Redeeming Science: A God-Centered Approach
Vern S. Poythress
Paperback, 384 pages
Crossway Books
October 2006
It takes a couple of chapters to adjust one’s self to the pre-suppositional, Reformed worldview in which Redeeming Science is written. Poythress makes no attempt to address skeptics or even wider Christendom, and he is not obliged to; but I wonder how much more his book would do if it were. In any case, if tackled with this understanding even those diametrically opposed to Poythress’ bibliology and philosophy should find here an interesting and informative read. Though I often disagree with Poythress, I am immensely ennobled for having heard him. (I nearly put the book back on the shelf while in the first chapter. It is my good fortune that I did not.)
As part of the overall project of Redeeming Science, which is rather ambitious, the author surveys evangelical approaches to Genesis and gives his own conclusions. The age of the earth, the deluge, the creation of life, and, of course, Intelligent Design are all covered thoughtfully. The evangelical interpretive scheme and appropriation of science are articulated humbly, conceding that these positions must be held provisionally.
Does Poythress succeed in laying out an evangelical Christian approach to science? It depends, I suppose, on how much should be expected. I found his grounding of scientific law in God eloquent and adequate, if overly-ambitious: his specious inference from science and logic of a specifically Trinitarian God is disappointing, and a recurring oddity. He covers more novel ground in his discussions of ontology and the inadequacy of “methodological naturalism,” which I found engrossing. But he wants to do more than that. He seems to claim that something is gained by doing science from an openly Christian perspective, that science works better that way.
Since God is the ultimate source of everything science studies, someone who acknowledges this and approaches his work with an understanding of God veiled to the atheist has an edge. Yet this is never really explained. Clearly there are Christians in science: how is their work better? Other than being able to give glory to God for the beauty they discover, which is not what Poythress is talking about, how has their Christian perspective influenced their work?
But Poythress should be forgiven for trying to go so far, considering his audience. Those with a high view of Scripture are well-served by this text as a lesson in science, exegesis, and humility (nearly unheard-of among Poythress’ fellow Calvinists). Those who casually dismiss Genesis on scientific grounds are well-served in exactly the same way.
