I'm a teacher, philosopher, writer, Professor of Philosophy, and holder of the Sullivan Chair in Philosophy at Rockhurst University, Kansas City, Missouri, USA. I'm the author/editor of sixteen books on such topics as religion and science, religion and politics, contemporary European philosophy, and political philosophy. I'm particularly interested in how religion and science, especially evolution, can be shown to be compatible with each other, as well as in developing an argument that there is no chance operating in nature (including in biology). My book and the books below explore these fascinating topics from almost every possible angle, and should whet readers’ appetites for further thinking about these intriguing matters!
In this book, catholic Cardinal Christoph Schonborn tackles hard questions concerning religion and evolution by developing a carefully reasoned "theology of creation." When I first read it, I was intrigued by his disagreement with some of his fellow Catholic thinkers, a disagreement that illustrates the range of positions that one can take on these issues, even if one shares the same general perspective. Schonborn considers such questions as: Can we still speak intelligently of the world as "creation" and affirm the existence of the Creator, or is God a "delusion"? How should an informed believer read the Book of Genesis? Are human beings a part of nature or elevated above it? Is everything a matter of chance or can we discern purpose in human existence?
The Cardinal argues that science and a rationally grounded faith are not at odds and that what many people represent as "science" is really a…
Cardinal Christoph Schönborn's article on evolution and creation in The New York Times launched an international controversy. Critics charged him with biblical literalism and "creationism".
In this book, Cardinal Schönborn responds to his critics by tackling the hard questions with a carefully reasoned "theology of creation". Can we still speak intelligently of the world as "creation" and affirm the existence of the Creator, or is God a "delusion"? How should an informed believer read Genesis? If God exists, why is there so much injustice and suffering? Are human beings a part of nature or elevated above it? What is man's…
I was nervous. Could this sequel match the excellence of Lindy Viandier’s debut memoir? It certainly did.
The author tells us about her pastoral learning curve as she and her husband, Mr. V, settle into their idyllic Burgundian country home. And her enthusiasm is infectious.
Lindy’s descriptions of their animals and local events are charming, exuding gentle humour as she recounts hilarious tales about her quirky neighbours. Equally funny are her stories about Mr. V plus workmates, who attack the renovations of their home with enviable French verve. How Lindy creates her culinary masterpieces in the kitchen with lumps of house raining down on her beats me. And yet she does.
The author has an exceptionally lyrical style. Words flow effortlessly as she creates a literary framework that invites the reader into her world. Together, we learn, laugh, and celebrate the delicious recipes she…
I first studied creation myths at the University of California, Berkeley, and my favorite tales about the beginnings and endings of the world soon crept into my fiction. These allusions began as simple nods to the past, but after the sudden deaths of family members and a harrowing wildfire evacuation during a worldwide pandemic, apocalypses seemed very present in my life. I wrote my debut book From the Cavesduring this time, while attending Portland State University’s MFA program for creative writing, and the books in this list, like my novella, share a specific exploration of the post-apocalyptic, one interested in beginnings and creation at the end of the world.
I first learned about Penelope Farmer’sBeginnings: Creation Myths of the World while reading Megan Hunter’sThe End We Start From. In her short book, Farmer has compiled fragments of myths from around the world, and she organized these brief excerpts into sections that describe the beginning of the world, the origin of the earth and Man, flood and fire mythologies, the origin of death and food plants, and the end of the world. To see such different (and, sometimes, intriguingly similar) mythologies from diverse cultures sharing fundamental interests is inspiring in itself, and for such a quick survey of our world’s origin stories, the book is cosmic in scope and a wonderful jumping off place for additional research.
Stories and poems from many countries explaining the Creation and the different ways people have tried to interpret their world and experiences from the beginning of time.
Lilli Botchis, PhD, is a psycho-spiritual counselor, educator, and vibrational medicine developer with four decades of experience in advanced body/soul wellness and the development of higher consciousness. Her expertise includes botanicals, gems, color, flower essences, bio-energy therapies, and holographic soul readings. Lilli is an alchemist, mystic, and translator of Nature’s language as it speaks to our soul. A brilliant researcher in the field of consciousness, she understands the interconnectedness of Nature and the human being and is known as an extraordinary emissary of the natural world. Lilli has been inducted into the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller. Many seek her out for her visionary insights and compassionate wisdom.
Gregg Braden is an example of one who has discovered how to live the spirituality within science. In this brilliant and insightful work, he links our genetic code to biblical alphabets to prove the unity of the human race and the idea that we are all greater than our beliefs. Braden shows that deep within our genetic code, held in the sanctuary of the DNA, is the universal message that traverses humanity—all cultures, all races, all genders: the name of God. Applying this message to our lives, we can transcend our beliefs, our biases, our conditioning to create a more harmonious condition of living for all of humanity.
A coded message has been found within the molecules of life, deep within the DNA in each cell of our bodies. In this book what we once believed of our past is about to change. Through a remarkable discovery linking Biblical alphabets to our genetic code, the 'language of life' may now be read as the ancient letters of a timeless message. This message is the same in each cell of every man, woman, and child, past and present.
During his extensive 12-year study of the most sacred and honoured traditions of humankind he has discovered tangible and unprecedented evidence…
As the author of 100+ children’s books, I work mainly on assignment for educational and faith-based publishers. But when I’m freelancing, I want the topic to be something I’m passionate about. Being married to a science teacher, we often discuss science issues. After having grandchildren, I wondered, what type of planet are we going to leave them? Our grandchildren are aware and concerned about severe weather patterns. I asked myself, what can I do? Plus, I wanted to write through the lens of my faith. I wrote my picture book, God’s Earth is Something to Fight For, to instill hope and give practical ways for children to help save Earth.
So much more than a nonfiction book, Betsy Painter’s All of Creation informs and includes a Biblical perspective and Scripture related to each of the eleven chapters.
Each chapter includes how kids can make a difference and related activities with topics ranging from endangered species to coral reefs to the poles and global climate. The lyrical language emphasizes kindness and care for our planet. For example, the first chapter features water in language kids can understand.
“Imagine waking up during a thunderstorm, as the rain sprays against your window like God is aiming His garden hose at your house.” The chapter defines fresh water, explains clean water challenges, and gives concrete examples that widen a child’s scope related the world and its limitations.
Nearly 200 pages, this book empowers kids ages 8 – 12 to know more and to do more. The subtitle summarizes the book well: Understanding God’s Planet…
From conservation to protecting endangered species to sustainable living, All of Creation offers young readers accessible and fascinating information on the challenges our planet faces and practical ways we can care for the magnificent world around us.
Drawing on science and Scripture, this hope-filled and kid-friendly guide to planet Earth addresses our most pressing questions about caring for and respecting God's world, such as:
What are the biggest challenges our planet faces, and what impact do they have on our lives?
What guidance does the Bible offer to help us navigate environmental issues such as pollution, food shortages, and deforestation?…
For me a story with richly developed non-humanoid aliens is mind-stretching. Much of modern Western culture starts with the ingrained concept that humans are at the top, whether by divine right or as the peak of evolution or whatever. Well-developed non-humanoid aliens—especially if they’re not super advanced or charmingly primitive—challenge this assertion. When that assertion topples, so do a lot of other preconceived notions. An abiding fascination in my work is for the “other,” from the wolves and Wise Beasts of my Firekeeper Saga (first book, Through Wolf’s Eyes) to expanding and exploring treecat culture with David Weber in the Star Kingdom book, and a lot in between.
A human, a robot, and an alien who has proudly adopted the name “Carnivore,” find themselves stranded on a planet that may have its own agenda—certainly, something must be behind the phenomenon dubbed “The God Hour.” Add in the journal of a possibly insane man who is known only as “Shakespeare,” and you have not only a wonderful adventure story, you have the foundation for examining what makes a person a person.
A human space traveler trapped on a remote planet must somehow unravel a confounding alien technology—or else surrender himself to a host of incomprehensible horrors
For thousands of years, Carter Horton has been traveling across the galaxy toward a distant world capable of supporting human life. At journey’s end, awakened from his millennia-long sleep by a curiously adaptive android, he is informed that his crewmates have all perished due to a system malfunction. But worse is yet to come: Horton’s sentient ship is refusing to return him to Earth, and a strangely cordial predator is waiting for him on the…
My expertise on the origins of our universe comes out of fascination, nothing more. I am a long-time children’s writer who began my approach to this topic with awe. Just awe. In order to write The Stuff of Stars I read widely to expand my own understanding. A single line in this text can come out of hours of reading. The books I’m suggesting here, though, are not the scientific ones that informed my telling. Rather, I have searched out books that are exceptionally creative, accessible, interesting. Some are for the very young and some for those who share their learning with the very young.
This fascinating book presents science side by side with creation stories drawn from every part of the world. Ghosh’s scientific explanations of the origins of our universe are succinct and clear. He tells us what is known about our beginnings, what is supposed, and what we do not know and may never understand. And he lays out creation stories from many parts of the world along with information about the cultures from which those stories came. How Did It All Start? is perfect for older children or for adults who want to deepen their understanding of both the science and the myths that surround our beginnings.
How did it all start? What was there in the beginning? What exactly is the universe? The brilliant stars, distant galaxies, the sun, the moon and our planet Earth. Where did it all come from, and what is its future? The Big Bang is a cornerstone theory of modern cosmology. This book tries to give a simplified understanding to our curious readers.
Take a look at when and how life started and evolved? How, where and when did the humans arrive? What was the journey of humans out of Africa and peopling of the rest of the world like? What…
I first studied creation myths at the University of California, Berkeley, and my favorite tales about the beginnings and endings of the world soon crept into my fiction. These allusions began as simple nods to the past, but after the sudden deaths of family members and a harrowing wildfire evacuation during a worldwide pandemic, apocalypses seemed very present in my life. I wrote my debut book From the Cavesduring this time, while attending Portland State University’s MFA program for creative writing, and the books in this list, like my novella, share a specific exploration of the post-apocalyptic, one interested in beginnings and creation at the end of the world.
Megan Hunter’s debut novelis a strange and poetic journey through the apocalypse. The story begins with a young mother giving birth during a cataclysmic flood, and the story recalls flood mythologies and the idea of water as both a source of creation and destruction. In our conversation atPropeller Magazine, Hunter shared other tales that informed The End We Start From and alluded to pregnancy, such as the myth often referred to as The Earth Diver, in which the world grows from a bit of material in primordial waters. The novel’s lyrical prose also gave me permission to experiment in my own writing, to allow language its acrobatics and convey unique experiences of grief and awe.
A startlingly beautiful story of a family's survival, The End We Start From is a haunting but hopeful dystopian vision of a familiar world made dangerous and unstable.
'Engrossing, compelling' - Naomi Alderman, author of The Power 'I was moved, terrified, uplifted - sometimes all three at once' - Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl With a Pearl Earring
Megan Hunter's honed and spare prose paints an imagined future as realistic as it is frightening. Though the country is falling apart around them and its people are forced to become refugees, this family's world - of new life and new hope…
Fer over ten years I skippered a small book publishing company. During them years I inspected countless book proposals, most which got tossed overboard. I kin quickly gauge whether a manuscript be ripe fer publication. I bring that same skill ter reading YA and middle grade fiction. Ter be honest, it be a good deal easier ter judge the work of others than write great ficiton. But since “voice” be the reflection of the author’s soul, it helps ter know that those who be crafting the tales ‘ave thar moral compass aligned ter true north. These four authors be stand up in my book.
Okay, I get it. This book was first published in 1904 and it’s about two people who were… not exactly born but created, like, a gazzilion years ago. Point is, it’s an old story. But it’s funny as all get out! (By the way, “Funny as all get out!” is a really old saying.) I bought a used copy of this book when I was a teen and still pull it out today and read parts of the story. This I often do when trying to understand my wife, boys, etc. Mark Twain’s humorous take on the Creation story and its interaction between Adam and Eve should be required reading for any young male seeking to understand the opposite sex. Here is my advice for teen boys trying to understand the opposite sex.
First, stop trying. Men much smarter than us have attempted to crack the code numerous times and…
The most complete edition of Twain's two stories, it uses Mark Twain's preferred text and includes passages not previously included--and not available in any other version. The editor's afterword tells how Twain came to write the "Diaries," which are recognized today as his most personal works of fiction.
"Funny? Yes. And you expect that from Twain. But this is also a love story... " --Birmingham Weekly, May 1999
"The sort of book that makes for deeply satisfying reading... one of the great love stories of all time." --The Mark Twain Forum, January 1999
My expertise on the origins of our universe comes out of fascination, nothing more. I am a long-time children’s writer who began my approach to this topic with awe. Just awe. In order to write The Stuff of Stars I read widely to expand my own understanding. A single line in this text can come out of hours of reading. The books I’m suggesting here, though, are not the scientific ones that informed my telling. Rather, I have searched out books that are exceptionally creative, accessible, interesting. Some are for the very young and some for those who share their learning with the very young.
This is a picture book with vibrant illustrations that takes on the topic of creation. It does so, however, not from a scientific perspective but from a mythic one. In a cohesive and fascinating narrative, Fleischman weaves together tales from around the world, identifying each to its source. And yet he emerges with a single story, a story that will capture readers of all ages.
In the beginning there was only darkness...There was fire and ice...There was a single drop of milk. Combining elements of the creation story from different traditions, this narrative weaves together one complete picture of how the world began. It is a celebration of the many and varied peoples of the earth, of their commonalities and their differences. It is a celebration of life.
