The Advancement: Keeping the Faith in An Evolutionary Age

In The Advancement, theologian and professor of philosophy of religion L. Russ Bush embarks on establishing a biblical response to the naturalistic worldview that has become integrated into Western thought. The first chapter explores what Bush refers to the worldview of """"the advancement"""". The second chapter discusses the rise of """"advancement"""" science, namely, the philosophical approach to science, the """"materialistic cause-and-effect basis"""" to reality, the rise of uniformitarian thought, (macro)evolution and its entry into ethical issues, and the embrace of all things pertaining to naturalism. The third chapter addresses philosophical naturalism, the shift in epistemology and reconstruction of what constitutes as knowledge in the wake of such a destructive philosophy as evolution. The fourth chapter looks at modern theistic alternatives, from """"process theology"""" to """"open theism"""". The fifth chapter explains naturalistic evolution and highlights the seven assumptions of evolutionary biology. The sixth chapter documents the four basic beliefs of modern thinkers. Chapter seven reflects on """"advancement"""" philosophy and declares that it is both intellectual flawed and inconsistent. While some chapters are interesting, overall, the book is not written well, often changing in focus and writing style, neglects biblical creationism, and can easily be overlooked for far better works on the subject matter.