Sign-In
Cart
Neuroscience and Theology
Paperback
Currently unavailable to order
Please enter your email and a message will be sent to you when this product becomes available on our website.
Publisher: Dr. John W.S. Howard
Published: Sep 17 2026
Pages: 222
Weight: 0.67
Height: 0.47 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
Neuroscience and Theology: Why They Should Work Together
What does the brain tell us about being human-and what questions remain beyond biology?
In Neuroscience and Theology: Why They Should Work Together, Dr. John W. S. Howard explores the relationship between two disciplines that are often treated as fundamentally separate: neuroscience and theology. Neuroscience investigates the brain, nervous system, behavior, consciousness, memory, emotion, learning, and decision-making, while theology explores questions of God, meaning, morality, spirituality, purpose, suffering, and human existence.
Rather than presenting science and theology as opposing forces, this book examines how they can enter into thoughtful and respectful dialogue.
Beginning with the foundations of neuroscience, the book introduces readers to neurons, neural networks, neuroplasticity, emotion, memory, consciousness, human behavior, and the biological pathways through which people experience the world. It also considers the limits of neuroscience, emphasizing the distinction between explaining how something happens and understanding what that experience ultimately means.
The discussion then turns toward theology, including an Eastern world understanding that emphasizes interconnectedness, community, embodied spirituality, relationships, and the integration of spiritual life with ordinary human experience. Prayer, worship, compassion, forgiveness, suffering, moral responsibility, and spiritual formation are considered not simply as abstract ideas but as experiences lived through human bodies, brains, emotions, relationships, and communities.
The book also examines the pathways of the brain and the way neural systems participate in perception, emotion, memory, attention, decision-making, learning, and behavior. It explores how neuroplasticity and repeated practices can contribute to human formation while maintaining that biological explanations do not automatically settle questions of spiritual meaning or theological significance.
Further chapters consider the work of Benjamin James Sadock and the relationship between neuroscience, psychiatry, human behavior, and theology. The book asks how neuroscience may contribute to the theological process while maintaining appropriate boundaries between scientific evidence and theological interpretation.
At the heart of the discussion is the human person. Neuroscience can investigate the biological mechanisms through which human experiences occur, while theology can explore questions of meaning, value, dignity, purpose, morality, God, suffering, hope, and transcendence. The two disciplines do not need to answer identical questions to contribute to the same conversation.
The final discussion turns toward illness and healing, examining how neuroscience and theology can contribute to a more holistic understanding of human suffering. The book emphasizes that medical treatment and scientific understanding should not be replaced by faith, while also recognizing that illness can raise questions of meaning, hope, identity, dignity, community, and spiritual life that biology alone may not resolve.
Written for readers interested in neuroscience, theology, psychology, spirituality, philosophy, and the nature of human existence, this book invites a broader understanding of humanity-one that recognizes the measurable realities of the brain while continuing to engage the profound questions of meaning that have shaped human life for centuries.
Neuroscience can ask how. Theology can ask why. This book explores what becomes possible when we are willing to ask both.
Also from
W. S. Howard, John
Also in
Medical Reference
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures
Fadiman, Anne
Paperback
7 Reasons to Believe in the Afterlife: A Doctor Reviews the Case for Consciousness After Death
Charbonier, Jean Jacques
Paperback
The Immune Mystery: A Doctor's Impassioned Quest to Solve the Puzzle of Autoimmune Disease
Jelstad, Jørgen
Dr Kåss, Anita
Hardcover
Holistic Reflexology: Essential Oils and Crystal Massage in Reflex Zone Therapy
Kliegel, Ewald
Paperback
The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: And Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook: What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us about Loss, Love, and
Perry, Bruce
Szalavitz, Maia
Paperback
Being Well (Even When You're Sick): Mindfulness Practices for People with Cancer and Other Serious Illnesses
Rosenbaum, Elana
Paperback
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
Van Der Kolk, Bessel
Paperback
The Hunger Code: Resetting Your Body's Fat Thermostat in the Age of Ultra-Processed Food
Fung, Jason
Hardcover
Working The Roots: Over 400 Years of Traditional African American Healing
Lee, Michele Elizabeth
Paperback
Integrating a Palliative Approach Workbook 2nd Edition, Revised: Essentials For Personal Support workers
Murray, Katherine
Paperback
All Creatures Great and Small: The Warm and Joyful Memoirs of the World's Most Beloved Animal Doctor
Herriot, James
Paperback
Unlearn Your Pain: The Science of Recovering from Chronic Pain, Fatigue, Anxiety, and Depression
Schubiner, Howard, MD
Hardcover
Cialis & Men's Sexual Health: Understanding Tadalafil and Erectile Dysfunction
Stilton, John P.
Paperback
Jesus & Your Mental Health: Linking God's Word and Modern Science to Find Peace about Mental Health
Maxwell Lmft, Rebecca
Paperback
THE DYSAUTONOMIA PROJECT Second Edition
Thompson, Charles R.
Freeman, Kelly
Goldstein, David S.
Paperback
You've Been Pooping All Wrong: How to Make Your Bowel Movements a Joy
Pasricha, Trisha, MD MPH
Hardcover
Anatomy Coloring Book with 450+ Realistic Medical Illustrations with Quizzes for Each
McCann, Stephanie
Wise, Eric
Paperback
Food Is Medicine: Healing Our Bodies, Nourishing Our Minds, and Transforming Our Food System
Mozaffarian, Dariush
Hardcover
The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease, Other Dementias, and Memory Loss
Rabins, Peter V.
Mace, Nancy L.
Paperback
How to Forage for Mushrooms Without Dying: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Identifying 29 Wild, Edible Mushrooms
Hyman, Frank
Paperback
The Invincible Brain: The Clinically Proven Plan to Age-Proof Your Brain and Stay Sharp for Life
Fotuhi, Majid
Hardcover
The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook: A Proven Way to Accept Yourself, Build Inner Strength, and Thrive
Neff, Kristin
Germer, Christopher
Paperback
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (Dsm-5-Tr(r))
American Psychiatric Association
Paperback
The Breast Advice: All You Need to Know about Breast Health, Screening, and Treatment
Port, Elisa
Hardcover
Period Repair Manual: Natural Treatment for Better Hormones and Better Periods
Briden Nd, Lara
Paperback
Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy, Happy Heart: Simple Steps to Achieving Long-Term Cardiovascular Health
Lopez-Jimenez, Francisco
Lerman, Amir
Lara-Breitinger, Kyla M.
Hardcover
Think Less, Sleep More: From Panic & Perfectionism to Stress-Free Sleep
Romiszewski, Stephanie
Hardcover
Taking Charge of Adult ADHD: Proven Strategies to Succeed at Work, at Home, and in Relationships
Barkley, Russell A.
Paperback
Plant Powered Plus: Activate the Power of Your Gut to Tame Inflammation and Reclaim Your Health
Bulsiewicz, Will
Hardcover
Living Life to the Fullest with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: Guide to Living a Better Quality of Life While Having EDS
Muldowney Pt, Kevin
Muldowney Pt, Kathleen
Hardcover
The Ultimate Survival Medicine Guide: Emergency Preparedness for Any Disaster
Alton, Amy
Alton, Joseph
Paperback
Nolo's Guide to Social Security Disability: Getting & Keeping Your Benefits
Morton III, David A.
Paperback
The New Menopause: Navigating Your Path Through Hormonal Change with Purpose, Power, and Facts
Haver, Mary Claire
Hardcover
El Cuerpo Lleva La Cuenta: Cerebro, Mente Y Cuerpo En La Superación del Trauma / The Body Keeps the Score
Van Der Kolk, Bessel
Paperback
No One's Coming: The Rogue Heroes Our Government Turns to When There's Nowhere Else to Turn
Hazzard, Kevin
Hardcover
The Great Shadow: A History of How Sickness Shapes What We Do, Think, Believe, and Buy
Bauer, Susan Wise
Hardcover
Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness
Godfrey-Smith, Peter
Paperback
Cancer Is a Parasite: Kill It with the Safe, Over-The-Counter Antiparasitic Fenbendazole
Supple, William F., Jr.
Hardcover
Medicare 101: From Your Initial Enrollment Period to Parts A, B, C, and D, an Essential Primer on the Government Healthcare Program
Lankford, Kimberly
Hardcover
Spiritual Portraits of the Energy Release Points: A Compendium of Acupuncture Point Messages Found Within the 12 Meridians and 8 Extraordinary Vessels
Gervais, Michele Marie
Paperback
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (Dsm-5-Tr(r))
American Psychiatric Association
Hardcover
Why We Get Sick: The Hidden Epidemic at the Root of Most Chronic Disease--And How to Fight It
Bikman, Benjamin
Paperback
Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence---From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror
Herman, Judith Lewis
Paperback
Desk Reference to the Diagnostic Criteria from Dsm-5-Tr(r)
American Psychiatric Association
Paperback
What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing
Perry, Bruce D., M. D. PH. D.
Winfrey, Oprah
Hardcover
This Book May Cause Side Effects: The Curious and Dangerous Power of the Nocebo Effect, Placebo's Evil Twin
Pilcher, Helen
Hardcover
The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: And Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook--What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us about Loss, Love, and
Szalavitz, Maia
Perry, Bruce D.
Paperback
Harrison's Guide to Inpatient Medicine: Common Internal Medicine Diseases and Workups
Edwards, Mitchell
Longo, Dan L.
Fauci, Anthony S.
Hardcover
God's Hotel: A Doctor, a Hospital, and a Pilgrimage to the Heart of Medicine
Sweet, Victoria
Paperback
Stay Off My Kitchen Table: A Heart Surgeon's 4-Week Elimination Diet for Gut Repair, Metabolic Health, and Longevity
Ovadia, Philip
Lisec, Joshua
Paperback
Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President
Millard, Candice
Paperback
Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present
Washington, Harriet A.
Paperback
How to Forage for Medicinal Plants Without Dying: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Identifying 32 Healing Wild Herbs
Ruiz, Brandon
Paperback
Desk Reference to the Diagnostic Criteria from Dsm-5-Tr(r)
American Psychiatric Association
Paperback
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures
Fadiman, Anne
Paperback
Cure Your Fatigue, Second Edition: The Root Cause and How to Fix It on Your Own
Robbins, Morley M.
Paperback
How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us about Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence
Pollan, Michael
Paperback
Child Medication Fact Book for Psychiatric Practice, Second Edition
Feder, Joshua D.
Puzantian, Talia
Tien, Elizabeth
Paperback
Fenbendazole & Ivermectin Protocols Handbook: A Definitive Guide on Treatment of Cancer for Patients and Caregivers
Willmott, Sebastian
Paperback
Curved Air: A Biography of Sickle Cell Anemia and the Quest to Cure the First Molecular Disease
Davies, Kevin
Hardcover
The Cortisol Cure: The Secret to Resetting Your Stress Response, Boosting Energy & Feeling Better Than Ever
Kinney, Erin
Hardcover
The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss (Why Intermittent Fasting Is the Key to Controlling Your Weight)
Fung, Jason
Paperback
Nursing School Entrance Exams Prep: Your All-In-One Guide to the Kaplan and Hesi Exams
Kaplan Nursing
Paperback
The Doctors' Riot of 1788: Body Snatching, Bloodletting, and Anatomy in America
McPhee, Andy
Hardcover
Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts: A Healing Guide to the Secret Fears of New Mothers
Kleiman, Karen
Hardcover
Medical Terminology Made Simple: Easily Learn, Memorize, and Pronounce Medical Terms
Temple, John, MD
Paperback
Change Your Brain, Change Your Pain: Breaking the Doom Loop to Heal Chronic Physical and Emotional Pain
Amen, Daniel G.
Hardcover
American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America's First Paramedics
Hazzard, Kevin
Paperback
The Other Side of the Straitjacket: A Daughter's Story of Mental Illness and Assisted Dying
Duncan, Alicia
Paperback
Indoor Epidemic: 93% Inside Steals Sleep, Focus & Years-The 7% Outdoor Rx Restores Them
La Puma, John
Paperback
The Lithium Revolution: Optimizing Mood, Memory, and Lifelong Brain Health With Nutritional Lithium
Greenblatt, James
Paperback
Menopause: What Your Ob-GYN Wants You to Know
Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of
Paperback
What Your Doctor Doesn't Know about Fibromyalgia: Why Doctors Can't or Won't Treat Chronic Pain
Meilink, Linda
Rhoades, Patrick
Paperback
Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism, Dyspraxia, A.D.D., Dyslexia, A.D.H.D., Depression, Schizophrenia, 2nd Edition
Campbell-McBride, Natasha, MD
Paperback
Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection (Large Print Edition)
Green, John
Paperback
Hidden Epidemic: Silent Oral Infections Cause Most Heart Attacks and Breast Cancers
Levy, Jd
Paperback
Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2027
McQuaid, Kenneth R.
Papadakis, Maxine A.
Rabow, Michael W.
Hardcover
The Quantum Power of GLP-1 Peptides: Unlocking the Science that Leads to Lasting Weight Loss and Optimal Healthspan
Seeds, William A.
Paperback
Clinical Reasoning: Coaching the Struggling Medical Learner
Parsons, Andrew S.
Warburton, Karen M.
Paperback
Shoulder Pain? The Solution & Prevention: Fifth Edition, Revised & Expanded
Kirsch, John M.
Paperback
Pcos Is My Power: Understanding Pcos, Fixing Your Hormones, and Resetting Your Health
Ruth, Cory, Rdn
Paperback
The Cure for Everything: The Epic Struggle for Public Health and a Radical Vision for Human Thriving
Williams, Michelle A.
Hardcover
The Yates Protocol: Five Simple Steps to Fix Your Blood Sugar and Reverse Type 2 Diabetes
Yates, Beverly
Hardcover
The Unfragile Mind: A Physician's Call for Restoring Hope and Humanity to Mental Health Care
Francis, Gavin
Hardcover