Imagining Progress

In "Imagining Progress," Kristin Johnson delves into the complex history of American perspectives on God, nature, and science, particularly through the lens of suffering at the bedsides of dying children. She traces the evolving relationship between religion and science over two centuries, highlighting key figures from Cotton Mather to the 1920s debates over evolution. The narrative weaves together medicine, theology, and activism, revealing contrasting hopes and anxieties fueled by new scientific theories, while also exposing a troubling pattern of selective compassion.