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Surprised by Meaning: Science, Faith, and How We Make Sense of Things
Surprised by Meaning: Science, Faith, and How We Make Sense of Things
Surprised by Meaning: Science, Faith, and How We Make Sense of Things
Ebook219 pages

Surprised by Meaning: Science, Faith, and How We Make Sense of Things

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We live in an age when the growth of the Internet has made it easier than ever to gain access to information and accumulate knowledge. But information is not the same as meaning, nor is knowledge identical with wisdom. Many people feel engulfed by a tsunami of facts in which they can find no meaning.

In thirteen short, accessible chapters McGrath, author of the bestselling The Dawkins Delusion, leads the reader through a nontechnical discussion of science and faith. How do we make sense of the world around us? Are belief in science and the Christian faith compatible? Does the structure of the universe point toward the existence of God?

McGrath's goal is to help readers see that science is neither anathema to faith, nor does it supersede faith. Both science and faith help with the overriding human desire to make sense of things. Faith is a complex idea. It is not a blind leap into the dark but a joyful discovery of a bigger picture of wondrous things of which we are all a part.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateFeb 1, 2011
ISBN9781611640991
Surprised by Meaning: Science, Faith, and How We Make Sense of Things
Author

Alister E. McGrath

Alister E. McGrath is a historian, biochemist, and Christian theologian born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. McGrath, a longtime professor at Oxford University, now holds the Chair in Science and Religion at Oxford. He is the author of several books on theology and apologetics, including Christianity's Dangerous Idea and Mere Apologetics. He lives in Oxford, England and lectures regularly in the United States.

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Well argued modern presentation of the traditional argument from design and morality for the existence of God and a purposeful reality. It reaches the impasse between theism and atheism where many thinkers divide while others become fence-sitters: Creator God as best explanation for what there is.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Another excellent book from McGrath, considering the quest for meaning. Science, he contends, is unable to answer the big questions, however it does point towards the transcendent. Far from being "blind faith", as Dawkins would argue, Christianity demands that we are critical and reasoned in our beliefs. Short chapters make for an accessible read despite the depth of discussion.

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Surprised by Meaning - Alister E. McGrath

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