Annotated Science/Faith Bibliography

Integration of science and theology

• Barbour, Ian G., 1991, Religion in an Age of Science, HarperCollins, New York.
  Discusses and compares several different models for integrating science and religion.
• Bube, Richard H., 1995, Putting it all Together: Seven Patterns for Relating Science and the Christian Faith, University Press of America.
• Behe, Michael J., 1996, Darwin's Black Box, Simon & Schuster.  One of the leading "intelligent design" advocates argues that certain biomolecular systems are "irreducibly complex" and could not have been assembled by natural processes.
  
• Berry, R.J., 2001, God and Evolution, Regent College Publishing.  A reprint of a 1988 book by a British evangelical Christian and professor of genetics at University College London.  Makes a strong case for the complementarity of modern evolutionary science and a fully orthodox reading of the Bible.
  
• Campbell, L.D., 1984, "Some historical and philosophical perspectives on science, evolution, and religion." IN, K.R. Walker (ed.), The Evolution - Creation Controversy: Perspectives on Religion, Philosophy, Science and Evolution, Paleontological Society Special Publication No. 1, p.27-49.
• Dembski, William A. (ed.), 1998, Mere Creation: Science, Faith & Intelligent Design, InterVarsity Press.  This edited volume presents essays by most of the prominent advocates of "intelligent design.'  
• Falk, Darrel R., 2004, Coming to Peace with Science: Bridging the Worlds between Faith and Biology, InterVarsity Press. A well-informed and very personal look at evolution by a biologist and committed evangelical Christian.
  
• Frye, Roland Mushat, ed., 1983, Is God a Creationist? The Religious Argument Against Creation-Science, Scribner's.
  An anthology of essays by theologians and scientists from mainstream Protestant, Catholic and Jewish faiths, all presenting young-earth creationism as a misinterpretation of Scripture.
• Gould, Stephen J., 1999, Rocks of Ages: Science and Religion in the fullness of Life, Ballantine Publishing group.  A noted paleontologist, influential science popularizer, and agnostic, presents an argument that science and religion are "non-overlapping majesteria" or independent realms of human thought and experience.
  
• Hummel, Charles E., 1986, The Galileo Connection, IV Press.
  A historical and scriptural look at major science/faith controversies. It has a clearly written chapter on interpreting Genesis I.
• Johnson, P.E. and Lamoureux, D.O., 1999, Darwinism Defeated?, Regent College Publishers.  This book is a written debate between "intelligent design" advocate Phillip Johnson and evolutionary creationist Denis Lamoureux.  A number of responses follow by both supporteres and critics of "intelligent design."
• Kelley, P. H, Bryan, J. R. and Hansen, T. A.  (eds.), 1999, The Evolution-Creation Controversy II: Perspectives on Science, Religion, and Geological Education: Paleontological Society Paper No. 5.
  
• Mackay, Donald M., 1974, The Clockwork Image: A Christian Perspective on Science, IV Press London.
  This book addresses such issues as mechanistic thinking, reductionism, chance, and the nature of humanity.
• Miller, Keith B. (ed.), 2003, Perspectives on an Evolving Creation, Eerdmans Publishers.  
  
• Miller, Kenneth R., 1999, Finding Darwin's God, Harper/Collins Publishers.  An excellent rebuttal to young Earth creationists, "intelligent design" advocates, and atheistic materialists.  Ken Miller is a cell biologist at Brown University and a committed Catholic believer.
• Miller, James B. (ed.), 1998, An Evolving Dialogue: Scientific, Historical, Philosophical and Theological Perspectives on Evolution, American Association for the Advancement of Science.
  
• Murphy, George L., 1986, The Trademark of God: A Christian Course in Creation, Evolution and Salavation, Morehouse-Barlow.  Murphy, George L., 2001, Toward a Christian View of a Scientific World, CSS Publishing Co.
  A Lutheran pastor and PhD in physics argues forcefully that evolution is fully consistent with the Biblical view of God's creative and redemptive activity. The basis of his argument is the centrality of the cross in understanding both scripture and the created universe.  Both of these books are designed for use in discussion groups.
• Murphy, Nancey, 1997, Reconciling Theology and Science: a Radical Reformation Perspective, Pandora Press.
  
• Pannenberg, Wolfhart, 1993, Toward a Theology of Nature: Essays on Science and Faith, Westminster/John Knox Press.
  A collection of papers by Pannenberg on the conversation between modern science and theology.
• Peacocke, Arthur R., 1990, Theology for a Scientific Age: Being and Becoming-- Natural and Divine, Blackwell, Cambridge, Mass.
• Pennock, Robert T., 1999, Tower of Babel: The Evidence Against the New Creationism, The MIT Press.  A critique of "intelligent design' arguments based in part on an analogy between biological evolution and  the evolution of languages.
  
• Polkinghorne, John, 1986, One World: The Interaction of Science and Theology, Princeton University Press, Princeton.
  A mathematical physicist and Anglican priest argues that scientists and theologians are exploring different aspects of one world and can fruitfully inform each other.
• Polkinghorne, John, 1988, Science and Creation: The Search for Understanding, SPCK, London.
• Polkinghorne, John, 1989, Science and Providence: God's Interaction with the World, New Science Library, Shambhala.
  An excellent exploration of the nature of divine providence. The third in his trilogy on science and theology.
• Ramm, Bernard, 1954, The Christian View of Science and Scripture, Eerdmans Publishing Co.
  A classsic review of the primary interpretations of Genesis, with a discussion of science and theology -- conflicts and harmonies. Also deals with astronomy, biology, and anthropology.  A very influential book when first published and, although outdated, still a useful resource.
• Ratzsch, Del, 1996, The Battle of Beginnings, IV Press.
• Russell, Robert J., Stoeger, William R., and Ayala, Francisco J. (eds), 1998, Evolutionary and Molecular Biology: Scientific Perspectives on Divine Action, Vatican Observatory Publications.
• Stoller, Steven, 2002, The Symphony of Creation: Science and Faith in Harmony, ACW Press.  An popular and accessible diescription of one person's integration of science and faith.
• Towne, Margaret Gray, 2003, Honest to Genesis: A Biblical and Scientific Challenge to Creationism, Publish America.
  
• Van Dyke, Fred, 1986, "Theological problems of theistic evolution," ASA Journal, v.38, no.1, p.11-18.
  A biologist and professor at a Christian college argues that theistic evolution fails to adequately address several important theological issues. Van Dyke and Murphy (see reference above) respond to each other's papers in the following issue of the ASA Journal.
• Van Till, Howard J., 1986, The Fourth Day, Eerdmans.
  A professor of physics and astronomy at Calvin College looks at both the Biblical and scientific views of the heavens. Takes both the Bible and scientific evidence seriously.
• Van Till, Howard J., Young, Davis A., and Menninga, Clarence, 1988, Science Held Hostage: What's Wrong with Creation Science and Evolutionism, Inter-Varsity Press.
  This book is the product of interdisciplinary research by members of the Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship of Calvin College. It is a critique of creation science and such popularized evolutionary philosophies as Sagan's "Cosmos." It reveals the misuse of scientific data on the one hand, and the veiling of personal philosophies under the guise of science on the other. By discussing particular case studies, it defines the limits of the domains of science and theology.
• Van Till, Howard J., Snow, Robert E., Stek, John H., and Young, Davis A., 1990, Portraits of Creation: Biblical and Scientific Perspectives on the World's Formation, Eerdmans Publ. Co.
  This is the second volume by the Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship. It contains a thorough discussion of the character of natural science, and an outline of the bases for the present scientific understanding of earth and cosmic history. There is also a critique of the creation science movement, and a well-developed analysis of the scriptural accounts of creation.
• Young, Davis A., 1982, Christianity and the Age of the Earth, Zondervan.
  This book by a professor of geology at Calvin College presents the overwhelming evidence for an old earth and argues for the complementarity of natural and scriptural revelation.
• Young, Davis A., 1982, "Nineteenth century Christian geologists and the doctrine of scripture," Christian Scholar's Review v. 11, p.212-228.
  A review of the religious beliefs of some prominent Christian geologists of the 1800's. Shows that Christians readily accepted the ideas of modern geology, including an old earth. In fact such Christians were in the forefront of the development of modern geology.
• Young, Davis A., 1987, "Scripture in the hands of geologists, parts 1 and 2," Westminster Theological Journal v.49, p.1-34 and p.257-304.
  Summarizes the interpretive traditions relating Genesis 1-6 to results of scientific work, grouping these interpretations into two main camps: literalism and concordism. Shows that neither of these approaches have provided the agreement between geology and the interpreted text that they were expected to, and urges theologians to face the scientific data and look for more satisfactory interpretations.
• Young, Davis A., 1988, "The contemporary relevance of Augustine's view of creation," ASA Journal, v. 40, no. 1, p.42-45.
  A review of Augustine's work "On the literal meaning of Genesis" which reveals Augustine's concern that scriptural interpretation not contradict the testimony of nature. His interpretation of the six days of creation also had nothing to do with the passage of time.
• Young, Davis A., 1995, The Biblical Flood: A Case Study of the Church's Response to Extrabiblical Evidence, Eerdmans.

History of science

• Desmond, Adrian, 1982, Archetypes and Ancestors: Palaeontology in Victorian London 1850-1875: Univ. of Chicago Press.
  
• Gillespie, Neal C., 1979, Charles Darwin and the Problem of Creation, University of Chicago Press.
  A study of the development of Darwin's ideas and his religious struggles and thoughts.
• Greene, John C., 1961, Darwin and the Modern World View, Louisiana State University Press.
  A discussion of the impact of Darwin's ideas on biblical inspiration, natural theology, and social evolution. Presents the fallacy of extrapolating evolutionary theory into non-scientific areas.
• Greene, John C., 1959, The Death of Adam: Evolution and Its Impact on Western Thought, Iowa State University Press.
  A very good historical review of the rise of the evolutionary view, with excerpts from the writings of many prominent scientists, philosophers, and theologians of the time.
• Giberson, Karl W., and Yerxa, Donald A., 2002, Species of Origins: America's Search for a Creation Story, Roman & Littlefield Publishers.  A comprehensive suvery of the primary American responses to evolution.
  
• Hallam, A., 1973, A Revolution in the Earth Sciences: From Continental Drift to Plate Tectonics: Oxford Univ. Press.
  
• Hooykaas, R., 1972, Religion and the Rise of Modern Science, Scottish Academic Press.
  A now classic book arguing that the foundation for modern science was laid by Christian theology.
• Kaiser, Christopher, 1991, Creation and the History of Science, Wm B. Eerdmans Publ. Co.
  An historical review of the relationship between the theology of creation and science from the early Christian Church and Greek thought to twentieth-century physics.
• Kuhn, Thomas S., 1970, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, 2nd ed., University of Chicago Press.
  A very influential book on the history of science which presents the rise of a new scientific theory as a change in underlying assumption and world view.
• Larson, Edward J., 2001, Evolution's Workshop: God and Science on the Galapagos Islands, Basic Books.  An excellent historical discussion of both the scientific and theological disputes that centered on the biology of the Galapagos Islands.
  
• Lindberg, David C., and Numbers, Ronald L., 1986, God & Nature: Historical Essays on the Encounter between Christianity and Science, University of California Press.
• Livingstone, David N., 1987, Darwin's Forgotten Defenders: The Encounter Between Evangelical Theology and Evolutionary Thought, Eerdmans.
  An excellent historical review of the response of evangelical scientists and theologians to Darwin's theory. It reveals that evolution by natural selection was accepted, sometimes enthusiastically, by evangelical scholars. Even B.B. Warfield, the architect of the Biblical inerrancy position, found no basis for rejecting evolution as a scientific description of origins.
• Livingstone, David N., Hart, D.G., and Noll, Mark A. (eds.), 1999, Evangelicals and Science in Historical Perspective, Oxford University Press.
  
• Moore, James R., 1979, The Post-Darwinian Controversies, Cambridge University Press.
  A thorough and comprehensive treatment of the religious debates over evolution in the nineteenth century. Moore shows that Darwin's theory found acceptance among orthodox Christians rather than theological liberals.
• Moore, James R., 1994, The Darwin Legend, Baker Books.  A thorough debunking of the widespread legend that Darwin made a deathbed confession of faith and renounced his evolutionary ideas.  
  
• Numbers, Ronald L., 1992, The Creationists: The Evolution of Scientific Creationism, University of California Press.
  An excellent and thorough historical study of the origins of the modern creationist movement.
• Rudwick, Martin J.S., 1985, The Meaning of Fossils, 2nd ed., Univ. of Chicago Press.
  An excellent, readable account of the history of ideas about earth history, written by one of the foremost paleontologists today. Provides a good understanding of the way in which the present view of the history of the earth developed. Helps dispel the false view of a "warfare" between science and theology.
• Tattersall, Ian, 1995, The Fossil Trail: How We Know What We Think We Know About Human Evolution: Oxford Univ. Press.  A very thorough and entertaining discussion of the history of the search for human ancestors.   Contains good descriptions of most of the important fossil discoveries up to about 1990.
• Weiner, Jonathan, 1994, The Beak of the Finch, Vintage Books.  An excellent and very entertaining account of the many years of research on the evolution of the finches of the Galapagos Islands.  Gives some feelng for the extraordinary amount of detailed work required to test evolutionary hypotheses in the field, and the tremendous dedication of the scientists involved.
  
• Zimmer, Carl, 1998, At the Water's Edge, Touchstone.  An thorough and interesting account of some of the most exciting fossil discoveries of the past decade -- the walking whales and the first tetrapods.  Shows examples of fossil transitions between classes.
  

Theology of Creation and Related Topics

• Blocher, Henri, 1984, In the Beginning: The Opening Chapters of Genesis, IV Press.
  This is an in-depth exegesis of Genesis 1-3 and a brief look at chapters 4-11. Shows great respect for Scripture, interpreting it from the original authors' background. Contains detailed scholarly arguments, but is written so that these may be skipped without loss of content. An appendix on science and Genesis should be read with care and the understanding that it is written by a non-scientist.
• Blocher, Henri, 1994, Evil and the Cross, IV Press.
• Edwards, Denis, 1999, The God of Evolution, Paulist Press.
  
• Farrer, Austin, 1961, Love Almighty and Ills Unlimited, Doubleday & Company
  An excellent and thought provoking discussion of God's providence and moral and natural evil.
• Gilkey, Langdon, 1985, Creationism on Trial: Evolution and God at Little Rock, Winston Press.
  A theologian, called as a witness against the Arkansas "Equal Time" Law, gives his account of the 1983 trial. In an entertaining style he gives strong philosophical and religious arguments against young-earth creationism, especially as set forth in the Arkansas law. Also reprints Judge Overton's decision on the case.
• Gilkey, Langdon, 1959, Maker of Heaven and Earth: The Christian Doctrine of Creation in the Light of Modern Knowledge, University Press.
  Gilkey explores the implication of creation to both the central doctrines of the Christian faith and to important philosophical problems.
• Hick, John, 1977, Evil and the God of Love (Revised Edition), HarperCollins Publishers.
  This book provides an excellent survey of the thelogical response to the problem of evil from St. Augustine and Irenaeus to Barth and Schleiermacher. Hick then develops his own theodicy .
• Hyers, Conrad, 1984, The Meaning of Creation: Genesis and Modern Science, John Knox Press.
  This book focuses on the historical, cultural and religious meanings of the creation account, and strongly argues against a literal interpretation.
• Korsmeyer, Jerry D., 1998, Evolution and Eden: Balancing Original Sin and Contemporary Science, Paulist Press.
  
• Lewis, C. S., 1962, The Problem of Pain, Macmillan.
  Addresses something of the issue of why God might choose an apparently inefficient way of creating -- including pain and suffering.
• Moltmann, Jurgen, 1981, God in Creation, Harper & Row.
  The trinitarian character of God is emphasized.
• Pinnock, Clark and others, 1994, The Openness of God, InterVarsity Press.  An extensive theological development of a view of God in which His creatures are given true freedom and the future is open to their choices.
  
• Polkinghorne, John (ed.), 2001, The Work of Love: Creation as Kenosis, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.  Essays by many prominent science/theology writers looking at creation as a divine act of "self-emptying."  
• Sanders, John, 1998, The God Who Risks: a Theology of Providence, InterVarsity Press.
  
• Waltke, Bruce K., 1975-76, "The Creation account in Genesis 1:1-3, Parts I-V," Bibliotheca Sacra v. 132 pp.25-36, 136-144, 216-228, 327-342; v. 133 pp.28-41.
  A respected conservative Old Testament theologian at Westminster Seminary, Phila., gives a detailed exegesis of Genesis. He argues that to understand a given passage of scripture, we must understand the world of the people to whom the passage was originally addressed.
• Waltke, Bruce K., 2001, Genesis: A Commentary, Zondervan.  An excellent in depth theological treatment of the book of Genesis by one of the foremost evangelical Old Testament scholars. 
• Walton, John H., 2001, Genesis: The NIV Application Commentary, Zondervan.  Written by an Old Testament scholar at Wheaton Graduate School and includes discussion of modern scientific scholarship.
  
• Wenham, John W., 1974, The Goodness of God, IV Press.
  Wenham struggles realistically with the doctrine of God's goodness in light of war, suffering, disease, divine judgement and hell. A very good brief discussion of animal pain and suffering is included as an appendix.

Christian Environmentalism

• Austin, Richard C., 1988, Hope for the Land: Nature in the Bible, John Knox Press.
• Berry, R.J (ed.), 2000, The Care of Creation: Focusing Concern and Action, InterVarsity Press.  A challenging discussion of environmental ethics by many of the most prominent Christian environmentalists.
  
• Berry, R.J., 2003, God's Book of Works: The Nature and Theology of Nature, T&T Clark.  
  
• Campolo, Tony, 1992, How to Rescue the Earth without Worshiping Nature, Thomas Nelson Publishers.
• DeWitt, Calvin B., 1998, Caring for Creation: Responsible Stewardship of God's Handiwork, Baker Books.  DeWitt lists seven degradations of Creation and proposes a  response.  
  
• Hall, Douglas John, 1986, Imaging God: Dominion as Stewardship, Eerdmans.
  Professor of theology at McGill University, Hall calls on the Christian community to actively image the lordship of Jesus in our relationship with creation. The Biblical model of lordship is sacrificial service.
• Langmead, Clive, 1995, A Passion for Plants: From the Rainforests fo Brazil to Kew Gardens, Lion Publishing.  An account of the life of internationally renowned ethnobiologist Gjillean Prance.
  
• Linzey, Andrew, 1991, Christianity and the Rights of Animals, Crossraod Publishing Co.
  Provides a comprehensive and well-argued theological case for the rights of animals.
• Nash, James A., 1991, Loving Nature: Ecological Integrity and Christian Responsibility, Abingdon Press.
• Prance, Ghillean, 1996, The Earth Under Threat: A Christian Perspective, Wild Goose Publications.  A powerful and concise statement of human environmental impacts and a plea for a Christian response.
  
• Russell, Colin A., 1994, The Earth, Humanity and God, University College London Press.
  A discussion of changing attitudes toward the environment through history with thoughts on a Christian basis for environmental action.
• Reichenbach, Bruce R., and Anderson, V. Elving, 1995, On Behalf of God: A Christian Ethic for Biology, Wm. B. Eerdmans.  An excellent discussion of bioethics including environmental issues as well as biomedical questions.
  
• Santmire, H. Paul, 1985, The Travail of Nature: the Ambiguous Ecological Promise of Christian Theology, Fortress Press.
  Presents an excellent history of Christian theology from Irenaeus, Origen, and Augustine to Barth and Teilhard de Chardin as it relates to the goodness and value of the non-human universe.
• Sheldon, Joseph K., 1992, Rediscovery of Creation: A Bibliographic Study of the Church's Response to the Environmental Crisis, Scarecrow Press, Inc.
• Van Dyke, Fred, Brand, Raymond, Mahan, David, and Sheldon, Joseph, 1994, Redeeming Creation: A Biblical Basis for Environmental Ethics, Abbott-Martyn Press.
• Wilkinson, Loren (ed.), 1991, Earthkeeping in the '90s: Stewardship of Creation, Eerdmans Publishing Co.
  This is a new revision of a classic book which outlines an orthodox Christian perspective on our place in and responsibility to creation. This volume was a product of the Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship. Still probably the most thorough discussion of Christian stewardship of the environment by evangelical scholars.

Last updated May 2004.