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Written by: Dale Appleby

Category: Book Reviews

Created: 22 October 2009

Book Review:

Dawkin’s God: Genes, Memes, and the meaning of Life.

Alister McGrath.  Blackwell Publishing 2005. ISBN 9781405125383

Richard Dawkins has, since 1996 been Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University. He is the author of many books, among the best known are “The Selfish Gene” and “The Blind Watchmaker”.  His books are attempts to make science in general, and evolutionary theory in particular, understandable and attractive to lay audiences. However Christians who read his books recognise that there is another agenda – a religious one.

In this book Alistair McGrath discusses Dawkin’s science as well as his religion. McGrath is Professor of Historical Theology at Oxford who, before he majored in theology, gained a PhD in biophysics from the University of Oxford. So he is well qualified to discuss both the science and the religion of Dawkins.

Dawkins of course claims to be an atheist. The difficult aspect of his writing for Christians is that he makes evolutionary biology the basis for his atheism. McGrath says that, “The real issue for me is how Dawkins proceeds from a Darwinian theory of evolution to a confident atheistic world-view, which he preaches with messianic zeal and unassailable certainty.” (p10).

McGrath’s book is careful to underline all the way through the proper evidential basis for scientific statements. He takes issue especially with Dawkins unexamined and unsupported claims about the nature of Christian belief. He makes out a polite but clear cut case against the straw-man method that Dawkins uses, and refutes the central claim of Dawkins that faith is blind and based on a “total absence of supporting evidence” (see p89).

McGrath also takes issue with Dawkin’s idea of memetics and memes – on logical and scientific grounds. The book is an excellent critique and appreciation of Dawkin’s science – much of which McGrath admires. However its greatest merit is that it exposes the false basis for Dawkin’s atheism and challenges much of his later writing which many people now realise is merely a frontal attack on Christianity – disguised as science.

Those who have been troubled by Dawkin’s writings and haven’t been sure how to answer it will be helped greatly by this book. Those who would like some help in understanding the good science in Dawkin’s books will also benefit, as will those who want to find a way through the implications of evolutionary theory as it relates to faith.

Dale Appleby

11 December 2006

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Written by: Dale Appleby

Category: Book Reviews

Created: 22 October 2009

Book Review:

The Language of God:  A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief

by Francis S. Collins, published by Free Press New York.  2006, 234 pages of text,  37 pages of Appendices, 8 pages of notes, 7 pages of Reading Group Guide.  ISBN 978 1 4165 4274 2

Francis Collins is the head of the Human Genome Project.  He is a geneticist who has moved from being an agnostic to a convinced atheist to a Christian believer.

The book is an interesting weaving together of the story of his faith in Christ with the story of the development of science, especially genetics. However Collins purpose is more than to describe events and science. He makes a plea that science and faith can both be understood as aspects of God's truth.

The first part of the book describes Collins own changes in belief. He then provides a number of Christian answers to common objections from atheistic scientists: religion as wish-fulfilment; the harm done in the name of religion; why a loving God allows suffering; can a rational person believe in miracles.

In Part 2 he deals with what he calls the Great Questions of Human Existence. He has a very helpful chapter on the Origins of the Universe (a big bang, cosmology, the formation of the solar system and quantum mechanics). This discussion includes some tantalising descriptions in the gaps in present knowledge. However he cautions about fitting God into the gaps of our knowledge. He is strongly against a "god of the gaps" theology.  Collins also distinguishes questions which science may be able to answer from ones which it cannot answer. So the question of what happened before the big bang at this stage is outside the realm of observational science.

His chapter on microbiology and the origins of life on earth takes up a number of issues and objections from theists. He discusses Paley's argument from design, the problem of showing how DNA and RNA developed, the "Cambrian explosion" of the fossil record, and briefly looks at Darwin. The chapter ends with a discussion of heredity and a very good explanation of the structure of DNA. Collins argues that all the wonderful diversity that science is discovering is further cause to stand in awe of God.

Perhaps the most interesting section concerns the human genome project. This is in part a personal history of research Collins has been intimately associated with. However it is in this material that many of the perceived threats to faith are exposed.

It is this perceived threat that Collins is concerned to clarify. In the third section of the book he deals with a number of options for responding to the data of science and the claims of faith. Option One he calls Atheism and Agnosticism (where Science trumps Faith). In this he takes issue with Edward Wilson and Richard Dawkins as two representatives of anti-supernaturalism, especially focussing on bad science and ideology posing as science.

Option Two is Creationism (Where Faith trumps Science).  He regards Young Earth Creationism as lacking almost any true scientific foundation. He also helpfully (in my view) points out that biblical interpretation does not require this thesis, and in fact that this view of the creation accounts in the Bible is quite recent.  He is sympathetic however to the concern of evangelical Christians to hold their ground against liberal interpretations of the Bible - however he thinks this is not the way to do it with respect to science.

Option Three is Intelligent Design (Where Science needs Divine Help). Although attractive at first sight, Collins thinks ID fails to qualify as a scientific theory.  He also thinks that many examples of irreducible complexity may not turn out to be irreducible after all. On a theological level he argues that ID is really a "God of the gaps" theory, and therefore will do damage to faith as the gaps are filled in by science.

Option Four he calls BioLogos (Where Science and Faith are in Harmony). Collins argues for a view that could be called "theistic evolution". He answers various objections and explains how this view fits in with aspects of the creation stories in the Bible (including a comment on where Adam and Eve's children found their wives and husbands).

Collins is not an argumentative writer. He writes as an evangelical Christian who has come to trust Christ from a position of convinced atheism. He also writes as a good scientist. One of his concerns is that data should be looked at objectively, and he is able to argue against both theistic and atheistic scientists whose science fails empirical tests.  He writes warmly of those Christians who sincerely seek to hold to biblical truths. His concern is to show a way forward that does justice to genuine empirical science that is discovering God's truth in nature, and at the same time to provide a genuinely biblical way of understanding the biblical record so that Christians don't have to construct theological schemes that necessitate bad science.

Some will find this book challenging. Others will find it liberating. It is written irenically and evangelistically (as the sub-title suggests). It is also very interesting with lots of personal stories and insights into modern scientific discoveries.

Dale Appleby

October 2007

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Written by: Dale Appleby

Category: Book Reviews

Created: 22 October 2009

Book Review:

Jesus and Muhammad

by Mark A. Gabriel. Published by Charisma House, Lake Mary. 2004  ISBN 1591852919

This is a fascinating book for two reasons. It is the testimony of a convert from Islam to Christianity who was a graduate and lecturer at Al Azhar University in Egypt, the most highly respected university in the Sunni Islamic world. Gabriel tells his story from the time of his youth and describes his amazing ability to memorise the Qur'an, his devotion, and the respect he gained amongst his family and peers for his understanding of the Qur'an. He outlines his studies to Doctoral level at  Al-Azhar, his clashes with Professors, his questioning of some of his beliefs, his arrest and finally how he came to follow Christ. It is an amazing testimony.

The second reason the book is fascinating is that the bulk of the book is a comparison of the life and teachings of Jesus and Muhammad. In a way it describes some of the process he engaged in in becoming a Christian.

For those with only a basic knowledge of Islam this book provides an accurate and easy to read outline of the main events in Muhammad's life, written by an expert. It also describes Muhammad's main teachings in a clear straightforward manner, as well as his character and behaviour. In each case parallels with Jesus are put alongside (helpful to those who only have a basic knowledge of Christianity).

The book is not vindictive or disrespectful. It is written with a focus on the actual teachings and sayings of both Jesus and Muhammad.

As an introduction to the life of the two leaders and as a summary of the main teachings  of the two religions, the book is excellent. It would be useful for those who were weighing up whether they should follow one or the other religion. It is certainly an excellent introduction to Islam for those who know little about it.

Dale Appleby

October 2008

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Written by: Dale Appleby

Category: Book Reviews

Created: 21 October 2009

Book Review:

Islam in Context:  Past, Present, and Future

by Peter G. Riddell and Peter Cotterell, published by Baker Academic, New York,  2003. 216 pages of text,  diagrams, plus Bibliography.  ISBN 0-8010-2627-X

There are many books on Islam which may help explain the religion to non-Muslims, but Islam in Context may be one of the best. Certainly it is an excellent book to start with.

The book has three parts. The first, called "Looking Back", outlines the beginnings in the life of Mohammad, explains the roles and disagreements between the Caliphs and has a very helpful section on the beliefs of Islam. The first section concludes with a section on the relation of the Qur'an and Christianity.

This first section is very readable (as is the whole book) and provides a full picture of the beginnings of Islam. It has more detail than Gabriel's book "Jesus and Mohammad" and provides lots of quotations from the Qur'an and Hadith so that the reader can hear Islam speak for itself.

The second part is called "In Between: The Ebb and flow of Empire".  The sometimes confusing history of Islam after 661 is outlined here with very helpful insights into the different forces and powers that led to the expansion and then the collapse of the Muslim empires.  There is an excellent section to do with the context and conduct of the Crusades.

The third section, "Looking Around", brings us up to date with the various groups and tensions in the modern Islamic world. After reading this section the reader should have a good idea of the different groups and the tensions both between moderate an radical Islam and also between Islam and the West.

Overall this is a terrific book and provides a wide ranging view of Islam that allows readers to understand where Muslims have come from, what makes up their core beliefs, and why they think and act as they do today.

Dale Appleby

October 2008

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Written by: Dale Appleby

Category: Book Reviews

Created: 21 October 2009

Book Review:

A Biblical approach to Chinese Traditions and Beliefs

by Daniel Tong, published by Genesis Books Singapore.  2003, 133 pages of text,  34 pages of Appendices, 14 pages of notes, 6 pages of bibliography.  ISBN 981 4045 92 6

Written by a Singaporean Anglican minister, this very helpful book looks at the major Chinese cultural events and issues from within the culture and from a biblical point of view.

Tong provides a straightforward summary of the traditional religious beliefs of the Chinese, Confucianism (and discusses whether it is really a religion), Buddhism, Daoism and what he calls Shenism, which he defines as the indigenous tribal folk religions of China. As well he summarises the present state of play of Chinese religious practice (a kind of amalgam of them all). In each topic he has a section entitled "Biblical Approach" in which he puts forward a biblical way of assessing the subject matter he has just described.

The section on The Main Events, gives very helpful explanations and biblical perspectives on what he calls the festivals of the living. These include Chinese New Year (Chun Jie), Dragon Boat, and Moon Cake festivals. For each of these evens the author separates out what is superstitious from what is good and from what is religious in a way that Christians could not take part.

A similar approach is taken with the Festivals of the Dead and with the Marriage ceremonies. The book helpfully distinguishes the good, the neutral, the superstitious and the religious. The advice for Christians is based on a clear biblical understanding of the issues.

A separate section deals with Ancestral Veneration and the vexed question of filial piety. The final section looks at traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture and a helpful chapter on Qigong including a discussion of taiji quan (Tai Che).

There are eight short Appendices dealing with the Chinese Dragon (Long), whether the events can be Christianised, images of worship, food offered to idols, and other background material to some of the topics in the book. The last Appendix is called Handling Objections and Difficult Questions and has very valuable suggestions.

Although this reviewer does not have a Chinese background, the book appears very helpful to those Christians who do have that heritage.  It deals with the common issues that Chinese Christians regularly grapple with.

However it is also very valuable to non-Chinese background Christians because it both explains the background and history of the beliefs and practices and also gives an insiders perspective on how Christians might act. It is difficult when one is outside a culture to really understand the context and background of the traditions and beliefs of that culture. And it is therefore easy to make judgments based on our own culture or understanding. The book therefore also gives some insight for the non-Chinese to help them understand some of the background culture that informs the thinking and practice of the Christian Chinese.

This book provides an easy introduction to Chinese traditions and beliefs that will help both Chinese and non-Chinese Christians.

Dale Appleby

July 2007

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Written by: Dale Appleby

Category: Book Reviews

Created: 21 October 2009

Book Review:

Reconciliation:  Islam, Democracy, and the West

by Benazir Bhutto. Published by Harper Collins, New York. 2008. 319 pages plus end notes. ISBN 978-0-06-156758-2

This is an amazing book. The final edits were finished the day Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in December 2007.  Only two months before she had returned to Pakistan after eight years in exile to be welcomed by more than three million people - and the suicide and car bombs that killed 179 people before she had even reached her home.

Reconciliation, is not a biography, even less is it a complaint about the opposition and suffering the former Prime Minister of Pakistan had experienced. It is a well argued plea for a new approach to democracy in the Islamic world.

Bhutto's two main aims in writing the book were to reconcile what she saw as the two main tensions affecting Muslim societies. One concerns whether democratic institutions can flourish in Muslim societies, whether Islam and democracy are mutually exclusive or not. The other tension concerns the collision of values between different groups within Islam.

Bhutto has a sustained and persuasive argument that "in Islam, no terrorism - the reckless slaughter of innocents - is ever justified." p27. She argues for an interpretation of Islam that is modern and contextual. Part of her argument, as one might expect, is for gender equality - illustrated by her own experience of her father's attitude to his wife and daughter. At the time she came to first wear the veil, "My father took one look at me and said, 'My daughter does not have to wear the veil.' My mother decided that if I was not to wear the all-enveloping burqa, she too would not wear one." p43.

One of the strengths of this book is her review of the history of Islam and her description of the development of the different groups and sects. She argues strongly for an interpretation that is adapted to the different contexts in which Muslims find themselves.  She is especially opposed to the claim that only a few experts are able to interpret the Qur'an. She opposes also the idea that Muslim communities need to be governed the way Medina was governed in the first century.

All this is part of an argument for pluralism and tolerance. It is an argument that democracy is consistent with the heart of Islam, and tyranny and dictatorships are contrary to the spirit of Islam. Throughout she illustrates the issues both from the Qur'an and from her own experience in Pakistan.

The second part of the book deals with democracy in history and practice. Here is a major critique of "the sad history of Western political intervention in the Muslim world, which has been a major impediment to the growth of democracy in Islamic nations." p81. Bhutto provides a critique of democratic development in about twenty countries. In many of these, she argues, Western involvement has set back the democratic process - in some cases helping to overthrow democratically elected governments. It is a sad story, as she says.

The book has an extended survey of the history of Pakistan from partition to the present. This is first-rate history, written by one of the key players in the story. Anyone who wants to understand the issues being faced by her husband as President of Pakistan in the present should read this section.

Finally Bhutto deals with the "Clash of Civilisations" debate. She is opposed to Huntington's thesis, but fears that it has been talked about so much that it may become a self-fulfilling prophecy. She offers a thorough rebuttal to the theory, building on the work of Stephen Walt and others. She critiques the theory also from the point of view of Islam itself. "Contrary to the pontifications of many who are unashamedly contemptuous of Muslims around the world, democracy and Islam are congruent." p264.

Her main concern is with the future of Islam in the modern world. "The extremism and militancy of Muslim-on-Muslim violence is a long battle for the heart and soul of the future not only of a religion but also of the one billion people who practise it. Fundamentally, it is also about whether the Muslim people can survive and prosper in the modern era or whether linkages with traditional interpretations of the sixteenth century will freeze them in the past." p275. Amongst others she quotes Nurcholish Majdid and Abdurrahman Wahid in support of her thesis of tolerance and pluralism.

She acknowledges the fragility of many democracies in Muslim-majority countries and argues for education, economic improvement and democratic development as the way forward. She also calls on the West to engage in a new version of the Marshall Plan - to foster and assist the democratic processes of developing countries - especially in the Muslim world.

In turn she urges her fellow Muslims to remember the period when Islam was a leader in scientific and intellectual life, and to renew efforts to make sure all their people, including women, are educated.

The book is not only a plea, it contains concrete proposals both for Muslim societies and their leaders as well as for the West and the International community.

Anyone interested in modern history, and the state of play of political Islam ought to read this book. And anyone working for governments or NGOs as well.

Dale Appleby

November 2008