Describing the Hand of God: Divine Agency and Augustinian Obstacles to the Dialogue Between Theology and Science

The question of divine agency in the world remains one important unresolved underlying obstacle in the dialogue between theology and science. Modern notions of divine agency are shown to have developed out of the interaction of three factors in early modernity. Two are well known: late medieval perfect-being theology and the early modern application of the notion of the two books of Gods revelation to the understanding of the natural order. It is argued the third is the early modern appropriation of the Augustinian doctrine of inspiration. This assumes the souls existence and a particular description of divine agency in humans which became more generally applied to divine agency in nature. Whereas Newton explicitly draws the parallel between divine agency in humans and that in nature Darwin rejects its supposed perfection and Huxley raised serious questions regarding the traditional understanding of the soul. This book offers an alternative incarnational description of divine agency freeing consideration of divine agency from being dependent on resolving the complex issues of perfect-being theology and the existence of the soul. In conversation with Barths pneumatology this proposal is shown to remain theologically coherent and plausible while resolving or avoiding a range of known difficulties in the science-theology dialogue. Robert Brennan has made a significant contribution to the theology-science debate with his proposal for a more incarnationally-shaped understanding of divine agency in human beings. This comprehensive work canvassing the ideas of a broad range of thinkers who have pondered the question throughout history--Tertullian Augustine Newton Darwin Huxley and Barth among them--demonstrates both insight and scholarly integrity. --David Rankin minister Holland Park Uniting Churches Brisbane Queensland Australia Brennans thesis is very wide-ranging; it draws on a vast range of primary and secondary literature across all eras of Christian theology and it traverses the disciplines of philosophy theology and history. Familiar texts are given original interpretations. Unexpected historical connections are illuminated. It is unusual to read a work that engages on so many fronts while sustaining an original argument. Both theologians and historians of science will profit from it. --Geoff Thompson Co-ordinator of Studies in Systematic Theology Pilgrim Theological College Melbourne Australia Robert Brennan is an ordained minister and theologian with a background in industrial physics and postgraduate qualifications in physics and theology.