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Title: Farewell to Eden: Coming to Terms with Mormonism and Science by Duwayne R. Anderson ISBN: 1-4107-5384-0 Publisher: 1stBooks Library Pub. Date: December, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $22.95

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Average Customer Rating: 5 (1 review)

Rating: 5
Summary: Farewell to Eden
Comment: I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in taking a critical look at Mormon doctrine and how it compares with modern science. Most books about Mormonism tend to rehash the same material, i.e., Joseph Smith's money digging activities, Smith's affairs, Book of Abraham problems, etc., but not this book. This book covers new ground by discussing how some of Mormonism's core doctrines are inconsistent with modern scientific thought and evidence.

Anderson is very knowledgeable about both Mormonism and science. Because of his extensive background with both Mormonism and science, Anderson's arguments and examples are solid and well thought out, and he presents his case in a clear, concise and convincing manner. He begins with his personal background and then follows with a general overview of both Mormonism and Science. The next five chapters form the heart of Anderson's work. The topics include Mormonism and the science of complexity, Mormonism and astronomy, Mormonism and geology, Mormonism and biology and Mormonism and archaeology. Anderson starts each chapter with a review of Mormon doctrine on the topic being addressed. He then sets forth current scientific findings relating to that topic. Anderson then wraps it all up by discussing how the Mormonism and science compare on each topic.

On a personal level, I found each of the chapters' fascinating. In particular, I enjoyed the chapter on Mormonism and astronomy. As a believing Mormon for most of my life, I had read the so-called principles of astronomy in the Book of Abraham, but I never took the time to really analyze them closely. For the most part, these "principles" are ignored in modern Mormonism and rarely if ever discussed from the pulpit, by church authorities or in church classes. After reading Anderson's work, I now know why. These "principles" describe Kolob, the planet nearest to God. According to the Book of Abraham, Kolob was God's first creation and it is the greatest star in size. Because it is the greatest in size, Kolob revolves slower than other planets and a day on Kolob is the same as a thousand years on earth. Anderson makes it clear that the Book of Abraham is about as factual as the popular TV series "Star Trek." (In fact, "Beam me up Scotty" might be a more accurate title for "If I could hie to Kolob", a Mormon hymn based on Joseph Smith's teachings in the Book of Abraham.)

Because it covers new ground, it will be interesting to see how Mormon apologists respond to Anderson's work. My guess is that they will start with the premise that Mormonism is true and then argue that the sciences of physics, astronomy, geology, biology and archaeology are all somehow flawed because they do not validate the "truth" as taught in Mormonism. In this case, the evidence as presented by Anderson will be hard if not impossible for them to refute.