Book review: The works of His hands

This is a brief, non-spoilers review of “The work of His hands: A scientist’s journey from atheism to faith“, by Dr. Sy Garte.

For the sake of full disclosure, I must say two things: I am, for lack of a better term, a *very* hopeful agnostic. I am also Sy’s friend. You’re warned!

“The work of His hands” is an absolutely delightful book. The subtitle says exactly what it is about, but one of the things that sets this book apart from others of the same genre is that Dr. Garte was not raised in a religious environment. If anything, he was raised in an emphatic *anti*-religious household.

This is not a story of faith lost and rediscovered; rather, it is a tale of someone who was “surprised by faith”, a faith that blossomed despite Dr. Garte’s attitude towards it. He had to be proverbially dragged kicking and screaming towards God. Mind you, he is not your pious, meek, show-the-other-cheek kind of guy. In other words, he is more like Peter than like Jesus. You see, Sy is a no-nonsense, nobody’s pushover, rough, and tough man (who happens to hold a PhD and is a top-notch scientist).

In the book, he shows that there are ways to reconcile science and faith. His love and awe for both permeates every single page. Some will nerd out with the science and some will be moved by the ‘coming to faith’ tale. Some will experience both feelings.

A big plus for me (because 1. I know next to nothing about it, and 2. Honestly, I have little patience for it.) is that theology and dogma are almost completely absent from this book. Also, there is not an ounce of ‘holier than thou preaching’. This book is just about experience and reason, and in my mind, these are more than enough. However, the book is much more than that. I will not say much about the content, except for two details: I loved the witty, slightly irreverent fables sprinkled throughout the book. These might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but I am convinced that a true God must have a great sense of humor. Also, the account of his surprise when he gradually realized he had faith, a process that let’s say, was not easy or immediate, is endearing. I must say that I envy him in the best possible way.

This book will not convince anyone to throw hesitance to the wind and become a believer, and that’s ok, because that is not its purpose. Sy is just telling his story.

If I have to express any dislikes, is that I wish the book was longer, and that it had included an index (perhaps in the second edition? 😃). Other than that, I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.

Credit: Kregel Publications

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