The Beginning of All Things

The Beginning of All Things: Science and Religion, by Hans Kung is very interesting and challenging. The interesting part includes the topics that are so often kept apart. To many descriptions of science and religion, whether it is the topic of evolution, creation/Big Bang, or other topics that combine contemporary science with the Christian tradition or Scripture my usual reaction is that it is both bad science and bad religion. This is not the case with Hans Kung and The Beginning of All Things.

First, it takes most of my brain cells and my science education to keep up with the author. This is an unusual and interesting challenge. Second, the science that he presents appears to me to be an accurate description of contemporary information on reports about the ever accelerating and expanding universe to subatomic string theory. Third, he accurately describes the huge gulf between present day scientists and their distrust of anything religious and many in the religious community that distrust or dismiss science when it does not fit with their literal interpretation of Scripture.

This volume contains solid science and solid, contemporary, thoughtful theology. As a customer who reads voraciously asks when he is in our store, “What is new and juicy?” “I’m looking for some good juicy reading.” This work by Hans Kung is just juicy enough for me. My bookmark is getting well used as I stop to ponder some aspects for a while before I delve into it again.