Krista Tippett’s second book is not exactly a collection of transcripts from her weekly PBS program “Speaking of Faith.”  It’s better than that.   The introductory essay which begins,

“The science-religion ‘ dabate’ is unwinnable, and it has led us astray.”

is worth the price of the book.  She points out that,

” [T]he dialog that is possible – and that has developed organically,

below the journalistic and political radar – is mutually illuminating and lush with promise.

This book is a conversational introduction to an interplay

between scientific and religious  questions – not as argued, but as lived … ”

Emphasis added.  Tippett draws from the hundreds of conversations she has had with theologians, philosophers and scientists to explore   nine  themes:

The Biology of the Spirit with Sherwin Nuland,

Heart and Soul with Mehmet OZ,

Evolution and Wonder with James Moore,

The Heart’s Reason with V.V. Raman,

Mathematics, Purpose and Truth with Janna Levin,

Getting Revenge and Forgiveness with Michael McCullough,

Stress and the Balance Within, with Esther Sternberg ,

The Soul in Depression with Andrew Solomon, Parker Palmer and Anita Barrows, and finally

Quarks and Creation: On the Complementary nature of Science and Religion with John Polkinghorne.

Some of these interviewees were familiar to me but some weren’t and led to further reading such as the novel “A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines” by Janna Leven which I also recommend..

To hear interviews go to

http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/