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Science has now demonstrated without a doubt that we live in an “unfinished universe.” Discoveries in geology, biology, cosmology and other fields of scientific inquiry have shown that the cosmos has a narrative character and that the story is far from over. The sense of a universe that is still coming into being provides a fertile new framework for thinking about the relationship of faith to science. John F. Haught argues that if we take seriously the fact that the universe is a drama still unfolding, we can think new thoughts about God, and indeed about all the perennial themes of theology.
Science’s recent realization that the universe is dramatic, however, has yet to penetrate deeply into either spiritual or intellectual life. Most Christian thought and spirituality still presuppose an essentially static universe while influential academic and intellectual culture remains stuck in a stagnant materialist naturalism and cosmic pessimism.
Resting on the Future asks about the meaning of an unfinished universe from the point of view of both Christian theology and contemporary intellectual life. Each chapter covers a distinct aspect of what Haught takes to be an essential transition to a new age in Catholic life and thought. Biology, cosmology, and other fields of science now provide the setting for a wholesome transformation of Catholic thought from a still predominantly pre-scientific to a more hopeful and scientifically informed vision of God, humanity and the natural world.
Introduction
1. Nature: From Sacrament to Promise
2. God: From Governor to Goal
3. Dogma: From Fixist to Futurist
4. Spirituality: From Contemplation to Anticipation
5. Life: From Design to Drama
6. Evolution: From Outcome to Opportunity
7. Suffering: From Expiation to Expectation
8. Dignity: From Duality to Relationality
9. Morality: From Perfection to Process
10. Mind: From Afterthought to Axis
11. Humanity: From Term to Transition
12. Ecology: From Preservation to Preparation
13. Destiny: From Personal to Cosmic
Bibliography
Index
John F. Haught is Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Theology at Georgetown University, USA. He is the author of 18 books, including Science and Faith: A New Introduction (2012), Is Nature Enough? Meaning and Truth in the Age of Science (2006), and Deeper Than Darwin: the Prospects for Religion in the Age of Evolution (2003), which was named a Choice Outstanding Academic Title. In 2002 he was the winner of the Owen Garrigan Award in Science and Religion, in 2004 the Sophia Award for Theological Excellence, and in 2008 a “Friend of Darwin Award” from the National Center for Science Education. His books have been translated into 13 languages.
