Thinking Clearly about God and Science

Written by David Wilkinson and Rob Frost Reviewed By Oliver Barclay

This is a mosaic of chapters written by one or other of the authors, both of whom are evangelical Methodists. Wilkinson has a PhD in astrophysics and is now a university chaplain. Frost is an evangelist in Methodist churches. Frost’s chapters are fairly popular apologetics and written in a lively style; Wilkinson is more thorough and searching and occasionally moderately technical, though well explained.

Frost starts with a chapter entitled ‘Can God be Proved by Science?’, arguing that while God cannot be proved there are serious evidences to be faced in science and in human consciousness. Wilkinson in ‘Isn’t Science about Proof?’ exposes some of the limitations of science and the part that Christianity has played in the development of the scientific approach and its present assumptions. Frost then, in ‘Has Science all the Moral Answers?’, shows that it has not and that we must look for theistic answers. Wilkinson follows with two chapters, ‘Does Science do away with God the Creator?’ and ‘Miracles’. He deals very clearly with some modern secular views. He does not discuss biological evolution (something of a relief for a change) but fairly fully covers the Big Bang and the age of the universe. He concludes that both a seven-day recent creation and an old earth position are possible on biblical grounds, but himself comes down: ‘For me the Big Bang is currently the best model we have which describes how God did it. Genesis 1 complements that description with the fundamental truth that the purpose, the source of order and the faithfulness of the Universe can only be found in the Creator God’ (p. 141, italics added).

He emphasizes the truth of the continual upholding of all things, including the scientifically valid processes. Miracles then become God’s doing something special instead of what he is doing all the time in the regular processes. Scientific ‘laws’ are only our generalizations as to how we see God acting normally. There are no ‘immutable laws’ to be ‘broken’. Frost closes with another more popular chapter ending on a quiet evangelistic note.

There are many biblical quotations used, some useful quotations from other sources and some shrewd arguments. It could be a good source for speakers. It could also be used with advantage to give to non-Christians with a scientific bent and help to remove some of their prejudices, leaving them more open to the gospel and to taking the Bible seriously.


Oliver Barclay

Leicester