The Heavens Proclaim His Glory, by Lisa Stilwell

This would make a great coffee table or waiting room book to easily pass the time of those sitting around looking for intrigue and easy conversation. Lisa Stilwell has done an amazing job of compiling pictures from the Hubble Telescope, which she has set behind scripture verses and inspiring quotes.

Overall, this is a picture book worth reading. It was a page turner for sure due to the cascade of colorful, awe producing images that overcome you eyes. Nebulas, galaxies, auroras, comets, planets and universes are all captured by the Hubble with precision that I'm sure I didn't realize was possible until reading a factoid page about Hubble.

Pros and Cons

Pros: The pictures are amazing. Whether you're a student of astrology or not, you can't help but be floored by some of the cool images you'll see in this book. Accompanying many of the pictures are facts, tidbits of information and "did you know" type sections. These are fun to read to better understand what you're looking at. For Christians the juxtaposed Bible verses can be motivational and inspiring. This book points Christians toward moments of reflectivity on God and the vastness of creation.

Cons: I wish there were more factoids about space. I'd like to learn more about space, but I'm not going to pick up a text book anytime soon. But this book is attractive. The pictures are captivating, and it would be a good opportunity to educate. However, not enough of this is done. Also, for non-Christians, this book may be cool but annoying, because there are a lot of Bible verses and religious quotes.

One also could not peruse this book without considering the age old schism created by many between science and religion on the matter of creation/origin of life. Some claim the two are contradictory, that they cannot compliment each other or even simply coexist. I am of the mind that they are not contradictory, that they are two not-so-different ways of seeing the world. However, I can see how this is difficult to reconcile for those who give a literal reading of the Genesis creation accounts (yes, there are two).

Whatever your background though, I think this book will be fun to look at for anyone. I sure hope it never becomes yet another platform for argument between people with differing viewpoints on our world. Perhaps, instead, looking at these pages with someone of a different belief system or none at all could be an opportunity to celebrate and marvel together at the fantastic, awe-striking world/universe/stuff in which we live.

I'll drink to that.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”