Book
After Science and Religion: Fresh Perspectives from Philosophy and Theology
📖 Overview
After Science and Religion examines the historical relationship between scientific and religious thought while challenging conventional narratives about their inherent conflict. The book brings together perspectives from philosophers and theologians to explore new frameworks for understanding how these domains interact.
Contributors analyze key episodes and debates from both historical and contemporary contexts, moving beyond simplistic models of warfare or harmony between science and faith. The essays address topics including naturalism, divine action, cognitive science of religion, and environmental ethics.
Through case studies and theoretical analysis, the volume demonstrates how religious and scientific thinking have shaped each other across different time periods and cultures. The text includes perspectives from multiple religious traditions and scientific disciplines.
The book points to possibilities for more nuanced and productive dialogue between scientific and religious worldviews in the contemporary world. Its examination of historical complexities and philosophical foundations provides insights relevant to current debates about the role of science and religion in society.
👀 Reviews
There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Peter Harrison's overall work:
Readers value Harrison's clear explanations of complex historical relationships between science and religion. His academic works receive consistent praise for making scholarly topics accessible while maintaining intellectual depth.
What readers liked:
- Clear writing style that breaks down complex historical concepts
- Evidence-based approach to challenging popular misconceptions
- Thorough research and extensive citations
- Balanced treatment of both scientific and religious perspectives
What readers disliked:
- Dense academic prose in some sections
- Repetitive points in certain chapters
- High price point of academic editions
- Limited availability of some titles
Ratings across platforms:
Goodreads:
- The Territories of Science and Religion: 4.2/5 (87 ratings)
- The Fall of Man: 4.1/5 (42 ratings)
Amazon:
- The Bible, Protestantism and Natural Science: 4.4/5 (15 reviews)
- The Territories of Science and Religion: 4.3/5 (22 reviews)
Multiple readers specifically note Harrison's ability to "present complex historical arguments without oversimplification" and "challenge popular myths about science-religion conflict."
📚 Similar books
Science and Religion: A Historical Introduction by John Hedley Brooke
This work examines the complex relationship between scientific thought and religious belief across different historical periods and cultural contexts.
The Territories of Science and Religion by Peter Harrison The book traces how modern categories of 'science' and 'religion' emerged from earlier concepts of natural philosophy and theology.
Religion and the Order of Nature by Seyyed Hossein Nasr The text explores the metaphysical foundations of natural science and environmental ethics through comparative religious perspectives.
Divine Action and Modern Science by Nicholas Saunders This study analyzes the compatibility of divine intervention with contemporary scientific understanding of physical laws and causation.
The Big Questions in Science and Religion by Keith Ward The work addresses fundamental questions at the intersection of scientific inquiry and religious thought through philosophical analysis.
The Territories of Science and Religion by Peter Harrison The book traces how modern categories of 'science' and 'religion' emerged from earlier concepts of natural philosophy and theology.
Religion and the Order of Nature by Seyyed Hossein Nasr The text explores the metaphysical foundations of natural science and environmental ethics through comparative religious perspectives.
Divine Action and Modern Science by Nicholas Saunders This study analyzes the compatibility of divine intervention with contemporary scientific understanding of physical laws and causation.
The Big Questions in Science and Religion by Keith Ward The work addresses fundamental questions at the intersection of scientific inquiry and religious thought through philosophical analysis.
🤔 Interesting facts
🔹 Peter Harrison is a former Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion at the University of Oxford, where he directed the Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion.
🔹 The book challenges the popular "conflict thesis" that science and religion are inherently at odds, exploring how their relationship is much more complex and nuanced throughout history.
🔹 Harrison's other influential works include "The Territories of Science and Religion" (2015), which won the Aldersgate Prize for showing how modern concepts of both science and religion emerged in relatively recent history.
🔹 The book examines how future discussions about science and religion might move beyond traditional debates about evolution vs. creation or faith vs. reason.
🔹 Many of Harrison's arguments build on research showing that numerous early modern scientists, including Isaac Newton and Robert Boyle, were deeply religious and saw their scientific work as a way to understand God's creation.