Vestige of Eden, Image of Eternity

by Daniel Toma

Overview

Three great cosmological worldviews—of the Latin West, ancient Greece, and the Hebrew/Syriac world—arose from a union of ancient and medieval thought. Each had origins in the ancient world and reached a synthesis under scholastic medieval thinkers. This synthesis was incorporated into Catholic tradition, becoming identified as a cosmological worldview of the Catholic Church. This worldview maintains a correspondence to and connection between the structure of the universe and the divine plan of creation, whereby creation is structured hierarchically. This hierarchical structure—the Vestige of Eden—is a reflection of and participation in the liturgy of the Church—the Image of Eternity—which is a type of blueprint for creation.

Vestige of Eden, Image of Eternity examines this worldview, updated with modern science, for consideration in modern discussions regarding science, philosophy, and religion. Proposing a framework that is novel for modern-day understanding yet old in the history of human thought, this book will be of interest to academics, students, and general readers alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780999513484
Publisher:	Franciscan University Press
Publication date:	07/31/2019
Pages:	344
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Daniel Toma is a faculty member of the Department of Biological Sciences at Minnesota State University, Mankato. He earned a PhD in behavioral genetics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction: Fascinated by Nature and Science 1

Part I Roadblocks to Reality

1 The Common Experience of Nature 19

2 Science and Common Experience 40

3 The Immateriality of the Intellect 57

4 Interlude on Reason and Faith 83

Part II The Vestige of Eden

5 Life: Flat or Full? 105

6 The Perfection of the Cosmos 123

7 Science in a New Cosmology 142

8 The Truth of Two Tales 176

Part III The Image of Eternity

9 The End of Human Life: The Holy Trinity 205

10 Attaining Our End through Deification 225

11 The Church and Her Liturgy 242

12 The Cosmos as a Ladder of Liturgical Perfection 262

Part IV Conclusion

13 Anaphysics: Understanding from the Height of Reality 293

14 Back to the Woods and Beyond 304

Bibliography 317

Index 327

Editorial Reviews

"This original book fills a gap in the market. Advocating for the importance of a hierarchical view of beings, it shows how a materialistic approach has strong limitations that make for difficult interdisciplinary dialogue between different sciences. In our postmodern time, such difficulty poses a big problem to research, and because of that it requires an answer. Vestige of Eden, Image of Eternity is clear, coherent, and effective in addressing these issues."—Fr. Giulio Maspero, Pontifical University of Holy Cross, and member of the Pontifical Academy of Theology

"Shows that scientific (and philosophical) rigor does not have to entail a bleak vision of the cosmos as nothing but atoms interacting in a void. In this book, Daniel Toma offers an inspiring alternative, in which our union with divine grace can help draw our perception of creation into that of a heavenly liturgy."—Fr. Andrew Pinsent, Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion at the Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Oxford

"Dan Toma, a geneticist by trade, is the kind of writer that few of us can ever hope to be: clear, brilliant, and captivating. I am struck by the love and wonder with which he views things—whether small things such as a stream or unfathomably rich realities such as God the Trinity. He is a born questioner. The serenity and joy that attend his quest, and the clarity and depth with which he explains the answers he has found, make this book a rare delight. This book nourishes the soul in every way."—Matthew Levering, James N. and Mary D. Perry Jr. Chair of Theology, Mundelein Seminary

"In the postmodern wasteland without meaning and purpose, it is refreshing to find a commentary that explains, embraces, and celebrates the order of the universe. Vestige of Eden, Image of Eternity is a much needed challenge to a cynical and unintelligible world that has turned its back on God. It is scientific yet theological, academic yet accessible, full of Faith yet reasonable. He invites us to understand a Creation that reflects the glory and liturgical splendor of God, who alone will satisfy our quest for meaning and purpose."—John Horvat, author of Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society—Where We've Been, How We Got Here, and Where We Need to Go

"Astonishing in its scope, Vestige of Eden, Image of Eternity is nothing less than a comprehensive survey of the heavens and the earth. Dan Toma has presented not only religion grounded in reason, but also science unmarred by materialism. A revolutionary work."—Dale Ahlquist, President, American Chesterton Society

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