Provocative and immensely well informed, The Order of Things represents a substantial and original contribution to the fields of systematic theology, historical theology, and the science and religion dialogue. Leading theologian, Alister E. McGrath explores how the working methods and assumptions of the natural sciences can be used to inform and stimulate systematic theology. Written by one of today's best-known Christian writers Explores how the working methods and assumptions of the natural sciences can be used to inform and stimulate systematic theology Continues McGrath s acclaimed exploration of scientific theology, begun with his groundbreaking three-volume work, A Scientific Theology Includes a landmark extended analysis of whether doctrinal development can be explained using Darwinian evolutionary models, and exploration of how the transition from a scientific theology to a future scientific dogmatics might be made Supported by a published review of McGrath s scientific theology project, which is currently the best brief introduction to his thought.

Provocative and immensely well informed, The Order of Thingsrepresents a substantial and original contribution to the fields ofsystematic theology, historical theology, and the science andreligion dialogue. Leading theologian, Alister E. McGrath exploreshow the working methods and assumptions of the natural sciences canbe used to inform and stimulate systematic theology.* * Written by one of today's best-known Christian writers* Explores how the working methods and assumptions of the naturalsciences can be used to inform and stimulate systematictheology* Continues McGrath's acclaimed exploration of scientifictheology, begun with his groundbreaking three-volume work, AScientific Theology* Includes a landmark extended analysis of whether doctrinaldevelopment can be explained using Darwinian evolutionary modelsand exploration of how the transition from a "scientifictheology" to a future "scientific dogmatics"might be made* Supported by a published review of McGrath's scientifictheology project, which is currently the best brief introduction tohis thought.

Preface.Taking the Enlightenment Seriously.Renewing the Quest for Reliable Knowledge.On Developing a Scientific Theology.Introducing the Essays.1. Alister McGrath's Scientific Theology. A reviewArticle by Dr Benjamin Myers, University of Queensland.2. Is a "Scientific Theology" Intellectual Nonsense?Engaging with Richard Dawkins.The Universal Scope of the Natural Sciences.Darwinism and the Impossibility of Theology.Faith and Evidence in Science and Theology.Theology as a Virus of the Mind?.Does Theology Impoverish Our View of the Universe?.3. A University Sermon: On Natural Theology.4. Towards the Restatement and Renewal of a Natural Theology:A Dialogue with the Classic English Tradition.Natural Theology: an Autobiographical Reflection.Natural Theology as Discernment.The Golden Age of English Natural Theology.The Boyle Lectures and the Problem of Heterodoxy.William Paley and the Divine Watchmaker.The Challenge of Darwinism for Natural Theology.Incarnation, Trinity, and Natural Theology.Responding to Karl Barth: Natural Theology as a SpecificallyChristian Undertaking.Tradition, Interpretation and the Discovery of God : NaturalTheology and Meno's Paradox.Cognitive and perceptual approaches to Natural Theology.5. Stratification: Levels of Reality and the Limits ofReductionism.Stratification in Nicolai Hartmann.Stratification in Roy Bhaskar.Stratification, Emergence, and the Failure of Reductionism.Mathesis Universalis: Heinrich Scholz and the Flawed Quest forMethodological Uniformity.6. The Evolution of Doctrine? A Critical Examination of theTheological Validity of Biological Models of DoctrinalDevelopment.Nature as a Source of Theological Models.The Notion of Doctrinal Development."Universal Darwinism" and the Development of Culture.Are Human Ideas and Values Outside the Darwinian Paradigm?.Darwinianism, Lamarckianism, or What? The IndeterminateMechanism of Cultural Evolution.Cultural Evolution: an Historical Case Study.Directing Evolution: Antonio Gramsci and the Manipulation ofCultural Development.The Memetic Approach to Intellectual Evolution.Doctrinal Development: are there Islands of TheologicalStability?.Contingency, History and Adaptation in the EvolutionaryProcess.Contingency, History and Adaptation in the Development ofDoctrine.Chalcedon, Metaphysics, and Spandrels: Evolutionary Perspectiveson the Chalcedonian Definition of Faith.7. Assimilation in the Development of Doctrine: TheTheological Significance of Jean Piaget.Piaget on "Reflective Abstraction".Assimilation to Jewish Religious Norms: Ebionitism.Assimilation to Roman Cultural Norms: Pelagianism.Assimilation to Anglo-Saxon Cultural Norms: Christ as Hero.The Achievement of Equilibration: Factors EncouragingTheological Accommodation.8. A Working Paper: The Ordering of the World in a ScientificTheology.9. A working Paper: Iterative Procedures and Closure inSystematic Theology.10. The Church as the Starting Point for a ScientificDogmatics.Starting from the Visible Reality of the Church.Can Theology be Empirical? John Locke versus John Dewey.The church as an Empirical Social Reality.Stanley Hauerwas on Seeing the Church.Transignification and Transvaluation: the Church and New Ways ofSseeing Things.Conclusion.Bibliography.Index