Renewing the Process of Creation: A Jewish Integration of Science and Spirit

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Creation in Process Part I. The Sciences of Creation 1. Science and Creation: What Are We Seeking? 2. Cosmology and Physics: A Dynamic, Emerging Universe 3. Biology and Evolution: Everyone's Family! 4. Emergence, Fine-Tuning, and the Anthropic Principle: An Unlikely World That Fits Us Perfectly! 5. A Copernican Proposal: Natural Events and Their Emergent Patterns Part II. Creation Theology in the Light of Science 6. Dynamic Universe: Self-Determining at Every Level 7. Freedom and Agency—Creatures’ and Creator’s: Everything Participates in Choosing the Future 8. To Life! A Cosmic Dayenu Part III. Creation in Space and Time 9. Vibrating over the Face of the Deep: Continuous Creation and Jewish Faithfulness 10. Marking Time: The Jewish Calendar as a Prism on Creation Part IV. Creation Ethics 11. Life as Good, Earth as Home 12. The Path of Stewardship: Humanity’s Relationship toward the Earth 13. Beyond Stewardship: A Partnership Celebrating Biodiversity 14. Creation and Death: Joining the Cycle of Life Part V. Locating Ourselves: Israel and the World 15. Territory without Map: The Sanctity of Soil 16. The Earth Is the Holy One’s: Blessings for Food 17. Responsibility for Our "Place": The Earth Is in Our Hands Conclusion: Clay in the Potter’s Hands—Telling the Creation Story from the Inside Acknowledgments Notes Suggestions for Further Reading

About the Author :
Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, DHL, (www.bradartson.com) an inspiring speaker and educator, holds the Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean's Chair of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is vice president of American Jewish University in Los Angeles. He is a member of the philosophy department, supervises the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program and mentors Camp Ramah in California. He is also dean of Zacharias Frankel College in Potsdam, Germany, ordaining rabbis for the European Union. A regular columnist for the Huffington Post, he is author of many articles and books, including Renewing the Process of Creation: A Jewish Integration of Science and Spirit; God of Becoming and Relationship: The Dynamic Nature of Process Theology and Passing Life’s Tests: Spiritual Reflections on the Trial of Abraham, the Binding of Isaac (all Jewish Lights).

Review :
"A festival of a book.... Addictively and accessibly readable, adventurously faithful to the scientific and to the biblical heritage, [it] guides us all—spiritual seekers and skeptics, congregations and classes—to a celebration of our shared, fragile and gorgeous creaturehood." —Catherine Keller, professor of constructive theology, Drew University; author, On the Mystery: Discerning Divinity in Process "Explains recent scientific developments in accessible ways.... Draws richly on the Jewish past while pointing toward—and so helping to create—an affirmative future." —Rabbi Deborah Waxman, PhD, president, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and Jewish Reconstructionist Communities “Process Theology joins Jewish scholarship in a stimulating investigation of creation. Beautifully written, informative, lucid, eminently readable—read it!” —Francisco J. Ayala, PhD, Donald Bren Professor of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine “This book does something new and long overdue: it brings together Judaism, modern cosmology and Process Theology.... Rich in spiritual and ethical conclusions.” —Howard Smith, PhD, senior astrophysicist, Harvard-Smithsonian Center; author, Let There Be Light: Modern Cosmology and Kabbalah, a New Conversation between Science and Religion “Artson's book is refreshing in that his ideas are not confined by modern science. Indeed, he considers the possibility that perhaps Process Theology encompasses what will one day be understood within the confines of science. Those who are skeptical may not be convinced but it will certainly give them pause.” —Ira Z. Rothstein, PhD, professor of physics, Carnegie Mellon University