Science and Faith

Faith and Science differ in origin and in object. As science is acquired by reason and faith comes through Revelation, the difference in origin hence is manifest. Again, since the object of Science is the comprehension of the natural truth (proximate causes). While the object the object of Faith is the acceptance of truths, natural and supernatural which God has revealed (ultimate causes); the aim of one is not the aim of the other. However while they differ in origin both emanate from the same Divine source of truth as two rays from the same sun. Or as beautifully expressed by Pope John Paul II “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth…”^[1]   

Science and religion do not always sit comfortably together. This is witnessed by the condemnation of Galileo and Bruno in the Seventeenth Century at the hands of the Inquisition.^[2] Both put forward the argument against the geocentric theory which was known to be ‘supported’ by scripture. This antagonism between science and religion seems to point out that these are irreconcilable. For a man who is thoroughly convinced of the universal operation of the law of causation cannot for a moment entertain the idea of a being who interferes in the course of events. He has no use for the religion of fear and equally little for social or moral religion. That is if he takes the hypothesis of causality really seriously. While on the other hand a religious man’s notions are evoked by fear of hunger, wild beasts, sickness and death. This fear and want of happiness has led man to be notoriously religious. The Jewish scriptures admirably illustrate the development from the religion of fear to moral religion, which is continued in the New Testament. A man who is notoriously religious believes entirely in the God of Providence. He discards the empirical facts and discoveries of science. Both these extremes give man a myopic outlook of God, the universe and man. The purported conflict does not really exist, the Fundamentalist view of the world and the need to prove the supernatural using empirical reason brings about the ‘conflict’ between science and religion.

Far from being a conflict as aforementioned, Faith and Science (the product of Reason) mutually support each other. Science is not in fact either for or against God since it studies only the phenomena and cannot go beyond that. Science cannot prove either the existence of God or God’s non-existence. As Atheistic scientist, Claude Levi Strauss, said of atheism: “An atheism which justifies itself on a scientific basis cannot be defended because it would imply that science is capable of answering all questions. Clearly it is not and never will be.”^[3] Since science cannot in any way disprove God’s existence, the relationship which can be established is that of science being the foundation on which faith can subsist. Science invites us to reflect on the natural phenomenon which in turn leads us to the hypothesis of God, as evidenced by the many cosmological arguments of God’s existence. Religion William Barclay says “may begin with an emotional response but the time comes when that emotional response has to be thought out….religion is never safe until a man can tell, not only what he believes, but why he believes.”^[4] For if reason is not the foundation of faith it withers into mere superstition. Though science is a handmaiden of faith, the application of reason gives to Theology the nature, character and form of a true science. For many centuries the Catholic Church has been persecuting scientist only to the embarrassment of realising years later that these heretic scientific hypotheses were in fact correct. Galileo, Copernicus, Bruno all suffered for a scientific truth. The Church went to the extent of officially declaring on 30 June 1909 that the literal meaning of the first three chapters of the Biblical book of Genesis were the ultimate truth. This as a retort against evolutionist theories. In matters of science, faith should not give ultimate answers based on a mythological book. A leading scientist at NASA and a devote Catholic Monica Grady asserts that if one had to concentrate on evidence as proof of faith they would be extremely disappointed.^[5] This brings to the point that scientist should adopt a ‘methodological’ atheism. That is setting God aside in their scientific work, rightly refusing to mix up strictly scientific problems with philosophical or religious ones. Science is concerned with the ‘how’ while the ‘why’ is reserved for faith. Science as evidence is very necessary with regards to Religion, though sometimes it might seem to be too advanced and radical. The role of science in matters of faith should be clearly and distinct. As asserted by Galileo that, “The Bible teaches us how to go to heaven and not how the heavens move.”^[6]