An impassioned defense of a logical Christianity that meshes with scientific reality.
Spivey (Stories of Faith and Courage from the Korean War, 2013, etc.) blends personal anecdotes, theology and science in this accessible work of Christian apologetics.
Retired Marine Spivey grew up in what he calls an “Old Testament” household: He knew he was expected to do his duty and never question orders. When he entered college, however, he was drawn to mystical poetry and the work of Ayn Rand, and the pressures of boot camp drove him away from chapel. Once he became a family man, he fulfilled his Bible Belt duty by attending church, but didn’t actually become a Christian until age 53. To provide context for his doubter’s journey, Spivey sidetracks into lengthy discussions of science and the Bible, answering some common objections along the way. Cartoons from The New Yorker and extracts from Ambrose Bierce’s The Devil’s Dictionary (1911) keep the tone light. His survey of quantum physics and evolution is well-pitched—in-depth, but unlikely to alienate laypeople: “Many [physicists] concede there may be mysteries beyond their understanding,” he notes. Although he’s willing to admit that the theory of evolution is useful, Spivey proposes it as the method God used to fashion humanity. “There need be no contradictions between the findings of science and the beliefs of the great monotheistic religions of the world,” he declares. Indeed, Christianity, as he presents it, could support science by providing the “why” behind biology’s “what” and “how.” Countering thinkers such as Richard Dawkins, who endorse purely empirical worldviews, Spivey makes a strong case for “amazement.” He acknowledges that classical theological proofs for the existence of God, such as those by St. Anselm of Canterbury and St. Thomas Aquinas, are unlikely to convince skeptics, but makes a case that having a sense of wonder about the natural world might. His overview of the Bible is less helpful, however, and the later chapters seem to lose objectivity; the conclusion, especially, reads like an altar call (“If you are able to put your skeptical nature on hold for now and accept Jesus into your heart for who he claims to be, I urge you to say the following prayer”). Some of the theologizing, particularly about the problem of evil, is unconvincing, but most of the author’s points are grounded in hard science and his own experience.
An impassioned defense of a logical Christianity that meshes with scientific reality.Pub Date: June 30, 2014
ISBN: 978-1494848477
Page Count: 190
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
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