Eden's Garden: Rethinking Sin and Evil in an Era of Scientific PromiseThe time is ripe for a robust discussion of human nature. In Eden's Garden: Rethinking Sin and Evil in an Era of Scientific Promise, Richard Coleman examines the notion of sin in a contemporary world that values scientific and nonreligious modes of thought regarding human behavior. This work is not an anti-science polemic, but rather an argument to show how sin and evil can make sense to the nonreligious mind, and how it is valuable to make sense of such phenomena. The author reconceptualizes sin and evil as 'indelible pieces of our evolutionary history' preventing them from being ostracized as 'too religious, without substance, mired in the past.' Coleman redeems theology for what it can offer to the understanding of sin and evil while embracing and respecting what science can offer to further the common good. Examining themes in religion, philosophy, and theology, it is ideal for use in the numerous courses that move across these disciplines. |
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... sense that they reside somewhere in the vicinity of Promethean aspirations of pursuing the technological vision of perfection ; and we are downright certain sin and evil play a critical role in the multitude of ethical decisions thrust ...
... sense that they reside somewhere in the vicinity of Promethean aspirations of pursuing the technological vision of perfection ; and we are downright certain sin and evil play a critical role in the multitude of ethical decisions thrust ...
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... sense the presence of sin and evil but are not quite sure how to identify them in the midst of so much knowl- edge for so much good . We live in a virtual garden of delight and for this reason alone we shadow Adam and Eve as they romped ...
... sense the presence of sin and evil but are not quite sure how to identify them in the midst of so much knowl- edge for so much good . We live in a virtual garden of delight and for this reason alone we shadow Adam and Eve as they romped ...
Page 15
... sense is itself a product of evolution . Pinker and Singer , along with those who think of themselves as sociobiologists , are probably right for the same reasons I argue our sense of sinfulncss emerged over time . But saying something ...
... sense is itself a product of evolution . Pinker and Singer , along with those who think of themselves as sociobiologists , are probably right for the same reasons I argue our sense of sinfulncss emerged over time . But saying something ...
Page 16
... sense of justice , " and as such it is the " sea of all the noble virtues like selflessness , idealism , morality , self - sacrifice , courage , and honorability " ( The End of History , 171 ) . We can hope for the withering of the ...
... sense of justice , " and as such it is the " sea of all the noble virtues like selflessness , idealism , morality , self - sacrifice , courage , and honorability " ( The End of History , 171 ) . We can hope for the withering of the ...
Page 17
... sense that we will be confronted by ethical ques- tions that strain the traditional personal ethic of every religion . Spider - man learns that with great power comes great responsibility and that responsibil- ity is all about making ...
... sense that we will be confronted by ethical ques- tions that strain the traditional personal ethic of every religion . Spider - man learns that with great power comes great responsibility and that responsibil- ity is all about making ...
Contents
Knowledge Too Powerful to Be Ignored The Good and Noble Scientist | 45 |
Knowledge Too Good Not to Be Exploited The Compromised Scientist | 79 |
THE NEW OCCASION FOR AN ORIGINAL TEMPTATION | 127 |
Sin of the Common Variety Distinguishing Sin from Evil and Sin from Sins | 129 |
Sin Uniquely Christian A Fresh Interpretation of The Fall | 161 |
Sins Genealogy The Emergence of Sin | 189 |
Science as the New Occasion for Sin When Humans Overreach | 223 |
SCIENCE AND THEOLOGY IN COUNTERBALANCE | 247 |
What Can We Expect? So Much Depends on How We Answer | 249 |
Selected Bibliography | 283 |
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295 | |
299 | |
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Adam and Eve altruism androids argument atomic bomb Auschwitz become begins behavior believe better biological biotechnology Blank Slate Boston Globe capacity century chapter Christian Cold War common create creature culture death desire distinction empiricism ence enhancement ethical everything evil evolution evolutionary expect feel Franck Report Fukuyama fundamental future genes genetic Genome global happens hope human condition human nature issue John Polkinghorne Kass kind knowledge language Leon Kass lives Manhattan Project Matt Ridley matter means mind modern moral nation Neiman never Niebuhr Oppenheimer original sin ourselves philosophers Pinker political posthuman question reality reason Reinhold Niebuhr religion responsibility Robert Oppenheimer Rousseau science and theology scientific scientists self-awareness self-transcendence sense sinful social society speak story theologians theology thing tion tradition transcend Trinity test trust truth understanding University Press writes Yahweh York
Popular passages
Page 26 - Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select — doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors.