Is God a superfluous hypothesis for modern cosmology? According to the normal understanding of modern science, the answer should be affirmative because modern science is supposed to be free of metaphysical and theological presuppositions. However, despite its self-proclaimed neutrality regarding metaphysics and theology, modern science is full of metaphysical and theological presuppositions. These can be summarized as a mechanistic understanding of nature, a reduction of God to an external agent in competition with natural processes, and creation to a worldly mechanism. These presuppositions are deficient and untenable, and they remain unconscious for the most part in the dialogue between science and theology, making it intellectually impossible because of the reduced notions of God, nature, and creation assumed. Using the coherent and unreduced image of God and nature provided by the Christian doctrine of creation ex nihilo, Fr. David Alcalde intends to uncover and criticize the incoherent theological assumptions inherent in a concrete branch of modern science, which is modern cosmology. The author points out the presence of these inadequate theological presuppositions in both the theologians who use modern cosmology to offer scientific proof for the existence of God and the atheistic cosmologists who use their science to reject the idea of God. ""The assumption persists that modern science is free of metaphysical and theological presuppositions, and therefore neutral in their regard. Appealing to the image of God and nature found in the Christian doctrine of creation, Fr. David Alcalde, trained as both a theologian and an astrophysicist, examines this assumption from both 'sides'--and clearly exposes its problematic character."" --David L. Schindler, Pontifical John Paul II Institute, Washington, DC ""For anyone interested in the relationship between science and theology, this work is indispensable. In language that is mercifully free of academic jargon and scientific technicalities, the author unveils the non-neutrality of modern science... As a humanities type whose scientific education stopped in secondary school I found the argumentation of this work easy to follow. It will be of great value to scientists, theologians, and thoughtful Christians in general."" --Professor Tracey Rowland, University of Notre Dame (Australia) ""David Alcalde's book stands amongst a growing body of writings which begin not with the mesmerizing discoveries of science, but with the foundational theological and metaphysical presuppositions of science... Alcade is a scientist, theologian and philosopher who calls for better science built on firmer metaphysical and theological foundations."" --Simon Oliver, Durham University ""One reason theologians and scientists so regularly speak past each other is that scientists tend to be unaware of the significant theological and metaphysical assumptions built into their thinking and practice, and theologians tend to have too little 'expertise' in science to be able to show them how and why they do. Fr. Alcade is the rare person who overcomes both deficiencies, and his book promises therefore to help this discussion finally bear genuine fruit. --David C. Schindler, Pontifical John Paul II Institute (Washington, DC) Fr. David Alcalde is a professor at both the Instituto de Filosofia Edith Stein and the Instituto de Teologia Lumen Gentium, located in Granada (Spain). He has PhDs in both astrophysics and theology.
