Cosmic Roots traces the five-thousand-year conflict between science and religion — and how it has shaped our modern secular worldview.Told with rare clarity and striking insight, this fascinating and thought-provoking book focuses on the history of cosmology and its sister science astronomy. For it was discoveries within these great disciplines which first led to the conflict between science and religion. The story begins with the cosmological beliefs of the ancients — from the flat Earth models of the Sumerians and Hebrews to the Greek notion of the orbits of planets as divine circles. Topics progress from Aristotle and Ptolemy's integrated planetary models to the Sun-centered cosmologies of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and the great Isaac Newton. Their combined scientific achievements stand as testimony to the power and imagination of the human mind.This meticulously researched narrative also traces the roots of Western religion, based on historical events and archeological evidence. It takes us on a captivating journey through Western religious history — from ancient paganism to the ethical monotheism of the Hebrews, Christians, and Moslems. Along the way, we follow the rise and fall of civilizations, of empires, cycles of war and peace, unification and division.The book concludes with how Darwin came up with his theory of evolution and the impact of modern physics on religious beliefs. The cumulative effect of the scientific discoveries presented in Cosmic Roots has, for better or for worse, led to the separation of science and religion we see in Western culture today.

In recent years, many branches of science have been revolutionized. Completely new disciplines now occupy a central place in modern scientific thought, and Aviezer contributes to the discourse of biblical interpretation by utilizing knowledge obtained from them. This book aims to demonstrate the profound implication of combining the scientific understanding of modern science with Biblical passages. Writing for any curious reader, even those without scientific background, Aviezer explains complicated scientific topics in a simple manner, allowing nearly anyone to examine how quantum theory, the butterfly effect, string theory and others can possibly enrich the interpretation of scriptural passages.

"Outstanding Academic Title for 2014" by CHOICE Einstein Relatively Simple brings together for the first time an exceptionally clear explanation of both special and general relativity. It is for people who always wanted to understand Einstein's ideas but never thought they could. Told with humor, enthusiasm, and rare clarity, this entertaining book reveals how a former high school drop-out revolutionized our understanding of space and time. From E=mc2 and everyday time travel to black holes and the big bang, Einstein Relatively Simple takes us all, regardless of our scientific backgrounds, on a mind-boggling journey through the depths of Einstein's universe. Along the way, we track Einstein through the perils and triumphs of his life — follow his thinking, his logic, and his insights — and chronicle the audacity, imagination, and sheer genius of the man recognized as the greatest scientist of the modern era. In Part I on special relativity we learn how time slows and space shrinks with motion, and how mass and energy are equivalent. Part II on general relativity reveals a cosmos where black holes trap light and stop time, where wormholes form gravitational time machines, where space itself is continually expanding, and where some 13.7 billion years ago our universe was born in the ultimate cosmic event — the Big Bang. Contents:Einstein Discovered: Special Relativity, E = mc2,and Spacetime:From Unknown to RevolutionaryThe Great ConflictThe Two PostulatesA New RealityThe Shrinking of TimeSimultaneity and the Squeezing of SpaceThe World's Most Famous EquationSpacetimeEinstein Revealed: General Relativity, Gravity, and the Cosmos:Einstein's Dream“The Happiest Thought of My Life”The Warping of Space and TimeStitching SpacetimeWhat is Spacetime Curvature?Einstein's MasterpieceThe Universe RevealedIn the Beginning Readership: Adults and young people all over the world who are curious about Einstein and how the universe works. Keywords:Einstein;Relativity;Special Relativity;General Relativity;Spacetime;Big Bang;Black Holes;Expansion of Space;Time Travel;E=mc2;Universe;Cosmos;Time Dilation;Length Contraction;Wormholes;Light Postulate;Length Contraction;Gravitational Time Dilation;Time Warp;Space Warp;Relativity Postulate;Lorentz Transformation;Light Clock;Relativity of Simultaneity;Twins Paradox;Equivalence Principle;Gravity;Spacetime Curvature;Spacetime Interval;Gaussian Co-Ordinates;Geodesic;Momenergy;The Einstein Equation;Schwarzschild Geometry;Bending of Starlight;Frame Dragging;Cosmic Microwave Background;Geometry of Universe;Flat Universe;Critical Density;Dark Matter;Dark Energy;Future of UniverseKey Features:Einstein Relatively Simple is the definitive book on Einstein's theories for the lay reader — one that is fun to read, comprehensive, and most important, understandableEinstein's ideas are explained in everyday languageThe book devotes eight chapters to special and a full eight chapters to general relativity. Most popular science books give general relativity only a brief mention or ignore it altogetherReviews: “This general relativity theory changed our views on the origin and on the ending (if any) of the universe … all topics that tickle the imagination of a general public and Egdall, bringing the reader to the point beyond general relativity, does not miss the opportunity to end his guided tour with a sparkling firework of these issues … it is an entertaining introduction for the layman, that brings the reader a very long way.” The European Mathematical Society “He covers the main topics of special and general relativity in a refreshing, personal way. This is a well-crafted, well-documented text with extensive endnotes, in which a bibliography is embedded. He introduces readers to his own unique entry into this very populous genre. Valuable for inquisitive nonscientists.” CHOICE “I'm crazy about it. It's the best presentation of relativity for non-scientists that I've seen.” Art Hobson Professor Emeritus of Physics University of Arkansas "The writing is jovial and energetic and holds the reader's attention. This book is a nice introduction to modern physics, with a great biography of Einstein included. This book is recommended for a lay reader with basic algebra skills; high school and beginning college physics students would find it easily accessible." Zentralblatt MATH

The place of religion in society has changed profoundly in the last few centuries, particularly in the West. In what will be a defining book for our time, Taylor takes up the question of what these changes mean, and what, precisely, happens when a society becomes one in which faith is only one human possibility among others.

Youth evangelization is one of the most challenging tasks of the church today, and this book faces that challenge head-on. Roots: Catholic Youth Evangelization in a Post-Pandemic World features essays written by leading scholars in the fields of philosophy, theology, psychology, sociology, pastoral ministry, medieval studies, and ecology. In this timely volume, scholars tackle tough issues presented by contemporary culture while engaging the ripe fruits of the 2019 apostolic exhortation of Pope Francis, Christus vivit. Readers will be treated to a variety of themes, including beauty, belonging, hope, political theology, cultural analysis, vocational discernment, ecclesial strategies, and the history of Catholic youth ministry in the United States. By approaching the general topic of Catholic youth evangelization from diverse angles, the precise nature and demands of ministry with young people in a postmodern context are illuminated. This volume promises to provide ample insights for church leaders active in the field of pastoral care of youth from an interdisciplinary perspective. Readers can be assured that they never will think the same about youth evangelization after encountering the rich contents of this book.

Many scientists today think of the universe as essentially purposeless. Likewise, modern and postmodern philosophers have often been suspicious of any religious claims that the natural world embodies and eternal meaning or teleology. Not all scientific thinkers subscribe to this cosmic pessimism, however, and some would even argue that contemporary knowledge is consistent with a religious sense of cosmic purpose. This stimulating book offers candid reflections on the question of cosmic purpose written both by prominent scientists and by scholars representing the world's religious traditions. Examining the issue from a wide variety of perspectives, this is the only current book to deal with cosmic purpose from an interreligious and interdisciplinary perspective. Here scientists such as physicist Andrei Linde and biologist Francisco Ayala come face to face with Islamic scholar Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Hindu philosopher Anindita Niyogi Balslev, and others. They examine such perplexing issues as the possible existence of multiple universes and the implications of seemingly purposive features in life. The contributions address the question of whether a religiously-based notion of a purposeful cosmos is consistent with the latest scientific understanding of nature, and whether theology can affirm the presence of divine action without contradicting science. These essays will challenge readers to ponder their own place in the cosmos as they seek to interpret the visions of the world's great spiritual traditions in the light of natural science.

Based on a symposium on science and religion held in Chicago at the 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions. Includes bibliographical references and index.