Customer Reviews

Christianity Without Fairy Tales: When Science and Religion Merge

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
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2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

From the Pastor's Desk (copied with permission).

Jesus said, "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32)
Jim Rigas is looking for this truth of God in his book, Christianity Without Fairy Tales.

Rigas is a retired engineer with advanced degrees in business and computer science. He takes a scientific approach in critically looking at the Bible, and comes up with bunches of unanswered questions. But he also takes a bunch of scientific theories, and comes up with most of the same unanswered questions. Thus we have, he says, both the faithful religionist and scientist ultimately saying, "Trust me on this." Then the author goes on to present a highly researched historical and critical analysis of the Christian scriptures. For him, I think, he finds truth.

I find Rigas' pursuit interesting and fairly easy reading on deep concerns about the Christian faith and personal faith. Though the scriptural literalist would be in complete opposition to this writing, I do recommend it to any with Christian questioning in our scientific age. With questions at the end of each chapter, it certainly offers food for thought and promotes thinking about a vast variety of our faith concepts.

This book will find its way to the church library soon.

Harvey Bartlett

(For additional information regarding the book and its author visit his web site www.jimrigas.com) - T. Rigas

Christianity Without Fairy Tales: When Science and Religion Merge is an intelligent, thoughtful evaluation of Biblical Scriptures and Christian tenets of faith from a scientist's viewpoint. From Genesis' two parallel creation stories, Rigas presents some provocative ideas about how we interpret the Bible. When held up to current scientific knowledge, some of the Biblical stories seem fanciful. For example, in the Exodus story, is it possible that the 600,000 fighting men mentioned, their women and children (approximately two million people) could have wandered the desert for 40 years?
Rigas analyzes the origins of the Hebrew religion and its construct of God, and suggests alternate meanings of certain Scriptures based on cultural expectations at the time they were written. In his evaluation of the New Testament, he describes competitor religions to Christianity, such as Mithraism, with its communion with cross-marked loaves of bread and its celebration on December 25 of the birth of its god. Other chapters cover topics such as miracles, the survival of the soul, the divinity of Jesus, and how the Christian church was formed more from the teachings of Paul than of Jesus. He also tackles the subjects of the holy trinity and the eucharist. Throughout, Rigas shows that it is possible to demonstrate the existence of a caring and potent power that lies just beyond our physical discernible universe. Although the accepted religious establishments do not properly define and describe this power, many people sense its presence both in and out of the church.
This book challenges many accepted Christian beliefs without being derogatory or inflammatory because Rigas shows there is room for spirituality in science. It's an excellent discussion book for adult Christian education classes, and a thought-provoking read for those interested in our Judeo-Christian heritage.

(The 5-star rating was awarded by the book's author who also entered this review by Bowker.)

I should have paid attention to the subtitle: "When Science and Religion Merge." Well, they don't. They can't. I can't believe I was suckered.

I'll grant that the "scientific method" and "mythology" are very different intellectual pursuits. I'll even grant they differ in the prism of the world they see. I'll even grant that they offer complimentary perspectives, at least if one accepts polysemy.

But they don't and cannot "merge." The "fairy tale" is that someone believes that they can, namely Rigas. It was there in the title! The scientific method and resurrection of the body cannot merge. They are contradictions! Neither "FITS" the other. What a terrible waste I could have prevented.

I'll look closer in the future. This is my error. I know better, and yet curiosity got the better of me. The subtitle should have been an obvious warning. Curiosity can sometimes overlook the obvious. I have and did.