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Transition From Science To Religion
After a 25-year career as a theoretical physicist, which included contributions toward the discovery of the quark as an elementary particle of matter, Polkinghorne shocks his colleagues in the scientific community by resigning his chair as a professor at the University of Cambridge, England in 1979, training to join the priesthood, and ultimately becoming ordained as an Anglican priest in 1982.
John Polkinghorne - Why is the Quantum so Mysterious? -
The Way The World Is
To explain his transition, and in response to the surprise of his colleagues, Polkinghorne publishes the first of many books where he discusses the dual relationship between science and religion, including his belief that both are necessary to achieve a holistic appreciation for the functions and operations of the universe we are all part of.
Polkinghorne, John. The Way The World Is: The Christian Perspective of a Scientist. Triangle Books. 1983. -
The Faith of a Physicist
Polkinghorne introduces his belief that the body, mind, and soul are all parts of the same whole in a form of "dual-aspect monism," and that material and mental processes happen in contrasting phases. He goes on to say that physical causation is not enough to explain the various interactions between things and people; that there may be higher levels of causation at work.
Polkinghorne, John. The Faith of a Physicist: Reflections of a Bottom-Up Thinker. Princeton University Press. 1994. -
Science and Theology
Polkinghorne goes in depth on the mysteries the universe presents that the unified efforts of science and religion could work toward resolving such as the developmental capacity of humans beyond what was necessary for survival, the seeming anticipatory functionality of the universe, and what that functionality may suggest in light of the potential it yields for humanity to flourish.
Polkinghorne, John. Science and Theology: An Introduction. SPCK / Fortress Press. 1998. -
Exploring Reality
Polkinghorne asserts himself as a critical realist, distinguishing between the real world and the observable world. He also identifies five similarities science and religion share in their search for truth: "moments of enforced radical revision, a period of unresolved confusion, new synthesis and understanding, continued wrestling with unresolved problems, and deeper implications."
Polkinghorne, John. Exploring Reality: The Intertwining of Science and Religion. Yale University Press. 2007.