Religion-and-Science as Spiritual Quest for Meaning
Philip Hefner. Pandora Press, 2008. 127 PAGES
Ted Peters. Pandora Press, 2008. 221 PAGES
Pandora Press has released the proceedings of the sixth and seventh annual Goshen Conference on Religion and Science in book form.
Philip Hefner, editor of Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science magazine, hyphenates “religion-and-science” to reflect both the religious/philosophical and academic nature of his exploration. The lectures and question-and-answer period strove to discover how ethics, morality, and consciousness inform our interaction with the natural world. Editor Carl S. Helrich transcribed Philip Hefner’s three lectures and responses to a question-and-answer period, and provided extensive footnotes to contextualize references from the discussion section. Spanning the lectures and discussion is a brief homily by Frank Scardiglia on the mystery of the Trinity.
Ted Peters, professor of systematic theology at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, wrestles with the question of where is God in an evolving universe and what are the implications of Jesus as Saviour in a universe including other centres of life. Three lectures and a question and answer forum are transcribed here, with a homily by Jesuit Joseph A. Bracken.
—Karla Braun
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One Quilt Many Pieces: A Guide to Mennonite Groups in Canada
Margaret Loewen Reimer. Herald Press, 2008. 139 PAGES
A quilt is an apt metaphor not only for the many varieties of Christians who claim the name Mennonite, but also for the information in this book. Reimer provides a comprehensive but accessible overview of the institutions and characteristics of Mennonites in Canada, including the Mennonite Brethren. Organized by conference, and peppered with photographs and sidebars, it’s equally helpful for quick reference as it is for cover-to-cover study. Major national conferences, smaller regional conferences, even related groups (like Brethren in Christ) are profiled. The appendix provides statistics of Canadian and international relevance.
—Karla Braun
