John Calvin and the natural world / Davis A. Young.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Young, Davis A.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.

Calvin, Jean.

Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564--Knowledge and learning--Science.

Religion and science--Europe--History--16th century.

Religion and science.

History.

Europe.

Physical Description:

x, 250 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham, MD : University Press of America, [2007]

Summary:

This work focuses on a rarely noted side of the Protestant reformer John Calvin: the theologian as a man appreciative of the details of God's creation, an admirer of those who investigate nature, and a leader that accepted their discoveries and conclusions. John Calvin and the Natural World explores the content of Calvin's scientific outlook by reviewing his views on the structure of the cosmos; the nature of matter and motion; weather; the age, shape, place, and history of the Earth; and the behaviors and characteristics of animals, plants, the human body, and disease. Also drawn out, are the classical, biblical, and medieval influences on Calvin's ideas about nature. Professor Davis A. Young concludes the work with a discussion of Calvin's attitudes, practices, and ideas with respect to science in comparison to how these ideas are carried out in the contemporary church. Professor Young surmises that the judicious application of Calvin's principle of accommodation would help the church to deal in a more thoughtful and balanced way in respect to science and nature, and to defuse some of the rancorous debates surrounding the age of the Earth, flood geology, and evolution.

Contents:

1 Calvin on Science, the Arts, and Learning 1

2 Calvin on the Heavens 23

3 Calvin on Physics and the Atmosphere 55

4 Calvin on the Earth 77

5 Calvin on Living Things 101

6 Calvin on the Human Body, Medicine, and Origins 139

7 Calvin, the Natural World, and Scripture 157

8 Calvin and Contemporary Science 191.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

ISBN:

0761837124

9780761837121

0761837132

9780761837138

OCLC:

85867093