As science and our awareness of the world have changed, so have many of society's most dearly held perceptions. However, according to Dr. Peter William Clement, Catholicism seems to have ignored these discoveries and trends. Because Catholic theologians have failed to revise and rebuild the intellectual architecture of their faith or to accommodate new scientific discoveries, they are forced to maintain the now-irrelevant tenets of their religion. In his book "No Need for God (Or for Catholic Theologians to Explain Him)," Dr. Clement presents the results of extensive research on the scientific and empirical evidence he believes have been ignored by Catholic theologians.
"Any theology based on 'miracles' that might have seemed credible in the fourth century but are known in the 21st to be palpable absurdities should be dismissed as being incompatible with any rational comprehension of the natural order," he said.
In "No Need for God," Dr. Clement uses arguments from evolutionary biology, geology, archaeology, anthropology, particle physics, astronomy and cosmology presented in layman's terms that disprove the dogmas of Catholic theology and tries to persuade leaders of the Catholic church to re-conceptualize their beliefs.
Dr. Clement, a product of Catholic teaching from elementary school through college, also takes aim at religious indoctrination, which, under the guise of "education," is harmful to children, and calls on the United States government to make what he calls "propagandist education" in primary schools illegal.
"It is high time children should be raised in our society without the coercive imposition of superstitious nonsense," he said.
By identifying the irreconcilabilities between science and Catholic doctrines, Dr. Clement illustrates the problems with clinging to ancient beliefs and encourages readers to abandon these dated ways of thinking.
About the Author
Peter William Clement has a bachelor's degree from St. Michael's College, a master's degree from St. John's University and a doctorate from the University of Massachusetts. Dr. Clement has completed 42 years of teaching on the college level, and is now professor emeritus of English at Elms College in Chicopee, Mass.
"No Need For God (Or for Catholic Theologians to Explain Him)"
By Peter William Clement
ISBN: 978-1-4931-2382-7 (sc), 978-1-4931-2383-4 (hc)
Softcover: $19.99
Hardcover: $29.99
Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Xlibris online bookstores
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