Modern Physics and Ancient Faith

by Stephen M. Barr

A considerable amount of public debate and media print has been devoted to the “war between science and religion.” In his accessible and eminently readable new book, Stephen M. Barr demonstrates that what is really at war with religion is not science itself, but a philosophy called scientific materialism. Modern Physics and Ancient Faith argues that the great discoveries of modern physics are more compatible with the central teachings of Christianity and Judaism about God, the cosmos, and the human soul than with the atheistic viewpoint of scientific materialism. Scientific materialism grew out of scientific discoveries made from the time of Copernicus up to the beginning of the twentieth century. These discoveries led many thoughtful people to the conclusion that the universe has no cause or purpose, that the human race is an accidental by-product of blind material forces, and that the ultimate reality is matter itself. Barr contends that the revolutionary discoveries of the twentieth century run counter to this line of thought. He uses five of these discoveries―the Big Bang theory, unified field theories, anthropic coincidences, Gödel’s Theorem in mathematics, and quantum theory―to cast serious doubt on the materialist’s view of the world and to give greater credence to Judeo-Christian claims about God and the universe. Written in clear language, Barr’s rigorous and fair text explains modern physics to general readers without oversimplification. Using the insights of modern physics, he reveals that modern scientific discoveries and religious faith are deeply consonant. Anyone with an interest in science and religion will find Modern Physics and Ancient Faith invaluable.

Genres: Science, Religion, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Physics, Christianity, Theology

312 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Stephen M. Barr is a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Delaware. His physics research interests include theoretical particle physics. His particular areas of expertise are grand unified theories, theories of CP violation, theories of neutrino masses and mixing, and particle cosmology, especially theories of baryogenesis and dark matter.

He was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 2011 "for original contributions to grand unified theories, CP violation, and baryogenesis".

Dr. Barr has also written and lectured extensively on the relation of science and religion. He is a believing and practicing Catholic, and was elected to the Academy of Catholic Theology in 2010. He is a member of the editorial Advisory Council of First Things magazine.

Reviews

[Seth Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily one of the most thought-provoking, intellectually satisfying, and comprehensively mind-blowing books I have ever read. I hope I don't completely overstate how awesome this book is, but if you have any inkling of interest in science and/or apologetics, this book is for you five times over.

One of my favorite features of the book is how Barr approaches the arguments on both sides with openness and rationality, examining critically arguments for and against. Multiple times through the book, he recognizes that the field of physics is changing, and as such, some of his arguments might need to be changed or rearranged. Nonetheless, beneath the arguments is a man who solidly believes through substantial credibility that there is more to this world than mere material. Something has to exist beyond just the physical, and Barr exposes that truth in a more-than-convincing and winsome manner.

Read this book for your mental edification and spiritual sanctification.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main argument in this book is that sciences and their discoveries do not prove the materialist worldview. Additionally, it makes the point that the sciences during the last hundred years - in particular cosmology, quantum physics, and mathematical logic – surprised everyone with their assumptions and conclusions. In other words, the theistic worldview was not disproved by science and moreover it seems to bounce back lately. The book is nice in giving an overview of the modern sciences and in pointing out some of their hidden/unknown assumptions and unexpected conclusions. The problem is that it takes sciences (in particular physics) along with their ontology and methods way too seriously and as fundamental - for example, the real from the dualist worldview understood as self-sufficient substance is postulated as completely rational, logical, and mathematical.

[Samantha B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting this book to be much harder to read than it was! It explains everything so well that I think that even someone who doesn't have a dad who's very interested in computer science and physics could understand. 😂

It went over several age-old arguments about faith & science (the beginning, argument from design, anthropic coincidences, and are humans different from computers (which was divided into two parts, intellect and free will)) looking at the old positions in philosophy, the old positions in science, and then (and this is the best part) the new positions in physics and modern philosophy.

There were SO many interesting insights, especially about the Big Bang and how that really brought back the Catholic view on creation, human intellect, the design of the universe and its universal laws (apparently some of the search for the universal law of physics involves just following the beauty, and if that's not a Catholic idea, I don't know what is), and ESPECIALLY how quantum physics absolutely took down determinism.

The assessment of materialism as self-contradictory/circular was really good as well, AND he touched on the Suicide of Thought, apropos of consciousness. In fact, several parts of the book either quoted Chesterton or were informed by him, which made me happy. :)

4 stars!

[Todd Decker · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the things that impressed me about Barr’s argument is that he is very accommodating and open to interpretations of scientific theories that many regular Christians might resist, even as he is also open to questioning them, which many scientists might resist. He’s not dogmatic in either direction. In many instances he takes the approach, “Most scientists believe ‘x’ and they may be right. But here some reasons to interpret the evidence another way. And even if ‘x’ is the case it’s still consistent with theism.” [very loose paraphrase] For example, he assumes for the sake of argument that natural selection can explain all of evolution. He notes some challenges to this assumption but nevertheless proceeds with it and argues for its consistency with theism. Barr obviously knows his physics (he is a physicist). He’s also a sophisticated philosopher and theologian. For example, his theology is very consistent with the early Church Fathers, Platonist, and Aristotelian theologians from Church history. The book is also a fascinating overview of modern physics from an expert in the field.

[K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a science person, and this book is a few years old now, so take this for what it's worth. This is a fantastic and lucidly written introduction to some of the questions modern physics raises about God, the universe, and the mind. Primarily a challenge to materialism as opposed to a robust defense of theism, the book introduces the reader to the basic developments in physics in the twentieth century and argues that, far from vindicating philosophically materialist conclusions, those developments seriously undermine it. The intelligent general reader will be able to follow his arguments with relative ease and gain much profit. Highly recommended.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfectly serviceable in terms of anthropic coincidences and creation of the universe. But it really shines in its discussion of the problems that materialism has in dealing with the mind. Not just that materialism can not possibly account for the universal human experience of free will and meaningful thought, but that materialism is in fact incompatible with current math and science. Interesting stuff.

[Paul H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be required reading for every materialist. Wholly convincing and ridiculously impressive.

[Edgar Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did you know that you and I are made of stardust? One of the fascinating things I discovered in this book is where all the elements come from. Supernovas (after the Big Bang) spew out the elements that make stars, planets, plants, and people. So quite literally, we are dust.
This book was an incredible read! I think science has only proven that there is a Creator, an Architect, a Designer etc. The precision with which the universe is made is so finely tuned that if the tiniest change were to happen in the laws of physics, the universe would cease to exist. I’m talking 10 to the negative 120th power change (Cosmological Constant).
There was so much to learn in this book, and I found most of it quiet fascinating. Especially learning about the symmetry, balance, and beauty of the universe we live in. This book builds on itself though, and the more you read the more difficult it is to understand. I still recommend this book, because I believe it can help us grow in our understanding of God.
“Christianity and science are opposed... but only in the same sense as that which my thumb and forefinger are opposed - and between them, I can grasp everything.” -Sir William Bragg, Nobel Prize for Physics (1915)

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ignore the silly biologists like Richard Dawkins, whose area of study is narrow enough that they don't have to ask questions like "why does the universe exist?" The people to speak to are the physicists, who must confront questions about the origins of space and time and how they came to be what they are. As Barr shows, such questions lead steadily and surely to one conclusion: there is a God, and it is rational to believe in Him.

[Chris Callaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good survey of findings from science (mostly physics) and their relevance to a religious (mostly Christian) worldview. Barr does pretty well handling ideas/arguments from philosophy and is adept at explaining difficult concepts from the natural sciences. That's not to say it's an easy read, though!

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is simply brilliant.. Not too difficult - not too easy to read. Stephen is a great physicist! I'm from Poland and unfortunately the entire printout was sold out.. but I bought this book for 3 x the usual price and I just want to say.. it was worth it!

[David Bruyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detailed and fairly technical discussion of discoveries in cosmology, physics and quantum theory that point to theism and the Genesis account.

[Luke Paulsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plenty of ink has been spilled on the relationship between science and religion; no one really needed an additional book arguing, or denying, that religion is in conflict with science. What I most liked about Stephen Barr's contribution is that it doesn't read like such a book. If anything, Barr-- a Catholic who's a leading cosmologist and theoretical physicist-- seems concerned to defend science from the charge of conflicting with religion.

At the outset, Barr states his thesis lucidly. He notes that the "science-religion debate" is not really based on concrete factual disagreements so much as a *narrative*: the materialist story of scientific progress generally tending toward a mechanistic, meaningless universe with no room for the spiritual or the supernatural and no particular concern for humanity. In the early twentieth century, Barr says, this story looked plausible; but he intends to show that scientific developments in the past hundred years have actually made it much less plausible.

This is a bold claim, and Barr has plenty of material to back it up. Coming from his scientific background, he looks at Big Bang cosmology; the notion of information in theoretical physics; the problem of how to interpret quantum mechanics; and the philosophical implications of Godel's Incompleteness Theorem. In each case, he identifies plausible lines of argument that suggest inconsistencies in the materialist picture of how the universe works. As Barr himself is careful to note, the arguments aren't universally accepted-- I've read detailed counterarguments to some of the points myself. But his goal is not to disprove anything scientifically. Rather, it's to show that the materialist story is a misrepresentation of the scientific evidence. There are crucial elements in our understanding of physics that point away from a purely mechanistic universe rather than towards it; the story only derives its materialist conclusion by making materialist assumptions.

Barr can write with philosophical and theological sophistication when he needs to-- albeit a tiny bit woodenly-- but what's really refreshing about Modern Physics and Ancient Faith is his scientific precision. He is careful to say what he means and not press his claims too far. Of course, the book is for general readership, but where technical points are needed to keep the scientific side of the argument rigorous, Barr will add them in a paragraph-long parenthetical aside. He clearly knows his material, and his measured scientific approach makes this a great addition to the "science and religion" literature. This is a book that rewards careful reading, and I highly recommend it.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally sat down to finish this. Too good a book to be treated in this fashion! Stephen Barr has, for my money, a lot of GK Chesterton's ability to look at the implicit assumptions of modern thought and point out its inconsistencies. He just does it with contemporary physics instead of theology, politics, and literature.

Whatever you feel about his conclusions, if you read this you will get a tour of the philosophical issues at play in many different subfields of modern physics--particle physics and cosmology, of course, most prominently. He hits Godel's theorem with the most detailed treatment I personally happen to have read yet, although as a percentage of the entire book it's not that lengthy. Barr meanwhile was either unaware of or dismissed as not even worth mentioning some of the lines of argument brought forward by Spitzer in _New Proofs for the Existence of God_ about the mathematical impossibility of an infinite backward sequence of events in time; Barr seems content with Aquinas' position that although such a limitless sequence of causes in time could exist, there is another kind of causality to which time is irrelevant that cannot be limitless.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very deep and thorough introduction to the competing world views - Theistic vs science debate. Seems a great book to recommend to your scientific/ agnostic friends to get them to open their minds to the possibility of a creator.

[Jaime K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, this book is older so some of the science content is likely outdated, but Barr presents some great facts as to how and why dogma/religion aren't hostile to science, nor are they anti-rational. He briefly discusses the math and science (delving a little more into each in Appendix C and B respectively), but this book was written to be read by ANYONE interested in the intersection of science and faith.

I'm a mathematics teacher and found the physics information to be more understandable than, say, Gödel's set theory information.

My review is a mixture of how I felt about certain parts as well as my own thoughts.

- I either didn't know of or forgot that Mendel was a monk and Cavalieri a priest.
- I love the comparisons between scientists and religious believers.
- It's very interesting that pure materialists consider consiousness to be a byproduct of physicl processes in the brain.

Further discoveries and thinking/asking beyond what we can see and measure bring on more questions and more contractions to 'facts.'
This includes how physics shows the beauty of mathematics and natural laws.

The main sections are:
- Big Bang
- Universe by Design (and how physics strengthens this)
- Anthropic Principle
- Man is Greater than Machine
- Quantum Theory

- I don't know if I knew Augustine said there was no time before it could be measured. Interesting.
- The history of discovery and law of Thermodynamics show everything has a beginning, and nothing is eternal...so why not the universe?
- God as the lawmaker of the cosmos is in the Torah and other parts of the Bible--and religion sparked the search for such laws.
- Even things we take for granted require explanations.
- The order and symmetry in nature really is beautiful. They are seen in art and music as well, and drive the forces of life.

In 'Anthropic Coincidences,' I like how Barr says that a person who isn't reading the book for physics can skip some of the examples.

- Classical vs. quantum physics is fun to read.
- The idea of infinity and how it is reacted to in physics is fun to read.
- Appendix B is fun to read.
OK I had a lot of fun with the science stuff, especially because it DOES open up the doors to SO MUCH MORE than the physical!

- 'Why is the Universe So Big?' links physics, religion, chemistry, philosophy...basically all the hard and soft sciences together in one neat package.
- The Lucas-Penrose argument threw me off.
- The link between quantum physics and the mind is fascinating.

[Mark Garbowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a re-read for me. It's a fascinating book. The author is a professor emeritus of physics at Delaware University. The premise of the book is that religion and science are not only compatible, but that most developments in physics over the last century or so tend to favor a concept of a creator, at least as much as they favor a fully materialist interpretation of the universe. He by no means claims to prove anything. Much of the book, especially the second half, delves into fundamental concepts of quantum physics. This is not simplistic argument, and he does a good job of explaining the concepts for a lay reader willing to put some thought into the reading. I think anyone interested would find it interesting regardless of their point of view, and if nothing else it functions as a solid explainer for
I will warn those who favor the materialist/atheist viewpoint that I believe there are a handful, maybe 2-3, instances early on where his description of the materialist viewpoint might seem that he is setting up straw men to knock down. This is unfortunate as I believe he tries quite hard overall to be fair to those he disagrees with, but early on as he lays the groundwork for lay people to understand I think he uses some unfortunate phrasing, and I would not be surprised if he puts some people off. Later in the book he avoids this. I remember one section where he presents a series of points in favor of a theistic interpretation, followed by the strongest counterpoints. When I finished that section it seemed the counter arguments were much stronger, because he did such a reasonable job presenting them. Of course he went on to respond to them, and made his own points in a way that I believe leaves readers with enough information to reach their own conclusions.
Finally, I think it worth pointing out that this is not a culture war book about evolution or intelligent design. It barely touches on life on earth in any specific way. The subject is the very nature and existence of the universe and fundamental laws of light, particles, gravity, wave functions, and the nature of conscious thought.

[Tim Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Modern Physics and Ancient Faith, Dr. Stephen Barr, a particle physicist at the University of Delaware, sets out to survey the landscape of recent scientific discovery & understanding and its relationship to Theism.

The book as a whole serves as a very effective counterpoint to the generalised zeitgeist in the West that scientific progress has and will continue to erode the precepts of religious faith & practice.

Barr carefully distinguishes between Science (the furtherance of knowledge regarding the observable universe) and Scientific Materialism (the modern philosophy that everything in the universe exists solely due to chance in accordance with physical laws). He effectively argues that Science and Scientific Materialism are not equivalent.

Throughout the book, he walks the reader through creation vis-a-vis the Big Bang, the design of the physical universe, neuroscience & computer science, and the nature of man. Throughout each, he makes the case that the advances of science in these fields have not, as most scientific materialists claim, advanced the atheistic conception of the universe, but in many cases have done the opposite.

Whereas in the beginning of the book, he spends more time deconstructing the Scientific Materialist viewpoint, he pivots and devotes more material in later parts exploring the relationship between God (or a Higher Power in general) and the body of scientific knowledge.

The book is incredibly well written, dense with technical scientific & mathematical discussion, and a powerful case in favor of a theistic conception of the universe.

[Larkin H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Difficult but enjoyable. The chapters are short which makes reading it over many sessions quite manageable despite the heavy topic.

I don’t think Barr “won” the argument in favor of God’s existence (and I am not sure he set out to do that anyway…). Rather he does a great job explaining why the materialist argument against God is not sufficient to be considered unquestionably true. He does attempt to support his theistic belief but the main thread of the book is proving atheists (at least the ones that use science to explain their stance) wrong.

Many of the specific examples from particle physics, M-theory, etc. that he discusses are going to be over the head of nearly every reader, yet I would not say this book is inaccessible. We live in an incredibly complex universe and Barr does his best to help the reader along.

[Tomás · Rating 5 out of 5]

Se nota mucho la veta de docente que tiene Barr. Estoy impresionado de cómo puede explicar temas tan complejos, en un abanico de diferentes dificultades.
Desde una explicación básica, fácil y amena de leer, hasta una de gran complejidad para los más expertos.

Sin esta característica, hubiera sido imposible de leer.

Por otra parte, el libro cubre un montón de temas, dando un panorama completo sobre las consecuencias filosóficas de los últimos 100 años de la física.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book and learned a lot from it. I particularly like the author's knack for explaining high level science and theology with clear, practical analogies. Apparently there is a more recent edition with a preface discussing some minor updates based on recent science. This book is well worth a read. I had the opportunity to meet the author earlier this month and was inspired by how humble and kind he is.

[Matt "The Bibliognost" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely the most interesting, and maybe the best book on apologetics I’ve read… And it doesn’t even use a verse of scripture.

It just uses God‘s creation, which Paul says speaks loudly to His existence!

God is definitely a God of order, which comes through on every page of this book. I cannot fathom how anyone could assume all of creation occurred merely due to chance.

[Manuel Calero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found it to be one of the best books to explain complex theories very effectively. Read it for this reason alone. As for its core hypothesis, it’ll require quite a few leaps of faith. But then again, I can’t imagine any book on the subject not requiring such.

[Griffin Emanuels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dense and takes awhile to get through given it’s only 290 pages, but boy this book is so informative.

Well worth a read if you’re interested in science and especially physics’ compatibility with and relation to theology and cosmology.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this shortly after reading The Big Picture by Sean Carroll, which gives a pretty good description of a naturalist/materialist view of reality. I was hoping for some form of rebuttal of some of the arguments made in Carroll's book, and I was pleasantly surprised at the thoroughness with which Barr deals with the really crucial issues.
The aim of the book is not to prove the Christian cosmology, but merely to refute the idea that scientific materialism is the inevitable world view to be adopted in the wake of centuries of scientific discovery, and in this it succeeds.
Barr gives a comprehensive rundown of the case for the Argument from Design, before grasping the nettle of Anthropic Coincidences, which are often considered controversial. His approach is reasonably well-balanced, presenting the arguments for and against these anthropic arguments in a Thomistic fashion.
The final section of the book deals with free will, exploring the possible non-physicality of the mind and intellect. Barr gives a great explanation of Gödel's Theorem, with more detail given in an Appendix, before summarizing the philosophical implications of various interpretations of quantum theory.
Overall, this book makes a very strong case that there are alternatives to the materialist viewpoint. I hope it will be updated as needed with advances in neuroscience, theoretical physics and cosmology; it is too good a book to risk becoming obsolete. I would definitely recommend this book to any physicist interested in philosophy.

[Anthony Cleveland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Convincing evidence that science and faith can be partners in the search for truth about the universe.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting! Started to drag in the final section.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alo over my head but interesting and convincing arguments.

[Laura Lauzen-Collins]

Audiobook. Narrator: Mark D. Mickelson.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does an excellent job introducing the materialism vs. true science debate as well as relating the discoveries of modern physics to philosophy and theology.

Dr. Barr's books fills a great need in informing the public and scientists alike that true science and theology are indeed symbiotic, not antibiotic. And Dr. Barr does so in an enlightening, Penrose-like style.

Readers of this book would also enjoy Dr. Anthony Rizzi's The The Science Before Science: A Guide to Thinking in the 21st Century and Fr. William A. Wallace's The Modeling of Nature: Philosophy of Science and Philosophy of Nature in Synthesis .

Dr. Barr also gave an excellent talk at the Science and Faith Conference at Franciscan University of Steubenville early December 2011. He reminds me of a theist version of Feynman. Watch it here.