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Meyer, Hedin, Dembski, Luskin Shine in World Magazine Book of the Year Awards

Photo source: Discovery Institute.

Books from Discovery Institute nearly swept World Magazine’s 2021 Book of the Year awards in the category of “Accessible Science.” The top spot went to Stephen Meyer’s Return of the God Hypothesis, which receives an eloquent tribute from World’s Rachel Lynn Aldrich. I like her point that Meyer isn’t “arguing against secularism so much as painting a picture of a profoundly meaningful universe, where cutting-­edge knowledge squares convincingly with the idea that a personal God is at work in the world.”

Exactly. Dr. Meyer isn’t merely tearing down a competing, nihilistic picture of reality, but instead revealing the positive, meaningful one toward which science increasingly directs our attention. Nature, as Meyer has said in other contexts, is speaking to us. As Aldrich notes, Return of the God Hypothesis goes places that intelligent design has not gone before. For example:

In the fourth section, [Meyer] engages with those who have attempted to patch the secular-scientific worldview with creative new models or explanations in order to avoid theistic implications. It’s a fascinating crash course in some of the stranger ideas coming out of the science academy, such as new versions of evolution, the many-worlds theory, and string theory.

The book is also much more personally revealing than his earlier volumes, Signature in the Cell and Darwin’s Doubt: “the story of Meyer’s own spiritual journey toward the end is particularly poignant.”

A Tribute to Leadership

It’s also a tribute to Stephen Meyer’s leadership of the Center for Science & Culture that of the four “Honorable Mentions” in the same category, one is from Discovery Institute Press and other is edited by Discovery Institute scientists, with numerous contributors who are CSC Senior Fellows. 

Aldrich recognizes Eric Hedin’s Canceled Science:

Eric Hedin taught science at the undergraduate level for years before becoming a target of the pro-evolution mafia, and that experience shows in Canceled Science. He masterfully simplifies complex ideas into digestible bites and weaves in anecdotes and descriptions throughout. Despite the harassment he has faced, Hedin’s tone is marked by grace and gratitude….While he covers a range of topics from biology to chemistry and more, he really shines in the astronomy and physics sections.

And she praises the brand new Comprehensive Guide to Science and Faith: Exploring the Ultimate Questions About Life and the Cosmos:

This book has a chapter for everyone, no matter the particular interest when approaching the topic of science and faith — theology, neuroscience, evolution, philosophy, history, or something else. Editors William A. Dembski, Casey Luskin, and Joseph M. Holden weren’t kidding when they called this guide “comprehensive.”…It’s clear that if you sat all the writers down in a room, they would have plenty to argue about. That’s what makes this book really interesting, particularly the final section tackling the “hard questions” at the intersection of science and faith.

Congratulations to the authors and editors of all three books. Needless to say, any or all would make very welcome Christmas gifts!