More Than Meets The Eye: Fascinating Glimpses of God's Power and Design (Paperback)

~ Richard Swenson (Author), M.D., Richard A. Swenson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This forgettable survey of divine design in the natural world offers an awkward treatment of what could have been a compelling topic. Swenson, a physician and consultant best known to evangelical readers as the author of Margin, alternates between schoolbook science and pious observations in a style reminiscent of the Wonders of God's Creation films put out by Moody Bible Institute a generation agoAif lacking the vividness of the latter. The book aims to illuminate both the greatness and intimacy of God's involvement with creation, spanning astronomy, biology, physiology and the microphysical world. This is a delicate task, as some resonances between science and theology are more apt than others. Swenson's attempt to quantify Jesus' red blood cells is particularly inane ("Without a doubt, he shed at least one red blood cell for every human who ever lived," he assures readers). Swenson primarily focuses on Christian devotional interests, occasionally hinting at broader discussions about biological complexity and cosmological coincidences. But the largest share of the book is devoted to more or less direct expositions of specific sciences, mining their subject matter for impressive statistics and handles for (often strained) biblical allusions. Problems of disease or suffering are not acknowledged. Christian readers looking for theological reflection on human physiology will prefer Paul Brand and Philip Yancey's near-classic Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, which approaches the topic with notably deeper insight and compassion. (Nov.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Science and scripture often make awkward bedfellows, each fearful of trespassing over the other's boundaries, but to physician and futurist Swenson, they are inseparable. He sees God's handiwork everywhere, from the mysteries of cell function to those of black holes and quasars. He takes great pleasure in celebrating such wonders of life, and, thanks to his light touch and gentle humor, he never gets too heavy-handed, though he gets a bit carried away with statistics at times. Both believers and nonbelievers may question his certainty on particular topics, such as when he insists that God can hear a billion people praying at once, but there is no doubting his sincerity and commitment to his faith. He heaps praise on the new generation of scientists who find that science complements religious belief, which melds well with his contention that people of faith need not fear science. This small book raises some provocative questions about the nature of God and about the often adversarial relationship between science and faith. June Sawyers
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: NavPress (October 6, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576830691
• ISBN-13: 978-1576830697
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #64,799 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's more bizarre out there and in here than we think..., November 25, 2000

By A Customer

Swenson has performed a genuine service for non-scientists by gathering the latest research and information on the Body and the cosmos, and presenting it in an easy-to-read, easy-to-appreciate manner. He explains the bizarre world of quantum mechanics, relativity, light and atoms without minimizing how strange these all are, when compared to our everyday reliance on things being what they aeem to be. On the atom: "An atom is a tiny puff of smoke that stays put. It is weaselly, ghostly, otherworldly...Einstein..resisted the wierdness of atomic behavior as long as he could. Perhaps it is best to simply accept the fact that when things get this small, the nature of reality itself changes." Swenson's also got a good sense of humor: "If you were to stretch out all the neurons and dendritic connections in the brain and lay them end to end, they would reach for 100 thousand miles and circle the earth at the equator four times. (That's why it takes two Valiums.)" Swenson also makes an ongoing case for something he is convinced of: there is too much complexity, and orderliness, for all this to have happened by chance, and his conviction is backed up by quotes from scientists who also happen to be atheists:"Physicists Fred Hoyle and Chandra Wickramasinghe calculated the odds that all the functional proteins necessary for life might form in one place by random events as one chance in 10 to the 40,000 power. They concluded that this was 'an outrageously small probability that could not be faced even if the whole universe consisted of organic soup.'" Swenson's book is a great resource for someone wanting to catch up on some amazing scientific findings, as well as a challenge to anyone who believes it all happened by accident.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Reason Redeemed by Grace", October 29, 2005

By	Robert W. Kellemen "Doc. K." (Crown Point, IN United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The two Amazon Editorial Reviews (from Publishers Weekly and Booklist) just don't get it. Why is it hard for people to understand that a book written by a Christian, for a Christian audience, by a Christian publisher will develop it's theme from a Christian perspective. And why would someone wonder how a Christian could believe that God could hear a billion prayers at once (since, God being God, from the Christian world-view, can hear an infinite number of prayers at any given "moment").

"More Than Meets the Eye," by Dr. Richard Swenson offers exactly what the subtitle accurately promises: fascinating glimpses of God's power and design. It does not pretentiously pretend to offer in-depth scientific analysis. It does present micro and macro signs of God's transcendence and immanence. Science and faith, when looked at with what Luther called "reason redeemed by grace," consistently connect to show God's handiwork, God's fingerprints, God's footprints everywhere--from the largest star to the smallest particle. No, "More Than Meets the Eye" is not the final word. However, it is a fascinating glimpse for those willing to look at creation and the Creator with intellectual integrity and spiritual authenticity.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of "Soul Physicians," "Spiritual Friends," "Biblical Psychology," "Martin Luther's Pastoral Counseling," and "Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction."

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Irresistible!, May 24, 2001

By	David S. Berry (Morton, IL USA) - See all my reviews

I began this book with a certain cynicism. I heard the author on the radio, found him to be both brilliant and enjoyable, so I bought the book. One problem: I've never enjoyed things scientific. Wow, what a great surprise! This book presents what I'll call "intimate science" so engagingly that I soon dropped my long-held objection to reading about science and enjoyed the read. As a believer, I most appreciated the deeper understanding of the limitlessness of God which this book fosters. (I find it amazing that the "official" reviewer of this book suggests that Swenson stretches credulity when he asserts that God could hear a billion prayers at once! She has missed the key point which leaps from these pages: God is without limits -- we view him through the eyes of finite mortality.) If you are a "seeker" -- read this book. If you like science -- read this book. If you don't like science but love theology and genuinely good writing -- read this book. If you are trying to develop a stronger "apologia" for the faith -- read this book.