Templeton Foundation Press Newsletter

PUBLISHER OF FINE BOOKS

Science and Religion v Spirituality and Health v Character Development v Business and Spirituality

October 2005

Issue 20

In this Issue:

One Hundred Essays on Science and Religion

Spiritual Information, edited by Charles L. Harper Jr., is a collection of one hundred essays that explore a portion of the vast interdisciplinary approaches to the study of science and religion. Individually and together, the essays show how the study of ourselves, our planet, and the universe helps us understand our place as spiritual beings within God’s universe.

The book is divided into sections with such themes as Science-Religion Dialogue; Cosmology, Physics, and Astronomy; Quantum Mechanics, Mathematics, and Symbolic Logic; Evolution and Purpose; Sociology and Ethics; Religion and Health; Contemplation and the Virtues; Theology and Philosophy; and World Religions and Faith Traditions.

This collection is a representation of creative minds such as Michael Novak, Robert Barro, Jean Staune, Freeman Dyson, Jane Goodall, Stephen Post, Martin Marty, and Wolfgang Achtner. All one hundred essays represent an overview of how far we have come in our discovery of spiritual information. At the same time, they open a window to allow for new discoveries. This collection was developed in honor of Sir John Templeton’s ninetieth birthday.

Please visit our Web site at www.templetonpress.org and click on the Look Inside feature to view a full table of contents.

The Relationship between Religion and Mental Health

In Faith and Mental Health: Religious Resources for Healing Dr. Harold G. Koenig provides an unprecedented source of practical information about the relationship between religion and mental health. Using scientific methodology, he explores how religious beliefs and practices are related to coping and positive emotions, as well as the use of religion for psychiatric disorders, substance abuse disorders, and severe mental illness. Based on this research, he offers an evaluation of whether religious faith represents a resource or a liability in terms of mental health.

Dr. Koenig begins by examining the evolution of the relationship between religion and mental health through the centuries. Drawing on hundreds of research studies and clinical trials that examine the effectiveness of religious psychotherapies from Christian, Muslim, and Buddhist perspectives, he describes ten ways that religious faith can contribute to mental health.

He focuses on the role of clergy, religious organizations, and faith communities in caring for those with emotional problems and severe mental illness. He describes five categories of faith-based organizations (FBOs) that deliver mental health services and provides details on their organization and mission, along with examples that illustrate their functions.

Faith and Mental Health is a resource for the healthcare community, including medical school professionals and caregivers; for religious professionals from pastoral counselors to chaplains; and for everyone concerned with the future of mental health care.

Visit our Web site for more information about this book: http://www.templetonpress.org/

New Book Examines the Role of Evidence in Religion

In Science and the Bible: Evidence-Based Christian Belief, Ted Burge, a highly respected physicist in the UK , draws on his background in the fields of science and theology to examine the role of evidence in religion. Burge notes that his experience in science and theology make him particularly interested in the role of evolution, the formation of the cosmos, the history and age of the earth, and in biological evolution with its recent evidence in DNA.

He begins with a discussion of what we accept as evidence, pointing out the distinction between oral testimonies, written documents, and technologically discovered scientific reports. Types of evidence include evidence in law, evidence in history, scientific evidence, and evidence for theology. “Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence,” Burge notes, providing examples.

After building this foundation, he moves on to a discussion of scientific and theological beliefs. He explores evidence found in the text of the Bible. Evidence is presented—and conflicting views are considered—on such topics as the Genesis story of creation, original sin, the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, free will, the evolution of belief, and miracles as described in the Bible.

Visit our Web site for more information about this book: http://www.templetonpress.org/

Three Spirituality and Health Audio Books Now Available

Three books by Dr. Harold Koenig, whose research on spirituality and health is cited worldwide, are now available from Templeton Audio, the audio book imprint of Templeton Foundation Press. All text is unabridged.

The Healing Connection: The Story of a Physician’s Search for the Link between Faith and Health is the remarkable personal story of Dr. Harold Koenig, showing how his personal trials—including an emotional breakdown, disruptive behavior that led to his being expelled from medical school, and battling mental illness as a street person in San Francisco—became the catalyst for his pioneering research in the field of spirituality and health. Included are Koenig’s findings on the impact of faith on mental and physical health and the realization that religious faith and practice are connected to mental and physical health.

Purpose and Power in Retirement: New Opportunities for Meaning and Significance points out that the retirement years can add up to a full one-third of our lives. Scientific and medical research show that having a purpose positively affects both mental and physical health, and possibly even contributes to how long we live. Dr. Koenig quotes Benjamin Mays who once said: “The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach.” With this book, Dr. Koenig offers an overview of current social trends, debunks retirement myths, and presents a practical and inspiring step-by-step manual for creating a purpose-filled life.

Spirituality in Patient Care: Why, How, When, and What is a concise, practical manual for healthcare professionals. It includes explanations of the importance of addressing spirituality in patient care, how to identify and address spiritual needs, the ideal time for a spiritual assessment, and the results that can be expected from addressing patients’ spiritual needs. Nearly two-thirds of today’s American medical schools are teaching required or elective courses on religion, spirituality, and medicine, but in practice, many physicians feel uncomfortable addressing spiritual issues, don’t have time, or don’t know how or when to do it, and can’t imagine what the results would be if they did. Spirituality in Patient Care is a primer that both answers those questions and provides a step-by-step guide.

The audio books can be ordered the same way as our other publications: through bookstores, on our Web site, or by calling or faxing our distribution center in Chicago.

For more information or to listen to a sample of our audio books, please visit http://www.templetonpress.org/audio_books.asp

2005 Books of Distinction Announced

Twenty-nine books have been named as Books of Distinction for 2005. This program, launched in 2004, is a marketing and promotion campaign through which books from publishers in the USA and the UK benefit from a supplemental promotion and marketing program funded by the John Templeton Foundation and managed by Templeton Foundation Press. The criteria for inclusion in the program is that the book advances the science and religion dialogue by increasing awareness of spirituality in our understanding of the workings of the universe and in our daily lives.

Featured are such books as For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch-Hunts, and the End of Slavery by Rodney Stark; Human Nature and the Freedom of Public Religious Expression by Stephen G. Post; and The Quantum and the Lotus: A Journey to the Frontiers Where Science and Buddhism Meet co-authored by Matthieu Ricard and Trinh Xuan Thuan.

All books are offered at a 20 percent savings off of the retail price through the Science and Religion Online Bookstore. Visit today at: http://www.scienceandreligionbooks.org/

Recent Reviews

Love That Works

The Art and Science of Giving

Bruce Brander

“[S]timulating and erudite, drawing on a number of disciplines, and his conclusions have important implications for the development of a more general understanding of love. A notable contribution to this emerging field.”         

—The Scientific and Medical Network,

Gloucestershire, United Kingdom , Spring 2005

“Born of decades of research and conversations, Love That Works delivers a succinct assessment of what's wrong with the way people love today and how they can grow to have better relations with significant others and even strangers in grocery store lines.“                   

—Christian Science Monitor, February 2005

Science and the Bible

Evidence-Based Christian Belief

Ted Burge

“Succeed[s] in presenting a modern approach to biblical interpretation to the general reader. As such, his work may find an audience among those Christians open to the idea of an evolving biblical revelation. Recommended for all collections that emphasize Christianity.”

—Library Journal, August 2005

“[K]eenly interesting study. . . Fans of John Polkinghorne will enjoy this book.

—Religion Bookline from Publisher’s Weekly, September 2005

Full reviews may be found on our Web site at www.templetonpress.org.

Best Sellers

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.

Traditional Books

1.   Science and the Bible

       http://www.templetonpress.org/book.asp?book_id=81

2.   Hand of God, The

      http://www.templetonpress.org/book.asp?book_id=1  

3.   Thrift and Generosity

      http://www.templetonpress.org/book.asp?book_id=72  

4.   Worldwide Laws of Life

      http://www.templetonpress.org/book.asp?book_id=21

5.   Fire in the Equations

      http://www.templetonpress.org/book.asp?book_id=66  

6.   Street Saints

            http://www.templetonpress.org/book.asp?book_id=71

Audio Books

1.   Spiritual Investments

       http://www.templetonpress.org/audio_books.asp

2.   Healing Connection, The

      http://www.templetonpress.org/audio_books.asp

3.   Purpose and Power in Retirement

      http://www.templetonpress.org/audio_books.asp  

4.   Why Are We Created?

            http://www.templetonpress.org/audio_books.asp

E-books

1.   A Concealed God

       http://www.templetonpress.org/book.asp?book_id=52

2.   Spirituality in Patient Care

      http://www.templetonpress.org/book.asp?book_id=47   

3.   Why Are We Created?

      http://www.templetonpress.org/book.asp?book_id=57   

4.   Words of Common Sense

            http://www.templetonpress.org/book.asp?book_id=50

Text Adoptions

Templeton Foundation Press is pleased to provide exam copies for review for possible classroom adoption. We do not ship exam copies to residences; they must be mailed to your institution. Please include your name, the full name and address of your institution, telephone number, class name, and your expected enrollment. All requests are subject to availability and approval.

Ordering Information

Books from Templeton Foundation Press are available at better bookstores and through our Web site at www.templetonpress.org.  You may also order by calling our distribution center at 800-621-2736.  Orders placed through our Web site receive a 20 percent discount.

Contact Information

Templeton Foundation Press

300 Conshohocken State Road, Suite 550

West Conshohocken, PA 19428

Email: tfp@templetonpress.org

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