Science and Religion v Spirituality and Health v Character Development v Business and Spirituality
November/December 2003
Issue 16
“The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder—waif, a nothing, no man. Have a purpose in life, and having it, throw such strength of mind and muscle into your work as God has given you.” —Thomas Carlyle
In his new book, Noble Purpose: The Joy of Living a Meaningful Life, William Damon talks about “finding large-scale purposes that focus your talents, skills, thoughts, and energies in an enduring manner…finding something that you can truly believe in, something so worth accomplishing that you dedicate yourself to it wholeheartedly, without qualm or self-interest…devoting yourself to a cause, or to many causes, that you consider noble purposes.”
Drawing on religious, philosophical, and literary writings, Damon defines the qualities that transform purpose into noble purpose. He further guides readers to an understanding of both the psychological and spiritual significance of purpose by examining the idea that “life without purpose is a life wasted.” He shows how people from many cultures throughout history have pursued noble purposes by answering God’s call as each has heard it, and he looks at the everyday faces of noble purpose—how noble purpose can be found in activities and settings that may seem quite ordinary. Teachers, business professionals, and parents, for example, can ennoble what they do by being mindful of its deepest meaning whether their actions are heroic or everyday behavior.
Where do we find our own noble purpose? How can we be sure it is the right way to spend our time and energy? Damon presents nine principles that can facilitate a quest for purpose and questions we can ask ourselves in order to ensure that our purpose is a noble one.
It is possible to live our lives with a tangible sense of satisfaction, well-being, and exhilaration. The key is having a noble purpose, and William Damon, in this inspirational volume, helps us know how to identify our own.
Special Offer: Purchase a copy of Noble Purpose and receive a copy of Words of Common Sense at a 50 percent discount. A $5.50 shipping and handling cost will be applied to all domestic orders. Please add an additional $5.00 for international orders. Refer to Code RN35 when ordering.
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Voices continue to emerge in the global dialogue that seeks a peaceful coexistence between religion and science. Michael Heller, who, in Poland, is a renowned professor of philosophy and a Roman Catholic priest, offers a fresh perspective. His premise is that any synthesis between scientific cognition and religious cognition must not ignore their differences but build on them. The process, like life itself, is one of “creative tension,” and totally unavoidable.
In his book, Creative Tension: Essays on Science and Religion, Heller presents a series of essays sequentially documenting his analytic and systematic studies on such a synthesis. Some of the essays have their roots in his studies in the fields of physics and cosmology, while others are drawn from his theories on the language of God, creation, and transcendence. All the essays were inspired by his work in the applications of “noncommutative geometry,” an emerging field.
In every encounter of science and religion, the limits of science are involved, Heller notes. The scientist “never ceases looking for further explanations. It is here that science meets theology. Theology provides a creative environment to think about science, its achievements, its methods, and its value.” Heller brings his creative tension study to a conclusion by looking at vestiges of Transcendence in some key issues of contemporary science. He considers the three great “languages” of science—the DNA code, the neuronal language of the brain, and the laws of nature in general; and he points out the problem of limits—“do the limits of science coincide with the limits of rationality?” In the end, he argues, the “field of rationality” embraces the “domain of science,” and—as history teaches us—“science and theology always interacted, and continue doing so, within this field.”
Special Offer: Purchase a copy of Creative Tension and receive a free hardbound copy of Mind of the Universe. A $5.50 shipping and handling cost will be applied to all domestic orders. Please add an additional $5.00 for international orders. Refer to Code RN37 when ordering.
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Inside the Mind of God: Images and Words of Inner Space explores dialogue between science and religion by taking us on a photographic journey into inner space. This journey utilizes microscopic imagery to document the beautiful and mysterious realm of the tiniest components of life, revealing symmetry, perfection, and ultimately, a revelation, about our Creator. It also delves into the darker side of viruses, cancers, and other seemingly evil presences—naturally evoking the question of why evil exists. From creation to destruction to transcendent images, this book takes us on a journey into areas beyond our everyday perception.
These striking photographs of “inner space” are juxtaposed with quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson, Socrates, Galileo, Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, the Bible, and many other scientists, writers, and philosophers.
In her introduction, Sharon Begley, award-winning science writer, explores the theme of faith with science. She looks at the long-running debate over intelligent design, including the question of biological evil (cancer cells, for example) and the current search for evidence of the mind of God in the human brain (scientific measurements of meditation, for example). She remarks on the sense of the spiritual as well as simple awe that runs through science.
Of related interest to Inside the Mind of God: Images and Words of Inner Space is The Hand of God: Thoughts and Images Reflecting the Spirit of the Universe, also edited by Michael Reagan. It was once believed that to look into the heavens was to look into the face of God. The first images relayed from the Hubble telescope confirmed that sentiment in ways beyond imagination. The Hand of God combines inspiration for both mind and spirit by taking many of the majestic photographs of the cosmos taken from the Hubble missions with illuminating commentary and quotations from world-renowned scientists, theologians, and poets.
Special Offer: Purchase a copy of The Hand of God and receive a copy of the hardbound edition of Inside the Mind of God for a 50 percent discount. A $5.50 shipping and handling cost will be applied to all domestic orders. Please add an additional $5.00 for international orders. Refer to Code RN36 when ordering.
Visit our website for more information about this book: www.templetonpress.org
To order special offer: http://www.templetonpress.org/specialoffers.asp
Often it is difficult to judge a book just by its cover. To help customers determine if a certain book is “just right” for them, we’ve now added inside glimpses to many of our books. It’s easy to do. Simply link to a book and click on the magnifying glass. This will open a PDF file easily read if you have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. Inside you’ll see the table of contents, the preface and/or introduction, if applicable, and, many times, even a portion of the first chapter. We welcome customer reviews on all of our books.
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Several new titles, such as Why Are We Created?, Unlimited Love, Faithful Finances 101, and Religion and Reconciliation in South Africa are now available as e-books. Most are available in all three of the most popular platforms—Microsoft, Adobe, and Palm.
What is an e-book? An e-book is a digital version of a print book that you download and read. There are no shipping charges and no waiting. You can order an e-book and begin reading in minutes! All e-books are readily available and easily viewed on your personal home computer or on your PDA (personal digital assistant).
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Creative Tension
By Michael Heller
The various approaches Heller takes in moving about in this large, grand, endless field stem from his work with the concept of ‘noncommutative geometry,’ a new field in which he is leading thinker. Scientific methodology, the history of the attempt to synthesize science and religion, creation, and metaphysics and metalanguage are among the areas of science, theology, and philosophy Heller engages in to offer penetrating, luminous considerations for the philosophically-minded.”
—Small Press Book Review, November/December 2003
Why Are We Created?
Increasing Our Understanding of Humanity’s Purpose on Earth
Sir John Templeton and Rebekah Alezander Dunlap
“Why Are We Created? is a thought provoking book that requires the reader to answer vital questions of life. . . . The authors escort you down a path of your life, from living in the Now to creating and manifesting your thoughts. The book informs us on the art of purposeful living. . . Sir John Templeton and Rebekah Alezander Dunlap make a convincing argument for spiritual research and study. . . . Why Are We Created? is a great place for advanced searchers to continue their study. Basic concepts are easily understood, though some of the questions may become a bit overwhelming for the beginner.”
—Spirit-works.net, August 2003
Spirituality in Patient Care
Why, How, When, and What
Harold G. Koenig, M.D.
“Speak[s] in terms that physicians will appreciate. It is short, to the point and written from a scientific perspective.”
—Journal of Christian Nursing, Summer 2003
“A guide for physicians, medical students, nurses, chaplains and administrators on how to perform spiritual profiles on patients as part of clinical practice, the book also serves as a valuable basic primer for anyone being introduced to the relatively recent evidence of the relevance of spirituality to health care.”
—Christian Science Journal, July 2003
Parish Nursing
Verna Benner Carson and Harold G. Koenig.
“The authors successfully blend serious material with searing tales of pathos, and some miracles! Highly recommended for parish staffs, diocesan staffs, hospital staffs.”
—Catholic Library World, September 2003
The Far-Future Universe
Eschatology from a Cosmic Perspective
Edited by George F. R. Ellis
“The Far-Future Universe is a unique and ambitious compilation of essays based on a symposium at the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences. . . . The diverse essays in the book experiment with throwing human imagination as far as it can go. They include scientific analyses of likely futures, and exploration of vital human dimensions of faith and hope. . . . In a world polarized between secular and religious thinking, it is inspiring to find a book with so successful a blend of faith and science.”
—American Scientist Online, May-June 2003
“This is an excellent book, on a topic not often discussed in theology and science circles. Many of the essays are highly speculative, but that is due to the nature of the topic. The inclusion of many prominent authors, from a wide variety of disciplinary perspectives, is especially helpful.
—Catholic Studies, October 2003
Forgiveness and Reconciliation
Religion, Public Policy and Conflict Transformation
Raymond Helmick, S.J. and Rodney Petersen
“This ‘study in political patience’ brings together insights of Christian theologians, policy analysts, psychologists, social theorists, and conflict mediators who variously strive to make a case for forgiveness and reconciliation within the arena of public policy. . . . The work fills a void by attempting to unite streams that have yet to sufficiently interact. ”
—Theological Studies, September 2003
Full reviews may be found on our website at www.templetonpress.org.
The current best sellers for Templeton Foundation Press are listed below. The statistics are an accumulation of both domestic and foreign sales and are updated monthly.
1. Noble Purpose
http://www.templetonpress.org/book.asp?book_id=61
2. The Hand of God
http://www.templetonpress.org/book.asp?book_id=1
3. Unlimited Love
http://www.templetonpress.org/book.asp?book_id=58
4. Faithful Finances 101
http://www.templetonpress.org/book.asp?book_id=55
5. Spirituality in Patient Care
http://www.templetonpress.org/book.asp?book_id=47
6. Worldwide Laws of Life
http://www.templetonpress.org/book.asp?book_id=21
Books from Templeton Foundation Press are available at better bookstores and through our website at www.templetonpress.org. You may also order by calling our distribution center at 800-621-2736. Please Note: In order to take advantage of our monthly specials orders must be placed via our website or by calling the distribution center with the applicable code number. Orders placed through our website receive a 20 percent discount.
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