Judaism, Physics and God: Searching for Sacred Metaphors in a Post-Einstein World - Hardcover

Nelson, Rabbi David W.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1580232523 ISBN 13: 9781580232524

Publisher: Jewish Lights, 2005

Synopsis

Hear the Voices of Ancient Wisdom in the Modern Language of Science

"Ancient traditions, whose only claim to authenticity is that they are old, run the risk of becoming old-fashioned. But if an ancient tradition can claim to be not only ancient but also timeless and contemporary, it has a far greater chance of convincing each new, young generation of its value. Such a claim requires that each generation's retelling use the new metaphors of the new generation."
―from Chapter 1

In our era, we often feel that we can either speak about God or think scientifically about the world, but never both at the same time. But what if we reconciled the two? How could the basic scientific truths of how the natural world came to be shape our understanding of our own spiritual search for meaning?

In this provocative fusion of religion and science, Rabbi David Nelson examines the great theories of modern physics to find new ways for contemporary people to express their spiritual beliefs and thoughts. Nelson explores cosmology, quantum mechanics, chaos theory, relativity and string theory in clear, non-technical terms and recasts the traditional views of our ancestors in language that can be understood in a world in which space flight, atom-smashing and black holes are common features of our metaphorical landscape.

Judaism, Physics and God reframes Judaism so that it is in harmony with the conquests of modern scientific thinking, and introduces fascinating new ways to understand your relationship with God in context of some of the most exciting scientific ideas of the contemporary world.

About this title

About the Author

Rabbi David W. Nelson, PhD, a popular lecturer and former senior teaching fellow at Clal―The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, is campus rabbi and assistant professor of Religion at Bard College in Annandale on Hudson, NY.

Rabbi David W. Nelson, PhD, is available to speak on the following topics:

• Judaism, Physics and God
• The Metaphors of Belief: How Our Language Shapes Our Judaism
• Can God Be Conscious?
• With All Your Heart, with All Your Soul, with All Your Brain: Neuroscience and the Experience of Jewish Life
• Judaism and Science: What Do We Really Believe?
• Jewish Life on Campus: A View from the Front Lines

Click here to contact the author.

From the Inside Flap

Explore the Interconnection of Science and Faith

All God language is couched in metaphor. I am simply exploring a new set of God metaphors or, more precisely, a new way of understanding ancient God metaphors that allows us to speak about God without feeling hopelessly old-fashioned. from Chapter 1

In a society increasingly focused on the rational and the scientific, religion and belief in God can sometimes seem to lose their place. If we can t see it, if we can t prove it, how can we believe it?

In clear, non-technical terms, Judaism, Physics and God leads you through both the basic ideas of modern physics and the ancient wisdom of biblical and rabbinic texts to reveal how religious faith and scientific insight need not be mutually exclusive. Explore with Rabbi David Nelson the wonders of the Big Bang, quantum mechanics, fractals, the butterfly effect, special relativity, and other concepts, and discover how these breakthroughs in modern science can address the essential questions of Jewish spiritual life:

What is God s presence in our lives? What are our expectations for prayer? What is our role in the partnership with God? What are God s limitations? What is the reach of tikkun olam? How is God accessible to us?

Edition details

• Publisher: Jewish Lights
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1580232523
• ISBN 13: 9781580232524
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 352