Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 12, 1995 TAG: 9503110029
SECTION: BOOK PAGE: F-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: REVIEWED BY SIDNEY BARRITT
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The author is a physicist whose particular field of expertise is general relativity. Scientists of his ilk seek to leap backward in time to understand the very genesis of creation in physical terms. The hypothesis that currently holds sway is the Big Bang theory, which Stephen Hawking explained lucidly in ``A Brief History of Time'' six years ago.
Now Professor Tripler seeks to convince his audience that there are scientific grounds for believing in the existence of God, and the science he uses is physics, not ``creationism.'' Not only is there proof of God's existence, but there is also a scientific basis for believing in the resurrection of the dead and in transubstantiation (the Eucharist), but not in a triune God (no Holy Trinity).
This is a very difficult book to read. Few physicists are also masters of English prose and Tripler is no exception. His arguments are closely worded and bear reading and rereading for understanding. He has attempted to ease the reader's task by dividing the book into a prose section to be read by ordinary folk and a lengthy appendix full of theoretical physics and accompanying equations that is accessible only to interested physicists and mathematicians. After struggling mightily with the prose part, this reviewer performed a rapid and bloodless literary appendectomy.
The temptation is strong to dismiss Tripler's argument as unfathomable and to speculate that he is either smoking something he shouldn't, or not taking a medicine he should. That would be grossly unfair. The arguments surely deserve a fair hearing. Intuitively, the truths of physics and religious belief should be one but we need a better interpreter than professor Tripler to guide and convince us.
Sidney Barritt is a Roanoke| physician.
by CNB