Emily Qureshi-Hurst

In Decoding the Cosmos, Dr. Emily Qureshi-Hurst (University of Cambridge) takes five of Christianity's most important ideas--creation, design, providence, incarnation, and salvation--and examines them in light of cutting-edge physics. Expertly compiling a decade of research into an accessible and engaging format, Qureshi-Hurst takes readers on a journey through Big Bang cosmology, quantum mechanics, special and general relativity, chaos theory, astrobiology, and more. As a result, Decoding the Cosmos offers a deep dive into one of theology's most lively and fascinating areas: science and religion. Exploring some of the most important philosophical and theological questions facing us today, the book asks: Can Christian theology thrive in the modern scientific world?

In Decoding the Cosmos, Dr. Emily Qureshi-Hurst (University of Cambridge) takes five of Christianity's most important ideas--creation, design, providence, incarnation, and salvation--and examines them in light of cutting-edge physics. Expertly compiling a decade of research into an accessible and engaging format, Qureshi-Hurst takes readers on a journey through Big Bang cosmology, quantum mechanics, special and general relativity, chaos theory, astrobiology, and more. As a result, Decoding the Cosmos offers a deep dive into one of theology's most lively and fascinating areas: science and religion. Exploring some of the most important philosophical and theological questions facing us today, the book asks: Can Christian theology thrive in the modern scientific world?

Does time really pass? Should theology mould itself to fit with the findings of physics and philosophy? How should the interdisciplinary dialogue between science and religion proceed? In Salvation in the Block Universe, Emily Qureshi-Hurst tackles these important questions head-on. She offers a focused treatment of a particular problem – the problem of salvation in the block universe – and a broader exploration of a theological methodology that makes 'science and religion' not only possible but desirable via Paul Tillich's method of correlation. By bringing time and salvation into dialogue, Dr Emily Qureshi-Hurst's original insights move the 'science and religion' conversation forward into new and productive territory. Qureshi-Hurst also provides tools for other theologians and philosophers to do the same. Essential reading for anyone interested in the interactions between philosophy, religion, and science, she asks: without the reality of change, is personal salvation during one's lifetime even possible?

Much has been written on the relationship between the nature of temporal reality and the God of Classical Theism. Despite the popularity of this general area, what the physics and metaphysics of spacetime might mean for specific theological doctrines has received less attention. Recently, however, interest in this rich and dynamic interplay of ideas has seen rapid growth. This Element provides both an introduction to the physics and metaphysics of spacetime and a jumping-off point for understanding how these can – and in fact should – inform both Christian theology and the philosophy of religion more generally. The author will argue that the nature of spacetime raises particular and pressing problems for Christianity, specifically the interrelated doctrines of salvation and eschatology, and explore whether adequate solutions to these problems are available.