Product Description
"Blessings" chronicles the adventures of the "Lucy Ricardo of Christian Scientists" as she uses her understanding of the power of Love and Truth to meet life's challenges. We follow the author as she climbs Mount Rainier, gets herself in a bit of a fix in the Grand Canyon, participates in an impromptu "peace summit" at Heathrow, meets her husband, finds home, and discovers the joys of motherhood. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Elevated
If you are a religious person and are looking for something to elevate your faith, read this book! If you are not a religious person and are looking for something to elevate your mood, read this book. A simple read covering a lot of situations everyone can relate to. I was amazed that one small book could hold such a massive voice. A voice that is familiar,inspiring and worth listening to!

Blessings: Adventures of a Madcap Christian Scientist
Excellent book!I read it and then had to order copies for friends and family.Whether you are a Christian Scientist or not, this is a fantastic read.

Ray of sunshine on Christian Science
Karen Terrell shares her warm and buoyant soul with us and lets us see Christian Science as a church with the love of God and brotherly love to spare. I'm a member of a different church but I bristle now if I hear someone call these people a cult or weirdos. They have their own individual opinions and some use doctors, just like any other group of people. It's a totally upbeat book about the life led by Mrs. Terrell, her husband and children and they're as well-grounded as any other American family. I enjoyed following her adventures. She's got a lot of courage.

Light-hearted book packs a powerful punch
First, I confess that prior to reading this book, I had run into the author on Amazon's discussion forums and was smitten by her genuinely effervescent and kind personality. When I heard she had written a book, I was excited to get my hands on it.

Terrell's gentle, humorous journal introduced Christian Science to me, and I read this while going through a particularly dark period in life. Her words flow easily over everyday situations while imbuing an underlying spirituality, all without a trace of condescension or arrogance - just awe and appreciation for life. Her alternating reference, probably reflecting the view of Christian Science, to God as either She or He, was acutely refreshing, as I've struggled with (among other things) Abrahamic religions' emphasis on maleness.

I connected with "Blessings" because the author effortlessly lets the reader into her world. She helped remind me of the vast diversity of spiritual experiences in our world when I was ready to give up on the idea.

a clear understanding
I have always appreciated the writings of Mary Baker Eddy.I have not always appreciated the writings of Christian Scientists.So often I have wondered if they have really read Science and Health.This book is written by a Christian Scientist who has a clear understanding and rich experience of Christian Science.It is a practice and we watch and share in her practice.Beautifully written with great heart and humor. ... Read more

Product Description
A look at the questions students should be asking as they study the natural sciences in relation to the Christian worldview and think critically about God's creation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent, thoughtful intro and contribution to the science/religion debate by comitted Christians
An excellent intro to the science/religion debate.It touches on almost every issue in some way and shows how committed Christians who are also scientists are dealing with the "debate".This book is a must for any Evangelical Christian who thinks evolution and the other findings of modern science are in direct antithesis to their Christian beliefs.It's also a must for any non-believer who thinks all Christians are ignorant and take what the Bible says in blind faith over the findings of modern science.Not Just Science presents authentic attempts to maintain the integrity of both Christianity and science.I only felt there was one downfall - I would have given the book 5 stars had I not felt that the authors relegated Christianity solely to the realm ethics too often. ... Read more

Product Description
Christian Scientists are trapped in a mindset that twists their perception of reality, teaches them to mistrust their physical senses, and short-circuits their ability to make informed, reasoned decisions regarding healthcare.

The Religion That Kills examines how people become ensnared in Christian Science and discusses how this religion can affect them emotionally, physically, and spiritually. The book also discusses Mary Baker Eddy – the founder of Christian Science – in terms of her leadership style, her claim to divine revelation, and her misuse of both secular and biblical language.

The Religion That Kills is a tool for recovering from the negative effects of Christian Science, for understanding Christian Science logic and terminology, for helping Christian Scientists objectively evaluate their religion, and for discussing biblical issues with Christian Scientists. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (39)

Unbelievaly bias
This book plays on total sensationalism and has false information. Just because extremists take their understanding of religion and do drastic things by no means represents the whole.

the religion that kills
Well written and very informative. helped me understand people i know who are recovering from christian scientist cult/sect, whatever it is considered.thank you!

Exaggeratory, and Offensive
Let's cut to the chase.We all know that the title of this book was used simply to entice readers.The fact of the matter is, if you've ever known a Christian Scientist, they are very practical, loving people.They only wish the best for their families, and themselves.The religion is not a cult, people come and go as they wish.People are never punished for their beliefs unless they are directly putting down the church (membership can be revoked).Many Christian Scientists live by the philosophy "God does not keep score."They try their best to rely on healing, but Christian Scientists are NOT against going to the doctor if a condition persists.This book really tries to put C.S. in a box.Christian Scientists are like any other group of religious people.There are good ones, and there are bad ones.So why write a book full of anti-C.S. propoganda?Just to sell books.

Disappointing at best
This book is book is a sad attempt at the authors misguided pension for drama spreading.It holds nothing of what is at the heart of Christian Science, but sure has a catchy title.

A book of truth and eye opening!!!!!
This book does have a regrettable title, since it's content is purely based on books approved by the Christian Science Mother Church, by a former Christian Scientist.It is not a "bashing" book, but a truthful oversight into the reality of the Christian Science movement which I was regrettably raised in and have thank goodness, gotten away from not without guilt and mind control.I even sent a copy of this book to my mother, a former, devout Christian Scientist who has not completely rejected the religion and she devoured the book in three days, sighting me all sorts of examples of how the book was so true in her upbringing, and upbringing of myself and siblings.There is some very interesting information of Mary Baker Eddie herself, and plently of space leaving the ultimate question up to the reader.Is Christian Science a Religion That Kills, Mind Controlling, Cult.My answer after reading the book was only stronger and more informed than before, my opinion, yes.

... Read more

Product Description

Confronting us at every turn, flowing from every imaginable source, information defines our era--and yet what we don't know about it could--and does--fill a book. In this indispensable volume, a primer for the information age, Hans Christian von Baeyer presents a clear description of what information is, how concepts of its measurement, meaning, and transmission evolved, and what its ever-expanding presence portends for the future.

Information is poised to replace matter as the primary stuff of the universe, von Baeyer suggests; it will provide a new basic framework for describing and predicting reality in the twenty-first century. Despite its revolutionary premise, von Baeyer's book is written simply in a straightforward fashion, offering a wonderfully accessible introduction to classical and quantum information. Enlivened with anecdotes from the lives of philosophers, mathematicians, and scientists who have contributed significantly to the field, Information conducts readers from questions of subjectivity inherent in classical information to the blurring of distinctions between computers and what they measure or store in our quantum age. A great advance in our efforts to define and describe the nature of information, the book also marks an important step forward in our ability to exploit information--and, ultimately, to transform the nature of our relationship with the physical universe.

Customer Reviews (3)

Title should be: "the role of noise in Shannon-Weaver -model
Being a big fan of information, I was very interested in the book. But the contents were a huge disappointment. The writer spends too much time about telling stories of personal relations to the people behind the models, and the role of "information" in various parts of the book is lost quite completely.

There are, however very interesting and informative (sic) parts of the book. Noise in the Shannon-Weaver -model is described in a way that really tells more about the concept, both in the respect if information theory and everyday life. The effects of noise are brought up in several parts of the book, in various fashions.

The book is well-written, and easy to read. But title is misleading, and the contents are quite thin for somebody interested in the subject.

Great Topic, Disappointing in the End
Like the other reviewer (Frenzen), I also had read von Baeyer's book on thermodynamics, which I felt was a fantastic read.Hence I was excited to see a book on information theory, a natural follow-on topic.

Like his previous book, von Baeyer has written a book with no equations, plots, or figures of any kind.Presumably, the idea behind this approach is to appeal to non-technical readers.As a person who knows some math, I found myself wishing over and over again to get just a peek at the equations behind the "talk" to figure out what is really going on.As they say about pictures, "one equation is worth a thousand words."I don't know whether the publishing proverb that "the number of copies sold is inversely proportional to the number of equations" is at work here, but omitting math so completely does a disservice to readers.

The goal of von Baeyer's book is to ask, over and over again, "what is information?"In this regard, the book attempts to give nontechnical insight into Shannon's ideas.Next, the book transitions to the truly exciting edge of information, namely, quantum information theory.Since I had only a very vague idea of how qubits work before I picked up this book, I hoped to get some real insight from von Baeyer.Unfortunately, I learned nothing from the presentation.I found no clear and simple explanation as to how qubits work and how they could be used to compute something.The "bead" contest was presumably intended as a "clear as day" explanation, but it was just too much to swallow.Next, we hear about a breakthrough qubit-based algorithm for factoring integers, but there is barely a hint about how the algorithm works.(Is there a Quantum Mechanics for Dummies?)

Similar comments can be made concerning how information is lost (or not lost, whatever) when a cup of tea is sucked into a black hole.In this case it isn't the lack of equations that causes confusion, but rather how to appreciate the fact that physicists take seriously the notion that warm-tea-into-the-hole lowers the entropy of the universe.

In summary, a 21st century discussion of "what is information, and how might it form the basis for a new physics" is a great topic. But I learned little from this book, and I can only hope that another author will take up this task and move it to the next level of exposition.What would be ideal, is a book that lies somewhere between this book and N. Gershenfeld, Physics of Information Technology, Cambridge.(Nahin:Are you listening?)

Final note concerning the Frenzen review:There is nothing "physically...high quality" about this book.

An informative book on information, beautifully written....
What a delightful surprise to stumble across this book on Amazon a few months ago, before it had even been released. Since I was familiar with and greatly admired von Baeyer's book on Maxwell's Demon, ``Warmth Disperses and Time Passes'', I immediately pre-ordered a copy of ``Information--The New Language of Science''.
How pleasant to find it dropped on my doorstep a week ago (3/16/04).

The book is published by Harvard University Press, so physically it is very high quality. Von Baeyer is an excellent expositor, and has written several books on science for the lay person.
Check out his other books by all means.

Information, as a physical quantity, has been rapidly evolving. It is destined to play a pivotal role in this century, especially in physics. We now distinguish between classical and quantum information, and it is safe to say that there are many mysteries still unsolved about how information is to be understood and what role it plays in the universe.

Von Baeyer's book begins with eight chapters on background information (pardon the pun!) --- how our ideas of information have evolved, the idea of the bit, Shannon's information theory, the role of genetic information in biology, the tension between the ideas of reductionism and emergence in the sciences, and a hint at how the ideas of Bohr, Wheeler, and Zeilinger suggest that, ``Science is about information.''

The next ten chapters flesh out our understanding of classical information. The connection between probability and classical information is explored, as is Boltzmann's discovery of the microscopic interpretation of entropy, noise, Shannon's model of communication theory, bioinformatics, and the discoveries of Landauer and Bennett about the destruction of information and the reversibility of computation.

Then follow four chapters on quantum information. Here we close in the frontier of our understanding. There is a discussion of some of the `weird' things that happen in the quantum mechanical model of the world, and the qubit, the quantum bit, a rich, complex object offering, perhaps, incredible opportunities for quantum information processing.There is a discussion of quantum computing, and finally, black holes. There are deep, deep mysteries lurking here. For example, information is conserved in a natural process described by quantum mechanics. Yet in Stephen Hawking's Black Hole Information Paradox, information disappears into black holes! Black holes involve general relativity, so the marriage between general relativity and quantum mechanics seems destined to involve an understanding of what seems to be a universal currency, information.

For me the last two chapters in the book, on `Work in Progress' were the most inspiring. Here we have a discussion of the frontier, of information theory beyond Shannon, of new entities called bucks, hits, and nuts. The last chapter discusses Zeilinger's brave attempt (1999) at a `foundational principle for quantum mechanics' --- `an elementary system carries one bit of information.' This work is only a few years old, and leaves the breathless reader wanting......MORE INFORMATION !

This is an exciting book, worth 5 stars in my opinion. It is well written, timely, and thought provoking. I wish it had more figures, and even some photographs to make it more visually appealing, but no matter, it is mentally stimulating, and leaves the curious reader wondering. One can't ask for more than that. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (6)

Vegan Perspective
Description:The book is based on a series of lectures given by Sir John Polkinghorne at Princeton Theological in 2003.Topics include natural theology, the theology of nature, evolution, Big Bang theory, the relationship between science and faith, how we should approach Scripture, the problem of evil, eschatology, end-time resurrection, and other key theological topics.The book is profound, but written in fairly simple language - considering the subjects being discussed. Some familiarity with theological and scientific terms would be helpful; otherwise, you will need a good dictionary at hand.If you know a little about science and theology, these 180 pages read quickly.

For me, as a vegan and animal advocate, some parts (like page 152)are deeply disturbing.Here Sir John questions those who think God might want to preserve all the animals for eternity.Here I would like to quote the author:

"I believe that every human that has ever lived will again live beyond their deaths, but should I also believe this to be true of every dinosaur?Even more problematically, what about every bacterium that has ever lived?" (page 152)

I won't even comment on the fallacy of this comparison.

Polkinghorne goes on to say that he thinks that representatives of each species will be preserved, but ...

"On the other hand, I think it is unlikely that they will all be there.There is a human intuition ... that animals are indeed to be valued, but more in type than in token ... it is morally permissible, in circumstances of limited forage, to cull a herd of deer, preserving the group at the cost of the humane killing of some of its members.Such a policy could not be coutenanced in relation to a human population. I think it likely, therefore, that there will be horses in the world to come, but not every horse that has ever lived." An intriguing special case is presented by animals who are greatly loved pets.Have they acquired sufficient idiosyncratic significance to require this to be continued beyond death?"(page 152)


These are loaded comments.Polkinghorne may be a universalist, but his remarks are so guarded that it is difficult to say for certain.Polkinghorne may have this all backwards, however.I think he could be over-estimating the number of human earthlings who will be saved and under-estimating the number of non-human earthlings who will see the new creation.Christopher Southgate, in his book, The Groaning of Creation, asserts that there may be universal salvation for the animals.This actually makes better sense- if humans have a more profoud understanding of the Moral Law, but freely choose to violate it.On the other hand, Polkinghorne often speaks as if there is limited space for resurrected creatures to live in.How odd! Two points can be made here: 1) The physical laws may be more different in the new cosmos than Polkinghorne realizes, and 2) Even with no change in the basic physics, there is plenty of room in this universe for all the people and animals that ever lived.Sir John thinks only of the earth in this sense.Why couldn't buffalo graze on the moon?

I was also quite intrigued by his comment that hunting would be okay in situations of "limited forage."Well that sounds like conditional vegetarianism.One would think Polkinghorne would come right out and say so if he were an ethical vegetarian.Considering the overall attitude projected here, I would say he is not a member of Vegan Outreach.Again, his remarks are carefully worded as if he were a lawyer.

And, again, in this provocative paragraph, we come across the idea that companion animals are more deserving of respect or salvation than wild or agricultural animals .Let me assure all of you that a dog is not fundamentally different than its cousin, the pig, except, of course, that the pig is probably smarter.We love Spot like a family member, but we eat his more intelligent cousin, Mr. Pig, after torturing him in a factory farm. Please notice too Sir John's precise wording: "animals are indeed to be valued, but more in type than in token."In other words species are important, but not individual animals, which he calls "tokens" as opposed to individuals or persons.

Richard Swinburne makes similar mistakes in his own theodicy. It is time for theologians to accept that there really are no fundamental differences between homosapiens and other earthlings.The only aspect of imago dei that they lack is dominion.Until this is realized, theodicies will lack credibility, and prove to the world that religion is still blind in the 21st century.

Intellectual bridge between science and faith
John Polkinghorne is a fine author; the combination of his faith, his deep understanding of physics and his ability to explain the most complex ideas in terms that are relatively easy to follow (sometimes requiring a second read!) make him uniquely qualified for the challenge of showing how it can be intellectually sound to embrace the Christian faith. His willingness to quote sources with whom he clearly disagrees and to do so with integrity towards the opposing view adds tremendously to the depth of his reasoning.

His comment on page 63 is typical: "The universe has proved to be astonishingly rationally transparent, and the human mind remarkably apt to the comprehension of its structure. We can penetrate the secrets of the subatomic realm of quarks and gluons, and we can make maps of cosmic curved spacetime, both regimes that have no practical impact upon us, and both exhibiting properties that are counterintuitive in relation to our ordinary habits of thought. Our understanding of the workings of the world greatly exceed (sic) anything that could simply be required for human survival."

When I reflect on insights such as this (and the book is full of them) I find them so much more valuable than the confrontational approach of the materialists on one side and the Intelligent Design zealots on the other.

Three and a half stars, dissapointing
Polkinghorne is just not at his best in this volume. It starts out good, but just goes downhill. If he could just stay on the topic of the relationship between science and theology he would be great. No one but Stanley Jaki is as good when it comes to that subject, and that was what I wanted in this book. Unfortunately, Polkinghorne soon leaves this behind to talk about theology (mostly) apart from science, and some of his theological views are just wacko. For example, when discussing God and time, he concluded that God is bound by time (in His temporal pole at least), but of course time is relative, so we have to decide what "time-zone" God is on. Polkinghorne concludes that he is probably on the same time-zone as the cosmic background radiation, since that is the most common time zone! And I assure you he is not joking when he comes to this conclusion, he is quite serious. Also, on the way to this conclusion, he passes through a discussion on the bipolarity of God, sounds dangerously like a process theist. In fact, after reading this book, I am fairly convinced that Polkinghorne is either a process theist or something very close to it, certainly not a traditional Christian theist, and I am certain that he goes far beyond the bounds of even open theism. This was a very dissapointing discovery, but the book is still good in parts. If only he would stay on subject, for he discusses the main subject better than any other but one!

Theology and science
The task of theology and the task of science have many things in common, and many differences.In some sense, both seek the truth (albeit most often different in context and meaning), and while both make an appeal to reason as a methodology, they vary in their application of this.

Author John Polkinghorne has a combined profession of cleric and theoretical physicist.Physics and theology are both often caterogised as 'big picture' enterprises - I recall the time that I got better grades from in a biblical studies course after talking with the professor Marti Steussy; once she realised that I had had science training in physics, and I realised she'd had science training in biochemistry, we understood each other much better with regard to biblical studies (big picture vs. constitutent parts/small things approaches).Polkinghorne also approaches things from a big picture perspective, albeit involving small things (the smallest of things, in fact, that science can discern).

This book is derivative of lectures given at Princeton Theological Seminary in 2003.Polkinghorne's intention was to draw together science and religion in a dialogue, letting theological issues provide the framework.He covers different key areas in systematic theology (scripture, sacraments, doctrine of God, eschatology), and does so through an expressly trinitarian paradigm.'I believe that a discussion of this kind has to be undertaken from the standpoint of a particular faith tradition,' Polkinghorne states, and starts with many assumptions of the Christian faith - of course, his audience at Princeton was also primarily Christian, as will be most of the readers of this volume.Polkinghorne admits that this particularist stance is somewhat at odds with the aims of science: 'Scientists love generality, and they are often wary of particularity.'But for theological reasoning, one must be inside the circle, rather than outside; however, the scandal of particularity must be admitted.

This is not an 'in-depth' book in terms of attempting to provide a deep exposition of modern physics (many concepts are assumed to be familiar to the reader, if not completely understood).However, Polkinghorne avoids complex mathematical and technical terminology and constructions for the most part, so that the general non-scientist reader can follow the text readily.Polkinghorne does draw in elements of the history of science and theology and their often-troubled relationship, and shows something of the development of the way theological thinking since the Enlightenment.

This is an interesting book for those who are interested in the ongoing science/religion debate.It does not address the more-hot-button issue of evolution as a primary theme, although it does come up in several of the essays; this is a more general coverage of science and theology, the way they relate to each other.

A bold New Theological Synthesis
This may well be one of Polkinghorne's best.He assumes a knowledge ofrecent discoveries in phyiscs and doesn't really explain them.He does that elsewhere in books like Quarks, Chaos and Christianity, but he does refer to those facts in a determined attempt to develop a theology that is consonant with the physical facts known to scientists. He describes a new theology that sees God as both temporal and atemporal, a God who has created a developing universe in which He is active but which is also independent from Him.His view may not be satisfying to some but it is the grandest attempt I have read by a theologian to answer the questions that physics ask about the nature of the universe.He calls himself a "bottoms=up thinker"-- one who develops theory based on evidence.He does not claim to "prove" the existence of God only to show that it is the most satsifying explanation for the facts shown. His goal here really is not to persuade the unpersuaded to believe in God, rather is is addressed to those who, like him, are believers who nevertheless have many questions that have been undresolved for centuries-- Does God exist only outside of time?Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people.And so on.A great, but as usual, difficult, read for people of faith seeking greater understanding. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1899.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

T H HUXLEY SCIENCE AND RELIGION-OUT OF SIGHT!!!
WHERE HAVE THEY BEEN HIDING THIS BOOK? IT IS A GEM OF CLARITY AND EXPOSITION. GRANTED YOU HAVE TO HAVE GOOD BIOLOGY TO UNDERSTAND IT ALL, ALSO LATIN HELPS. BUT THE PROSE AND IDEAS AND ARGUMENTS ARE STUNNING. THE COPY I BORROWED IS DATED 1896 AND COMES FROM THE STATE LIBRAY, THE PAGES ARE LOOSE AND CRACK AS THEY ARE TURNED. IT SHOULD BE USED AS A PRIMER FOR THE HISTORY OF RELIGION AND SCIENCE. IT'S PRIMARY FUNCTION IS TO SEPARATE SCIENCE FROM FICTION. THE FICTION BEING THE DEMONS AND SPRITS LEFT OVER FROM NATURALISM THAT ARE NOT SUBJECT TO OBJECTIVITY. IF ONE WANTS TO STAY WITH ANIMISM THEY OUGHT TO GO ALL THE WAY AND KNOCK ONE OF THEIR MEMBERS ON THE HEAD AND PUT THEM IN THE POT FOR SHARING ON SPECIAL OCCAISIONS. IT IS A DANGEROUS BOOK. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (19)

If you want to read lies
then read this book!

I have never ever read something that so twists scripture into saying what they want it to say.I really wanted to like this book, but I have never been so appalled as I was reading this.

Mediocre
A poor attempt to reconcile the author's beliefs with the scientific reality she works with every day. She clings to biblical inerrancy with desperation, despite the realities of the world she professes to study and teach.
Not really worth the read.

Novel and Fruitful Critique of Intelligent Design
Joan Roughgarden, Evolution and Christian Faith (Island Press, 2006).

Joan Roughgarden is an immensely talented and creative Stanford University evolutionary biologist who, like millions of other people, is a practicing Christian. Like many scientists of all faiths, Roughgarden finds God in nature, and rejoices in the diversity, beauty, and charm of the natural world. "We can rejoice as Christians in the ethical meaning behind what evolutionary biologists are increasingly finding. I've be exhilarated by this personal realization, and I hope you will be, too." (p. 5) Roughgarden is most critical of the fundamentalist Christians who see evolution as the enemy of faith, and the "selfish-gene" biologists, who view evolutionary biology as proving the non-existence of God. "I believe scientists need more sympathy and willingness to accommodate people of faith," says Roughgarden, "to offer space for seeing a Christian vision of the world within evolutionary biology and not force people to accept a doctrine of universal selfishness as though established scientific fact." (p. 12)

Roughgarden describes evolution as saying (a) all life belongs to one huge family tree; (b) species change over generations; and (c) animal behavior is more about cooperation helping than competition and conflict. She stresses the harmony of this view with the Christian Bible, noting St. Paul's stress on the sacred significance of the material unity of all life, the absence of anything in the scriptures that denies the mutability of species, and the Christian ethic of community. She closes the book with a passage from Matthew 22: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind... That shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

One of Roughgarden's aims in this short book is to develop evolutionary theory in a more detailed way than is usually done by those who address the science vs. faith issue. She identifies the central evolutionary dynamic in the phrase "natural breeding leads to an improvement of the stock" (p. 50) She uses the term "natural breeding" rather than Darwin's term "natural selection," because she wants to stress that the process of transmitting genes from one generation to the next is a product of the care of the parents as much as the competition among offspring. Roughgarden explains Fisher's Fundamental Theorem, which she interprets as expressing the basically progressive nature of evolution, as expressing a natural tendency for the improvement of populations over time. Roughgarden does mention the critiques of Fisher's theorem, which she attributes to "biologists skeptical of the idea that evolution has a direction." (p. 51) I find this attribution of philosophical "ulterior motive" to the critics to be an excess of proselytizing zeal that compromises her commitment to science. I do not know if Moran's classic 1964 paper criticizing Fisher was motivated by skepticism or not, but I am sure that Moran was correct and the subsequent efforts of brilliant population biologists in qualifying Fisher's Theorem and setting it right was not motivated by philosophical concerns surrounding the "progressive" nature of evolutionary dynamics. Roughgarden expresses the belief that the exceptions highlighted by the critics rarely occur in nature. I believe she is incorrect in this assessment because of the ubiquity of non-additive genetic interactions. Nevertheless, I would not deny that there is a progressive thrust to natural selection.

Roughgarden is duly critical of the intelligent design movement, on the grounds that intelligent design and evolution are compatible theories: both could be right, both could be wrong, or either one could be right and the other wrong. Because intelligent design does not present any evidence in favor of its theory, and because even if its critique of evolution were correct this would not increase the probability that intelligent design is correct, Roughgarden rejects intelligent design. I find this a very ingenious and attractive treatment of the intelligent design movement.

Of course, Roughgarden does not believe there is any truth to the intelligent design movement's critique of evolution whatsoever, but she presents her own laundry list of critiques of contemporary evolutionary theory, all of which are interesting and possibly valid. Her general problem (see Chapter 9) is that Darwinian evolution overemphasizes the "individual" and "competition" and underemphasizes the "community" and "cooperation." This critique does not ring true to me. I learned evolutionary theory when I was already a seasoned social scientist, and saw immediately that it provided the tools for understanding both human cooperation and competition. I do not feel that I have ever been misled into a Social Darwinist direction by the careful study of evolutionary biology at all. Of course, my work has been bitterly criticized by the "selfish gene" and "anti-multilevel-selection" school that is the object Roughgarden most serious barbs, but I do not find that evolutionary theory lends any particular support to the position of these critics. I suspect that their criticisms of me, when untrue, are a desperate and almost comical attempt to defend an indefensible biological tradition in which altruism was a dirty word.

Roughgarden also criticizes the standard depiction in evolutionary theory of females as "coy" and highly concerned with the quality of their sexual partners and males as "promiscuous" and concerned only with maximizing their total number of inseminations. Her argument is quite worth reading and she may be correct. But I think she has it mostly wrong.

For most sexually reproducing species in which anisogamy holds (i.e., the female gamete--the egg---is many orders of magnitude larger than the male gamete---the sperm) the cost of gamete production is much lower for males than females, so it is likely that the former will value the number of copulations more than the quality of each mate's gamete contribution. Moreover, in mammals, the extent of female contribution to the offspring is generally much higher than that of the male, so this asymmetry is even more pronounced than in other sexually reproducing classes. Of course, there are several species where the males care for offspring rather than females, but these are almost exclusively in fish, and less often in birds.

As a result of their greater investment in gamete production and offspring care, females look for males with high quality genes, and males attempt to pass themselves off has having high quality genes by hook or by crook. This is an inevitably competitive interaction among males for access tofemales, and involves a conflict of interest between males and females: the female wants the highest quality sperm, and the male (rare cases excepted)is willing to impregnate females independent of the quality of their genes. Roughgarden stresses the cooperative nature of the breeding relationship between male and female once they have mated: they then have a common interest in having their offspring live to reproductive age. However, she undervalues the conflictual character of mate choice. In addition, except is certain species, after impregnation, males do better by abandoning their mates in favor of seeking new mating opportunities rather than participating in raising offspring.

Roughgarden directs her criticism of mating behavior to what is known as "sexual selection" theory, which attempts to account for that fact that males of a species are often highly decorated (Darwin's peacock' tail) by a theory of "runaway selection" of the following form (elaborated upon analytically by Fisher): females come to prefer males with decoration for no fitness-relevant reason, but once this preference exists, it is better to mate with a colorful male because the male offspring will be more colorful and hence have enhanced mating chances, even if the cost of decoration to males is fitness reducing. I have done a fairly thorough study of this phenomenon and as far as I can tell, it does not exist, either in a plausible theory or in empirical observation. Moreover, most population biologists do not believe in runaway sexual selection at all, but rather believe that male decoration is a costly signal of possessing high quality genes. Thus, I do not thing there is much to Roughgarden's critique of sexual selection that we do not already know.

I should add that the general public finds runaway sexual selection extremely attractive, and there are numerous authors who have asserted that humans have this or that characteristic (e.g., musicality and intelligence for males, big breasts and wide hips for females) because of sexual selection. There is little support for such notions in the serious professional literature, and Roughgarden is rightly exasperated with such arguments.

I should also add that the fact that in many species the "coy" female and the "promiscuous" male stereotype is fairly accurate does not mean that it holds for all species. It certainly does not. There has been some attempt to claim that it holds in humans, and to use this difference between human masculinity and femininity to account for the sex differences in human society (especially the fact that women prefer rich and powerful men and men prefer young and nubile women). I do not find this argument at all persuasive. The problem is that there is an equally plausible explanation in terms of patriarchal culture and the remnants thereof. There may of course be differential innate predisposition in men and women concerning nurturance, family values, and the like, but observed difference are most likely do to acculturation and male/female status differences rather than genes. I would not be surprised if it turns out that most male-female behavioral differences in human society are highly attenuated or eliminated in the context of a gender-neutral culture. However, if differences remain, I suspect they will be in conformance with the relative investment in gamete theory which, although of doubtful relevance in today's world, was of prime importance in our evolutionary history.

I think the most valuable aspect of this book is Roughgarden's demonstration, through a sort of low-tech biblical exegesis, that a belief in the teachings of Jesus, as laid out in the New Testament, is not in conflict with evolutionary theory. She throws in for good measure (though limited relevance) that homosexuality, bisexuality, trans/ambiguous gender, and other aspects of modern life that liberate us from gender stereotypes are neither modern, nor prohibited by the Bible, nor absent from the non-human animal world. All that for only $15.00. Pretty hard tobeat.

Gracious, thought provoking, and well worth reading.
Many who don't find their own particular brand of theology or scriptural exegesis reflected as prominently in this book as they would like will rush to criticize it for not being what they would have written.

Nevertheless, this slim, focused book is well worth reading: for anyone with an interest in either Christianity or biological science.

It is a working life-scientist's thoughtful, careful consideration of how the core principles of evolutionary biology and the core truths of Christian faith can not only coexist in the same mind and heart, but actually complement and enrich one another.

It's not to be missed.

A needed presentation
Excellent and honest with plenty of biblical references.

Very well written ... Read more

Product Description
This last summer, when I was on my way back to Vienna from the Appetite- Cure in the mountains, I fell over a cliff in the twilight, and broke some arms and legs and one thing or another, and by good luck was found by some peasants who had lost an ass, and they carried me to the nearest habitation, which was one of those large, low, thatch-roofed farm-houses, with apartments in the garret for the family, and a cunning little porch under the deep gable decorated with boxes of bright colored flowers and cats; on the ground floor a large and light sitting-room, separated from the milch-cattle apartment by a partition; and in the front yard rose stately and fine the wealth and pride of the house, the manure-pile. That sentence is Germanic, and shows that I am acquiring that sort of mastery of the art and spirit of the language which enables a man to travel all day in one sentence without changing cars.



DownloadChristian Science Now! ... Read more

Product Description
This Halcyon Classics eBook contains Mary Baker Eddy's works on Christian Science, including her famous 'Science and Health With Key to The Scriptures,' the founding document of the Christian Science movement.Includes an active table of contents for easy navigation.

Contents:

Science and Health with Key to The Scriptures
Retrospection and Introspection
Unity of Good
Pulpit and Press
Rudimental Divine Science
No and Yes
Manual of The Mother Church
... Read more

Product Description
Can someone who accepts Darwin's theory of natural selection subscribe at the same time to the basic tenets of Christianity?Adopting a balanced perspective on the subject, Michael Ruse argues that, although it is at times difficult for a Darwinian to embrace Christian belief, it is not inconceivable. Ruse has produced an important contribution to a sometimes overheated debate for anyone interested in seeking an informed and judicious guide to these issues. Michael Ruse is professor of philosophy and zoology at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.He is the author of many books on evolutionary biology.In addition, he has published several hundred articles and many book reviews.He is the editor of the Cambridge Series in the Philosophy of Biology and founding editor of the journal IBiology & Philosophy. Hb ISBN (2000): 0-521-63144-0Amazon.com Review
You'll have to look hard to find a better explanation of the relationship between basic Christian tenets and the Darwinian theory of evolution than Can a Darwinian Be a Christian? by Michael Ruse. The author, a professor of philosophy and zoology at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, writes with bracing candor ("Let me be open," he begins. "I think that evolution is a fact and that Darwinism rules triumphant.") and sophisticated sympathy to Christian doctrine ("if one's understanding of Darwinism does include a natural evolution of life from nonlife, there is no reason to think that this now makes Christian belief impossible."). Writing this book, he also clearly had a hell of a lot of fun (disarming skeptical Christian readers at the beginning, he asks, "Why should the devil have all the good tunes?"). Can a Darwinian Be a Christian? answers its title question with heady confidence--"Absolutely!"--but the book journeys towards that answer with circumspect integrity. Covering territory from the Scopes "Monkey Trial" to contemporary theories of social Darwinism to the question of extraterrestrial life, Ruse applies an impressive wealth of knowledge that encompasses many disciplines. Readers may or may not be swayed, but they can't help but be challenged and edified by this excellent book. --Michael Joseph Gross ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

How self-serving can you get!
For those of you reviewing this book as though Ruse is somehow acting simply as one interested in finding "reasonable" sides to a very complex issue, you need to get off the fence! This book is about as self-serving (for Darwinism, that is) as it gets. Ruse has a ridiculously simplistic view of Christianity, considering only such "doctrines" and such doctrines to such depths as make for easy strawmen against his beloved Darwinian beliefs. He's no "thinker" in which the tenets and proofs (yes, there are proofs!) of Christianity are justly and thoughtfully considered against the assumed "facts" of evolution. And by facts, I mean the accepted ideas that evolution can even begin to account for the complexity and diversity of life, not to mention the metaphysical instances of life that yet defy any cogent explanation. No one! not even strict religionists have ever argued against natural selection, micro-evolutionary shifts in all species, or primative life-forms. But acknowledging these basic facts is not proof of evolution! So-called evolutionary theory posits on the basis of what it now encounters, and attempts to create "origins" (like the Big Bang) on which to base its proposed tenets.

I have this book so marked with questions and rebuttal comments (highlighted throughout where Ruse's reasoning appears to short-circuit) that I would need to write a book in response.

Actually, there's little point in rehearsing this because Darwinians are going to agree with every evolutionistic point Ruse makes, and weak-kneed Christians are going to "assume" Ruse is trying to deal honestly with competing factions. Ruse's motive seems clear, however: remain firmly entrenched in his evolutionary beliefs while posing as a diplomat between science and religion. As he quotes his fellow apostle of science, Richard Darwkins, make no mistake about his position. Quote: "Modern physics teaches us that there is more to truth than meets the eye; or than meets the all too limited human mind, evolved as it was to cope with medium-sized objects moving at medium speeds through medium distances in Africa." To which Ruse replies, "Amen!"

Still think he's interested in somehow sharing the stage with religionists, specifically Christians? Think again! This is just another anti-religion attack, made from the sidelines instead of coming head-on.

My point, then, is not to debate his science or his credentials, but to take issue with his "seemingly honest" reconciliation of religion and science, which is no reconciliation at all. In every instance, his belief in the paucity of religious verifiability is overwhelmed by his predominant trust in Darwinism.

Nevertheless, serious students of religion and evolution should read this book to understand how one equivocates on important issues!

Can a Darwinian Be a Certain Type of Christian?
In this book, Ruse does what he says he will do: he tackles the question given in the book's title head on and does not avoid, or short shrift, the really diffiulct areas. Not only does Ruse write chapters on the differences and similarities between Christian and "Darwinian" ethics (rightly showing that the latter is subject to much variety), but the question of free will, consciousness, the problem of evil, and human origins.

And to the quesiton "Can a Darwinian Be a Christian?" Ruse answers with a "yes." But really, the yes has a bit caveat - as long as one is a CERTAIN TYPE of Christian, a type not always the easiest to be, a Christian can be a Darwinian.

Ruse shows that a Christian can be a Darwinian in a few ways. Sometimes, he shows that the views of Christianity and evolution do intersect quite nicely. For instance, Christians tend to believe that the appearance of humans marks the apotheosis of God's creation of sentience. Likewise Ruse indicates there have been evolutionists that have believed in an idea of evolutionary progress that leads up to humans (though this is not a NECESSARY belief for a Darwinian evolutionist to have and isn't taken as seriously in recen years).

In other areas, Ruse shows thatthere is, at least, nothing to rule out a Christian interpretation form being grafted onto a Darwinian belief. A good example here is the matter of human souls. Darwinian evolution does indeed show us that we are the result of a long evolutionary chain and closely related to "lower forms" like Chimpanzees. (Christians who deny this are rightly in a small minority.) What Darwinism has not done (cannot do?) is rule out the idea that not only was the process guided, but the humans were infused with souls by God along the way. (This is the route taken by current Catholocism.)

Thirdly, Ruse shows that in some really vexing areas, Darwinism and Christilanity may be compatible because NEITHER really solves the problem at hand. This is the case with an issue like the (seemng) existence of free will or consciousness. While many a Darwinist and many a Christian would like to think that they have solved the issue of how we can be determined (by physics or God) yet have a world full of apparent contingency, neither side (says Ruse) has really done this; nobody's answer really makes great sense. Therefore, at least for the time being, there is nothing barring a Christian from being a Darwinian.

All of this is well and good, except for the fact that we cannot get around the idea that certain areas NECESSITATE a giving of the way either of one's faith or one's scientific beliefs. The issue of miracles, for example, is one where, I think, Ruse may be blinded by his want for reconciliation. He suggests - rightly - that science cannot recognize miracles if we mean that a miracle is a suspension of physical law. (The scientist will always look for the explanation that can be incorporated into physical law.) Ruse goes on, though, to say that it is possible to say that, "many if not all of the miracles happened according to the law, their miraculous nature comes from their meaning or significance." (p. 96) Ruse then goes on to suggest an example: Jesus didn't "turn loaves of fish into a banquet," but moved people to uncharacteristically share their food.

Would this be acceptable to most Christians? It is true that many postmodern theologians explain miracles thus. But even to a non-believer like myself, this does not seem like the type of "miracles" the Bible wants to tell us about or that Christians want to hear about. (If miracles are best seen as extraordinary things happening within physical bounds, then the secularist Tom Paine performed a miracle iwth his "These are the times," essay.) And of course, if one wants to be a Darwinian Christian, then one has to take an extremely metaphoric reading of much of the Bible, which leaves the book on the same par as Aesop's fables, another very moral book of parables and fables.

So, for all of Ruse's trying - and he gives very good treatments of most matters - one can hardly say that he has succeeded in his task. In order to be a Darwinian Christian about miracles, one has practically define miracles out of existence. And in order for one to be a Darwinian Christian when it comes to the idea of human inevitability, one has to take a tortuous view of the role of contingency in evolution, and even take a nod form a very contentious lot of Dawrinissts who believe in the inevitability that consciousness would appear.

In other words, for all of Ruse's work, he still only gets to where others before him got: one can be a Darwinian Christian if one either waters down their Christianity to fit Darwinian views, or waters down their Darwinian views to fit Christianity. Yes, this is a good book. But I am not quite sure that Ruse gives any really great insights. (For possiblky a better book on the topic, check out Catholic evolutionist Ken Miller's "Finding Darwin's God.")

Good book overall, good background
This was overall an okay book, I suppose. It was not anything deeply profound, but it was worth the read, for sure. What I most liked about this book was the fact that there is really no prior knowledge needed about the subject. For example, he basically explains everything that you have to know about the biological aspects of evolution, some central church dogma, etc, before delving into the actual heart of the issue. In addtion, I thought that the presentation style was extremely clear, which made it much more informative for the casual reader. The organization of the book was pretty amazing, I'd have to say. Ruse breaks down each individual topic into little sub-topics that all make a lot of sense and follow a logical progression.

On this other hand, the fact that it for the most part does not assume prior knowledge also meant that one may get really bored at certain portions. Especially (for me, at least) the parts which introduced scientific concepts related to evolution, I just wanted to get those topics over which. For the most part, the religion side of the arguments were well presented, I think, although he does jump right in and start using words like ontology and teleology, which definitely confused me because I'm not particularly well read in this particular area. But I mean, overall the presentation was really good.

As far as the content, you definitely get the sense at certain points in the book that it's not really an evolution vs. Christianity debate but rather science vs. religion, and I guess some parts in the book I just didn't feel were really that applicable to the subject at hand. But the arguments overall made a lot of sense to me and I think this was really informative on the whole.

I was also really impressed by how much outside information Ruse brought into his book. He definitely did a lot of historical and contemporary research, Huxley, Darwin, Gould, Wilson, were mentioned many many times throughout the book and it definitely provides us with a good context with which to evaluate the arguments Ruse presents. What I thought was kind of interesting is that throughout the book he makes it pretty clear that he distains Richard Dawkins' position on the whole issue(like...A LOT of distain), which makes sense, I guess, since Ruse is a big fan of intelligent design, basically the opposite of Dawkins' advocacy. Lastly, I just really appreciate Ruse's attempt to write this book in such a clear and distinct manner, it's really good to see that a believer in intelligent design can just come out and admit that he is indeed himself a Darwinian and believes in evolution right from page 1. That was pretty good.

Fair, Clear, and Funny
This is a very informative and helpful book, and a real delight to read. It is written in a charitable spirit and irenic tone with liberal doses of good humor. I happen to be both an ardent Darwinian and a devout Christian (Reformed with Roman Catholic leanings, and also very admiring of the Greek Orthodox tradition), and as such I wish to commend Ruse not only for writing so passionately yet soberly about Darwinism but also for engaging the Christian faith in such a thoughtful and respectful manner. In reading this book, I have come to realize how complicated some of the issues are. Yet his central argument-that one can affirm both Christian theism and Darwinian evolutionism-is not at all complicated. Among contemporary philosophers writing in this area, Ruse is much better informed about science and--surprisingly for one who is not himself a Christian--about the breadth and flexibility of the Christian tradition than, say, Alvin Plantinga is. Plantinga, the foremost Christian philosopher of religion in our time (and a friend and former coparishioner whom I greatly love and admire), has not taken the time to learn the science as Ruse has, nor the effort to seriously question the assumptions of literalist readings of Genesis. In this book Ruse gives Plantinga, if not exactly a butt-kicking, at least a spanking, and a well-deserved one at that. At the other end of the spectrum, blowhard atheists like Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett come off looking rather shortsighted and, in some ways, rather stupid in Ruse's book, even though Ruse has the utmost respect for them. I particular like the way that Ruse unpacks and clarifies the issues of pain (the problem of evil), freedom, and determinism. For me it is especially the Augustinian doctrine of original sin that needs serious rethinking in light of evolution, but on this point Ruse's treatment is so brief as to be only suggestive. Overall, I doubt that Ruse's book will gain a hearing from atheistic Darwinians, and certainly not from young-earth creationists. Agnostics might be willing to broaden their horizons with Ruse as their guide, but the real audience--and those with the most to gain--will be Christians who consider the evidence for evolution overwhelming and its implications glorifying to God. If Darwin made it possible for many people to be intellectually fulfilled atheists, Ruse has brightened the prospects for a lot of us becoming (even more) intellectually fulfilled theists.

Ruse leaves room for a God of the gaps
A more appropriate title for this book might have been _Is It Logically Possible for a Darwinian to Be a Christian?_ (but from an aesthetic perspective this would have been awful).Ruse deals with his subject soberly and respectfully, not something that can be said for all who have undertaken this project.Still, I have an objection, and I'm not sure Ruse himself would disagree with it.It is Ruse's position that the fact of evolution is not something over which reasonable people can disagree -- no problem so far.He also says that there are certain metaphysical conclusions (like supernatural creation of the universe) about which we cannot be absolutely sure.Again, I agree.However, acceptance of Darwinism (or science generally) has certain epistemological requirements, one of which is the basic assumption that the world is a predictable place -- the whole endeavor of science would be a waste of time without such a starting point.An easy corollary of this premise is that the laws of nature are never broken -- there is no such thing as magic.Yet Ruse counsels that when others claim that we can't be sure God didn't create the universe we should leave open the possibility, even though this violates the premise from which we began.He is aware of this (he deals with it in the form of a response from Daniel Dennett), and says the Darwinian should show some humility and accept the possibility of such a proposition.I guess I can go this far if he means we should accept the logical possibility of divine creation, but this is pretty weak.After all, there are many propositions -- some patently ridiculous -- that are not ruled out logically.One must sacrifice epistemological consistency to get on board with this Rusean compromise, something not all of us are willing to do. ... Read more

Product Description
From Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church of Christian Science, to Deepak Chopra, Americans have struggled with the connection between health and happiness.Barbara Wilson was taught by her Christian Scientist family that there was no sickness or evil, and that by maintaining this belief she would be protected. But such beliefs were challenged when Wilson's own mother died of breast cancer after deciding not to seek medical attention, having been driven mad by the contradiction between her religion and her reality.In this perceptive and textured memoir, Wilson surveys the complex history of Christian Science and the role of women in religion and healing.
Amazon.com Review
Frequently caricatured as the religion that rejects medicaltreatment, Christian Science gets a balanced, nuanced appraisal inthis memoir by a writer who grew up within the faith. Barbara Wilsonappreciates Christian Science's unusual openness to women, who gainedself-respect and status as its practitioners and healers, but shebares its inadequacies in a wrenching account of her mother's battlewith cancer, suicide attempt, and eventual death. Her precise,unsentimental prose delineates a decades-long journey towardself-knowledge and peace with her past: it's a very American saga,sensitively told. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Sorry for those who know not
I am always so sorry for those who blame a religion for what they, the person, does not understand, but who refuse to condemn orthodox medicine for the deaths it actually causes!It is not the religion that has failed, nor is it the religion which has caused the death or discomfort, or unhappiness, or whatever, but of course that is an easier place to put the blame than on one's own mother who actually made the choice...........

blue windows
This story of a Christian Science childhood makes it obvious that Christian Scientists are no better prepared than 'ordinary' folks to recognize mental illness and deal with it. This is especially true of depression in men--the case in this family.It has only recently been discovered that angry men are frequently depressed--they are angry at their depression, and at those around them.This young woman does deal successfully with her problems.

Thoughts from a Christian Scientist
As a Christian Scientist I actually think that books like these are important, because they remind us that unless we are alert, a culture of conformity, pretense and stiffness can steal into the church (indeed, into any human institution).This undermines the true spirit of Christian Science, and hinders the spiritual progress of our members.

As a dedicated member of my church I have no hesitation to openly state, with my name signed above, that Christian Science, aflame with love and understanding, is first and foremost _practical_.Why?Because divine Love meets _every_ human need--in fact these very words are stenciled on the wall of almost every Christian Science church in the world.God can give aid through a doctor as well as through a spiritual healer.As stated in our textbook, Science and Health, page 444, line 7:"If Christian Scientists ever fail to receive aid from other Scientists,--their brethren upon whom they may call,--God will still guide them into the right use of temporary and eternal means.Step by step will those who trust Him find that 'God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.'"I think the vast majority of Christian Scientists understand this and realize that we are gentle and kind healers, not judgmental martyrs.

I am happy to see that the younger generation of Christian Scientists is more practical, inspired, and open about discussing these issues and practicing pure Christian Science without peer pressure, false pretenses, or condemnation.I am also happy to see many people asking for an alternative to the world of medicine, and I pray to be ready to help.And I also hope that this book will help anyone who felt they were hurt by an erroneous church culture (be it CS or otherwise), and remind us all not to make the same mistakes.That said, it is very good to recognize the difference between Christian Science, and a corrupted, fearful, angry sense of it.

Well worth reading
This book is a fairly good memoir, despite long digressions into overly detailed memories. I skimmed some chapters, especially in the first half. However, as therapy for a recovering Christian Scientist, it was a wonderful experience that I would highly recommend. Particularly in the second half of the book, when Ms. Wilson gets into the meat of her family's troubles, her writing style hits its stride and the insights are especially clear and penetrating.
It may be flogging a dead horse to critique Christian Science these days, as it fades away with the passing of the last generation to grow up without antibiotics. However, those of us who were raised in it need to critique it for our own benefit. The public image of CS has to do with shunning doctors and medicine. There's much more to it. In my family, as in Wilson's, the greatest pain was caused by the avoidance of relationship problems and mental disorders. An untreated infection may kill you quickly, but an abusive parent can affect your quality of life, and those of the rest of your family, over many years.
My father was a third-generation Christian Scientist, First Reader of our church, and served on the board of a CS sanitorium. He went to church twice a week and served on countless church committees. I'm sure he never once tasted alcohol or tobacco, he never went to a doctor, and he always had one of us sitting by the TV (in the days before remote controls) to turn down the volume when ads for medicine came on. He was also an abuser with chronic untreated depression and suicidal impulses.
Nobody could acknowledge that my father's abuse was happening because we had to pretend that life was Perfect. This made us all enablers. Society is full of abusers and people who enable them, but few have a basis for enabling that's as powerful as the belief that the abuse literally doesn't exist. In Christian Science, if you see abuse, this is a problem in your perception--an instance of Error. You need to work on your perception, not on the person who seems to be imperfect. Domestic abuse thrives in such a setting. There are statistics that show Christian Scientists live shorter lives. I don't know of any statistics on how common abuse or mental illness is in CS families. My guess: very common.
Kudos to Barbara Wilson for talking about this in her own life, and helping the rest of us survivors of CS to confront and fix the problems in our families that medicine can't touch.

If you can recite the scientific statement of being...
... then you were raised in Christian Science and may be struggling to make sense of your experience. Read this book. If you love someone who is a lapsed Christian Scientist, read this book. Wilson lends historical perspective and emotional insight as she lovingly and thoughtfully articulates that peculiar childhood. I found her explanations thought-provoking, tremendously helpful and well-written. ... Read more

Product Description
Keith Ward offers a new interpretation of Christianity, presenting a faith in harmony with the scientific worldview, while remaining true to its traditions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Excellent Book on Science and Religion
A modern view of the Christian faith that respects the latest findings of science. Mr. Ward's book is a delight to read and is easily accessible read for the layman. I highly recommend to those with an open mind.

failed attempt
Ward tries to reconcile materialism and Christianity--and fails. There are much better books on both sides. for the materialist side I would rather recommend Dawkins' The Blind Watchmaker or The selfish gene; Rushton'sRace, Evolution and Behavior; Jared's The Real American Dilemma; Hawking'sA Brief Historyof Time. This are all beter books from the materialistside. And for a book soundly reconciling Christianity with materialism, Ilike beter Duke's My Awakening.

Failed attempt
Ward attempted to reconcile materialism and Christianity--and fails. There are much better books on both sides. for the materialist side I would rather recommend Dawkins' The Blind Watchmaker or The selfish gene;Rushton's Race, Evolution and Behavior; Jared's The Real American Dilemma;Hawking's A Brief History of Time. This are all beter books from thematerialist side. And for a book soundly reconciling Christianity withmaterialism, I like beter Duke's My Awakening.

Fantastic
Nevermind what the other reviewer had to say.From what I can see, he is simply existing in the drowning world of biblical literalism, which anybody prepared to read this book must have the intellect to at leastchallenge.
Reading what adherents to Dawkins' theories about atheismhaving been proved by science in such books as 'The Blind Watchmaker', itis extremely refreshing to know that even within the same university thereis a professor with enough intellect to show that, if Dawkins thinksscience disproves God's existence, then he is completely missing the point. Ward has come up with some of the most spectacular thought on the relationbetween science and religion that I have encountered; this is reallynecessary reading for any serious theologians.
The only reservation Ihave about this bookcomes from my own personal differences of faith fromWard, who has somewhat more liberal views than myself.However, this isreally no hinderance to the book; if anything, it has only made it moreinteresting for me to read.A truly great book.

Evangelicals will find this book a disappointment
Having read numerous Christian apologetics books over the past two years, I was looking forward to learning what this author had to say on Christianity and science.The read proved to be a major disappointment. The author works in an environment where evolution is accepted as anestabilished fact (e.g., there is no mention, perhaps awareness, of MichaelBehe's work or that of Phillip E. Johnson) and the integration of worldreligions is the goal and he re-interpretsthe message of the Bible inthis light.While the terminology is Christian and there are times whenthe author seems to be lapsing back into a mainstream Christian message,his understanding of Christianity is decidedly non-Christian.He selectsthe ideas which are appealing to his sensibilities and tosses statementswhich are troubling in these enlightened times (e.g, hardly anyone goes toHell and Christ is only one of many ways).What we are left with is awatered down treatment which would never have inspired the originalChristians to go out and do what they did to spread the Word.I believe Iheard that only about 2% of Britons attend church; if this is what passesfor Christian theology, I can see why. ... Read more

Product Description
This book provides an insider's perspective on what the daily life of a Christian in the natural sciences is like--both the opportunities and the challenges, , including the hard questions Christians face about divided loyalties, personal conflicts, and loneliness. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

God & Science
I enjoy this book because it helps to explain the relationship between studying science and worshiping God.I have been learning that science and God can be mixed because He made many systems, from the biological structure to the unseen, and the use of them in the career path of science majors and scientists.Therefore, this book can be useful in helping to understand the purpose and study of science as a career. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A collection of amazing philosophical essasys from a real American genius!
Lyndon LaRouche is the worlds best economist and economic forcaster.He has layed out the solutions needed to save the human race from the economic crisis we are now in. (The crisis that he alone forcasted.)

If we go back to a credit-based monetary system in the U.S. (Alexander Hamilton's model for example), we can use credit to start massive infrastructure development projects as well as science-drivers (like the Apollo moon missions).This is our only chance of saving our great nation.The current financial system is dead - it can not be saved! ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Topic of interest and writer famous
I purchased this in order to read some of Willa Cather's early journalistic efforts and at the same time learn more about the founder of Christian Science from a person who was contemporary with her.It was an eye-opener with several gems of the English language.

Good, but biased
This book presents a wealth of interesting insights into Mary Baker Eddy and the founding of the Christian Science. And it is very convincing in its view that Mary Baker Eddy received much of her spiritual information through her one-time mentor Phineaus P. Quimby. It is unfortunate that she did not credit him as she probably should have, but this book dwells too much on that particular aspect. What is more important, in my estimation, is that she gained a good understanding and then managed to communicate and circulate these ideas to others.

I have years of metaphysical study under my belt, and I feel I have a very good understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as He meant it. (I am writing a book on the subject.) Although I came to my conclusions long before I investigated Christian Science, Ms. Eddy obviously found many of the same deep truths.

Truth is One, and opinion is not Truth. Man is imperfect, and any seeker who wants to find the deepest Truth must discover what Christ is truly saying. The orthodox understanding of the Gospels comes to us through men and doctrines of the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries of the current era, when the earth was in the very darkest part of its cycle (as the wisest in the East realize: see The Holy Science by Sri Yuktswar). Jesus said the He did not come to change, but to fulfill the Law, which is Love. God is not limited, and in modern times Christ has clarified His Gospel for those with "ears to hear."A Course in Miracles is the ultimate teacher for those who are ready for it. And if one studies it, one will see that P. Quimby and Mary Baker Eddy were indeed onto something well ahead of the rest of us in the West (though we are but children compared to the East, which has long understood and kept many of these ancient truths alive). [The Second Coming of Christ, a two volume set by Paramhansa Yogananda, is a revelation of the true meaning of the New Testament, and his Autobiography of a Yogi is a must-read for all Spiritual seekers.]

I recommend you read The Life of Mary Baker G. Eddy and the History of Christian Science - but only after you read all of the other material I have mentioned in this review!

God Blesses!

Do more research.
December 2007 The Mary Baker Eddy Library has the real and whole story. I think that it must have been built to make everything available to everybody. Before you get lopsided on this book, better visit or call MBE Library for the Betterment of Humanity.
The real test of all this is to read her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.When you feel the change that comes over your whole life you'll be in a better position to write a review. And, it doesn't matter if you are an atheist, a Mormon,catholic or anything in between.

I am not a Christian Scientist.....
but I would not hesitate to write a book about a church that condones the death of children and adults and causes untold emotional suffering and insanity. Period!

An Observation
It seems that all the reviews here show a bias that was held before this particular book was read. If one had a a prejudice agains Christian Science, they thought the book was wonderful. If one was in favor of Christian Science, they thought the book was terrible.

My feeling is, that at least in the US where we treasure religious freedon, to write a book that trashes another's belief is despicable. Everyone should be able to follow their beliefs without someone trashing them.

I am not Catholic, but I am not going to write a book denouncing the pope.

Dennis R. ... Read more

Product Description
Why is it that Western science evolved as a thoroughly male-dominated enterprise?As philosopher Sandra Harding has noted, "women have been more systematically excluded from doing serious science than performing any other social activity except, perhaps, frontline warfare."In A World Without Women, David F. Noble provides the first full-scale investigation of the origins and implications of the masculine culture of Western science and technology, and in the process offers some surprising revelations.

Noble begins by showing that, contrary to the widely held notion that the culture of learning in the West has always excluded women--an assumption that rests largely upon the supposed legacy of ancient Greece--men did not thoroughly dominate intellectual life until the beginning of the second millennium of the Christian era.At this time science and the practices of higher learning became the exclusive province of the newly celibate Christian clergy, whose ascetic culture denied women a place in any scholarly enterprise.By the twelfth century, papal reform movements had all but swept away the material and ideological supports of future female participation in the world of learning; as never before, women were on the outside looking in.Noble further demonstrates that the clerical legacy of a world without women remained more or less intact through the Reformation, and permeated the emergant culture of science.

A World Without Women finally points to a dread of women at the core of modern scientific and technological enterprise, as these disciplines work to deprive one-half of humanity of its role in production (as seen in the Industrial Revolution's male appropriation of labor) and reproduction as well (the age-old quest for an artificial womb).It also makes plain the hypocrisy of a community that can honor a female scientist with a bronze bust, as England's Royal Society did for Mary Somerville in the mid-nineteenth century, yet deny her entry to the very meeting hall in which it enjoyed pride of place.

An important and often disturbing book, A World Without Women is essential reading for anyone concerned not only about the world of science, but about the world that science has made. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

One of Deborah Tannen's top 10 on women's issues
The Washington Post (Sunday, March 19, 2006) asked Deborah Tannen -- the author of "You Just Don't Understand," "Talking from 9 to 5", and "You're Wearing That?" -- to gather a shelf of her favorite books on women's issues. Her first choice was this book.This is what she said about it:

When I first read this book, I could talk of little else for a long, long while. Noble shows that the exclusion of women from Western scientific and educational institutions was not the inevitable outgrowth of historical forces. Rather, it came about because early universities were seminaries and early scientists were either clergy or steeped in a Christian clerical culture. The Latin church, with its hierarchical structure, used the stigmatization of women in its power struggle to gain control of the monasteries in which women and men prayed and studied as equals in the first millennium of the Christian era.

the common histories of the church and academic science
This is a historical examination of the inter-relationship between the history of the Catholic church and of academic science.The theme is that the tendecies towards misogyny and towards expecting monastic devotion toone's work can both be traced back to the clerical origin of academicstudy. ... Read more