Tomorrow’s God
The Hebrew Lord in an Age of Science
Foreword by Mary L. Radnofsky
Edited by Judith Ann Goldman
Imprint: Wipf and Stock
What is the relationship between the Hebrew Bible and modern science? To answer this question, Robert Goldman invites the reader on a carefully guided intellectual journey spanning centuries of theological, philosophical, and scientific thought, before arriving at his provocative conclusion. He begins with the Hebrew Bible, examining the ancient concepts of "Olam" and "Yahweh," whose meanings are often lost in translation. Using these concepts as a lens, he explores Spinoza's "heretical" (at the time) theological views, probes Einstein's theory of space-time, and confronts formidable questions about human capacity for evil through the writings of Elie Wiesel and Etty Hillesum.
Using simple, accessible language, Goldman ties together these diverse perspectives--as well as those of Plato, Maimonides, Godel, and others--and interweaves them with his own insights. Ultimately, he crafts a hopeful vision of a humankind and a God who are evolving toward one another, fueled by good actions, broader consciousness, and deeper human connection.
Robert N. Goldman was a pioneering computer scientist and entrepreneur. He was granted over thirty patents, both nationally and internationally, including one that laid the foundation for credit-card technology. Goldman studied Judaism, philosophy, science, and artificial intelligence for decades. Research in the Albert Einstein Archives in Princeton led to writing Einstein’s God: Albert Einstein’s Quest as a Scientist and as a Jew to Replace a Forsaken God.
“Since the Greeks invented science in the sixth century BCE, men have explored the relationship of science and religion, some to reconcile and others to condemn. In this insightful treatise on the Hebrew God and science, Robert Goldman takes us through Spinoza’s God, Einstein’s God, and modern science to bring new understanding of how science and God can be reconciled. This is a must read for philosophers, scholars of religion, and laymen alike.”
—Robert J. Littman, Professor of Classics, University of Hawaii at Manoa
“With clarity and dry wit, Bob Goldman provides surprisingly accessible and important insights at the intersection of personal identity and evolution. Readers are certain to be provoked, in the best sense, through Bob’s probing thoughts about Albert Einstein and the Hebrew Bible, important philosophers, and even an atheist who thanks God for not being religious.”
—Aviam Soifer, Dean, University of Hawaii Law School
“One of the joys of studying biblical Hebrew is appreciating the spectrum of meanings that key words and phrases hold. This is why this most ancient text has given birth to religions as varied as Judaism and Christianity. In Tomorrow’s God, Robert Goldman takes us on a journey focusing on key biblical words to understand their deeper meanings through the lenses of philosophy and modern physics. His insights are stunning and original, and I am in his debt, both as a physicist and a rabbi.”
—Michael Lotker, Scholar in Residence, Temple Adat Elohim, Thousand Oaks, California