Abstract

Theologians and philosophers of religion often look to science, especially physics, for ideas. They want to know how the world was created, how God might interact with it, and whether there are any fingerprints of divine action. This chapter considers the recent history of cosmology. Modern cosmology has never just been about science. Although Einstein's field equations for general relativity showed that the universe would expand or contract over time, that idea did not square with his philosophical views. The back and forth between scholars of different disciplines pares away overstatements from real advances in scientific knowledge. It also helps make clear what the implications of physics are for matters of philosophy and religion. The chapter also presents an overview of the book and how the other chapters of the book are organized.