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Science and Christianity: Conflict or Coherence? is beautifully written, and accessible to non-scientists. Each chapter can be read independently. Schaefer writes with humor and personality, and shows great respect for those who believe differently, while making no apologies for his own viewpoints. The serious scholar of science and religion will be likely be frustrated by the poor referencing throughout the book (a point acknowledged by the author) and the lack of in-depth discussion of certain topics. Yet all who read this book will be touched by the coherence of science and Christianity in the life of Professor Henry Schaefer. Indeed, anyone who feels that science and Christianity are fundamentally at odds will find much to ponder as this book provides a compelling case for the contrary.

Jonathan C. Rienstra-Kiracofe is a lecturer in chemistry at Emory University.

Copyright © 2004 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Science and Christianity: Conflict or Coherence? is available from Amazon.com and other book retailers.

More on Dr. Schaefer is available from the Center for Computational Quantum Chemistry.

Books & Culture Corner appears every Monday. Earlier editions of Books & Culture Corner and Book of the Week include:

History Repeats Itself, Sort of | How the fate of Eugene McCarthy's insurgency against LBJ sheds light on the 2004 presidential campaign. (Feb. 16, 2004)

The Worst President Ever? | Former Nixon aide John Dean attempts to rehabilitate the reputation of Warren G. Harding. (Feb. 09, 2004)

Wholly, Wholly, Wholly | Calvinists and conga drums in Grand Rapids: a report from the seventeenth annual Calvin Symposium on Worship and the Arts. (Feb. 02, 2004)

The Doom of Choice | Fate, free will, and moral responsibility in Tolkien. (Feb. 02, 2004)

A Rose Among Thorns | A new novel by the author of Father Elijah illumines the spiritual consequences of our simplest decisions. (Jan. 26, 2004)

Baptized in Fire | A new book on Martin Luther King, Jr., emphasizes his spiritual transformation. (Jan. 19, 2004)

O'Connor v. the Antichrist (Jan. 12, 2004)

Moody, the Media, and the Birth of Modern Evangelism | A cautionary tale. (Jan. 05, 2004)

A Few Coming Attractions from 2004 | Plus: What to buy with those gift cards, and some of the books in my to-read stacks. (Dec. 29, 2003)

The Top Ten Books of 2003 | Plus: The Worst Book of the Year, more good reading, digital books, and a little Christmas music. (Dec. 22, 2003)

Books at Warp Speed | We continue our annual roundup of noteworthy books. (Dec. 15, 2003)

Is "Sensual Orthodoxy" a Contradiction in Terms? | Read this unconventional collection of sermons and judge for yourself. (Dec. 8, 2003)

Books, Books, Books! | We begin our annual roundup. (Dec. 8, 2003)

Urban Eden | In City: Urbanism and Its End, a new history of New Haven, Connecticut, the city (in its late 19th-century form) is an ambiguous heaven-and the suburbs that relentlessly followed are hell. Which leaves us where, exactly? (Dec. 01, 2003)

Cool Drink of Water | A poet's voice in the evangelical wilderness.

Faith, Hope, and Charity in North Carolina | New novels by Michael Morris—whose first novel, A Place Called Wiregrass, was a word-of-mouth hit— and Jan Karon, who continues her beloved Mitford saga. (Nov. 17, 2003)

Remember Afghanistan? | Two inside reports. (Nov. 10, 2003)

The Troubled Conscience of a Founding Father | An Imperfect God examines George Washington and slavery. (Oct. 27, 2003)

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February (Web-only) 2004, Vol. 48