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In his many previous books John Haught established a reputation as
the leading Catholic theological voice in the study of science and
religion. In this work he offers his most systematic theological
reflections on the relation between Christian revelation and the
unfolding story of the universe. In the face of recent discoveries
some maintain their faith by clinging to a pre-scientific
worldview; others conclude that perhaps "the universe has outgrown
the biblical God who is said to be its creator." For Haught,
however, exploration of the "three infinities" - the immense, the
infinitesimal, and the complex - serves as invitation to an
unprecedented appreciation for the grandeur of God, creation,
Christ, and redemption.
Science has now demonstrated without a doubt that we live in an
"unfinished universe." Discoveries in geology, biology, cosmology
and other fields of scientific inquiry have shown that the cosmos
has a narrative character and that the story is far from over. The
sense of a universe that is still coming into being provides a
fertile new framework for thinking about the relationship of faith
to science. John F. Haught argues that if we take seriously the
fact that the universe is a drama still unfolding, we can think new
thoughts about God, and indeed about all the perennial themes of
theology. Science's recent realization that the universe is
dramatic, however, has yet to penetrate deeply into either
spiritual or intellectual life. Most Christian thought and
spirituality still presuppose an essentially static universe while
influential academic and intellectual culture remains stuck in a
stagnant materialist naturalism and cosmic pessimism. Resting on
the Future asks about the meaning of an unfinished universe from
the point of view of both Christian theology and contemporary
intellectual life. Each chapter covers a distinct aspect of what
Haught takes to be an essential transition to a new age in Catholic
life and thought. Biology, cosmology, and other fields of science
now provide the setting for a wholesome transformation of Catholic
thought from a still predominantly pre-scientific to a more hopeful
and scientifically informed vision of God, humanity and the natural
world.
In God After Darwin, eminent theologian John F. Haught argues that
the ongoing debate between Darwinian evolutionists and Christian
apologists is fundamentally misdirected: Both sides persist in
focusing on an explanation of underlying design and order in the
universe. Haught suggests that what is lacking in both of these
competing ideologies is the notion of novelty, a necessary
component of evolution and the essence of the unfolding of the
divine mystery. He argues that Darwin's disturbing picture of life,
instead of being hostile to religion-as scientific skeptics and
many believers have thought it to be-actually provides a most
fertile setting for mature reflection on the idea of God. Solidly
grounded in scholarship, Haught's explanation of the relationship
between theology and evolution is both accessible and engaging. The
second edition of God After Darwin features an entirely new chapter
on the ongoing, controversial debate between intelligent design and
evolution, including an assessment of Haught's experience as an
expert witness in the landmark case of Kitzmiller v. Dover Area
School District on teaching evolution and intelligent design in
schools.
Many scientists today think of the universe as essentially
purposeless. Likewise, modern and postmodern philosophers have
often been suspicious of any religious claims that the natural
world embodies and eternal meaning or teleology. Not all scientific
thinkers subscribe to this cosmic pessimism, however, and some
would even argue that contemporary knowledge is consistent with a
religious sense of cosmic purpose. This stimulating book offers
candid reflections on the question of cosmic purpose written both
by prominent scientists and by scholars representing the world's
religious traditions. Examining the issue from a wide variety of
perspectives, this is the only current book to deal with cosmic
purpose from an interreligious and interdisciplinary perspective.
Here scientists such as physicist Andrei Linde and biologist
Francisco Ayala come face to face with Islamic scholar Seyyed
Hossein Nasr, Hindu philosopher Anindita Niyogi Balslev, and
others. They examine such perplexing issues as the possible
existence of multiple universes and the implications of seemingly
purposive features in life. The contributions address the question
of whether a religiously-based notion of a purposeful cosmos is
consistent with the latest scientific understanding of nature, and
whether theology can affirm the presence of divine action without
contradicting science. These essays will challenge readers to
ponder their own place in the cosmos as they seek to interpret the
visions of the world's great spiritual traditions in the light of
natural science.
Is nature all there is? John Haught examines this question and in
doing so addresses a fundamental issue in the dialogue of science
with religion. The belief that nature is all there is and that no
overall purpose exists in the universe is known broadly as
'naturalism'. Naturalism, in this context, denies the existence of
any realities distinct from the natural world and human culture.
Since the rise of science in the modern world has had so much
influence on naturalism's intellectual acceptance, the author
focuses on 'scientific' naturalism and the way in which its
defenders are now attempting to put a distance between contemporary
thought and humanity's religious traditions. Haught seeks to
provide a reasonable, scientifically informed alternative to
naturalism. His approach will provide the basis for lively
discussion among students, scholars, scientists, theologians and
intellectually curious people in general.
A leading theologian presents a hopeful account of the universe
after Einstein, exploring it as a meaningful drama of awakening
"This book is a deep and provocative piece of theology that
proposes we engage with the universe as a kind of narrative of
awakening and unfolding, as well as an important and useful
approach for thinking about theology with respect to modern
cosmology."-Matthew Stanley, New York University Before the early
twentieth century, scientists and theologians knew almost nothing
about time's enormity and the corresponding immensity of space. But
now, after Einstein, cosmology offers theology a whole new way of
looking at the ageless questions about matter, time, God, cosmic
purpose, and the significance of our lives. The universe need not
be thought of as simply an endless reshuffling of lifeless and
mindless atoms in a pointless series of moments. Rather, the
universe is a temporal drama of awakening whose meaning can be
revealed only gradually by looking, in a spirit of anticipation and
hope, toward the horizon of the cosmic future. In conversation with
Einstein's ideas and opinions, John F. Haught develops here a new
cosmological understanding of the meaning of God, time, eternity,
mystery, life, thought, freedom, and faith. In doing so, he offers
readers a new way of understanding the relationship of science to
theology.
Laudato Si’ insists on a revolutionary human response to the
public challenges of our time concerning the ecological crisis. The
volume takes up the revolutionary spirit of Pope Francis and speaks
to the economic, technological, political, educational, and
religious changes needed to overcome the fragile relationships
between humans and Earth. This volume identifies various systemic
factors that have produced the anthropogenic ecological crisis that
threatens the planet and uses the ethical vision of Laudato
Si’ to promote practical responses that foster fundamental
changes in humanity’s relationships with Earth and each other.
The essays address not only the immediate behavioral changes needed
in individual human lives, but also the deeper, societal changes
required if human communities are to live sustainable lives within
Earth’s integral ecology. Thus, this volume intentionally focuses
on a plurality of cultural contexts and proposes solutions to
problems encountered in a variety of global contexts. Accordingly,
the contributors to this volume are scholars from a breadth of
interdisciplinary and cultural backgrounds, each exploring an
ethical theme from the encyclical and proposing systemic changes to
address deeply entrenched injustices. Collectively, their essays
examine the social, political, economic, gender, scientific,
technological, educational, and spiritual challenges of our time as
these relate to the ecological crisis.
In "God After Darwin, "eminent theologian John F. Haught argues
that the ongoing debate between Darwinian evolutionists and
Christian apologists is fundamentally misdirected: Both sides
persist in focusing on an explanation of underlying design and
order in the universe. Haught suggests that what is lacking in both
of these competing ideologies is the notion of novelty, a necessary
component of evolution and the essence of the unfolding of the
divine mystery. He argues that Darwin's disturbing picture of life,
instead of being hostile to religion-as scientific skeptics and
many believers have thought it to be-actually provides a most
fertile setting for mature reflection on the idea of God. Solidly
grounded in scholarship, Haught's explanation of the relationship
between theology and evolution is both accessible and engaging. The
second edition of "God After Darwin "features an entirely new
chapter on the ongoing, controversial debate between intelligent
design and evolution, including an assessment of Haught's
experience as an expert witness in the landmark case of "Kitzmiller
v. Dover Area School District "on teaching evolution and
intelligent design in schools.
Is nature all there is? John Haught examines this question and in
doing so addresses a fundamental issue in the dialogue of science
with religion. The belief that nature is all there is and that no
overall purpose exists in the universe is known broadly as
'naturalism'. Naturalism, in this context, denies the existence of
any realities distinct from the natural world and human culture.
Since the rise of science in the modern world has had so much
influence on naturalism's intellectual acceptance, the author
focuses on 'scientific' naturalism and the way in which its
defenders are now attempting to put a distance between contemporary
thought and humanity's religious traditions. Haught seeks to
provide a reasonable, scientifically informed alternative to
naturalism. His approach will provide the basis for lively
discussion among students, scholars, scientists, theologians and
intellectually curious people in general.
Science has now demonstrated without a doubt that we live in an
"unfinished universe." Discoveries in geology, biology, cosmology
and other fields of scientific inquiry have shown that the cosmos
has a narrative character and that the story is far from over. The
sense of a universe that is still coming into being provides a
fertile new framework for thinking about the relationship of faith
to science. John F. Haught argues that if we take seriously the
fact that the universe is a drama still unfolding, we can think new
thoughts about God, and indeed about all the perennial themes of
theology. Science's recent realization that the universe is
dramatic, however, has yet to penetrate deeply into either
spiritual or intellectual life. Most Christian thought and
spirituality still presuppose an essentially static universe while
influential academic and intellectual culture remains stuck in a
stagnant materialist naturalism and cosmic pessimism. Resting on
the Future asks about the meaning of an unfinished universe from
the point of view of both Christian theology and contemporary
intellectual life. Each chapter covers a distinct aspect of what
Haught takes to be an essential transition to a new age in Catholic
life and thought. Biology, cosmology, and other fields of science
now provide the setting for a wholesome transformation of Catholic
thought from a still predominantly pre-scientific to a more hopeful
and scientifically informed vision of God, humanity and the natural
world.
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Third Displacement (Paperback)
John Hart; Foreword by Jacques F. Vallee; Afterword by John F. Haught
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The ecological crisis faced by our planet may have the effect of
transforming religious ideas. Religions were born and took their
distinctive shapes by the need of people to find harmony in their
internal and external worlds. In our day that harmony is being
challenged by a breakdown in the relationship between human beings
and their global environment. Do the religious views held by most
believers today provide an adequate basis for interacting with
nature? Theologian John Haught believes they do not. Nor, he says,
do stereotyped religious attitudes about the natural world enable
believers to dialogue with physical scientists, many of whom are
nonbelievers. To make the dialogue work we need a common language
about nature and how it works. Haught maintains that process
language will not only assist the ecological dialogue but help to
transform religion itself. Nature is "holy" not because it
originated at the hand of a creator or because it transparently
reveals God now. It is holy primarily because of its direction: it
is promise. This "future dimension" of nature lets us deal
intelligently with the present crisis without forsaking the
mysterious power that nature has for us.
A foremost thinker on science and religion argues that an adequate
understanding of cosmic history requires attention to the emergence
of interiority, including religious aspiration Over the past two
centuries scientific advances have made it clear that the universe
is a story still unfolding. In this thought-provoking book, John F.
Haught considers the deeper implications of this discovery. He
contends that many others who have written books on life and the
universe-including Stephen Hawking, Stephen Jay Gould, and Richard
Dawkins-have overlooked a crucial aspect of cosmic history: the
drama of life's awakening to interiority and religious awareness.
Science may illuminate the outside story of the universe, but a
full telling of the cosmic story cannot ignore the inside
development that interiority represents. Haught addresses two
primary questions: what does the arrival of religion tell us about
the universe, and what does our understanding of the cosmos as an
unfinished drama tell us about religion? The history of religion
may be ambiguous and sometimes even barbarous, he asserts, but its
role in the story of cosmic emergence and awakening must be taken
into account.
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