Science and the Sacred: Beyond the Gods in Our Image
- By C.S. Pearce & Philip Clayton
- February 27, 2025
- Cascade Books
In this beautifully written book, an atheist and a theist explore the intersection points of science and the Sacred. Honestly acknowledging their differences, they discover unexpected common ground across every branch of science and many of the most urgent ethical and spiritual questions humanity now faces. While science may be incompatible with some ancient beliefs about God, the authors show why it is fully compatible with belief in an all-pervading divine presence. Indeed, we will only be able to steer our way safely through the complexities of the modern world when we draw on the best of scientific knowledge as well as the deepest insights of the world’s spiritual traditions past and present.
This unique exploration by a theologian and a well-known science journalist offers a highly accessible overview of the most complex issues arising at the intersection of science, belief, and hope. The two authors dive into debates normally deemed too sensitive to discuss, identifying common sense ways that science and human values can guide each other. Their emerging friendship and their new insights offer a pathway toward a world no longer plagued by religiously motivated violence and environmental crisis.
- Get a Copy of Science and the Sacred: Beyond the Gods in Our Image
About the Author
Dr. Philip Clayton has taught for several decades at Claremont School of Theology; written or edited 26 books; held guest professorships at Harvard, Univ. of Cambridge, and Munich; founded (with Andrew Schwartz) the Institute for Ecological Civilization; worked with Zhihe Wang and Meijun Fan for 15 years as president of the Institute for the Postmodern Development of China; and supported interfaith partnerships around the world. As a scholar he explores the intersections of philosophy, theology, and science; as an activist he works toward the development of an ecological civilization. He is particularly interested in the evolving understanding of Christian faith in the 21st century, and the societal changes that are necessary for establishing sustainable forms of civilization on this planet.