Book Review: A Theory of Everything (That Matters)

Almost as soon as I finished writing my review for Bill Bryson's materialistic presentation of the wonder that is the human body, I picked up this little book on Albert Einstein, another work that contemplates the conflicts that sometimes arise between science and religion. I was eager for a different (possibly fairer) presentation of Albert Einstein than the one Marie Benedict painted in her book, The Other Einstein, reviewed here. Written from a feminist perspective, Benedict's book left the reader loathing Einstein and lauding his superior wife. I just couldn't swallow her view of the situation as fact rather than a priori assumption.

Alister McGrath, professor of science and religion at Oxford University, provides an accessible and interesting outline of Einstein's genius and his contributions to scientific theory. A Theory of Everything (That Matters): A Brief Guide to Einstein, Relativity & His Surprising Thoughts on God is a quick read. Although I wouldn't say I have a tremendous grasp on scientific things, I read the book in one sitting and understood most of what I read. I appreciated that, while McGrath acknowledges Einstein was not a Christian, he believes we have something important to gain in reflecting on Einstein's thoughts and words. McGrath's premise is that Einstein was always seeking the "big picture" and wanting to integrate what he understood about the world around him with what remained a mystery.

I agreed with Einstein's parable of the lion: "Nature shows us only the tail ... but I do not doubt that the lion belongs to it even though he cannot at once reveal himself." As McGrath explains, "what we observe of the universe is a manifestation of a far greater unseen reality that lies beyond our capacities to grasp and hold." Einstein held a "firm belief in a superior mind that reveals itself in the world of experience." I appreciated McGrath's metaphor (attributed to Sir Thomas Browne) for the roles of science and Christianity - he likened it to two books, nature and the Bible, both pointing to God as the author - "creation discloses the Creator." So, despite Einstein's failure to believe in a "personal God," we can still enter into dialogue with Einstein's thoughts to enhance beliefs that are consistent with such a God. I liked this author's dissection of Einstein's life far better than Marie Benedict's.