The Trinity and an Entangled World: Relationality in Physical Science and Theology

by John C. Polkinghorne

Twentieth-century science discovered that the physical world is deeply relational. In fact, the phenomenon of quantum entanglement implies that even the subatomic world cannot simply be treated atomistically. With that in mind, thirteen distinguished scholars from physics and theology here explore the role of relationality in both science and religion.

Besides containing expert accounts ― both scientific and theological ― this volume provides careful assessment of the significance that these insights have for the interdisciplinary discussion of a consonant relationship between science and religion ― a topic of considerable importance. The Trinity and an Entangled World offers a uniquely authoritative and illuminating discussion and will prove to be an important contribution to the literature concerned with science and religion.

Genres: Theology, Science

227 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2010

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

[Ray Wilkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this book a higher rating but some of the essays required a knowledge of the language of Physics. Overall it is a good contribution to the ongoing Trinitarian discussion.

[John Lussier · Rating 2 out of 5]

Polkinghorne brings together a number of notable theologians and scientist-theologians to discuss the relational nature of the world and God. Some of the essays seem like they were written for another format, and do not address both subjects of the book, but instead only one. Due to the subject of this work the uninitiated reader might do better to pick up an in-depth book from one of the authors.

[Eric Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some really stand-out essays in here. But then there are some really poor ones (although smart within their respective fields). The essays by Lewis Ayres and Sarah Coakley are worth the price of admission, though, as they say.