Recommended Books & Documents

Evolution Controversy

ISSR would like to draw attention to a report - "Science, Evolution, and Creationism" - prepared by a committee of the National Academy of Sciences in the U.S., which we believe provides an important resource for an understanding of evolution by the general public. It can be read online or downloaded by clicking here and following the links to the report.

Religious Reasons for Supporting Science

ISSR believes that people of all the main religious faith traditions have strong reasons for supporting the scientific enterprise. We also believe that these reasons, while they may vary from tradition to tradition, should be articulated as well as possible within each of them. An admirable example of this, in the view of our Executive Committee, is a Pastoral Letter recently circulated within the United Church of Christ, which may be read by clicking here.

Age of Earth

In the light of claims that the standard scientific account of the age of the earth are not well-established, ISSR would like to draw attention to a document by Professor Bob White, written in an evangelical Christian context, but of use, in most of its parts, to those of other faith traditions also. This may be read by clicking here.

Library Project

ISSR is at present developing an "ISSR LIBRARY" of essential books in the field of science and religion for academic purposes (see ISSR Library Project link to the left).

General Books

For the general public, possibly the best existing list of recommended books is that compiled by the Cambridge-Templeton Fellowship scheme. ISSR is not directly involved in this scheme's organization, but a number of the Society's members - including the list's compilers - are regular contributors to its activities. This scheme is designed to allow journalists to develop an informed understanding of the relationship between science and religion, and assumes that the journalists involved do not necessarily have any background in this interdisciplinary area. A list of books compiled with such people in mind is, therefore, likely to prove useful also to members of the general public. This is why it is now - with the permission of the compilers - made available on the ISSR website through the link below:

www.templeton-cambridge.org/seminar_preparation/recommended_readings/stannard/?sort=by_subject

Why the Science and Religion Dialogue Matters: Voices from the International Society for Science and Religion, edited by Fraser Watts and Kevin Dutton can be purchased by clicking here.

Schools

A number of members of ISSR have also been involved in the production of some excellent materials for use in schools. Details may be found at: www.srsp.net