Science in Search of God, by Kirtley F. Mather (small HC, 1928, $3.50, which is 1/3 the internet price.)
In reading this book, I was struck by Mather's kindness and optimism. The inside jacket stated he was one of the scientific experts at the Scopes Monkey Trial. (The judge would rule the experts' scientific testimony inadmissible.) After researching his life, I found that was only one of his life's high points. This man was amazing. At the time of the trial he was a professor of geology at Harvard, well known for his loyalty, his belief in religious, gender, racial, and political tolerance, his curiosity, and his Christian spirituality. He believed in passing on both knowledge and values to his students, and to Americans in general. He would write and to give talks long into his retirement. He was even one of the first to use the new medias of radio and movies to bring knowledge to the general public.
He strongly believed theology and science worked together. He advocated the teachings of the Social Gospel, with its mandatory taking of responsibility for others, along with the belief that education and knowledge were mandatory for successful democracy. His scientific area of expertise was determining the ages of rocks and fossils, but what made him really special was his stubborn, courageous humanity. He spoke out against the evils of Nazism, anti-Semitism, and anti-Communism. He also spoke out in favor of equal education for women. These were not popular ideas at the time. Throughout it all, he maintained his strong Baptist beliefs.
In reading this book, I could not see its specialness until I took into account its being written in 1928. His brother would quote from this book at Mather's funeral, "God is no longer hiding behind the gaps in our knowledge... The more we know about the world in which we live, the better is our understanding of him, the truer is our comprehension of his character." He was an amazing scientist, American, and Christian. Read this book, only one of the 1,200 he wrote in his quest to bring knowledge to the world. Look for this book in the geology section, avail. 2/29.
