John Polkinghorne has written a book that will surprise and challenge many of its readers. In a neatly written and cogently argued case, he shows that there are many more similarities than one might have suspected between the goals and methods of the quantum physicist and those of the Christian theologian. He writes as an expert in both disciplines and his text is free of wild overstatement and contrived polemic. This is a book that charms and inspires and conveys a sense of authentic wonder at the astonishing creation of which we are a part.

This is an excellent resource illustrating how science and Christianity are NOT mutually exlusive. Polkinghorne is a physicist and a "hard science" person as opposed to Diarmuid O'Murchu (Quantum Theology) who is a "soft science" person.

Polkinghorne draws solid and substantiated paralells in the methods used by science and Christianity in their search for truth. This is much needed in our present culture where the constructed DUALISTIC split between science and religion prevails; that is, our culture tends to choose sides, EITHER science OR religion. Polkinghorne aptly illustrates that one can be both a scientist and a Priest as he is, or believe in science and religion.

The only complaint I have is that at times Polkinhorne's tone is a bit uppity bordering on condescending. What I refer to here is illustrated in the preface when he explains why he did not title his book "Quantum Theology." He slams it as "quantum hype" and says it is really just indulgence in "paradox." I moved easily past this dig, which I perceived to be against O'Murchu, Social Psychologist and author of QUANTUM THEOLOGY, because Polkinghorne is a "hard scientist."

That Polkinghorne is a "hard scientist" makes his work very methodical easy to follow, and the Christianity Science parallels unmistakable, even for the novice. That Polkinghorne is a priest probably lends to his openess to postmodern thought, that he is a physicist keeps him from "throwing the baby (scientific method) out with the bath water (some of the deification of science ineherent in much of modernity/enlightenment). I have never read a more clear and easy to follow book. This book is well worth the read and hopefully can lead to an even wider opening for the meeting of science and religion.

John Polkinhorne concedes that the existance of extra (space/time) dimensions is, as yet, unproven; what happens to our conciousness is also unproven in theology. He, nevertheless, offers sound logic that there must be a dynamic to perform transistion from this existance to the future. Since energy can neither be created nor destroyed it occurs that "super string" or no, some such dimensions are more than probable.

Joseph Taylor

The book is easy to read even though the complexity of the theme it works. Polkinhorne explores the connections between science and religion, making his point clear and easy to understand.