Questions and Topics We Can Help You To Answer:
Paper Instructions:

Your books “Science and Religion” by Alister McGrath and "Religion and Science" by Ian G. Barbour are excellent volumes for dealing with the conflicts between faith and science that inevitably arise when trying to reconcile the Biblical descriptions of God (his interaction with humankind and the natural world) and science (discoveries of natural processes and causations that seemingly operate on their own without "Divine intervention"). While McGrath offers a comprehensive introduction to the issues needing treatment in this subject, Barbour proposes a philosophical/theological model for reconciling these which is an important part of the spectrum of thought attempting to reach such solutions. Below, I'll ask you to summarize various portions of these books IN YOUR OWN WORDS (no quotations or citations). By Thursday evening all of these must be in Turnitin. Altogether, 6-7 pages is reasonable for these summaries of the material you will describe.
Essay questions:
1. Select one of the “Contemporary Debates” from Part III in McGrath. Describe the issue, the relevant characters and the direction of the debate. Be specific. Give details.
2. Select one of the “Case Studies in Science and Religion” from McGrath and describe it in your own words. What was the individual’s background, and how did they reach their present philosophy? Summarize the chapter and offer an analysis as to what makes their example so important. Be specific with details about their life and research.
3. In chapter 7, Barbour dealt with many of the scientific advances of the 20th century, and their implications in the religion/science discourse. He offers three major sections in organizing these advances: Quantum theory, relativity, order and complexity. Summarize these and the three metaphysical implications he details later in the chapter (6 paragraphs in all, approximately 4-5 sentences each, around 2 pages double spaced).
4. In chapter 9, Barbour discusses the ongoing conflict between evolution and view of creation. In the section of "theological implications," (as like above) summarize the four sub-groups of this section. This is approximately 2 pages double-spaced. Include the major points and terms, but summarize IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
5. From chapter 12, summarize the "models" of God Barbour describes (short paragraphs, 4-5 sentences), explain why Barbour prefers the model that he does, then offer a brief explanation why you agree or disagree with his conclusion.