The God of Hope and the End of the World

by John C. Polkinghorne

Do we live in a world that makes sense, not just now, but totally and forever? If, as scientists now predict, the universe is going to end in collapse or decay, can it really be a divine creation? Is there a credible hope of a destiny beyond death? In this engaging and intellectually scrupulous book, a leading scientist-theologian draws on ideas from science, scripture, and theology to address these important questions. John Polkinghorne carefully builds a structure of the hope of the life to come that involves both continuity and discontinuity with life in this world―enough continuity so that it is we ourselves who shall live again in that future world and enough discontinuity to ensure that the second story is not just a repetition of the first.

Polkinghorne develops his argument in three sections. In the first, he considers the role of contemporary scientific insights and cultural expectations. In the second, he gives a careful account of the various testimonies of hope to be found in the Bible and assesses the credibility of belief in Jesus’ resurrection. In the final section he critically analyzes and defends the Christian hope of the life of the new creation.

Genres: Theology, Science, Philosophy, Christian, Religion

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

John Charlton Polkinghorne is an English theoretical physicist, theologian, writer and Anglican priest. A prominent and leading voice explaining the relationship between science and religion, he was professor of Mathematical physics at the University of Cambridge from 1968 to 1979, when he resigned his chair to study for the priesthood, becoming an ordained Anglican priest in 1982. He served as the president of Queens' College, Cambridge from 1988 until 1996.

Reviews

[Jonathan Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly straight forward on all of the important categories. The chapters on Quantum Physics were the most interesting and his treatment of Scripture was fine. Solid book, but not as exciting as I was hoping.

[Glenn Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like two protagonists in court, Physics and Christianity swear to tell the truth but then come up with different stories, especially when you ask them about things like Death, the Universe and the End.

Take Death. Was it (as the Bible teaches) a later intrusion into a perfect world; or the necessary driver for stellar and human evolution?

The Universe. Is it marred from an original perfection; or a work-in-progress where suffering is an essential part of its development?

The End. A general resurrection or a long retreating tide?

Polkinghorne's approach, familiar from his other books, is to accept the essential validity of each discipline and use each to inform and cross-fertilise the other.

Like his other work, this is a brief, dense book -- you get the feeling that given half a chance he would abandon words altogether and get back to his mother tongue of partial differential equations.

I found it stimulating and hopeful and for those of us for who treasure both physics and the Christian faith, indispensable.

www.glennmyers.info. My novel, Paradise -- a divine comedy
ParadiseParadiseParadise

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short book dealing with eschatology is nothing short of amazing. This book is a more accessible reading of some of the discussions and ideas that circulated during the Center of Theological Inquiry's Eschatology Project. This was a interdisciplinary group of scholars - scientists, biblical scholars and theologians - whose task was to reconsider, in the light of modern knowledge, the expression of Christian eschatological hope concerning the end of the world and the fulfillment of the divine purpose for creation. John Polkinghorne is himself a theologian and a scientist and this book will appeal to anyone familiar with the writings of Jurgen Moltmann and Miroslov Volf. If you are a theologian who takes the findings of modern science seriously while at the same time holding to the Christian hope of resurrection you will find this book incredibly informative. His chapter on Personhood and the Soul was worth it alone. He begins with scientific and cultural approaches to eschatology, then moves to biblical evidence, and finally ties it all together with theology. Wonderful book!

[Brandon Giella · Rating 2 out of 5]

It started out great, and got worse and worse. For a book on eschatology, I expected more than three paragraphs of indecision on hell. I had no idea who Polkinghorne was before I read, so without any preconceived notions I was expecting a more traditional Christian perspective (biblically, theologically, historically), but it ended up being very modern, both in its theology and in its writing. It's the sort of writing you might expect at the butt end of an Orwellian tirade. While JP is more well-read and smarter than I, and although it had a few good insights on theology and the modern world, I was quite disappointed.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite what I'd hoped for. It was a bit all over the place with a few good passages here and there. Perhaps this was because it was extrapolated from a longer and more academic work? At any rate, it was both a little shallow and too dense at the same time. If I didn't already believe there is indeed a hope beyond death, I don't think this would've sold me.

[Michael Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book that is now an important one for me and my theology of end times (eschatology). He has a chapter on the resurrection that added a new and important dynamic to my faith. He gives me the passion for a life "post-mortem" that I will begin to incorporate into my preaching, teaching, pastoral care and conversations. Couldn't be more pleased with having read this book. It is already valuable to me.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful and intriguing look at eschatology through the eyes of a scientist-theologian.

[Jonathan Frazier]

236