Spiritual Information: 100 Perspectives on Science and Religion

Contents......Page 9
Preface......Page 17
Acknowledgments......Page 21
Part One ~ Perspectives on Sir John Templeton’s Two Domains—Spiritual Capital and Spiritual Information......Page 23
1. Spiritual Information and the Sense of Wonder:The Convergence of Spirituality and the Natural Sciences......Page 25
2. Sir John Templeton’s Three Passions......Page 30
3. Spiritual Capital: A New Field ofResearch......Page 34
4. Spiritual Capital as an Economic Force......Page 42
5. Spiritual Entrepreneurism: Creating a Plan to Explore and Promote Spiritual Information......Page 48
6. Global Spiritual Confusion and the Neglected Problem of Excess Spiritual Information......Page 55
7. Science, Semiotics, and the Sacred: Seeking Spiritual Information in the Deep Structure ofReality......Page 61
8. What Does a Slug Know of Mozart? Introducing the Ontological Multiverse......Page 66
9. Complementarity......Page 74
Part Two ~ Perspectives on the History—and Future—of the Science-Religion Dialog......Page 79
10. In Praise of Contingency: Chance versus Inevitability in the Universe We Know......Page 81
11. Historical Errors Impeding Progress in Science and Religion......Page 85
12. The Longing of Johannes Kepler......Page 90
13. The Spirit of Galileo......Page 96
14. Eminent Scientists and Religious Belief......Page 101
15. Biological Evolution, Quantum Mechanics, and Non-Interventionist Divine Action: New Research Promises Growth in Spiritual Knowledge......Page 106
16. Religion, Global Trends, and Religious Futurology......Page 112
17. “Playing God”......Page 118
18. The New Cognitive Science of Religion......Page 123
19. Exploring Inner Space in a New Age of Discovery: The Future of Scientific Survey Research in Religion......Page 128
20. Theological Fiction and the Future......Page 133
Part Three ~ Perspectives from Cosmology, Physics, and Astronomy......Page 137
21. Outward Bound......Page 139
22. An Echo ofAncient Questions from Contemporary Cosmology......Page 143
23. Progress in Scientific and Spiritual Understanding......Page 149
24. The Universe—What’s the Point?......Page 154
25. Choose Your Own Universe......Page 159
26. The Goldilocks Universe: Finesse and Firepower......Page 164
27. Emergent Realities in the Cosmos......Page 169
28. Cosmic Order and Divine Word......Page 173
29. Science ofthe Unseen: A Perspective from Contemporary Physics......Page 177
30. Design and the Designer: New Concepts, New Challenges......Page 183
31. Henderson’s “Fine-Tuning Argument”: Time for Rediscovery......Page 189
32. What God “Whispers” through Radio Telescopes......Page 194
Part Four ~ Perspectives from Quantum Mechanics, Mathematics, and Symbolic Logic......Page 201
33. The “Trialistic” Structure in Physics: New Insights for Metaphysics and Natural Theology......Page 203
34. On the Perennial Oneness of Being......Page 210
35. Quantum Logic and the God-World Relationship: A New Resource for Exploring Modern Christian Theology......Page 221
36. Between Mathematics and Transcendence: The Search for the Spiritual Dimension of Scientific Discovery......Page 230
37. Rejecting the Realm of Numbers......Page 235
38. Is God a Mathematician?......Page 239
39. Mathematical Theology......Page 243
45. Do Quantum Experiments Challenge Kant’s Criticism of the Proofs for the Existence of God?......Page 277
46. Proofor Persuasion?......Page 283
47. From Information to Spirit: A Sketch for a New Anthropology......Page 287
Part Five ~ Perspectives on Evolution and Purpose......Page 295
48. Do Chimpanzees Have Souls? Possible Precursors of Religious Behavior in Animals......Page 297
49. Shamanic Practices in the Painted Caves of Europe......Page 301
50. Naturalistic Spiritual Information......Page 308
51. Hath Darwin Suffered a Prophet’s Scorn? Evolutionary Theory and the Scandal of Unconditional Love......Page 313
52. Living Purpose:The Study of Purpose in the Living World as a Source of New Spiritual Information......Page 322
53.The Evolution of Altruism:From Game Theory to Human Language......Page 330
54.The Form of Freedom......Page 337
Part Six ~ Perspectives on Sociology and Ethics......Page 343
55. Preparing the Way for the Lord:Evolution, Christianity, and the Dialog on Moral Freedom......Page 345
56. Planetary Spiritual (In)formation: From Biological to Religious Evolution......Page 352
57. Is There a Place for “Scientific” Studies of Religion?......Page 359
58. Sociology and Spiritual Information: Challenging “Obvious” Opinions......Page 365
59. The Emergence of Ethics from Science: An Examination of the Ideals of Einstein and Gandhi......Page 370
60. Science in the Service of Meaninglessness Sociological Change and the Decline of Faith......Page 378
61. Secularization and the Sciences......Page 382
Part Seven ~ Perspectives on Religion and Health......Page 387
62. The Faith Factor in Medicine, the Health Factor in Religion: Reflections on a New Research Tradition......Page 389
63. Heal Thyself: Spirituality, Medicine, and Misunderstandings......Page 398
64. Can the Body Heal the Spirit?......Page 403
65. Mental Health, Spiritual Information, and the Power of the Mind to Shape the Brain......Page 411
66. Navajo Spirituality: Native American Wisdom and Healing in the Modern World......Page 417
67. Of Monocytes and the Spiritual Man......Page 422
68. Miracles Confront Materialism: A Scientist Reflects on the Life of Christian Healer Dorothy Kerin......Page 428
Part Eight ~ Perspectives on Contemplation and the Virtues......Page 435
69. Reflection and Its Use: From Source to Meditation......Page 437
70. Disgust and Elevation: Opposing Sources of Spiritual Information......Page 446
71. Goodness Matters......Page 451
72. Psychological Science and Spiritual Pursuits......Page 455
73. Spiritual Giftedness: Identifying and Measuring “Religious Genius”......Page 462
74. Research on Forgiveness: Ten Lessons Learned (So Far)......Page 467
75. Giving Thanks: Psychological Research on Gratitude and Praise......Page 473
76. “Ecce Homo”: To Welcome the Suffering Is the Sign of Our Humanity......Page 479
77. Unlimited Love......Page 486
Part Nine ~ Perspectives from Theology and Philosophy......Page 493
78. If Theologians Do Not Measure, Can They Measure Up? Rules for Acquiring Spiritual Information......Page 495
79. God, Spiritual Information, and Downward Causation......Page 501
80. The Value of Risk-Taking: Human Evolution and the Love ofGod......Page 506
81. A New Relationship between Theology and Science?......Page 512
82. The Emergence of Spirit......Page 520
83. A Sense of Calling as a Clue to the Character of the Universe......Page 526
84. The Role of Discernment in Seeking Spiritual Knowledge......Page 532
85. Spiritual Information for Integral Transformation......Page 536
86. Reading an Unfinished Universe: Science and the Question of Cosmic Purpose......Page 541
87. The Dawn of the Clone Age: Where Might Wisdom Be Found?......Page 546
88. Moving in Mysterious Waves: Music, Meter, Silence, and Hope......Page 551
89. Grasping Eternity: Notions of God and Time......Page 556
90. Divine Temporality and Human Experience of Time......Page 561
Part Ten ~ Perspectives from World Religions......Page 567
91. Progress in Religion? Interfaith Opportunities......Page 569
92. Interfaith Dialog in the Global World: Theological and Intellectual Constructs for the Future......Page 573
93. Humility and the Future of Islam......Page 579
94. Brahman and Progress: By What Knowledge Is the Spirit Known?......Page 583
95. The Scientific Frontier of the Inner Spirit......Page 589
96. From Biblical Story to the Science of Society:How Judaism Reads Scripture......Page 594
97. Technology and Human Dignity......Page 600
98. Pentecostal/Charismatic Worship: A Window for Research......Page 604
99. Catholicism and Science: Renewing the Conversation......Page 610
100. Quest for the Flame of the Spirit:The Pilgrim Soul Follows the “Kindly Light”......Page 615
Contributors......Page 621