Is there a definitive answer to the age-old clash between staunch believers in the Bible’s creation account and those defending scientific facts? Can the book of Genesis be taken literally, and how much does it depend on ancient pagan Origin of Life stories?
Joel Hinrichs invites readers to ponder these types of thoughts and attempts to make sense of them in Christian Cosmology. Calling on his background as a Lutheran minister and computer systems professional, he aims to use accumulated research to offer readers a “defense” for the common question: “Why on earth does your religion make you deny common knowledge?”
In a chapter on evolution, for example, the author argues that while science overwhelmingly supports the theory, one can still credit God with creating the diverse world necessary for evolution to work.
When using scientific research as his basis for biblical history, such as the timeline for the birth of Christ, he walks a finer line, with mixed results.
Hinrichs has clearly done extensive research on the topics he touches upon, from pagan lore to biblical accounts to science, including meticulous biological definitions. He quotes sources extensively. But while the narrative is filled with interesting facts, it can be hard to navigate. Scientific jargon abounds, and readers will find themselves lost in such multisyllabic terminology as “phosphorimidazolide” and “regiospecificity.” Often, the author’s arguments are convoluted and hard to follow.
Additionally, Hinrichs sometimes forces readers to pause mid-paragraph, sending them to read supporting appendices before continuing. Another intrusion are the acrostics in poem form that open each chapter. The acrostics use the first letters of the words of chapter subtitles to create often-puzzling commentary (ex., TERMS = “Time spent perusing, page by page will bring/ Emerging understanding of a gold-embossed/ Remuda, prancing horses…,” etc.).
These issues make the book a challenging read overall. As a result, those seeking a comprehensible answer to the science versus faith argument might prefer to look elsewhere.c
