Arguments for the existence of God come from science, philosophy, history and more. The book has been a surprising success and is now updated in English.
Many people are familiar with at least one argument for the existence of God, whether it be scientific, philosophical, or theological. Michel-Yves Bolloré and Olivier Bonnassies’ thoroughly researched and reviewed book God, the Science, the Evidence, however, presents many arguments, from multiple different fields of study, all of which point to the reality of a Creator.
Originally published in French, now with a revised English edition, Bollore spoke with Aleteia about why their multi-faceted approach to this fundamental question has been so well-received.
A surprising success
Bolloré admits he was surprised when their book reached 500,000 copies sold. Yet, he says, the tome fills a very particular need. There are other books out there that cover the existence of God, but God, the Science, the Evidence seeks to explore how there is not just one argument, but many.
In the beginning of the book, the authors lay out different kinds of evidence and limitations on each one. After this in-depth exploration, they conclude that “real-world evidence is never absolute.” Given this, they write, “Our research cannot rely solely on scientific evidence; it must also incorporate insights from philosophy, morality, history, and even historical enigmas.”
After presenting these arguments, it is the reader, Bolloré says, that has a decision to make. Are the arguments convincing or not?
Why these arguments matter
The question of God’s existence, Bolloré argues, is “clearly the most important question for our life.” Consider, he says:
If God doesn’t exist, we are only matter, we are particles. We are just particles arranged by chance. When we die, the particles will go away -- there is no real difference between us and a rabbit or a mosquito. We are just a little bit larger and more intelligent. If we are just intelligent mosquitos -- we should just eat, drink, dance (or whatever). If there is a Creator God -- if there is really eternal life -- everything is important, everything counts.
It is for this reason that Bolloré, a life-long Catholic, and Bonnassies, a convert from atheism, wanted this to be “a book for everyone.”
While it is over 500 pages in length and includes the expertise of over 20 experts of various fields, the book is written in a straightforward, accessible way.
What fields are covered in the study?
The authors begin by laying the groundwork for the reader by providing an outline of the history of the interplay between science and religious belief, as well as walking through what it means to have convincing “evidence.”
Many chapters are devoted to the origins of the universe, considering events such as thermal death of the universe and, of course, the Big Bang model. Other topics include the idea of a multiverse, beliefs of various scientists such as Einstein, and what Bolloré personally considers to be a particularly convincing argument -- “the incredible leap from inert to living matter.”
The authors do not limit themselves to science, and instead delve into the assertions of the Bible, the identity of Jesus, the destiny of Jewish people, the miracles at Fatima, philosophical proofs, and much more.
While a reader could choose a chapter that interests them most, the book is laid out in such a way that it is -- as the authors hoped -- a tapestry of evidence that is worth reading cover to cover.
An ongoing conversation
When asked about the reception of the book, Bolloré mentioned that they have received a lot of positive feedback (over 90% of Amazon reviews are 4 and 5 stars). This glowing review from an Amazon purchaser is far from the only one:
I have read numerous books in the past on the mysteries of life, death, the cosmos, science and the various arguments between the rational scientific views and the mystical religious dogma view of how the universe began; however, this is the most complete and well-researched book on the conflict between rational science and religious mysticism I have ever read.
However, Bolloré says they do receive some critiques as well -- a fact for which he is grateful. Honest critiques have helped the authors to continue to improve their own knowledge and -- along with many additional debates and conversations -- have led to valuable additions to the English edition of the book.
The takeaways
The authors hope that this book will benefit readers of every belief system. For believers, the authors consider that this book will show them that “their convictions are based on solid rational foundations.”
For seekers, they hope this book shows the soundness of evidence for a Creator and the lack of evidence for a materialist world view. For materialists, they believe this book demonstrates “the formidable challenge that modern science poses to their views.”
