Description
This book places the present Creationist opposition to the theory of evolution in historical context by setting out the ways in which, from the seventeenth century onwards, investigations of the history of the earth and of humanity have challenged the biblical views of chronology and human destiny, and the Christian responses to these challenges. The author's interest is not primarily directed to questions such as the epistemological status of scientific versus religious knowledge or the possibility of a Darwinian ethics, but rather to the problems, and various responses to the problems, raised in a particular historical period in the West for the Bible by the massive extension of the duration of geological time and human history.
Table of Contents
Preface Introduction Part One: Before Deep Time 1. Newton's Two Books 2. Natural Theology 3. Pre-Adamites 4. A Sacred Theory of the Earth 5. The Chain of Being 5. History of the Gentiles 7. High Noon for the Design Arrangement Part Two: The Birth of Deep Time (1750-1850) 8. Birth of Deep Time 9. The Higher Criticism 10. Dialectic of Faith and Doubt Part Three: Deep Time and Natural Selection 11. Darwinism 12. Omphalos Part Four: Deep Time versus Creationism 13. Darwinism in America 14. Schools and Courts 15. Revival of Creationism 16. Intelligent Design Conclusion
Author(s)
Arthur McCalla, Arthur McCalla is Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy/Religious Studies at Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Canada.
Reviews
“In this outstanding work of scholarship on the historical background of the evolution-creationism controversy, McCalla (Mount Saint Vincent Univ., Halifax) presents a critical and wonderfully detailed account of attempts, spurred by the rise of modern science, to accommodate the emerging Book of nature with the Book of Scripture. In illuminating the historical background of the relations between science and religion that underlie some of the global crises facing humanity today, this book will have broad appeal. Highly recommended”.- CHOICE, February 2007
,
"Anyone who is interested, or involved, in this debate would do well to read this eruidte and well-written book." Rev Adam Ford, Church Times
Adam Ford,
"In The Creationist Debate, Arthur McCalla provides a well-written and well-documented background for one of the hot button issues of our time: the debate about what public schools should teach regarding the origins of the earth and humanity... This book is an excellent resource, with clear references to primary texts, for anyone interested in the ways that both scientists and religious professionals responded to the mounting discrepancies between what had been the dominant understanding of our origins... and the growing body of evidence regarding those origins being discovered by scientists." -catholicbooksreview.org
,
Choice Outstanding Academic Title.
,
'McCalla's essay is well-researched, timely, and terrifying...All theologians with an interest in the future of their subject should read this book.'
Michael Fuller, Expository Times
,
"This is a fascinating and well-written book, which provides a useful introduction to this topic. It would be of use to students on courses dealing with creationism an evolution, as well as those interested generally in the relationship between science and religion"
John Walliss, Liverpool Hope University, TBR
John Walliss,
"[I]t is a book that tells a fascinating story."
Reviewed by John Goldingay in Theology, 2008
,
“This is a major work of scholarship. The author succeeded in framing the Creationism debate in the larger Western European religious context. His basic thesis is that the critical issue is not the content of evolutionary science, but rather, of historical mindedness. This, without a doubt, is a major work of meticulous scholarship and makes an important contribution to our understanding of science and religion.” –Catholic Library World
Lucien J. Richard,
Reviewed in Bulletin De theologie, Revue des Sciences Philosophiques et Theologiques, 2008
,
"This is a fascinating and well-written book, which provides a useful inroduction to this topic. It would be of use for studentsa on courses dealing with the creationism and evolution, as well as those interested generally in the relationship between science and religion"
Theological Book Review Vol.19 no.2 2007
John Wallis. Liverpool Hope University,