Divine and contingent order
Book Description
In this profound exploration of faith and science, Thomas Forsyth Torrance invites readers to reconsider how Christian understanding of creation has shaped our entire approach to knowledge and discovery. At the heart of his inquiry lies a compelling question: What does it mean for the universe to be contingent, brought into being freely by divine will rather than existing by necessity?
Torrance demonstrates how the Judeo-Christian vision of a created cosmos, dependent yet possessing its own rational structure, provided the intellectual foundation that made Western empirical science possible. He traces how this revolutionary perspective became obscured during the Newtonian era, when mechanical explanations seemed to eliminate the need for divine creativity in understanding natural order.
Drawing on insights from modern physics, particularly relativity and quantum theory, Torrance reveals how contemporary science has unexpectedly returned to questions of contingency. These developments suggest that the universe's rational consistency points toward a creative intelligence beyond itself, offering fresh dialogue between scientific discovery and theological reflection.
The author thoughtfully addresses the challenging presence of disorder in both physical and moral realms, proposing that understanding both creation and incarnation becomes essential for grappling with these profound intellectual puzzles. This work offers readers a sophisticated framework for integrating scientific wonder with spiritual insight, making it valuable for anyone seeking to understand how faith and reason can illuminate each other in our quest for truth.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Short (< 200 pages) (~4 hours)
📄 Length: 159 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Schepping
- ✓ Explore Création
- ✓ Explore Systematische theologie
- ✓ Explore timeless philosophical wisdom
- ✓ Explore Providence divine
- ✓ Explore Schöpfung
- ✓ Explore Schöpfungslehre
- ✓ Explore Histoire
