harmonizing science & faith: why science isn’t the enemy science reinforcing faith david...

Harmonizing Science & Faith: Why Science Isn’t The Enemy

SCIENCE REINFORCING FAITHSCIENCE REINFORCING FAITH

David Katerndahl, M.D.,M.A.

University United Methodist Church

Have You Ever Been Involved In The Science & Faith Controversy?

INTRODUCTION

• > 70% Of People In Western Countries Believe In

• Both God & Evolution

• Ongoing Creation-Evolution Debate In Schools

• Debate Has “Spilled Over” Into Debate About The Big Bang

HISTORY OF DEBATE IN THE U.S.

YEAR EVENT

1859

1909

1920s

1925

1927

1950

1965

1968

1981

1985

1987

2004

2009

2011

Origin of Species Published

Fundamentals (essential core Christian ideas) developed against Modernism

Several states pass anti-evolution statutes

Scopes Trial

“Primeval Atom” proposed by Georges Lemaitre

“Big Bang” coined by Fred Hoyle

Wilson & Penzias discover CBR, proving Big Bang

1928 Arkansas law against teaching evolution stuck down

Arkansas “balanced treatment” statute passed…and struck down

Louisiana “balanced treatment” statute struck down

US Supreme Court hears…and supports Louisiana’s decision

Dover School Board requires statement about Intelligent Design…but is struck down

Texas Board of Education eliminates requirement discussing evolution’s limitations

Texas Board of Education approval of supplemental online science materials

POLARIZATION OF EMOTIONAL DEBATES

Belie

f In

Evol

ution

Evidence For Evolution

Low Stress



Belie

f In

Evol

ution

Moderate Stress



Belie

f In

Evol

ution

High Stress


Disposition / Attitude→

Bel

ief→

CUSP CATASTROPHE MODEL

“From our point of view, however, any interpretation of Genesis which accommodates the standard system of evolutionary geological ages is a clear-cut compromise with atheistic evolution, and it is very sad that Christians who profess to believe the Bible as the Word of God will not acknowledge this.” - Henry Morris (1918-2006)

It is absolutely safe to say that if you meet somebody who claims not to believe in evolution, that person is ignorant, stupid or insane (or wicked, but I'd rather not consider that).

- Richard Dawkins (1941- )

Instigators Of Conflict

CONTENT

1. Relationship Between Science & Faith

2. Biblical Support For Science

3. God’s Revelation / Natural Theology

4. Compatible & (At Least) Complementary

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCIENCE & RELIGION

1. Conflict – Fundamentalists, Atheists2. Independence – Stephen Gould3. Dialogue - Complementary4. Integration - Reinforcing

Do Science & Faith Conflict?

“Damage Is Done When We Claim Scripture Is Right Over Science.”

-Augustine (354 – 430 AD)

DO SCIENCE & FAITH CONFLICT?

Both Are “True”?Science Works!Isaiah 45:19

“I the Lord speak the truth, I declare what is right.”


Why Blind Acceptance Of Science Is Hazardous

Scientific Process Is Incremental Scientific Results Are Incomplete But, Over Time, Scientific Results

Approach Truth

Why “Literal” Interpretation Of English-Based Scripture Is Hazardous

1. Intent – Not Science Textbook2. Multiple Literary Styles3. Scientific Errors & Contradictions4. Scripture & Translation Not Unchanging5. Author(s) – Human Hands6. Hebrew – Indistinct

“It is not nature and Scripture that contradict; rather, it is science (man's fallible interpretation of nature) and theology (man's fallible interpretation of Scripture) that sometimes fall into conflict.” --Christian Answers website


Are Science & Faith Independent?

Science & Faith:Internally Consistent, Externally Discordant?

1. Commitment To Reality2. Sense Of Wonder3. Progress In Understanding4. Recognition Of Incompleteness5. Need For Engagement6. Common Language7. Distinct Methods Of Investigation8. Common Starting Point 9. Common Set Of Objects Explored10. Common Set Of Values

How Do Science & Scripture Differ?DESCRIPTOR SCIENCE SCRIPTURE

Intended Audience

Language

Goal

Question Addressed

Ways Of Knowing

Changeability

Scientists Faithful

Math Hebrew/Greek

Understanding & SalvationTechnologyHow Why

Observation & RevelationExperimentation

Changing Canon

Purpose(s) Of Scripture & Science “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is

profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

- 2 Timothy 3:16-17

“How to go to Heaven (Scripture); How the heavens go (Science)”

- John Polkinghorne (1930- )

“Every formula which expresses a law of nature is a hymn of praise to God.”

-Maria Mitchell (1818-1889)

BUT:

“Astronomers investigate with great labor whatever the sagacity of the human mind can comprehend. Nevertheless, this study is not to be reprobated, nor this science to be condemned, because some frantic persons are wont boldly to reject whatever is unknown to them. For as astronomy is not only pleasant, but also very useful to be known: it cannot be denied that this art unfolds the admirable wisdom of God.“

-John Calvin (1509 – 1564)

BUT:

Are Science & Faith Are Science & Faith Interrelated?Interrelated?

MARK 12:30: “And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” (NLT)

ISAIAH 1:18: “Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord;” (KJV)

PSALM 111:2: “Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.” (NRSV)

BIBLICAL SUPPORT FOR SCIENCEBIBLICAL SUPPORT FOR SCIENCE


Are We “Commanded” To Do Science?

•Job 12:7-8 – Earth will teach us.

“Just ask the animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you. Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you. Let the fish in the sea speak to you.” (NLT)



•Wisdom of Solomon 7:17-22 – God brings scientific knowledge

“For it is He who gave me unerring knowledge of what exists, to know the structure of the world and the activity of its elements; the beginning and end and middle of times, the alternations of the solstices and the changes of the seasons, the cycles of the year and the constellations of the stars, the natures of animals and the tempers of wild animals, the power of spirits and the thoughts of human beings, the varieties of plants and the virtues of roots; I learned both what is secret and what is manifest, for wisdom, the fashioner of all things, taught me.”



•Ecclesiastes 1:13 – Use wisdom to understand things on Earth

“With all my wisdom I tried to understand everything that happens here on earth. And God has made this so hard for us humans to do.” (CEV)

“I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.”

-Galileo Galilei (1564 - 1642)


Scientific Method (GEN 1)

1. Frame Of Reference (e.g. non-movable Earth)

2. Initial Conditions

3. Experiment/Observation

4. Final Conditions

HANDOUT: Viewing Genesis 1 As Scientific Paper

Should It Include Science?

ROMANS 1:19-20: “They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” (NLT)

GOD’S REVELATION / NATURAL THEOLOGYGOD’S REVELATION / NATURAL THEOLOGY

PSALM 19: 1-4,7-10: “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.

The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.” (NLT)



General Revelation (Natural Theology)

Margaret Towne—

God’s Direction = “Religion”

God’s Action = “Science”


SCIENCE & FAITH NOT IN CONFLICT

Nature & Scripture In Harmony “Science” Advocated In Scripture Well-Done Science & Theology Are True

Both Internally Consistent

SCIENCE & FAITH NOT INDEPENDENT

Natural Theology Complementary Characteristics

Goals / PurposesWays Of LearningQuestions AddressedChangeability

1. Christian Theology Critical To Development Of Scientific Method & Western Science

2. Science & Faith Inform Each Other3. To Fully Understand, Science & Faith

Depend Upon Each Other4. God May Use Science To Accomplish His

Goals

SCIENCE & FAITH SCIENCE & FAITH ARE INTERDEPENDENTARE INTERDEPENDENT

COMPLEMENTARY (REINFORCING) NATURECOMPLEMENTARY (REINFORCING) NATURE

Combining Different Research “Methods”Quantitative-Qualitative

Combining Different Foci Combining Different Strengths Viewing Reality Through Spectacles

Different LensesDepth Perception

“It is God who is the ultimate reason of things, and the knowledge of God is no less the beginning of science than his essence and will the beginning of beings.”

-Gottfried Liebniz (1646-1716)

“The only path to knowing God is through the study of science—and for that reason the Bible opens with a description of the creation.”

-Maimonides (1135-1204)

APPARENT CONFLICT

Science versus Theology Incomplete Science / Errant Theology

Application Of Both Beyond Their Intent Use Of Non-Original Documents

What does it mean to say that science and

faith are compatible?

COMPATIBILITY

“Compatible”# = “Capable of existing together in harmony”

#Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary

COMPATIBILITY:Are The Gospels “Compatible”?

Include Different Events

Disagreements (examples): Genealogy Of Jesus (Matthew versus Luke) When Tables Of Moneychangers Overturned Last Supper = Passover Meal?

Principles For Understanding Biblical DiscrepanciesA

1. Unexplained is not necessarily unexplainable*2. Fallible interpretations do not mean fallible revelation*3. Understand context of passage*4. Use clear passages to interpret difficult ones*5. Do not base teaching on obscure passages*6. Scripture is a human work with human characteristics*7. Just because a report is incomplete does not mean it is false*8. New Testament citations of Old Testament need not be exact9. Scripture does not necessarily approve of all of its records*10. Bible uses non-technical language*11. Scripture may use rounded or exact numbers*12. Not different literary devices*13. Error in copying does not mean an error in the original14. General statements do not mean universal promises15. Later revelation supercedes previous revelation*

*May apply to science-faith discrepancies AMcDowell, 2006

(And Science-Faith)

Principles For Understanding Biblical Discrepancies(And Science-Faith)

NOT Included As Explanations:One Is WrongGod Is Deceiving Us

Based Upon The Vagueness Of The Original Hebrew Of Genesis & Supported By Various Translations & Ancient Theologians:

Science-Scripture On Creation Are Compatible: Origins Of The Universe & Earth Sequence Of Light-Plants-Sun An “Evolutionary” Process Humanity’s Animal & “Supra-Animal” Nature 6 “Days” Of Creation Genesis1-Genesis 2 Discrepancies

JOHN WESLEY ON GENESIS

“The inspired penman in this history [Genesis] … [wrote] for the Jews first and, calculating his narratives for the infant state of the church, describes things by their outward sensible appearances, and leaves us, by further discoveries of the divine light, to be led into the understanding of the mysteries couched under them.”

- John Wesley (1703-1791)

What Does The Catholic Church Say About The Compatibility Of Evolution & Faith?

“…In his encyclical Humani Generis (1950), my predecessor Pius XII has already affirmed that there is no conflict between evolution and the doctrine of the faith… Today, more than a half-century after the appearance of that encyclical, some new findings lead us toward the recognition of evolution as more than an hypothesis. In fact, it is remarkable that this theory has had progressively greater influence on the spirit of researchers, following a series of discoveries in different scholarly disciplines. The convergence of the results of these independent studies—which was neither planned nor sought—constitutes in itself a significant argument in favor of the theory.”

-Pope John Paul II, 1996

What Does The Presbyterian Church Say About The Compatibility Of Evolution & Faith?

“…Neither Scripture, our Confession of Faith, nor our Catechisms, teach the Creation of man by the direct and immediate acts of God so as to exclude the possibility of evolution as a scientific theory… We conclude that the true relation between the evolutionary theory and the Bible is that of non-contradiction and that the position stated by the General Assemblies of 1886, 1888, 1889, and 1924 was in error and no longer represents the mind of our Church.”

-Presbyterian Church USA, 1969

“We recognize science as a legitimate interpretation of God’s natural world. We affirm the validity of the claims of science in describing the natural world, although we preclude science from making authoritative claims about theological issues. We recognize technology as a legitimate use of God’s natural world when such use enhances human life and enables all of God’s children to develop their God-given creative potential without violating our ethical convictions about the relationship of humanity to the natural world. In acknowledging the important roles of science and technology, however, we also believe that theological understandings of human experience are crucial to a full understanding of the place of humanity in the universe. Science and theology are complementary rather than mutually incompatible. We therefore encourage dialogue between the scientific and theological communities and seek the kind of participation that will enable humanity to sustain life on earth and, by God’s grace, increase the quality of our common lives together.”

-The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church - 2004.

What Does The United Methodist Church Say About The Compatibility Of Science & Faith?

What Does The United Methodist Church Say About The Teaching Of Faith-Based Theories In Science Curricula?

“Whereas the United Methodist Church has for many years supported the separation of church and state; therefore, be it resolved, that the General Conference of the United Methodist Church go on record as opposing the introduction of any faith-based theories such as Creationism or Intelligent Design into the science curriculum of our public schools”.-Book Of Resolutions Of The United Methodist Church - 2008

“Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind.”

-Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955)

Complementary (Reinforcing) NatureComplementary (Reinforcing) Nature

If science & faith complement & reinforce each other, what can each contribute to the other?

What can science add to faith?

What can faith add to science?

SUMMARY

1. God Is Truthful & Science Works!

2. Scripture Supports A Scientific Approach

3. Complementary Nature Of Special & General Revelation

4. Reasons For Apparent Incompatibility1. Incomplete Science2. Errant Theology

“Often a non-Christian knows something about the earth, the heavens, and the other parts of the world, about the motions and orbits of the stars and even their sizes and distances,... and this knowledge he holds with certainty from reason and experience. It is thus offensive and disgraceful for an unbeliever to hear a Christian talk nonsense about such things, claiming that what he is saying is based in Scripture. We should do all that we can to avoid such an embarrassing situation, which people see as ignorance in the Christian and laugh to scorn.”

-Augustine (354-430 AD)

Why Does It Matter?Why Does It Matter?

“If We Regard The Spirit Of God As The Sole Fountain Of Truth, We Shall Neither Reject The Truth Itself, Nor Despise It Wherever It Shall Appear, Unless We Wish To Dishonor The Spirit Of God.”

-John Calvin (1509 – 1564)

Why Does It Matter?Why Does It Matter?

Biologos http://biologos.org

Presbyterian Association on Science, Technology and the Christian Faith http://www.pastcf.org

Princeton Theological Seminary’s Science for Ministry http://www3.ptsem.edu/offices/ConEd/SciMin

RESOURCES

QUESTIONS?

Understanding Biblical Patients:Understanding Biblical Patients:Medical History Of King SaulMedical History Of King Saul

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