Book Review – “Who Made God?”

Who Made God? Searching for a Theory of Everything
By: Edgar Andrews
Evangelical Press / 2009 / Hardcover

 Who Made God?

Professor Edgar H. Andrews is Emeritus Professor of Materials at the University of London and an international expert on the science of large molecules. He is the founder of the Department of Materials at Queen Mary College, University of London, and served both as its Head and later as Dean of Engineering. He was an international consultant to the Dow Chemical Company (USA) for over 30 years and to the 3M Company (USA) for twenty years. He also acted for many years as an expert scientific witness in a variety of cases in the British High Court and in courts in the USA and Canada. At the Oxford Union ‘Huxley Memorial Debate’ in 1986 Professor Andrews debated a significantly less well-known Richard Dawkins on the motion, ‘That the doctrine of creation is more valid than the theory of evolution’. He has published well over 100 scientific papers and books, together with two Bible commentaries and various works on science and religion, and on theology. So it’s fair to say that Professor Andrews is no slouch when it comes to science, religion and the interface between science and religious faith. He is certainly a credible, even formidible, opponent to the vocal hubris of the New Atheists, and can by no means be easily waved off by the supporters of the New Atheists world view.

The full title of the book is “Who Made God – Searching For A Theory of Everything”, the first part of the title an obvious reference to the simplistic rhetoric of Richard Dawkins regarding the non-question, “Who created the Creator?”. Addressing profound questions of science, philosophy and faith with an open and engaging style, Prof Andrews clearly and deftly exposes the noisy pretensions of the New Atheists. His stated aim in the book is not only to rebut and refute the increasingly aggressive atheistic Zeitgeist, but also to provide a logically consistent and cogent alternative option. He describes how his fellow scientists dream of discovering a ‘theory of everything’ that will embrace and explain every physical process and phenomenon in the cosmos. Prof Andrews correctly argues that there is more to existence than the material world and that the things that make human existence worthwhile are mainly non-material. Thus he postulates that any ‘theory of everything’ must include not only space, time, matter and energy, but also the realms of heart, mind, conscience and spirit. Andrews puts forward the ‘hypothesis of  God’ as a viable option for this all-encompassing ‘theory’ of everything – the option that, in spite of opponents, still towers above the barren landscape of atheism and physicalism.

Prof Andrews manages to craft this book in a manner suitable for readers ranging from scientific novice through to the more discerning reader with a science background. He skillfully discussing topics such as the scientific method, string theory, quantum physics, big bang cosmology, time & space, the laws of nature, the origin of life, evolutionary theory, molecular genetics, philosophy of mind and moral philosophy – all in an engaging and entertaining fashion. These subjects are deftly interspersed with biblical theology, philosophy of religion and philosophy of science. One of the most important aspects of this book is a rational and cogent critique of scientism – an inflated belief in the abilities of science to solve every human problem – and an honest discussion of the limitations of science, from the perspective of a professional and distinguished scientist.

I found “Who Made God” an entertaining read that maintained my attention and interest throughout. Prof Andrews’ engaging and informal style makes this a surprisingly relaxed read, despite the sometimes complicated and detailed concepts being discussed. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to explore further the much-maligned relationship between science, philosophy and Christian theology. Highly recommended.