Writings on the Empire: Defensor Minor and De Translatione Imperii Book

This book incorporates an extended essay (55 pages long) "A Naturalistic Christian Faith for the Twenty-First Century: An Essay in Interpreation" by distinguished British biochemist-theologian Arthur Peacocke. This is followed by no less than 10 essays in response to Peacocke's article.

The topic is certainly timely, particularly in light of the recent attacks on religion by the likes of Dawkins, Harris and Hitchens. The treatment is certainly scholarly and authoritative -- an excellent cast of characters is involved in assembling this book.

My only criticism is that I found most of the text rather dry -- in spite of the very scholarly treatment, somebody forgot to make it interesting. Can't these distinguished authors make modern religion and theology more exciting and readable?

I just hope that some other authors are able to distill the basic ideas of modern religious naturalism into a theologically coherent but nonetheless vital philosophy of life. This has yet to be done.