This blog is about science from the perspective of natural philosophy. There was originally no distinction between science and philosophy. Scientists as recently as 150 years ago referred to themselves as natural philosophers. Natural philosophy is in fact a good way to describe science at its best. A renaissance of natural philosophy might go a long way toward resolving many issues that plague modern science.

Theology represents quite a different branch of philosophy. In recent years, with attacks by Christian fundamentalists on the teaching of Darwinian evolution, and the publication of anti-theistic material by New Atheists, there has been a growing chasm between science and theology.

In the middle of this culture war, many scientists, theologians, and lay people have declared that we need not be forced to make a choice between faith and reason, science and religion. Many groups and individuals are striving to find common ground for these two branches of philosophy, based on the idea that God’s truth is one, and that the Book of Words and the Book of Works cannot be contradictory. This blog is devoted to the cause of finding a way for persons of faith to fully embrace the beautiful truths of scientific discovery, so that natural philosophy can once again define the human view of our world.

Since I am a scientist and not a theologian, I will focus on science (God’s Book of Works) and try to show how science helped me on my journey from atheism to Christian faith. Christians who fully accept science, including evolution, are not at all a minority, but this mainstream is largely ignored by the press and much of the public, who tend to focus on the strident voices on either side of the culture war.

I am starting this blog to join in the work being done by many others, including the Biologos Foundation, the American Scientific Affiliation, The Faraday Institute, and many other groups and blogs, all of whom will be linked. I would like to have guest bloggers from these sources, and from among my friends in the Facebook Group Celebrating Creation by Natural Selection. I welcome and will address all comments and opinions, as long as they follow the simple rules posted above.