The Science of God

""The universe is tuned for life from its inception,"" writes physicist-turned-biblical scholar Schroeder (The Discovery of Harmony Between Modern Science and the Bible) in his latest book. Schroeder attempts to meld a critical reading of the Bible with a sophisticated understanding of modern science to yield new proof that spiritual and material views of reality can coexist and support one another. Discussing the idea stated in Genesis that ""the earth brought forth"" life, Schroeder emphasizes modern scientific awareness of the razor-edged precision that allowed the energy of the Big Bang to be just right to give rise to life. The author quotes the astrophysicist Michael Turner: ""`The precision,' he said, `is as if one could throw a dart across the entire universe and hit a bullseye one millimeter in diameter on the other side.'"" While hard-core materialists will bridle at an exegesis that inevitably depends on after-the-fact comparisons, spiritually inclined readers will find the material Schroeder presents provocative. The author, however, sometimes strains credibility by forcing connections. He uses numerology to establish meaningful links between biblical dates and significant modern events, for example. Building on the belief that Hebrew patriarch Abraham was born 1,948 years after Adam, Schroeder says, ""In 1948, an event occurred that was destined to change the course of history and of humanity... The coincidence is intriguing: 1948 as the birth of the father of the people of Israel, and, from another perspective, 1948 as the rebirth of the State of Israel."" Although it is impossible to weigh the true value of such nuggets of information, Schroeder offers fresh evidence for the eternal argument that science and religion, matter and spirit, need not be seen as conflicting or mutually exclusive. (Nov.)