June 2008 Book - Finding Darwin's God by Kenneth Miller

To get things started I decided to go with a book that logically follows from a number of personal conversations I've had recently (and over the years) regarding the topic of evolution and Christian Faith. The book is called 'Finding Darwin's God' written by Kenneth Miller. The book is available in paperback, and can be purchased new at Amazon.com for about $10 (I've provided a link to the amazon page for this book in the right column of this blog). It's been out for a few years now, and from time to time I see copies of it at local used book stores (such as half price books) for under $5. If you're looking for the book, in a bookstore, it's usually located in the science/evolution/natural history/biology section of the store (depending on how the section is labelled). The book has 2 different paperback covers (pictured to the right), the 'front' cover is the newest, the back cover is the one you'll likely find at used stores.

I think that this book is timely and relevant given the ongoing debate about the inclusion of alternatives to evolutionary theory as part of science curriculum around the country and particularly in Kansas. This issue is also a hot topic in recent movies such as 'Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed' with (visine spokesman) Ben Stein, Television specials such as NOVA's 'Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial', and a whole spate of books arguing from either a scientific or faith perspective that there is an inherent incompatibility between evolutionary theory and faith.

This is an area that's been of great interest to me throughout my adult life, and I believe that this book offers a great discussion of the issues surrounding scientific standards, as well as one scientist's take on the presumed incompatibility between evolution and faith in a loving and personal God.

I'm looking forward to digging into this book again, and I hope that all of you enjoy it too. As I read through the book, I'll be posting ideas/discussion points here on the blog, feel free to comment, or post your own thoughts as we proceed. Enjoy!