Imagining the Creator God: From Antiquity to Astrophysics - Softcover

De Schrijver, Georges S J

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1532610157 ISBN 13: 9781532610158

Publisher: Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2016

Synopsis

Ever since it was demonstrated in the 1920s that the universe, with its trillions of galaxies, is caught up in a process of steady expansion, it became evident that it must have originated from an ""initial singularity,"" a ""Big Bang,"" which gave rise to the formation of subatomic parts, atoms, molecules, clouds of gas, and finally, stars and galaxies. Running this expansion back in time, scientists began to reckon with the miracle of an evolving universe of which we are the outcome: the iron in our blood has been formed in the stars. This book gives an overview of the cosmologies that were in vogue in antiquity---the Jewish and Christian concepts of Creation, and the classical thinkers in Greek cosmology: Plato, Aristotle, and Ptolemy--and in modern times, Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and Newton. The book brings us right down to the present day with a careful and readable treatment of the scientific innovations inaugurated by Einstein and the specialists in quantum physics, and to recent developments in astrophysics. This path of exploration opens the avenue for imagining a Creator God who is so generous that he invites creation to share in his own creativity.

About this title

About the Author

It was Father Georges LeMaitre, the Belgian priest, astronomer, and professor of Physics at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Catholic University of Louvain) who first proposed the theory of the expansion of the universe, the hypothesis of the ""primeval atom"" or the ""cosmic egg,"" which later came to be known as the ""Big Bang Theory."" Father Georges De Schrijver, SJ, professor emeritus of Fundamental Theology at the same university, has carried on a commitment to the study of the important relationship between science and faith and developed this commitment through a fascinating course, Creation Stories Ancient and New, which has benefited generations of students around the world from its inception in 1992 until the present day. This book is the fruit of that research, writing, and teaching. Beloved by generations of students who affectionately referred to him simply as ""Father George,"" he continued his research and writing after his retirement and in recent years has lectured in Nigeria, India, China, and the Philippines, as well as the United States. Father George was teaching in the Philippines and was surrounded by his beloved Filipino colleagues, friends, and students when he died on Friday, October 7, 2016, as this book was being prepared to go to press.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wipf & Stock Publishers
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1532610157
• ISBN 13: 9781532610158
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 252