Inge wrote: >>I guess most of you are familiar with the writings of
Michael Ruse -... He has just published a new book that may be of interest
to you. It is published on Cambridge Univ. Press and is called "Can a
Darwinian Be a Christian : The Relationship Between Science and
Religion".>>
I hope someone reviews that book soon for PERSPECTIVES. I met Ruse at the
Austin NTSE conference and was much impressed by him and what he had to
say. I also respect him for his earlier writings (those that I've come
across).
With all that, Ruse is, himself, not a Christian. So I am very puzzled how
he could fairly write a book with this title. I could probably see me
writing "Can a Republican Be a Christian," for I was once a Republican
(even though a fairly lukewarm one). And I have written several times
(limited distribution) articles titled "Can a Scientist Be a Christian."
But I can hardly see me writing "Can a Scientist Be a Jew," for instance,
for I have never been a Jew, and while I think I know something of what
Jewish folks believe in, such knowledge is, necessarily, for the outside. I
see, in parallel, the same problem for the good Doctor Ruse.
The other part of the equation is the intense difference between any belief
in a scientific topic and a belief in a religious topic. Both are, I hope,
held provisionally by thinking people. As a Christian, I have committed
myself to, and trust in, the living Jesus Christ. But that position,
although firmly held, is always provisional; should the bones of Jesus
unquestionably be found in some Jeruselem grave, I'd clearly have to
rethink that position seriously. Darwinism, as I understand the writings of
Ruse, Gould, Dawkins, Sagan and the like, is not held provisionally; the
details are provisional, but not the "truth" of the Grand Idea."
I guess I'll have to buy yet another book!
Burgy
cc: Richard Ruble -- I hope you get a review on this one real soon! I
suggest George Murphy.
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