John Ford Wilson UNISA Student Number: 4593-816-4 275 Elkins Lake Huntsville, Texas 77340 USA 1-713-202-8953 [email protected] Approved Thesis Title: Examination of the Work of John C. Polkinghorne Praeparatio Evangelii Supervisor: Professor William J. Abraham Co-supervisor: Professor Vaughn Willard Baker Date of Submission of Thesis: i Curriculum Vitae John Ford Wilson Curriculum Vitae EDUCATION Ph.D. Physics, University of Houston, Houston, Texas M.S. Physics, Drexel Institute of Technology, Philadelphia, Pa. M.S. Theological Studies, Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University M.S. Industrial Management, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. B.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Tennessee. EXPERIENCE Lecturer, Department of Physics, Sam Houston State University; Huntsville, Texas Member The Institute on Religion in an Age of Science Fellow, Center of Faith and Culture at University of St. Thomas; Houston, Texas Adjunct Faculty for Institute for Spirituality and Health, Houston, Texas Associate Pastor for Evangelism, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church; Houston, Texas Ordained Deacon in Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church Research Assistant Professor of Physics and Director of Educational Outreach, University of Houston; Houston, Texas Professor of Physics Houston Community College System; Houston, Texas Adjunct Professor of Physics University of St. Thomas; Houston, Texas Wilson and Associates: Self-employed as consultant in Houston, Tx. for marketing, business and strategic planning, and investment management. E. I. DuPont de Nemours & Co. Marketing Division, DuPont Textile Fibers Dept: Technical Service Manager for Reemay® and Typar®. Marketing Manager for Reemay®, Typar®, and Sontara®. Strategy and Development Assistant for Nomex® fiber and paper; responsible for business plans, earnings, and forecast. Marketing Representative for Nomex® fiber in industrial protective clothing. Technical Service Representative for Nomex® paper in electrical end uses. Research Physicist in Research Division, DuPont Textile Fibers Department. Research projects investigated: Nomex® paper for magnet wire insulation. Nomex® paper in electrical and airframe industries. Effect of corona discharge on combinations of mica and Nomex® paper. Research Division, DuPont Film Department Research Physicist for Mylar® Polyester Film Effect of surface topography on performance of audio and digital magnetic tape. Effect of methanol in hermetic refrigeration and air conditioning motors on polyester insulation. ii Performance for polyester insulation in electric motors and oil-filled distribution transformers. Applied research with polymers to evaluate impact of higher molecular weight on hydrolytic and oxidative stability. Effect of corona discharge at high voltages on performance of polyester insulation in electronic capacitors. EMPLOYMENT HIGHLIGHTS Chair of Physics & Engineering Committee, Houston Community College System. Investment Management for Small portfolios. Business and Sales Development for Rader & Co., Houston Accounting firm. Prepared national demographic study for major Houston law firm. Started business as Wilson and Associates. Oversaw successful adoption of Reemay® for Proctor and Gamble's Pampers brand diaper. Effective Business strategies significantly increased earnings. Effective Marketing strategies significantly increased sales to military. CONFERENCE PUBLICATIONS AND TALKS “Experimental Results at -D Threshold for the 3He(K-,+)X Reaction,” American Physical Society, Division of Nuclear Physics Meeting, October 20-23, 1999, Pacific Grove, CA. PUBLICATIONS R. Barber, M.W. Ahmed, M. Dzimidzic, A. Empl, E. V. Hungerford, K. J. Lan, J. Wilson, M. D. Cooper, C. A. Gagliardi, D. Haim, G. J. Kim, D. D. Koetke, R. E. Tribble, L. A. Van Ausdeln, “Characteristics of a delay-line readout in a cylindrical drift chamber system” in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A 479 (2002), 591-598. “Study of Hydrogen Annealing of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Irradiated with High Energy Protons” in November, 1999 issue of the Journal of Materials Research. Presented the “Experimental Results at -D Threshold for the 3He(K-,+)X Reaction”, at the Division of Nuclear Physics of the American Physical Society in Asilomar, California, October 23, 1999. Study of Crosslinking Onset and Hydrogen Annealing of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Irradiated with High Energy Protons, Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, 1997. “Proton Modification of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene to Promote Crosslinking for Enhanced Chemical and Physical Properties” in Proceedings of Materials Research Society Fall Meeting, Boston, MA, Nov. 26-29,1995. L. Galloway, J. Wilson, University of St. Thomas, “Corrected Procedures for the Electrical Measurement of the Mechanical Equivalent of Heat,” Texas Section of iii American Association of Physics Teachers in conjunction with the Texas Section of the American Physical Society. “High-Speed Magnet Wire Taping Using High Temperature Nylon Fiber Paper Tapes,” in Insulation Circuits 1974. “Effect of Methanol on the Performance of Polyester Film in Reciprocating Refrigeration Compressors” HIGHLIGHTS in ASHRAE Journal 1968. HONORS AND AFFILIATIONS Phi Eta Sigma Freshman Scholastic Honor Society Phi Kappa Phi Scholastic Honor Society Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges American Physical Society American Association of Physics Teachers Trinity Forum Ordained Deacon in the Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church TEACHING EXPERIENCE Have taught both calculus-based and algebra-based physics, general chemistry and engineering statics and dynamics, thermodynamics, astronomy, and electrical circuit theory. MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION EXPERIENCE Have administered business of major accounting firm, supervised corporate engineering staff, and held top positions of leadership in nonprofit groups. iv Declaration of Authenticiy Let it be known that the work contained in this thesis is my own. Any other work incorporated into the text of this thesis has been duly noted and references appropriately cited. Signed: 'y[^'^^i^^ylf'~£k^^ v Examination of the Work of John C. Polkinghorne Praeparatio Evangelii By John Ford Wilson Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Theology in the subject of Missiology at the University of South Africa Supervisor: Professor William J. Abraham Co-supervisor: ProfessorVaughn Willard Baker March 4, 2015 ……………………………………………. vi Examination of the Work of John C. Polkinghorne Praeparatio evangelii Table of Contents Acknowledgement xi Key Words 1 Chapter 1 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Background 3 1.1.1 The Enlightenment 3 1.1.2 Cartesian Rationalism and Empiricism 4 1.1.3 Emergence of Science in the 16th-20th Centuries 5 1.2 Statement of the Problem 5 1.3 Working Hypothesis 6 1.4 Research Methodology 7 1.5 Dissertation Outline 8 1.5.1 Chapter One: Introduction 8 1.5.2 Chapter Two: John C. Polkinghorne 8 1.5.3 Chapter Three: Evangelism in the Contemporary World 9 1.5.4 Chapter Four: Enquiry in Religion and Science 9 1.5.5 Chapter Five: Kenosis 9 1.5.6 Chapter Six: Christology 10 1.5.7 Chapter Seven: Eschatology 10 1.5.8 Chapter Eight: Announcement of the Kingdom 11 1.5.9 Chapter Nine: Resurrection 11 1.5.10 Chapter Ten: Foundation for Christian Hope 12 1.5.11 Chapter Eleven: Meaning 12 1.5.12 Chapter Twelve: Hope 12 1.5.13 Chapter Thirteen: Theodicy, Divine Action, and the Trinity 13 1.5.14 Chapter Fourteen: In Conclusion 13 1.6 Definition of Terms 14 1.7 Conclusion 14 Chapter 2 15 John C. Polkinghorne Distinguished Physicist and Theologian 2.1 Introduction 15 2.2 Polkinghorne the Physicist 18 2.3 Polkinghorne in the Anglican Church 23 2.4 Polkinghorne on Theology and Science 24 2.5 Polkinghorne as Husband 32 2.6 Conclusion 32 vii Chapter 3 33 Evangelism in the Contemporary World 3.1 Introduction 33 3.2 Religion 36 3.3 Historical Missiology 38 3.3.1 Introduction 38 3.3.2 The Necessity of Cultural Context for Evangelism 41 3.3.3 Discipleship 42 3.4 Protestantism in the 16th – 18th Centuries 43 3.4.1 Rationalism of Réne Descartes and Empiricism of John Locke 43 3.4.2 Announcing the Reign of God 45 3.5 Conclusion 46 Chapter 4 50 Enquiry in Science and Religion 4.1 Introduction 50 4.2 Epistemology 51 4.3 Critical Realism 54 4.4 Bottom-Up Discovery 59 4.5 Top-Down Discovery 59 4.6 Process Thought 60 4.7 Enquiry in Science 62 4.8 Enquiry in Religion 66 4.9 Conclusion 68 Chapter 5 70 Kenosis 5.1 Introduction 70 5.2 Kenosis in Polkinghorne 71 5.3 Conclusion 87 Chapter 6 88 Christology 6.1 Introduction 88 6.2 Jürgen Moltmann – The Crucified God – Influential for Polkinghorne 92 6.3 Christology in Polkinghorne 98 viii 6.4 Conclusion 103 Chapter 7 107 Eschatology 7.1 Introduction 107 7.2 Eschatology 114 7.2.1 Apocalypticism 114 7.2.2 Jürgen Moltmann and His Significance for Polkinghorne’s Eschatological Hope 125 7.2.3 Summary of Polkinghorne’s Eschatology 126 7.3 Conclusion 128 Chapter 8 131 Announcement of the Kingdom 8.1 Introduction 131 8.2 The Comments of Polkinghorne and Others 135 8.3 Conclusion 138 Chapter 9 141 Resurrection 9.1 Introduction 141 9.2 Evidence for the Resurrection 145 9.3 Consequences of the Resurrection 158 9.4 Conclusion 166 Chapter 10 171 Foundation for Christian Hope 10.1 Introduction 171 10.1.1 Hope, the Gift 171 10.1.2 Hope, the Concern 172 10.2 Secular Hope 175 10.3 The Anthropic Principle