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Evolution and Holiness
Sociobiology, Altruism and the Quest for Wesleyan Perfection
Matthew Nelson HillSeries: Strategic Initiatives in Evangelical Theology5
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About
Theology needs to engage what recent developments in the study of evolution mean for how we understand moral behavior. How does the theological concept of holiness connect to contemporary understandings of evolution? If genetic explanations of altruism fall short, what role should we give to environmental explanations and free will? Likewise, how do genetic explanations relate to theological accounts of human goodness and holiness? In this groundbreaking work, Matthew Hill uses the lens of Wesleyan ethics to offer a fresh assessment of the intersection of evolution and theology. He shows that what is at stake in this conversation is not only the future of the church but also the fine-tuning of human evolution.
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Reviews
"When it comes to explanations of human nature and proclivities, science and theology often find themselves talking past each other, so it may be difficult to imagine a conversation with evolutionary biology about the profoundly theological notion of holiness. Matthew Hill not only imagines it but exemplifies it, working deftly with sociobiology and Wesleyan theology in a way that brings the two into a fruitful interaction focused on divine grace working within the restraints of creation. We are indebted to Hill for this fine display of science-faith dialogue and robust emphasis on the centrality of the church and its practices for Christian formation."
Joel B. Green, Fuller Theological Seminary
"At a time when scientific creationists and intelligent design theorists remain mired in nineteenth-century disputes about evolution, Matthew Nelson Hill's Evolution and Holiness moves the conversation about Darwin's controversial theory into the twenty-first century. Lamenting that 'not many theologians have examined the evolutionary data for relevance to "loving thy neighbor,"' Hill develops powerful and deeply meaningful connections between John Wesley's doctrine of Christian holiness and scientifically informed understandings of our evolved human nature. The result is a tour de force of creative theological exploration that deserves to be widely read."
Karl Giberson, scholar in residence, Stonehill College
"So many Christian books on evolution are purely defensive. Here Matthew Hill has both critique and constructive dialogue with cutting-edge science, showing how theology-and Wesleyan theology in particular-can both contribute to and learn from science in the exciting pursuit to be fully human."
David Wilkinson, principal, St. John's College, Durham University