Musings from a book store

Faith & Science Conversation
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I got a bit of an odd set of questions tonight. On a recent trip to a Barnes and Nobles, a brief browsing of books brought up a couple of questions I was wondering if you guys could analyze.

First of all, let me say that the science section here was immaculate. I walked out of there with a thick Smithsonian book on the Universe. Unfortunately, the exoplanet section was lacking. Regardless, a book bursting with information on God’s amazing Creation. I was given a glance at a couple of novels that my amazing physics teacher recommended, including Cosmos by Carl Sagan and A Brief History of Time by Hawkings. However, I have a bit of a queasiness considering purchasing these novels, as I remember reading an article from a Christian site (I think from Reasons to Believe or Biologos) that said that, in his book Cosmos, Carl asserts that there is nothing but the cosmos; no God. Now, I’m still working some kinks out of my faith but am also trying to expand my horizons with science. My first question then is:

  • Those that have read Cosmos, would you recommend it for a beginner Evolutionary Creationist like myself?
  • Similar to a question I read on another thread, with what level of caution should I approach books written by militant atheists, such as deGrasse Tyson?

Second question comes from a glance toward the religion section of the store. Quick side note, I was a bit concerned about the amount of Satanic-adjacent literature there, including a book on the history of witchcraft and the occult (which I had originally thought was J.K. Rowling’s “A History of Magic,” based on her book series Harry Potter). Speaking of interesting book placing, right next to the science section was the ghost/conspiracy discount section on a small table, which I thought was pretty funny. Anyway, I found the section on religion and was hoping to find The Language of God, to which I was disappointed to find no luck. Alternatively, I did find a bit of an odd and surreal sight:

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On this one shelf, I came across the Christian apologetics literature, the deconstructing faith literature, and the agnostic/atheist literature. It felt like I was coming face-to-face with my history of emotions. I didn’t know what to think seeing books like “The God Delusion” so close, an object that had previously given me much anxiety now within reach. Unfortunately, to my dismay, I couldn’t find any thought-provoking Christian books (I did find “Return of the God Hypothesis,” “God: The Science and The Evidence,” “Why I Am Not An Atheist,” and “The Case for God” by Karen Armstrong, which seemed like good reads but I held back my cash for now). This sparked a few questions in myself:

  • What are some good Evolutionary Creationist books? One of the earliest Biologos articles I read (https://biologos.org/personal-stories/what-happened-when-i-wanted-to-give-up-on-god) told the story of an amateur astronomer who bought as many books on Christian views of creation, including the Language of God. Unfortunately, a list wasn’t provided so I could only guess what they had bought.

  • How should I feel about coming face to face with these powerful atheist books? I wanted to be fearful but I also know that I was previously told that the real discussions lies with these books. Should I shun myself from these books or maybe one day give them a try? Would doing so be a mistake for a young Christian?

I don’t want to seem like I’m too afraid of atheists, or that I don’t even want to try and consider their views. However, I’m still shaky in my faith and have issues with understanding authority on subjects and who I can trust with saying what (especially in literature meant to education on a wide range of subjects). Even considering the contents of the books makes me a little queasy, especially since there didn’t seem to be any Evolutionary Creationist literature to give fair support for the Christian side of the debate. Maybe I’m holding atheists in too high regard, but I feel like this little encounter of mine started to psychology back myself into a corner regarding all the evidence that could get thrown around. If anyone also has any tips for such, meaning engaging with good books even if they disagree with you, please let me know.

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I guess the thing I’m getting at is that it felt weird being in this establishment that juggled such a variety of subjects without conflict: Christianity, Islam, and Agnosticism all on the same shelf; zodiac signs and spirit literature next to the science and history section; etc. I really didn’t know what to think. This store seems like the model citizen of embracing the totality of knowledge humanity had accumulated without any conflict, a sort of pluralistic utopia.

I also came across an interesting novel by Marcy Roach: Six Feet Over. According to a few internet searches, it seems that in the book she concludes that science mostly concludes the consciousness dies after death but some phenomena (I.e. Near Desth Experiences) remain unexplained. How should I react to this information?

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Good thing about a bookstore is that you can order books for later receipt. Get a book and invite Biologos members to suggest a book to order that ideally gives you a paired reading list*: if you read a strong atheist or skeptical work, pair it with a serious, thoughtful response from a different perspective. That way you’re not just absorbing arguments—you’re actually learning how to evaluate them.

And as Kendel can tell you, libraries often have both kinds of books to read and take notes from.

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Alright. Like “The God Delusion” and the other books in the bottom of that shelf in the picture seem to be the biggest names in atheist literature, can anyone name their equally powerful Christian counterparts (especially well-versed and scientifically sound rebuttals).

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The Dawkins Delusion?: Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine Hardcover – May 25, 2007

  • World-renowned scientist Richard Dawkins writes in The God Delusion: “If this book works as I intend, religious readers who open it will be atheists when they put it down.” The volume has received wide coverage, fueled much passionate debate and caused not a little confusion. Alister McGrath, along with his wife Joanna, are ideal to evaluate Dawkins’s ideas. Once an atheist himself, he gained a doctorate in molecular biophysics before going on to become a leading Christian theologian. He wonders how two people, who have reflected at length on substantially the same world, could possibly have come to such different conclusions about God. McGrath subjects Dawkins’s critique of faith to rigorous scrutiny. His exhilarating, meticulously argued response deals with questions such as Is faith intellectual nonsense? Are science and religion locked in a battle to the death? Can the roots of Christianity be explained away scientifically? Is Christianity simply a force for evil? This book will be warmly received by those looking for a reliable assessment of The God Delusion and the many questions it raises–including, above all, the relevance of faith and the quest for meaning.
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Christianbook

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Thank you for the read!

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