The History of Science and Religion in the Western Tradition: An Encyclopedia (Garland Reference Library of the Humanities)

From Library Journal

When a publisher breaks new ground, comparisons are difficult; Garland's new encyclopedic work on science and religion has no peer. It is a collection of substantial and thoughtful articles by experts in the field, grouped under ten headings covering everything from the relationship of science and religion to the approaches taken by specific religious traditions, from alchemy to chemistry to materialism to spiritualism. Ferngren (history, Oregon State Univ.) and his coeditors take the stand that the historical relationship between science and religion follows a complex model rather than the popularly understood model of unalterable conflict. The result is a work, well worth reading through or browsing, that is filled with respect for the roles and methodologies of both religion and science. If anything is missing, it is in two areas. First, the biographical studies are limited to Galileo, Pascal, Newton, and Darwin; Copernicus is covered under "Copernican Revolution." Surely there were others who might be worthy of biographical essays. Second, in the coverage of individual religious traditions, an article on the Baha'i religion should have been included, since it is the only religion in the Western Judaeo-Christian-Islamic tradition with an explicit scriptural principle holding that religion and science are partnered modes of knowing and that any religion not in accord with established science is superstition. All the same, this encyclopedia is well worth the price. Recommended for all academic and public libraries and for collections on theology and on the history of science.William P. Collins, Library of Congress
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

The volume is... comprehensive in its treatment of the subject of science and religion, and will be of service to undergraduates as well as research scholars.
–American Reference Books Annual, 2002
A good place to start for those wishing to get nuanced historical backgrounds to a debate that is not likely to be resolved in the near future.
–Journal of the History of Biology, 2001
Valuable to theologians, scientists, and philosophers.
–Choice, December 2000
Has no peer. Recommended for all academic and public libraries and for collections on theology and on the history of science.
–Library Journal, August 2000