The Fire in the Equations: Science, Religion, and the Search for God

Examines the modern search for a single fundamental truth or law that underlies the beginning and continued existence of the universe, and reviews the latest advances in physics, biology, and the new fields of chaos and complexity

At least since the Catholic Church forced Galileo to renounce Copernicanism, scientists and religionists have eyed one another with suspicion. But is the conflict between modern science and religious belief inevitable? Must those who accept the theories of Einstein and Heisenberg reject the visions of Isaiah and Paul? Well versed in both physics and theology, Ferguson holds out hope for reconciling rigorous science with sincere faith in God. But which God? The author concedes that it is easier to reconcile a scientific perspective with a distant deity who detonates the big bang and then leaves the universe to follow inflexible laws. But in carefully nuanced reasoning, she shows that modern science does not compel its adherents to reject the miracle-working personal God of Scripture. What comes through most clearly in this analysis is that science will never give believers or atheists unassailable public proofs of their positions. Like Jacob with the angel, each of us must still struggle with some questions alone. Bryce Christensen