Can Science Be Faith-Promoting

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 320 pages
• Published by: Freethinker Pr January 1, 2001
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0963473239
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0963473233
• Book Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Weighs: 1.2 pounds

Product Description
In this thought-provoking book a scientifically trained mind grapples with the conflict between science and religion. To the question "Can Science Be Faith-Promoting? Dr. Talmage answers with a resounding "Yes" that scientific inquiry does not preclude religious faith. He makes an impressive contribution to the science-religion debate, frankly discussing such questions as: Are We Afraid to Think? What Is Science? What Is Faith-Promoting? What Is Creation? What Is Natural? What Is Supernatural? What Is Open-Mindedness? What Is Unscriptural? What Is a Fundamentalist? What Is an Evolutionist? What Must We Believe? What Says Paleontology? What Is the Age of the Earth? What Is the Principle of Evolution? What Is the Relationship of Apes and Man? What about Adam and Pre-Adamites? and many other current questions. Also included is his revealing correspondence with President Heber J. Grant, Apostle Joseph Fielding Smith, Apostle James E. Talmage (his father), and Apostle John A. Widtsoe. True religion encompasses all truth, both theological and scientific.

About The Author
Sterling Booth Talmage (1889-1956), the oldest son of James E. Talmage and Merry May Booth, was born in Salt Lake City on 21 May 1889. He graduated with a B.S. in mining engineering from the University of Utah in 1909. Upon graduation, Talmage worked for several years at the Deseret Museum. Talmage earned his M.S. in geology and chemistry from Lehigh University at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1923, and two years later received his Ph.D. in economic geology from Harvard University. He taught geology at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and later became professor of geology and mineralogy at the New Mexico School of Mines in Socorro, New Mexico.

Reader Reviews
Written in the 1930's, but published (finally!) in 2001, this book contains the thoughts and reasoning of Sterling Talmage. Sterling, the son of well-known LDS author and apostle James Talmage, was a geologist, and knowledgeable about both science and LDS doctine. The book was originally written as a Sunday School manual (though never published as such), and the short, compartmentalized chapters make for easy reading. Topics addressed include: the age of the earth, evolution, the origins of man, and others. One particularly valuable feature of the book is its appendix (almost seventy pages), which contains correspondence between Sterling, his father, and Joseph Fielding Smith (who held an opposing view of science within the church, often insisting on a literal interpretation of all passages of scripture, even when well-established contradictory scientific data existed). The introduction (~60 pages) contains great essays discussing the history of the church's dealings with science since Sterling's time. Overall, Talmage's main thesis is that science and religion can (and indeed, must) be reconciled, since truth, whatever its origin (the scientific method or revelation), cannot contradict truth. In his opinion, we should all be open-minded to both sources of truth. Anyway, an excellent book for anyone interested in the possibility of including science and LDS doctrine into one worldview.