From Information to Insight: Toward a Consistent Reading of Science and Faith

"Richard J. Pendergast devoted his life to the integration of modern science and divine revelation; that is why he became a Jesuit. His aim was to update the Christian synthesis of St. Thomas Aquinas, based on the philosophy of Aristotle and a static worldview, to reflect evolution. Combining notions from science, philosophy, and theology, he would weave a coherent picture of what we know about reality. He sees a living universe, reality as dynamic process, and evolution with purpose in the mystery of love. His ideas appeared in peer-reviewed professional journals, but it was his deepest desire to reach a general audience, especially young people, and that is the aim of our series. This means interaction with our popular culture, with its oversimplified view of science. The ignoring of transcendental values may lead to the mistaken notion that science and religion are unrelated and that evolution must be a random process. To clarify this serious issue is the reason for my book. In Part One, I first give a brief account of my personal story. Then in chapter 2 I introduce Richard Pendergast in the context of the Ethics of Evidence, freeing his work from the distractions of popular culture. I provide additional discussion in the chapters of Part Two"--