Patrick Glynn

Not a bad volume to see some evidence that faith, in an intellectually responsible way, is making a comeback. Glynn unfortunately lumps Nietzsche (http://www.librarything.com/work/book/81986681) in with the standard atheist, he hates God crowd although nothing could be further from the truth. Many writers do the same alas. More interesting and accurate are his updating of the anthropic principle which postulates that the universe has only one common denominator, that humankind can exist. Instead of viewing humanity as destroyer or interloper, we are supposed to be here and responsibly are in charge of creation. Less convincing are his prayer and medicine studies in which I do not deny that according to anecdotes, prayer is helpful but the evidence in scientific studies are not convincing. Perhaps this is as it should be. Faith is another matter.… (more)

This is a book by a believer-turned-atheist-turned-believer. Glynn explains, “After many years of being a philosophical atheist or agnostic, I finally realized that there was in fact a God.” He then leads us on a journey through various lines of thought that eventually coalesced into what he found to be overwhelming evidence for God’s existence. Some quotes and conclusions:

· The non-random universe: “How does one explain that the laws of physics fit so perfectly within the fifteen-billion-year project of creating life?”
· The psychological benefits: “It is difficult to find a more consistent correlative of mental health, or a better insurance against self-destructive behaviors, than a strong religious faith.”
· The medical benefits: “Contemporary medical research is showing that the human mind and body are ‘wired for God.’”

Glynn next dives into near-death experiences, which are conclusive enough for him to now believe that life continues after death. He touches on healing power of prayer and the unconquerable spirit of man. He reaches the conclusion that faith is not grounded in ignorance; it is where reason has been leading us all along.

Glynn is not a scientist, nor a physician, and none of these topics are presented in detail; instead, what he presents is enough frosting to make you think, to make you want to dig deeper into the evidence. I admit, I found nothing in the book directly addressing whether the God of the Bible exists, but the book struck a chord with me because I’ve also spent a number of years researching many of the same topics. I’ve shelves of books about cosmology, near-death experiences, and religious philosophy. Unfortunately, I remain a Dubious Disciple, but this book was a well-written and thought-provoking read.… (more)