The Science Of God: An Introduction To Scientific Theology (Paperback)

by Alister E. McGrath (Author) "Many writers in the past have seen the natural sciences as an obvious dialogue partner for their own thinking..." (more)
Key Phrases: scientific theology project, revelational events, created rationality, Jesus Christ, Karl Barth, New Testament (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This book is a clear, concise guide to Alister McGrath-s groundbreaking three-volume work A Scientific Theology, today-s most talked-about new approach to systematic theology. In those recently published and already acclaimed volumes, McGrath exploits the theological potential of the natural sciences as dialogue partners for Christian thought.

The Science of God offers an ideal starting point for anyone wishing to engage in this new vision for theology. McGrath himself here summarizes his major project and sketches out its implications for many aspects of Christian doctrine. He then explores in an accessible manner all of the major themes of his three-volume work, including the legitimacy of a scientific theology, the purpose and place of natural theology, the foundations of theological realism, the failure of classic foundationalism, the nature of revelation, and the place of metaphysics in theology.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 271 pages
• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (July 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802828159
• ISBN-13: 978-0802828156
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #345,123 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Could be better, May 7, 2006

By	Glen Stancik (NC, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

McGrath is his inimitable self in this book. He never fails to impress with his intellect, his global knowledge, his ability to explain, and his eloquence. On the other hand, I was surprised at the amount of repetition in the book. From time to time I thought I was having d?j? vue. I enjoyed the read for the most part, but some of the material could have been left out and his arguments would have seemed tighter. He evidently admires Thomas Torrance immensely, since he repeatedly mentioned his name, but I can't recall anything Torrance actually said.
His choice of the scientific method as ancilla theologiae is a good one for several reasons. First of all, as he says, it is the closest thing we have to an objective and culturally inert system of inquiry. Secondly, it goes far to disarm the religio/scientific conflict by making friends of enemies. Not that religion and science are enemies at all, but as Hamlet says, "thinking makes it so." Adopting the methods of the natural sciences also gives him a great advantage when navigating between the currents of modernism and postmodernism. It gives him a "third way."
This introductory version has wetted my appetite for the mother tome(s), but I wonder if his choice for a grid such as the natural sciences may not in the end prove to be as limiting in some ways as it is helpful. I get the feeling that he wants so much for the marriage of natural science and theology to work that the marriage bed may end up being the proverbial procrustean one.

31 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not a Landmark, but Worth Reading, August 20, 2005

By	Steve Jackson "stevejackson100atyahoocom" (New England) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Alister McGrath recently completed his three-volume work A SCIENTIFIC THEOLOGY (ST). The series focuses on the relationship to religion and science, particularly at the methodological level. Now Prof. McGrath has come out with THE SCIENCE OF GOD, a smaller work that summarizes the findings of his larger series.

I've reviewed ST so I won't go into great detail. If you are interested in ST, I would start with THE SCIENCE OF GOD. If you've read the full series, it's also worth reading. ST was long on case studies but short on argument, so reading SG helps you follow the thread of Prof. McGrath's arguments much better.

As I've mentioned in previous reviews, Prof. McGrath is always a pleasure to read, but the quality of his work suffers because he publishes so much. Even in this work, there is too much repetition. Within the space of thirteen pages we are introduced to T. F. Torrance's "landmark work THEOLOGICAL SCIENCE (1969), "1969 landmark work THEOLOGICAL SCIENCE," and "landmark 1969 work THEOLOGICAL SCIENCE."

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unique, Brilliant, and Pivotal, July 12, 2007

By	jtq (usa) - See all my reviews

This long book took some effort to read, but it is unique, brilliant, and pivotal. Its most important point, for me, was that there is no logical or scentific basis for choosing atheism over agnosticism. Atheism must, therefore, compete with other faiths on terms common to all.
This point has been made before, but hardly so well documented historically and argued intellectually.