Christopher B. Kaiser, Toward A Theology Of Scientific Endeavour: The Descent Of Science (Aldershot Hampshire, England: Ashgate, 2007). Pp. 261. $29.95.
Christopher B. Kaiser (M.Div. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; Ph.D. in Astrogeophysics, University of Colorado; Ph.D. in Christian Dogmatics and Divinity, University of Edinburgh) is a professor of Historical and Systematic Theology at the Western Theological Seminary, USA. Dr. Kaiser began his professional career as a scientist, later to become a theologian, and his professorial vocation has included working to build bridges between these two disciplines. Dr. Kaiser has been part of WTS’ faculty since 1976. He has also served as lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, and has been a resident member of the Center of Theological Inquiry in Princeton, New Jersey. At Princeton, Dr. Kaiser conducted research on the interaction of science and theology during the Renaissance and the eighteenth century. Notably, his 1991 book, Creation and the History of Science, was awarded a John Templeton Prize for outstanding books in Science and Religion.
This book, a fine contribution to the ever-expanding science and religion dialog, explores four foundations of scientific endeavor. Kaiser begins with a brief overview of the four foundations, and then proceeds to delineate the distinctives of each foundation. Kaiser first notes the cosmic foundation, which concerns the challenge of a lawful universe. Kaiser then notes the anthropological foundation in which he describes the paradox of science-fostering intelligence (SFI). As the third foundation, Kaiser draws attention to the cultural factors of the rise of scientific endeavors, focusing upon the challenge of science-fostering beliefs (SFB). Lastly, Kaiser explicates the societal foundation of scientific endeavor, which includes the paradox of science-fostering social systems (SFSS). So then, these four foundations of science include the specific conditions of the cosmos, human intelligence, cultural beliefs, and technological structures that make the pursuit of modern science possible. Whereas each of the four foundations of scientific endeavor can be studied individually, the concurrent study of all four together reveals several tensions and interconnections among them. These tensions and interconnections lead (or at least point to) to a greater unification of faith and science.
Kaiser concludes his book with several theses and four general deductions of the scientific endeavor, many of which are worthy of recounting in full. Kaiser notes that scientific endeavor should be viewed as a continual pursuit of knowledge as well as a propositional set of ideas, but not merely as a static set of truths. Moreover, Kaiser recognizes that the distinctive disciplines of cosmology, anthropology, history, and sociology, when viewed together, create questions and apparent paradoxes that extend beyond the individual discipline itself. Thus, Kaiser views the apparent paradoxes raised as an invitation, of sorts, for the engagement of theological discourse. Kaiser notes, however, that theological discourse will be necessarily challenged and illuminated by interaction with the scientific endeavor. Kaiser therefore mines the Judeo-Christian tradition in order to address these challenges, effectively thereby refocusing some traditional teachings and rearranging them along the way. In view of such, Kaiser notes, the work of scientists can be seen as a stimulus rather than a threat to theological discourse. Kaiser posits that a ‘thick’ natural science leads to a ‘thick’ description of God, humanity, history, and nature itself. Herein lies my only critique of Kaiser: I personally do not think his description of ‘thick-ness’ in reference to nature and theology throughout the book to be apropos. Rather, I find the term ‘thick’ to be somewhat ambiguous and perhaps even misleading. I sense the meaning of what Kaiser intentions by the term, but I deem it true that he could have selected a more precise term in order to convey his thoughts, especially since a main quest of the book is to explore a theology of the scientific endeavor. Thus, I much prefer, for example, to speak of a ‘robust’ science leading to a ‘robust’ theology.
This criticism aside, it is nevertheless important to recognize Kaiser’s main thrusts within the book: one, that the laws and symmetries of nature directly manifest the word of God; two, that the abilities of scientists to discern those regularities and symmetries are dependent upon humanity’s participation with the spirit-world; three, that the abilities of scientists to meet the ever-changing intellectual challenges posed by science is a reflection of the biblical teachings of creation, specifically imago dei; and four, that modern technologies rely on educational systems that further God’s purposes within history. Kaiser, then highlights the fact that theology is embedded not only within one’s life and work, but also within the scientific endeavor itself. In summary, Kaiser does a fine job in arguing for a refocusing of contemporary theology from the perspective of natural science, and as such, this book should be read by parties who find there interests to lie within the greater religion and science dialog.