ABSTRACT
Professor Williams's elegant and erudite essay on John Polkinghorne's understanding of explanation, and how it might fit within a wider discussion of conjunctive explanations, is one of the most informed and engaging accounts of Polkinghorne's distinctive approach that the author has read. Williams rightly finds himself puzzled by Polkinghorne's disinclination to reflect on the epistemic impact of sin or, indeed, to reflect on the wider implications of the Fall. Although this lack of engagement does not touch directly on the main themes of explanation in science and religion, it remains an important area of reflection within this field. Polkinghorne's position is nuanced and is perhaps best seen as a respectful affirmation of the distinctiveness of scientific and religious explanations, on the one hand, set alongside a conviction that they can somehow, and to some extent, be woven together. Polkinghorne once declared that “theology's regal status lies in its commitment to seek the deepest possible level of understanding.”.
