51djmhsvmil-_sx332_bo1204203200_Dr. Michael Peterson and Dr. Michael Ruse co-authored Science, Evolution and Religion: A Debate about Atheism and Theism released on July 1. In this Oxford University Press book, each author presents arguments on the relationship of science and religion, the nature of humanity, morality, rationality, and evil and suffering from a theistic or atheistic worldview respectively.

The book allows equal space for both perspectives to address the key issues, with the acceptance of the methods and findings of mainline science. Each philosopher argues that his worldview is intellectually superior, but this comprehensive debate highlights the differences between the two worldviews.

“My angle was to represent the strength of theism and thereby open up intellectual space for introducing specifically Christian themes and insights,” Dr. Michael Peterson, Professor of Philosophy of Religion at Asbury Theological Seminary, said.

Dr. Peterson supports an intellectual confidence in the Christian faith, arguing that it is crucially important to understand both science and Christianity. To do that effectively, Dr. Peterson proposes a full understanding of the types of literature in the Bible, its cultural context and message, as well as a robust understanding of science. To find harmony between science and Christian faith, readers must understand that the Bible isn’t doing science and that science does not investigate beyond the natural realm. Yet, both complement each other because all truth is God’s truth, wherever it may be found

“Actually, my interest is not the minimal goal of arguing that there is ‘no conflict’ between science and Christianity, although that goal has to be initially achieved in the minds of many,” Dr. Peterson said. “Mine is the more ambitious goal of arguing that Christianity ‘makes better sense of science’ than any competing worldview. On the other hand, Christian belief can stand to be tutored by some of the key findings of science—an emphatic point Augustine made centuries ago.”

Dr. Peterson and Dr. Ruse publicly debated the issues of faith and science from a worldview perspective on the Asbury Seminary campus in 2013. Watch this debate at Seedbed.com.

Michael Ruse is Lucyle T. Werkmeister Professor and Director of the Program in History and Philosophy of Science at Florida State University. He is the author of Atheism: What Everyone Needs to Know (OUP, 2015) and is well-known for his work on the relationship between science and religion. He is also founding editor of the journal Biology and Philosophy.

michael_petersonMichael L. Peterson is Professor of Philosophy of Religion at Asbury Theological Seminary.  He has written or been senior author in a number of books: Reason and Religious Belief (Oxford University Press); God and Evil: An Introduction to the Issues (HarperCollins/Westview); and With All Your Mind: A Christian Philosophy of Education (University of Notre Dame Press), to name a few. He launched and continues as the Managing Editor of the prestigious scholarly journal Faith and Philosophy, published at Asbury Theological Seminary.