Catholicism and Science: (Greenwood Guides to Science and Religion)

When most people think about Catholicism and science, they will automatically think of one of the famous events in the history of science - the condemnation of Galileo by the Roman Catholic Church. But the interaction of Catholics with science has been - and is - far more complex and positive than that depicted in the legend of the Galileo affair. Understanding the natural world has always been a strength of Catholic thought and research - from the great theologians of the Middle Ages to the present day - and science has been a hallmark of Catholic education for centuries. Catholicism and Science, a volume in the Greenwood Guides to Science and Religion series, covers all aspects of the relationship of science and the Church: How Catholics interacted with the profound changes in the physical sciences (natural philosophy) and biological sciences (natural history) during the Scientific Revolution; how Catholic scientists reacted to the theory of evolution and their attempts to make evolution compatible with Catholic theology; and the implications of Roman Catholic doctrinal and moral teachings for neuroscientific research, and for investigation into genetics and cloning. The volume includes primary source documents, a glossary and timeline of important events, and an annotated bibliography of the most useful works for further research

Table of Contents:
Series Foreword Preface Acknowledgments Chronology of Events chapter 1.Introduction to Science in the Catholic Tradition Introduction: "Catholicism" and "Science" The Heritage of the Early Church Natural Knowledge in the Patristic Era Science in the Early Middle Ages: Preserving Fragments The High Middle Ages: The Rediscovery of Aristotle and Scholastic Natural Philosophy Later Scholasticism: Exploring New Avenues Conclusion: From Late Scholasticism into Early Modernity chapter 2.From Cosmos to Unbounded Universe: Physical Sciences from Trent to Vatican I Introduction The Reformations of the Sixteenth Century The Unmaking of the Medieval Cosmos: Copernicus Revises the Heavens The Conservative Origins of a Revolution Humanism and the Foundation of the Lyncean Academy Foundations of the Modern Worldview: Galileo Catholicism and Science in the Aftermath of Galileo Catholicism and the Physical Sciences in the Seventeenth Century The Popes and Science in the Nineteenth Century Catholicism and Physical Science: Three Models of Interaction Conclusion: A Diversity of Approaches in Cosmology and Religion chapter 3.From the Garden of Eden to an Ancient Earth: Catholicism and the Life and Earth Sciences Introduction Natural History before Evolution Enlightenment Awakenings to the History of Earth and Life Cardinal Newman: Science in Catholic Thought at Mid-Century Early Vatican Reactions to Darwinism St. George Jackson Mivart: Evolution in Theistic Perspective Evolution and Religion: Germany and France Enthusiastic Appropriation: The Case of John Augustine Zahm Studied Rejection of Darwinism: Martin S. Brennan A Progressive View from the American Hierarchy: Bishop John L. Spalding Genetics and Mendel the Monk Conclusion: From the Garden of Eden to Mendel's Garden of Peas chapter 4.Catholicism and Science at Mid-Twentieth Century Introduction Catholicism and the Natural Sciences in the 1922–1965 Period Thomism before Vatican II Papacy and Doctrine The Pontifical Academy of Sciences Georges Lemaître Teilhard de Chardin Vatican II and Science John Paul II and Conclusion chapter 5.The Legacy of Vatican II in Cosmology and Biology Introduction Hans Küng William Stoeger and George Coyne Kenneth Miller Michael Behe Jean Ladrière Ernan McMullin John Haught Bernard Lonergan Stanley Jaki Thomas Berry, Edward Oakes, Elizabeth Johnson, and Joseph Bracken Conclusion chapter 6.Catholicism, Neuroscience, and Genetics Introduction: Science and Ethics Bioethics, Personhood, and Life Catholicism, Emergentism, and Brain Science Catholicism, Genetic Science, and Original Sin Conclusion Primary Sources Glossary Bibliography Index

About the Author :
PETER M.J. HESS serves as Faith Project Director with the National Center for Science Education (NCSE), and as adjunct professor at Saint Mary's College, Moraga, California. He is a member of the International Society for Science and Religion, and has worked for both the Metanexus Institute and the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences. His scholarly work focuses on the historical interaction between religion and the sciences. He is on the editorial board of the series. PAUL L. ALLEN is Assistant Professor in Theological Studies at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec.

Review :
Catholicism and Science is an outstanding reference resource. It is authoritative and mostly free from bias. The entries are well written, with enough detail for deeper understanding yet not overwhelming as many works on theology, philosophy, and science can be. The illustrations are appropriate, and each entry has a list of works cited for further research. The index is useful for locating information quickly, and the extensive bibliography provides even more suggestions for further research. It is highly recommended for academic libraries supporting theology, science, and philosophy programs. Larger public libraries might also find it useful.