God, Chance and Purpose

God, Chance and Purpose PDF Author: David J. Bartholomew
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521880855
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 272

Get Book Here

Book Description
Scientific accounts of existence give chance a central role. At the smallest level, quantum theory involves uncertainty and evolution is driven by chance and necessity. These ideas do not fit easily with theology in which chance has been seen as the enemy of purpose. One option is to argue, as proponents of Intelligent Design do, that chance is not real and can be replaced by the work of a Designer. Others adhere to a deterministic theology in which God is in total control. Neither of these views, it is argued, does justice to the complexity of nature or the greatness of God. The thesis of this book is that chance is neither unreal nor non-existent but an integral part of God's creation. This view is expounded, illustrated and defended by drawing on the resources of probability theory and numerous examples from the natural and social worlds.

God, Chance and Purpose

God, Chance and Purpose PDF Author: David J. Bartholomew
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521880855
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 272

Get Book Here

Book Description
Scientific accounts of existence give chance a central role. At the smallest level, quantum theory involves uncertainty and evolution is driven by chance and necessity. These ideas do not fit easily with theology in which chance has been seen as the enemy of purpose. One option is to argue, as proponents of Intelligent Design do, that chance is not real and can be replaced by the work of a Designer. Others adhere to a deterministic theology in which God is in total control. Neither of these views, it is argued, does justice to the complexity of nature or the greatness of God. The thesis of this book is that chance is neither unreal nor non-existent but an integral part of God's creation. This view is expounded, illustrated and defended by drawing on the resources of probability theory and numerous examples from the natural and social worlds.

God, Chance and Necessity

God, Chance and Necessity PDF Author: Keith Ward
Publisher: ONEWorld Publications
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 218

Get Book Here

Book Description
The "new materialism" argues that science and religious belief arencompatible. This book considers such arguments from cosmology, biology, andociobiology view points, and shows that modern scientific knowledge does notndermine belief in God, but points to the existence of God.

God of Chance

God of Chance PDF Author: David J. Bartholomew
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 198

Get Book Here

Book Description


Evolution, Chance, and God

Evolution, Chance, and God PDF Author: Brendan Sweetman
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 1628929863
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 249

Get Book Here

Book Description
Evolution, Chance, and God looks at the relationship between religion and evolution from a philosophical perspective. This relationship is fascinating, complex and often very controversial, involving myriad issues that are difficult to keep separate from each other. Evolution, Chance, and God introduces the reader to the main themes of this debate and to the theory of evolution, while arguing for a particular viewpoint, namely that evolution and religion are compatible, and that, contrary to the views of some influential thinkers, there is no chance operating in the theory of evolution, a conclusion that has great significance for teleology. One of the main aims of this book is not simply to critique one influential contemporary view that evolution and religion are incompatible, but to explore specific ways of how we might understand their compatibility, as well as the implications of evolution for religious belief. This involves an exploration of how and why God might have created by means of evolution, and what the consequences in particular are for the status of human beings in creation, and for issues such as free will, the objectivity of morality, and the problem of evil. By probing how the theory of evolution and religion could be reconciled, Sweetman says that we can address more deeply key foundational questions concerning chance, design, suffering and morality, and God's way of acting in and through creation.

Chance and the Sovereignty of God

Chance and the Sovereignty of God PDF Author: Vern S. Poythress
Publisher: Crossway
ISBN: 1433536986
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 370

Get Book Here

Book Description
What if all events—big and small, good and bad—are governed by more than just blind chance? What if they are governed by God? In this theologically informed and philosophically nuanced introduction to the study of probability and chance, Vern Poythress argues that all events—including the seemingly random or accidental—fall under God's watchful gaze and are part of his eternal plan. Poythress tackles questions related to everything from natural disasters to the roll of the dice, explaining how God's sovereignty functions as the lens through which we study subjects such as science, mathematics, modern physics, evolutionary biology, human choice, and gambling. Comprehensive in its scope, this book lays the theistic foundation for our scientific assumptions about the world while addressing personal questions about the meaning and significance of everyday events.

The Probability of God

The Probability of God PDF Author: Dr. Stephen D. Unwin
Publisher: Forum Books
ISBN: 1400054788
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 274

Get Book Here

Book Description
Does God exist? This is probably the most debated question in the history of mankind. Scholars, scientists, and philosophers have spent their lifetimes trying to prove or disprove the existence of God, only to have their theories crucified by other scholars, scientists, and philosophers. Where the debate breaks down is in the ambiguities and colloquialisms of language. But, by using a universal, unambiguous language—namely, mathematics—can this question finally be answered definitively? That’s what Dr. Stephen Unwin attempts to do in this riveting, accessible, and witty book, The Probability of God. At its core, this groundbreaking book reveals how a math equation developed more than 200 years ago by noted European philosopher Thomas Bayes can be used to calculate the probability that God exists. The equation itself is much more complicated than a simple coin toss (heads, He’s up there running the show; tails, He’s not). Yet Dr. Unwin writes with a clarity that makes his mathematical proof easy for even the nonmathematician to understand and a verve that makes his book a delight to read. Leading you carefully through each step in his argument, he demonstrates in the end that God does indeed exist. Whether you’re a devout believer and agree with Dr. Unwin’s proof or are unsure about all things divine, you will find this provocative book enlightening and engaging. “One of the most innovative works [in the science and religion movement] is The Probability of God...An entertaining exercise in thinking.”—Michael Shermer, Scientific American “Unwin’s book [is] peppered with wry, self-deprecating humor that makes the scientific discussions more accessible...Spiritually inspiring.”--Chicago Sun Times “A pleasantly breezy account of some complicated matters well worth learning about.”--Philadelphia Inquirer “One of the best things about the book is its humor.”--Cleveland Plain Dealer “In a book that is surprisingly lighthearted and funny, Unwin manages to pack in a lot of facts about science and philosophy.”--Salt Lake Tribune

The God of the Second Chance

The God of the Second Chance PDF Author: Greg Laurie
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
ISBN: 9780842355827
Category : Christian life
Languages : en
Pages : 262

Get Book Here

Book Description
"The God of the Second Chance" explores why God gives us second chances and how that can empower us as believers. This is great book for new believers trying to understand how to live an effective Christian life.

Is There Purpose in Biology?

Is There Purpose in Biology? PDF Author: Denis Alexander
Publisher: Monarch Books
ISBN: 0857217151
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 208

Get Book Here

Book Description
Atheists assert that the natural world has no meaning or purpose. Dr Denis Alexander, Emeritus Director of The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion at St. Edmunds College, Cambridge, draws a different conclusion. Not only do recent evolutionary biological data appear inconsistent with the claim that the world is purposeless, but the Christian doctrine of creation has provided and continues to provide both context and stimulus for the study of the natural world. Christians started biology! However, is a belief in an omnipotent, benign Creator consistent with a world of pain and suffering? From a lifetime's study in the biological sciences, Denis Alexander believes that whilst the cost of existence is extremely high, it can nonetheless be squared with the idea of a God of love whose ultimate purposes for humankind render that cost more comprehensible.

Taking a Chance on God

Taking a Chance on God PDF Author: John J. McNeill
Publisher: Beacon Press
ISBN: 9780807079454
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 246

Get Book Here

Book Description
Taking a Chance on God explores how lesbians and gay men can claim both a positive gay identity and a fulfilling life of Christian faith.

Chance Or Creation?

Chance Or Creation? PDF Author: Jāḥiẓ
Publisher: Garnet Publishing
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 156

Get Book Here

Book Description
Did the world come about by chance or through creation? This book, attributed to the ninth-century Arab author al-Jahiz, discusses the evidence of God's design in the universe. Looking at the world around us and mankind's place in it, he argues that the design, harmony and wisdom in the natural world show that the world was created consciously. In answer to those who say that all things came about by chance, he argues that the ecosystem is playing out a divine plan. In his innovative approach he was centuries ahead of most other thinkers, and the modern reader will appreciate his holistic approach.