The Realist Guide to Religion and Science

This book contains a certain degree of valuable content, yet it prompts readers to question whether Fr. Robinson thoroughly considered the consensus of the Fathers and magisterial decrees on the discussed subjects. While cautioning against certain views expressed by Robert Sungenis regarding the SSPX's stance on Vatican II, the New Mass, and supplied jurisdiction, it's essential to acknowledge Sungenis as a leading Catholic scholar and subject matter expert on many of the topics covered in this book, offering valuable insights. To foster charitable discussion, I encourage Catholics to explore these sources that provide a complementary perspective to some of the theses contained in Fr. Robinson's book:

Robert Sungenis’s critique/response of Fr. Paul Robinson’s book:
https://archive.org/details/fr.-paul-robinson-v.-robert-sungenis
https://www.cathinfo.com/fighting-errors-in-the-modern-world/fr-paul-robinson-v-robert-sungenis/

Robert Sungenis' book "Scientific Heresies”, which critiques Fr. Robinson’s book in depth, is available to buy on his website.

Fr. Robinson's critique of the Kolbe Center: https://therealistguide.com/blog/f/st-maximilian-kolbe%E2%80%99s-disagreement-with-the-kolbe-center

Response to Fr. Robinson’s critique by the Kolbe Center:
https://kolbecenter.org/scoffers-will-arise-in-the-last-days-a-reply-to-fr-paul-robinson-fsspx-2/

Eric Bermingham's perspective on Fr. Paul Robinson’s book:
https://kolbecenter.org/the-realist-guide-to-religion-and-science/

Fr. Robinson is truly an Alter Christus

I am not only a convert to the Catholic faith, from Southern Baptist, but I am also working on becoming a scientist. The relationship between science and faith had been a sticking point for me when I was a Baptist, and was merely told "don't worry about it, if it isn't in the bible". That not only stumps many peoples scientific progress, but philosophical progress as well. If people only stuck to the philosophical teachings of their faith, without analyzing the origins of philosophical thought, then we'd have thousands of divergent Protestant denominations and false religions. With this book it helped me analyze philosophical traditions going back to Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, other pagan traditions, and finally other traditions of Christianity. Analyzing the philosophical and theological thought has deepend my understanding of the Catholic faith, and has only helped me spread the faith with surety and logical arguments to people with questions. I greatly enjoyed Fr. Robinsons book, and I recommend it to anyone and everyone looking to learn more about "Fides et Ratio" to a greater degree.

There have been few books that I have read that have changed my way of thinking. And when I opened up "The Realist's Guide" I certainly didn't expect this book to be one of them. Nevertheless, it was. I can confidently state that if I could recommend just a few books to someone, this would be one of the first that I would suggest. I would recommend this book to anyone, traditional Catholics, Novus Ordo Catholics, interested non-Catholics, or anyone seeking the truth, this book proposes a refreshing worldview.

Fr. Robinson's book is really divided into two parts. The first being an explanation of the Catholic/Thomistic view on philosophy and theology and how it compares with the philosophy of the rest of the world's religions and schools. There is so much information synthesized into this section and it is written in such a fantastic manner that even the biggest critics of this book have praised it. It's one of the best explanations of the history and reasoning behind Catholic thought or even philosophical thought in general out there.

The second part is more controversial. It simply applies the principles of the first part to science. Fr. Robinson had to alienate a few people here as he had to take positions on things and distribute the amount of time he spent on each issue appropriately. But I think he did a great job. He tackled the main issues with the most controversial scientific topics and did a great job of citing enough sources to last you a lifetime

Great book!

This book explains how faith and reason underlie the truth religion, as there is and can only be, one true religion. Through the brief introduction to the Scholastic Philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas, Fr. Robinson presents to the reader the view of the world from the Catholic realism exploring the 4 Causes - Material Cause, Efficient Cause, Formal Cause, and Final Cause - and their relationship to the current insanity of modern science and philosophy. For the ancient world view, there is no conflict between religion and science.

For the reader new to Thomas Aquinas and Aristotle, there is a learning curve but it's well worth it. I found this book combines well with other books on Scholastic Philosophy such as Dr. Edward Feser's "The Last Superstition" and "Aristotle's Revenge", or a book like "Scholastic Metaphysics" by John F. McCormick S.J., books which explain in detail Thomistic-Aristotelian concepts.

The modern Catholic has been largely cut off from their philosophical and theological heritage in the usual modes of learning as we are in essence, living as a kind of foreigner in anti-Catholic societies founded on the ideas of Protestantism, Naturalism, Liberalism, Individualism, Atheistic Materialism, and now, Scientism.

Thank you Fr. Robinson for such an illuminating and much needed book.