Vern Poythress is uniquely qualified to write on the topic of theology and math because he holds terminal degrees in both subjects. Right from his introduction, Poythress admits that most people never think of connecting God and numbers. He hopes this book helps to change that because he believes that all human activity, including mathematics, should be performed as an act of worship.

In Part 1, Basic Issues, Poythress begins by discussing for math’s universality in all possible worlds. For example, is it not true that 2 + 2 = 4 is a true equation in all times and places? In this regard, Poythress shows that math shares characteristics with God, namely math too is omnipresent and eternal. He continues to argue for the divine characteristics of math by showing how math works in the transcendent and immanent realms, that it is beautiful, and incomprehensible.

Poythress ends Part 1 describing how mathematics can accord with John Frame’s three perspectives on ethics, a heuristic device he uses throughout the remainder of the book. Poythress shows how mathematics connects with relationships between things, perspectives, logic, and even social sciences. Thus like God who created all of these items, math too connects with all. The effect of Poythress’s argument in Part 1 is that Christians have another argument in favor of not just theism, but Trinitarian theism.  Though doubtful that it will have a powerful effect for apologetic purposes, I have little doubt that Poythress’s approach will help Christians think in a more integrated fashion about how their faith connects with the created world.

Vern S. Poythress

Part 2, Our Knowledge of Mathematics, addresses the philosophical issues of transcendence/immanence and necessity/contingency. Is God connected with numerical truth (immanence) or is he removed from that truth (transcendence)? Likewise, are mathematical truths necessary or are they contingent. Poythress shows how the Christian should conceive of these notions in contrast with the answers given by non-believers.

Part 3, Simple Mathematical Structures, discusses addition, sequences, multiplication, symmetries, and sets. Poythress repeatedly shows how mathematical conclusions are connected to the mind of God. In this way, we can trust the truthfulness of mathematical conclusions because God thinks them. Now Poythress doesn’t fall into the error that our thoughts are identical with God’s. He affirmed earlier that our knowledge is analogical. But Poythress rejects the notion that our limitations fail to have real meaning or value.

Part 4, Other Kinds of Numbers, delves into fractions, negative numbers, irrational numbers, imaginary numbers, and infinity. In each of these cases, Poythress argues that they are not merely human inventions. These number show both the infiniteness of God as well as the limits of human thinking. Part 5, Geometry and Higher Mathematics, followed by a section entitled “Supplements” concludes the text. Poythress shows how math relates to space. He recognizes that geometry is an idealized representation of reality (i.e. no one can draw a perfectly straight line). But we can still have trust in the math because God ordained space and math.  The supplement section contains short essays discussing non-Christian philosophies of math and Christian theories of math respectively.

In the end, readers will find Poythress’s book evocative, encouraging them to think about the relationship between God and math. But those wishing a fuller explanation will have to consult additional books.

Reviewed by Stephen M. Vantassel

Publisher’s page: https://www.crossway.org/books/redeeming-mathematics-tpb/

Today, Christians are under increasing pressure to “justify” their belief in the Biblical account of creation. Geneticists claim that their research has undermined the viability of the historic Christian account of human origins. So how should Christians respond?

Dr. Poythress begins by analyzing the often quoted statement that humans share 99% of their DNA with chimps. With remarkable clarity and brevity, he deconstructs this claim by noting how it only pertains to those segments of DNA that match chimpanzees. He explains that only 77% of our DNA is shared with chimpanzees and that in contrast our DNA more closely matches other primates. But should this new fact bother Christians?

Vern S. Poythress

Poythress seems to answer “No.” He smartly explains how assumptions influence the interpretation of evidence. For example, a Darwinist would say that the DNA evidence shows our familiarity with primates and therefore supports evolution. On the other hand, a theist might think that the shared DNA shows a common designer or our solidarity with our fellow creatures, the animals. His point is not to suggest that truth is relative or just in the eye of the beholder, but that our assumptions regarding what is possible in a large way determine how we will understand the implications of the data we have collected.

While correctly pointing out the biases of contemporary science which is dominated by a Darwinian worldview, Poythress, subtlety and respectfully, shows that Christians need to evaluate the assumptions in their interpretations too. He notes that some of our readings may in fact cause conflicts with science that are more illusory than real. Though Poythress does not directly answer the question of whether Adam existed or not, his instruction provides readers with tools to answer the question for themselves.

Evidentialists will be disappointed, however, as Poythress spends only glancing moments on the data supporting or contradicting Darwinian evolution. I suspect the reason for this neglect stems from Poythress’ belief that supporters of Darwinianism will never admit the contrary data as a defeater of their theory. Nevertheless, I think Poythress could have discussed the role that data plays in confirming and disconfirming theories as the public is not always as intellectually committed to a theory as the major proponents.

The substance and tone of Poythress’s treatment exemplifies a proper approach to this highly controversial and emotional topic. Small group leaders should consider this booklet for a course of study. The questions found at the end of each section encourage readers to recall important concepts and to think more deeply about the implications of those concepts.

Reviewed by Stephen M. Vantassel

Publisher’s page: https://www.prpbooks.com/book/did-adam-exist

At the time of publication, the full booklet was available digitally at this address: http://frame-poythress.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/DidAdamExist.pdf

More from the Christian Answers to Hard Questions series (Peter A. Lillback and Steven T. Huff, series editors): https://www.prpbooks.com/series/christian-answers-to-hard-questions

Vern S. Poythress is Professor of New Testament interpretation at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he has taught for over twenty-five years. Holding degrees in New Testament studies, apologetics, and mathematics, Poythress is also a minister in the PCA. Within this text, Poythress seeks to demonstrate how a proper understanding of biblical theology allows consonance with scientific truth. Based upon a strong commitment to Reformed theology, this text makes explicit the beauty and complexity that is inherent within the universe that points toward an intelligent designer. Although an advocate of Intelligent Design theory (IDT), Poythress’ approach to the sciences is balanced and open-minded (he focuses upon the ‘hard sciences’ of physics, chemistry, and biology) . In what follows, important points from the text shall be examined, and if apropos, critically engaged.

In the introduction, aptly entitled ‘Science Mixing with People’, Poythress notes that ultimately this is God’s world, and as such, science reflects his wisdom. He acknowledges that whether one appreciates the contributions of science or not, everyone has to deal with it on the practical level. Poythress asserts that science should serve as a pat for praising God and a instrument of service for humanity (10). A God-Centered science restores the correct response by humans to scientific study, one in which people praise the God who created nature and sustains it. This view is somewhat counter-cultural in that the dominant form of contemporary science stresses an ideology of ‘objectivity’ that virtually ignores or outright banishes fascination, delight, beauty, and mystery from the objects of inquiry. This malaise within science, unfortunately, is also indicative of the larger malaise of meaninglessness that engulfs (post)modern society.

Poythress begins with one of the most important chapters, ‘Why Scientists Must Believe in God: Divine Attributes Of Scientific Law’, and lays the foundation for the remainder of the text. He boldly posits that all scientists – due to the nature of their work – believe in God, whether they do so openly or not. The very regularity that is the foundation of practical science necessitates the steadiness imparted by the Judeo-Christian Godhead. Indeed, according to the bible, the divine is responsible for the regular and predictable events found in nature, the repeating patterns throughout the natural world, and the exact mathematical formulations in nature. Poythress construes the ‘natural law’ studied by scientists as the law of God, or better, the word of God, which is approximately described by human investigations (15). Indeed, all scientists are ‘realists’ in the end analysis with respect to scientific laws, as the scientists to not invent the laws, but merely discover them instead (16). Regarding the characteristics in common between the nature of God and natural law, Poythress notes that both are omnipresent in the since of pervading the cosmos, both are eternal in the sense of being applicable at all times, and both are immutable in that that they do not change. Moreover, both God and the natural law are ideational in character insomuch as we do not directly experience the reality of the natural laws, or the direct reality of God; rather, both are essentially immaterial and invisible, known through their effects and not in their essences (17-18). Note, however, that these statements do not implicate a divinization of nature, but rather are an admission of God’s presence throughout the environ, as the natural law stems from the creative activity of the Godhead.

Chapter two describes ‘The Role of the Bible’, and makes several significant statements to the relation between science and religion. Therein, Poythress states that because both nature and the bible are, in effect, the ‘word’ of God, they harmonize with each other seamlessly when properly approached. When discrepancies appear between the two, Poythress suggests that one should be ready to examine both their thinking about science, as well as their thinking about the bible (43).

In chapter four, which is simply titled ‘Creation’, Poythress begins his examination of the account of creation presented in Genesis 1, the examination of which continues through chapter ten. Poythress avers that the ‘beginning’ spoken of in Genesis 1 is an absolute beginning, a creation out of nothing; however, it is a creation that is initially unformed, which necessitates further refinement over time (73). It is apparent, then, that Poythress does not support a literal depiction of six, twenty-four days, comprising the creation event. Indeed, he makes this point explicit when he examines, in chapters six through ten, the popular interpretations of Genesis 1 known as the 24-hour-day view, the local creation theory, the mature creation theory, the gap theory, the day-age theory, and the analogical day theory. He notes that Genesis 1 does not use modern ‘scientific’ language, but ‘phenomenal’ language instead (92). In supporting the analogical day theory, Poythress contends that the passage in Genesis 1 simply teaches that God made the world in six ‘days’ of undetermined length. Moreover, this analogical view affirms the chronological progression of complexity as well as the reality of the structure of work that humanity should emulate (145).

In the concluding chapter, Poythress emphasizes the primacy of serving God, which all who read this essential text would do well to remember. Because we who operate in science merely think God’s thoughts after him, we must be cautious as to not allow our discoveries to displace the reality of God. Poythress is forthright in stating that his intended audience is Christians who already believe in God, and the independent reality of the world around us. As such, it is not an apologetic tome, as per se, though it does contain apologetic overtones. His overarching theme is that the relation of science and theology does not result in the antagonism that some popular thinking suggests. In sum, I recommend this title to those who are interested in how the Christian faith interacts with the scientific enterprise.

Reviewed by Bradford McCall

Publisher’s page: https://www.crossway.org/books/redeeming-science-tpb/

This review originally appeared on the Pneuma Foundation In Depth Resources page on May 11, 2009. The Pneuma Foundation is the parent organization of PneumaReview.com.

Vern S. Poythress is professor of New Testament interpretation at Westminster Theological Seminary, where he has taught for nearly four decades. In addition to earning six academic degrees, including a PhD from Harvard University and a ThD from the University of Stellenbosch, he is the author of numerous books and articles on a variety of topics, including biblical interpretation, language, and science. Life is full of big questions, and philosophy over the centuries has sought to answer such questions. In this book, Poythress investigates the foundations and limitations of Western philosophy, developing a distinctly Christian approach to answering basic questions about the nature of humanity, the existence of God, the search for meaning, and the basis for morality.

Building from a theological methodology based on the work of John Frame, Poythress writes this introductory exploration of the relationship between philosophy and the teachings of Scripture. Philosophers generally divide their discipline so that they can answer smaller sets of questions. Three of these subdisciplines are metaphysics, epistemology, and philosophical ethics. Metaphysics studies questions about existence, such as Why does anything exist? And, What is the nature of what exists? Epistemology studies the nature of knowledge: What is knowledge? How do we come to know what we know? When can we be sure that we have accurate knowledge, as opposed to mistaken ones. Philosophical ethics studies issues of right and wrong: What are moral standards? Are these standards universal? Where do these standards come from?

Metaphysics considers questions about what exists, which includes questions about God. For example, does God exist? If he does, what kind of God is he? Does he hold us morally accountable? Materialists do not think so – that is, those who think that the ultimate nature of the world is material. Philosophers have debated metaphysics for centuries, and materialism in one form or another has been advocated by some since at least the ancient Greeks. People who believe in God, however, say that matter and motion are not all that exist. They believe that God exists, created matter and motion, and everything else as well. Theists claim that materialists ignore important dimensions of reality that point to the existence of a deity. People disagree about metaphysical issues, and these disagreements lead invariably also to disagreements about knowledge, i.e. epistemological issues. Questions about how we come to know things, in turn, interact with questions about metaphysics and ethics. Conversely, answers to metaphysical questions have an influence on epistemology and ethics.

In the Beginning Was the Word: Language—A God-Centered Approach, authored by Vern Sheridan Poythress, intends to articulate a Christian understanding of language and demonstrate how language reflects God’s character (9).

In the Beginning is organized into six parts. The first part addresses the relationship between God and language. Here Poythress states that language reveals the divine attributes. For example, the beauty of God is revealed in language because it allows for beauty in communication such as through the medium of poetry (75).

In part one, Poythress also notes the significance of the existence of language prior to creation, emphasizing it was not created, nor did it evolve (25–28). Language existed eternally and was a part of God’s being. People have language because it is part of being created in the image of God—it is not a human construct or cultural phenomenon as is often argued (29–30). Language is a gift of God through which God himself can speak.

Part two of the book discusses language in the context of history. Some of the topics covered in this section include the implications of the fall on language. People often use language to deceive and manipulate others (103). From a biblical perspective, Poythress also looks at the diversity of languages among the many cultures of the world.

Part three is about discourse. Here Poythress acknowledges the imprecision that is present in communication and the variation in the meaning of words and sentences (169). However, the author asserts that the existence of impreciseness does not negate the stability of language and our ability to communicate with others with some level of effectiveness. Poythress also includes in this portion of the text a discussion on biblical interpretation. He offers some principles for biblical Interpretations such as using the clear parts of Scripture to interpret the unclear ones (182). He also allows for some level of creativity in adducing meaning if that meaning is not in tension with other clear passages of the Bible.

Part four is about stories. The author discusses the value of biblical narratives, to communicate God’s work of redemption, even noting that myths are mini-stories of God’s work of redemption. Part five of the work analyzes the smaller units of language, sentences and words. For Poythress, even the smaller units of language are derived from God (256).

Part six addresses application. Poythress concludes this section of the book by moving beyond the study of language to discussing its relevance for living. God requires truthfulness and moral responsibility in a person’s use of language. The author stresses that moral standards with respect to language need to be embraced; otherwise, communication would be useless and untrustworthy. The book concludes with many appendices engaging various modern and postmodern concerns related to philosophy of language, including speech-act theory and deconstruction.

The primary weakness of In the Beginning is the topics it does not address in relation to language and speech. First, Poythress discusses phonemes, which would have been an opportunity for the author to address the sound-meaning relationship associated with words. However, this area of study is not even mentioned. Second, the author emphasizes the role of the Spirit as both “hearer” of the divine message and as the “breath,” thereby serving as carrier of the message to recipients. Here would have been an occasion to deal with the neglected study of how the Spirit takes the ancient sacred text and generates its meaningfulness for the present day reader. This topic is only briefly mentioned (22).