About the Book
From the host of the popular podcasts, The Liturgists Podcast and Ask Science Mike, a story of having faith, losing it, and finding it again through science--revealing how the latest in neuroscience, physics, and biology help us understand God, faith, and ourselves. Forty-four percent of Americans will go through a major faith transition in their lives. And now, with church attendance on the decline and increasing cultural independence from Christian social norms, this trend has reached a tipping point: the fastest growing religion in America is "none."
Mike McHargue understands the pain of unraveling belief. In Finding God in the Waves, Mike tells the story of how his Evangelical faith dissolved into atheism as he studied the Bible, a crisis that threatened his identity, his friendships, and even his marriage. Years later, Mike was standing on the shores of the Pacific Ocean when a bewildering, seemingly mystical moment motivated him to take another look. But this time, it wasn't theology or scripture that led him back to God--it was science.
Full of insights about the universe, as well as deeply personal reflections on our desire for certainty and meaning, Finding God in the Waves is a vital exploration of the possibility for knowing God in an age of reason, and a signpost for where the practice of faith is headed in a secular age. Among other revelations, we learn what brain scans reveal about what happens when we pray; how fundamentalism affects the psyche; and how God is revealed not only in scripture, but in the night sky, in subatomic particles, and in us.
About the Author :
Mike McHargue, also known as "Science Mike," is a Christian turned atheist turned follower of Jesus who uses his story to help people know God in an age of science. Mike is the host and co-host of two podcasts--Ask Science Mike and The Liturgists Podcast--that have attracted a curious following among Christians, the spiritually interested, and the religiously unaffiliated. He is an in-demand speaker at conferences and churches around the country, and he writes for the Storyline Blog, Sojourners, and Relevant magazine.
Review :
"Through the lens of neuroscience, McHargue makes his case for valuing religion not for its factual explanatory power but rather for its ability to give meaning to human existence . . . For those who fear science will rob them of both God and Christian community, this work may offer much-needed hope that Christianity and science can coexist."
--Publishers Weekly
"Mike McHargue tells you about the science of everything in a way that is both interesting and immediately applicable. In Finding God in the Waves, he employs this gift on a whole new scale by explaining the science of how to walk with God-especially for those who doubt God is real at all."
--Donald Miller, bestselling author of Scary Close and Blue Like Jazz
"One of the most original and moving accounts of faith I have read in recent years. Anyone who has tussled with doubt--and who hasn't?--should read this book."
--Tanya Luhrmann, professor of anthropology, Stanford University, author of When God Talks Back
"More than your typical 'science vs. faith' book, Finding God in the Waves is a deeply engrossing story about the experience of doubt, the thrill of discovery, and what it means to be human. Mike is the rare storyteller who can make you laugh, tear up, and feel a sense of wonder, all on the same page--and in this delightful book, he has delivered an essential, unprecedented read on the role contemplation plays in how we can know God, even in an age of skepticism."
--Richard Rohr, author of Falling Upward, founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation
"Extraordinary. It's so rare to find a book that is both this important and this much fun to read. Funny, intelligent, and disarmingly honest, Finding God in the Waves gives voice to a generation of faithful skeptics and masterfully navigates the tricky terrain of faith, science, belief, and experience in a way that honors the humanity of atheist and believer alike. It's the kind of book that forever changes how you see the world and yet reads like a comfortable conversation with an old friend. With this work, Mike McHargue has established himself as one of the most thoughtful and necessary Christian voices of our time."
--Rachel Held Evans, author of Searching for Sunday and A Year of Biblical Womanhood
"No one merges science and faith, mystery and reason better than Science Mike. It's magical. They should call him Magic Mike, if that's not already taken. Read this book!"
--Pete Holmes, comedian, star of the HBO comedy Crashing
"Mike McHargue's life has straddled two diametrically opposed worldviews: conservative Christianity and secular humanism. His fearless search for the truth led him out of the strict confines of his Southern Baptist upbringing, but his persistent experience of God wouldn't let him remain an atheist. In Finding God in the Waves, McHargue offers a vulnerable, relentlessly logical account of the deconstruction and reconstruction of his faith that's sure to challenge skeptics and believers alike. His story will resonate with anyone who's ever doubted, been the odd one out, or struggled to make sense of their faith. And by giving readers this intimate window into his own journey, he will both help doubters grow in their respect for faith and help believers grow in their respect for science."
--Matthew Vines, author of God and the Gay Christian, executive director of The Reformation Project
"This fascinating book is unlike any other I've read. Finding God in the Waves is one part story, one part science, one part theology, and taken altogether it sings of truth and wonder. Rather than placing facts and meaning at odds, Mike invites us into the freedom of both."
--Sarah Bessey, author of Out of Sorts: Making Peace with an Evolving Faith and Jesus Feminist "Faith and doubt exist more closely than many of us acknowledge. We want to relate to a God we can neither touch nor completely understand. In Finding God in the Waves, it feels as if Mike is sitting at a table inviting the reader to bring questions and fears to a conversation about how our doubts can actually bring us closer to God and not further apart. This book is for the believers and the doubters, the nerds and the creatives, the skeptics and the faithful. The message of hope and beauty in this book is for all of us."
--Amena Brown, spoken word poet and author of Breaking Old Rhythms: Answering the Call of a Creative God
"This is the best book on navigating the tension between science and faith that I've ever come across. For any who desire to have some sort of faith or spiritual practice, but who also love science and don't know how to navigate the apparent conflicting claims of both, Finding God in the Waves may be one of the most important books that they will ever read."
--Michael Gungor, musician, author of The Crowd, The Critic, and the Muse
"This is the most honest, challenging, and insightful book on reclaiming a lost faith that I've ever read--utterly unique and unexpected. I had one ah ha moment after another as Science Mike cast my faith--and my doubts--in a more hopeful and encouraging light. I couldn't put it down."
--Peter Enns, author of The Sin of Certainty: Why God Desires Our Trust More than Our "Correct" Beliefs
"A rare and needed voice, McHargue reminds us that science and faith are not opposites, but allies. Brimming with honesty, vulnerability and a deep appreciation for the mysteries of the universe we inhabit, Finding God in the Waves will mean so much to so many."
--Ryan O'Neal, Sleeping At Last
