-
John Polkinghorne was born on October 16, 1930 in Weston-Super-Mare, England. -
In 1955, Polkinghorne earned his PhD in Quantum Field Theory from Cambridge. From here he worked in the field of Physics until 1979. His years working in physics and mathematics allotted him recognition for his contributions in particles physics, high-energy physics, and as a member of numerous groups/ boards at Cambridge.
-
In 1979, Polkinhorne left Cambridge and started training to become a priest. He was a priest at St Andrew's in Chesterton. Religion was a large part in his life and he wanted to advance himself in religion like he did in science. This helped build his credibility with theologists and religion. -
This book was the first of a series in which Polkinghorne bridged the gap between science and theology. He argued that both science and theology explore the same world, and should be looked at together rather than separate. He mentions that some scientists are extremists that abandon religion and have an "unbalanced view" of the world and explanations for it. He was credible in both fields due to his positions in physics and religion. -
In 1986, Polkinghorne returned to Cambridge as Dean of Chapel. He became President of Queens' College in 1989. During this period of time he continued to lecture on both physics and religion, bridging the two fields. He voiced that they should complement each other and were two halves to a wholistic view. People that focused on one side often ignored or shunned the other.
-
This was the second book that continued to focus on how God and religion could be seen together. He presented the idea that God was not an excuse to explain natural and universal phenomena, but rather as a being that enforces the natural laws of physics. He challenged the precision of Newtonian physics and the insertion of God into every aspect of life. By having uncertainty in aspects of life, God gave freewill to those systems like he did humans. -
This is the third book of his trilogy that is often associated with combining religion and science. He stated that "both believe that there is a truth to be sought and found through well-motivated belief" (Crawford 2004). -
John Polkinghorne won the Templeton Prize and one million dollars in 2002 for his contributions to science and religion and the building of relationships between the two. -
Polkinghorne died on March 9, 2021.
Below is a link to a youtube video where Polkinghorne talks about religion and science.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqavodueenM