Making Sense of Evolution: Darwin, God, and the Drama of Life

Making Sense of Evolution: Darwin, God, and the Drama of Life

by JohnF.Haught (Author)

Synopsis

Evolution makes good scientific sense. The question is whether it makes good theological sense as well. Christians who find evolution contrary to faith often do so because they focus solely on the issues of the world's design and the notion of the gradual descent of all life from a common ancestry. But that point of view overlooks the significance of the dramatic narrative going on beneath the surface. What evolution is has become more important than what it means. Haught suggests that, rather than necessarily contradicting one another, theologians and Darwinian scientists actually share an appreciation of the underlying meaning and awe-inspiring mystery of evolution. He argues for a focus on evolution as an ongoing drama and suggests that we simply cannot-indeed need not-make complete sense of it until it has fully played out. Ultimately, when situated carefully within a biblical vision of the world as open to a God who makes all things new, evolution makes sense scientifically and theologically.

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 144
Publisher: Westminster/John Knox Press
Published: 01 Mar 2010

ISBN 10: 066423285X
ISBN 13: 9780664232856

Media Reviews

John Haught is not simply one of the best theologians of our time; he. . .is a prophet. Any serious thinker will find in his book a rich banquet of thought, a depth of insight and a God who belongs to evolution.

--Ilia Delio, O.S.F, America, March 15, 2010


Making Sense of Evolution will appeal to anybody with an interest in the roles of science and religion in the modern world. Just as Haught argues that Darwin simultaneously challenges and enriches theology, HaughtA's book challenges and enriches the contemporary discourse between science and religion.

--Kenrick Vezina, ForeWord Reviews, March/April 2010


Ours is an age dominated by 'nothing but' treatments. Religious conservatives and atheist biologists alike engage in a war-to-the-death between evolution and creation. How refreshing, then, to read this brilliant 'both and' synthesis by one of America's leading experts in the field. Authoritative yet immensely readable, this volume offers a powerful vision of a God big enough to encompass the adventure of evolution, contingency, suffering, and randomness. Somehow, one feels, when the dust of battle settles, something like John Haught's rich description of 'infinite and inexhaustible depth' will remain standing. Philip Clayton, Ingraham Professor, Claremont School of Theology and Claremont Graduate University and author of In Quest of Freedom: The Emergence of Spirit in the Natural World.
Author Bio
John F. Haught is Senior Fellow in Science and Religion at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University in Washington, D. C.