volume were commissioned from leading figures around the world - experts in their own disciplines, but enthusiasts for debate at the science and theology interface. They include Norma Emerton, Owen Gingerich, Nancey Murphy, John Polkinghorne, John Puddefoot and Carver T. Yu. They discuss natural theology, the methodologies of science and theology, and theology in the light of scientific discovery. Their themes cover scientism, divine action in the world, the problem of evil, freedom and determinism, reductionism and humanity, the limits of knowledge, and chaos theory. Together, these essays offer a significant and positive contribution to one of the most exciting areas of modern thought.