Amazing Truths: How Science and the Bible Agree by Michael Guillen

Amazing Truths: How Science and the Bible Agree Reviews

• 
  Andrew

  I received a free copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley.
  
  I am a Christian, an engineer, and a fan of science. I thought that this book would be up my alley, but instead I was hugely disappointed.
  
  The author tries to draw parallels between the physical world and the Christian faith. That sounds great but a lot of the parallels are awkward. For example, quantum entanglement is a metaphor for how God speaks to us in mysterious ways. Light is a particle and a wave in the same way that Jesus is God and man. (Too bad he didn't say that water is a metaphor for the Trinity. That's one of my favorites.) You get the idea. The theology was fine but the examples felt forced and superficial.
  
  I'm also not sure who the intended audience is. Is this meant to convince skeptics or encourage those who already believe? If anything this book has made me more skeptical about books that try to synthesize faith with science.
• 
  Michael Murphy

  It is rather interesting when people say that the Bible and Science cannot coincide with one another, or they do not agree. This is blatantly false! While many times we cannot agree what the data may say, as it could go either way at times, but the fact is that science and the Bible do, in fact, live in harmony. It is man who cannot live with the fact that God, or Intelligent Design, are a valid possible alternative explanation with the fact that there tend to be fewer assumptions concerning science if God is in the mix. This was definitely a good book to read. Well written, well researched, and great arguments. Well worth the time to read and absorb it's contents.
• 
  Joan

  I am not sure how to describe this book. I thought it was going to be one of apologetics, but it is not. It is more an explanation of Guillen's awe at correlations between biblical and scientific truth. There are correlations between the universe and Christian belief that are amazing truths.
  
  Sometimes Guillen draws a lesson from science that is applied to Christianity. One example is dark matter. He gives the history leading to the postulation of dark matter and dark energy. Scientists now believe that only five percent of the entire universe is actually visible to us. He relates that to life after death. “Believing in an afterlife is consistent with believing there is a huge part of reality that is hidden from us.” That correlation breaks down a bit when one considers that scientists proposed dark matter and energy because they could see the effects caused by the invisible something. Belief in the afterlife does not have the same kind of origin.
  
  I was most fascinated with his discussion on light and the nature of God. Scientists know that the speed of light is a constant in a vacuum. We know from Einstein's theories that the faster an object goes, the more time slows down. For a particle traveling 99.99999 percent the speed of light, a second stretches to a day and a half. For light itself, traveling at 100 percent the speed of light, time slows to a complete stop. Time doesn't exist. 1 John 1:5 tells us God is light. God is not bound by time. For Him, there is no time. He exists beyond time.
  
  Another correlation Guillen covers includes the fact that the universe had a beginning and materialized out of nothing (energy?). He also has a good section on the limits of scientific “proof.”
  
  He identifies the purpose of this book: “To urge you, when faced with complex issues, to consider thoughtfully both the findings of science and the teachings of Scripture.” He wants readers to see the agreement between the two. Many think that believing the Bible is stupid. Reading this book helps one see that the Bible should be treated with respect. It has insights science is now confirming.
  
  I would recommend this book to those who are interested in the relationship of the Bible and science in general terms but not in specific instances. The correlations Guillen provides are in the realm of interesting and perhaps amazing but not in the realm of convincing proof. He also shares the spiritual applications of many scientific discoveries which is interesting but again, not conclusive proof of a specific correlation between science and the Bible.
  
  I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
• 
  Shane Phillips

  I thought this would an interesting but then he starts out by taking an Einstein quote out of context as his support of science validating religion. He talks about the observational truths that science and religion have in common but then 2 hours in he literally says "observational truths are true because I believe them" WTF. Belief is not a basis for truth. Millions of people believe in visiting aliens but that does not make it true. Any way he also makes these weird "predictions/assocations" like the ancient Greeks talked about waves and particles so they foretold quantum mechanics. That makes no sense. I stopped 60% through as I had enough of those illogical connections.
• 
  Marcas

  I was drawn in by the premise, which I think is true but difficult to discern. Because we are dealing with many different types of knowing, epistemologies, hermeneutical concerns, historical nuances, and literary genres.
  
  Amazing Truths is a good, more popular level book, which makes some interesting points about the nature of light, history of relativity, quantum mechanics, chaos theory, etc, how they sync with what the scriptures say, and play out in our lives and in the reality around us.
  
  In many ways the author is right but probably won't convince entrenched opponents. This book is not the greatest apologetic work, as there are many prior and more substantial layers of difference and complementarity that he would have to reference first, deconstructing his opponents naivetés, and finding a language they would understand more cogently. In the manner that Jens Zimmerman does, Vishal Mangalwadi, Nancy Pearcey, Jonathan Sacks, Tom Holland, and others.
  
  I would still recommend this book to the converted, as it were, and as a supplement, alongside more academic works by Wayne Cristaudo, Michael Polanyi, Richard Creel, J.P. Moreland, Thomas Torrance, James Hannam, Alvin Plantinga, and the likes.
• 
  Blake Western

  There are many interesting things about this book. Some of the explanations about science are rather tedious. The author contends that we should respect truth in both scientific discoveries and the Bible. He attempts to show parallels between scientific discoveries and the Bible. I found the comparison concerning the omnipresence of God to be quite inadequate.
• 
  Brandy

  This is about the hardest book to rate I've ever come across, because it completely eschewed my expectations. Based on the title, I was expecting something more apologetics-focused, but that's definitely not what this book was. I guess it's really more aimed at inspiring the Christian who aims to have a supportive view of science, rather than attempting to win over an atheistic scientist.
  
  The oddity that makes it hard to review this book is that it's not exactly saying that science and the bible agree, even though that's what the title suggests is the subject. What it's really getting at is that the implications we draw from science and from the bible lead to the same sorts of conclusions.
  
  It also uses science's conclusions to shed some light on some of the themes in the Bible, such as God being light. The book is well written theologically and has some very interesting points, but I feel like a good bit of its audience is going to see it as rather ham-fisted, because the connections it makes are often reaches that a person attempting to operate purely on logic would refuse outright. There's not a lot of concrete conclusions that make sense here, so it's more of just a thought exercise.
  
  If I could give something 2.5 stars, this would be that book. Instead, I keep flip-flopping between 2 and 3, and am going to opt for the lower.
• 
  Eric Sullenberger

  My relationship with science and creations is complicated. I was raised Christian, and as my faith grew I became convinced of a little interpretation on the book of Genesis and young earth creationism apart from my church, which probably held to the same tenants but didn't really teach it or expounce it. I know for certain that my mom hasn't put too much thought into it and that my dad doesn't believe in younger creations. He chose to go to a private Christian college for my undergraduate degree in science education. In the University claimed to teach both current science and young First creationism, but they definitely believed in young Earth and argued against science. Furthermore, their teaching the science of cosmology and evolution was outdated making it easier to argue against it. I felt prepared as an educator to teach the science side and was even asked about it in my interview. I told them I had no concerns about teaching the scientific version of things and was informed that most of the community probably leaned you on earth creationism. I still remember the day when I was teaching about the big bang and looking at the helpful deep field image, when it clicked that I believed in the science - and I felt my faith crumble in front of me. I stared at the screen in a panic not teaching and thinking that my students must be noticing the awkward silence and quickly decided that it was okay I could shove this and deal with the existential crisis later that night. That was close to a decade ago and I'm still working it out. I definitely believe in both and think that there is a way for them to find Harmony, but this book does a good job of presenting my views a hyphen even if I don't think it will convince many people on either side of the debate. I will say I didn't learn much from this book, although I think the comparison of her scientific understanding of the dual nature and timelessness of light / photons and the description of God as eternal and timeless go together very well and I need to do some more thinking and study and on. I do think that the two systems can agree, but don't hold to a younger view anymore. I don't pretend to have all the answers, nor does the doctor, but it is heartening to see someone working towards Harmony and a balance between the two systems of thought. I will say that I wish the author had spent more time discussing specifics instead of generalities, putting me to clear from the start that that was not his intention with this book. Also, I love the graphic on the cover. And this review was typed via voice to text, and has not been edited for proper spelling and grammar, some way apologies for any mistakes until I get around to that.
• 
  Redeemed

  Enjoyable, although a little floaty.
  
  This book is an enjoyable and encouraging read for both the science enthusiast and the science-adverse. Essentially, Guillen looks at ten findings that confound the expectations of the science community (that is: hard scientists, soft scientists, mathematicians, logisticians) and shows how those very things are lined up with the Biblical narrative. Some things are very clear and concrete, like the wonders of light, while things are a bit more abstract, like nonlocal communication. If you don't have a science background, it might be a daunting to read at first blush, but Guillen does well in getting to the point and summarizing what would be complex concepts.
  
  Theologically, it is a bit hard to figure out, since the author praises both TD Jakes (a modalist; which is a Trinitarian heresy) and Charles Spurgeon (one of the greatest preachers of all time) within pages of each other. The author is nevertheless orthodox. You shouldn't be afraid of finding poor teaching in this book, but it's more of a casual science book than a serious theological treatise. But that's okay.
• 
  Ben

  Thesis again! This book provided me with many excellent quotes that were related to my thesis with which I prefaced each section of my paper. Some of the examples weren't the strongest evidence-wise, but I appreciated the style of friendly dialogue and wonder at the integration between God's Word and World. It's a book written by a physicist who came to faith in Christ that provides a solid philosophical argument for the integration of science and faith, starting from what they obviously share. Very application-oriented, and each chapter is pretty consistent in comparing (almost classically) Scriptural and scientific authorities on the topic being discussed.
• 
  Joseph Peterson

  Amazing Truths is a very well written book. As a Christian I found it especially refreshing to find a book that argued for Biblical truths without being corny, overly reliant on faith, or mocking in tone.
  
  If you are looking for a book to get quick facts to debate evolutionary theorists with, this is not for you. But if you are looking for a solid, thoughtful book on larger truths that you could easily use to open up debate with someone who would laugh at a book titled "10 Ways to Confuse Darwinists", this is for you.
• 
  Josh Long

  A strange little book. Although sometimes random, and arguably a bit of a stretch - there are some wonderful anecdotes in here that promote a compatibility of Biblical and scientific truths. I learned about a handful of random scientific facts and the author even goes as far to try and expose the fallacy of using logic as a universal foundation of truth. I enjoyed all that. However literary wise, it read like a travesty. I don't know what the author had in mind in terms of cohesion and flow. It almost felt like a multi-authored anthology - but not a good one.
• 
  michael rivera

  Great Teacher
  
  I really enjoyed how Mr. Guillen used simple analogies to explain complex ideas.
  I was disappointed though that he concluded the book giving Science seemingly equal footing with Scripture.
• 
  Jrbeers717

  Church and science together
  
  I enjoyed this book. I like how it ties truths from science and The Bible together in ways I hadn't thought about before. I recommend this book of you are looking for something to make you think.
• 
  Corey Friedrich

  This book was good. Dr. Gullen did a great job looking at commonalities between science and religion or maybe more accurately, in some chapters, how they compliment each other. Some chapters were more impactful than others. Overall, though, a very interesting read.
• 
  Kathy

  If you like scientific research, this is interesting. I love how the Bible proves everything. A faith confirming book. Without all the extra interesting stories I might have been bored part of the time but the author is a good writer which helps.
• 
  Lee Button

  A highly regarded scientist explains 10 truths held by science and the Bible. Written in plain language with on the mark illustrations. One of the best books I've read in the last 12 months.
• 
  Timothy Kauphusman

  Awesome points and great illustrations but difficult to follow.
• 
  Ron Couey

  Outstanding read! Enjoyed every chapter! Well reasoned scientifically and biblically.