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Science & Religion: Anthologies and Journal Articles

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10217/100492

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Browsing Science & Religion: Anthologies and Journal Articles by Author "Cambridge University Press, publisher"

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    Care on Earth: generating informed concern
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2010) Rolston, Holmes, 1932-2025, author; Cambridge University Press, publisher
    Generating beings that can care requires much complexity. DNA is best interpreted as a cybernetic process that selects for caring. In spontaneous wild nature, the processes that generate such concern have locally a narrow focus, self-survival of the organism. More inclusively, these processes generate ecosystemic networks in which life is elaborated in richness in biodiversity and biocomplexity, elaborated forms of caring. In humans, this focus is exceeded with more inclusive forms of caring. Such wider vision requires a complex brain that can, with a theory of mind, evaluate others with concern for their integrity. Humans, alone on the planet, can take a transcending overview of the whole--and care for life on Earth. The sciences trace the evolution of such escalating concern, but more complete explanations requires metaphysical and theological perspectives.
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    Genetic values: diversity and complexity in natural history
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 1999) Rolston, Holmes, 1932-2025, author; Cambridge University Press, publisher
    Generation of diversity and complexity in natural history over evolutionary time. Contingency, probability, inevitability in evolutionary processes. Genetic processes as creative searching, generating and testing novel forms, similar to trial and error learning. Genetic algorithms used in computer searches paralleling evolutionary genetic processes. Genetic values as intrinsic and inclusive. Genetic values as distributed and shared, in contrast to selfish genes. Evolutionary processes generating storied natural history.
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    Religion: naturalized, socialized, evaluated
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 1999) Rolston, Holmes, 1932-2025, author; Cambridge University Press, publisher
    Evolutionary history on the prolific Earth, resulting in nature producing spirit (Geist). The origins of evil and sin in the genesis of human life. The necessity of suffering in evolutionary creation. Religion evolving to increase human fertility. Religion generating altruism, interpreted as both pseudoaltruism and as genuine altruism. The survival value of religion. Testing religions socially and cognitively. Creativity in actual and possible natural history as the genesis of information, the genesis of value, in which theists can detect transcendent divine presence.
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    Responsible man in reformed theology: Calvin versus the Westminister Confession
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 1970) Rolston, Holmes, 1932-2025, author; Cambridge University Press, publisher
    In the concept of the essential nature of responsible persons, Calvin and the Calvinists that followed him differed significantly. The Calvinists formulated what they called a double covenant between God and humans, a covenant of works and a covenant of grace. Humans were placed in creation and expected to keep God's law, and to be judged on their merits. Humans sinned, broken God's law and failed to keep this covenant. On this basis they are judged, and lost. In the covenant of grace, God enters and redeems human life by grace, and this is the Biblical story in Israel, fulfilled in Christ. The danger that has beset Reformed thought is that in its use of covenant, nature, law, and grace, it makes of the Christian faith something which comes in where human powers fail. Humans need God only for the mending of life's wrongness, to rescue persons from their irresponsibility. The authentic Reformed witness makes place for this, but goes beyond. Religion belongs not just to the weakness of life, but also to its strength. A person's fundamental need for communion with a gracious God springs not merely from redemption, but more basically from one's dignity as a creature formed for grace. Grace belongs before sin, not less than after. In grace God made and makes responsible persons.