Book reviews -- The Soul of Science: Christian Faith and Natural Philosophy by Nancy R. Pearcey and Charles B. Thaxton

The Soul of Science: Christian Faith and Natural Philosophy. By NANCY R. PEARCEY and CHARLES B. THAXTON. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 1994. xiii + 298 pp.

"Isaac Newton--a Christian? I never learned that in school" (p. xi). This opening sentence reveals the intent of the book. The authors tell the history of science from a point of view which reclaims the faith commitments of major figures in the history of science and mathematics. For the rise of modern science, the Christian faith was the impetus and background for seeking to understand God's relationship to the world. For more recent developments, the retreat of Christian faith to the personal, private realm left science with a materialist, positivist worldview. The authors' hope is that, with this historical perspective, Christians can reclaim their place in scholarly work and not be ashamed of the faith commitment which empowers their understanding of the natural world.