Religion vs. Science . . . Huh?

     The Apostle Paul, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, C. S. Lewis. These are all theologians who did not think the way that most people do today in the 21st century. Just read some of the Book of Romans, the Confessions, the Summa Theologica, and The Screwtape Letters. There is something profound going on in all of these works, with the Book of Romans having the authority of Scripture, of course. What is it? Well, instead of these works trying to fit into a preestablished scope of either supernaturalism or scientific naturalism, they all place the scope of our physical reality under the lordship of God. Such people did not see religion and science as two opposing and conflicting views. Rather, they affirmed that God is the Creator of all things, including the necessary preconditions for a scienctific methodology. The investigations involved in scientific thought can provide many benefits. Yet, science itself cannot tell us why we do science. So, we have already left the building and gone next door to the philosophy department simply by questioning why scientific inquiry even ought to be applied.

     Sadly, many people today don’t even know what they believe; and even if they do, they don’t really know why they believe it. In fact, I’m appaled at myself for living that way for 19 years. There is a great paradox to be found in this: people don’t know what they believe, and they don’t know how long they will be on this Earth. As it stands, it is of utmost importance to figure out what you believe and why you believe it. Your beliefs shape how you act and how you treat others, and that is what makes this so crucial. Your faith should not be something that is simply part of your identity or part of your life. On the contrary, it should be the foundation of all that you do. For if we know what we believe and why we believe it, but that doesn’t affect the way that we live and see the world, it is a dead faith. 

     The debate has never really been about religion vs. science. It has been about a battle of ideologies. Unbelievers don’t want to presuppose God, but rather want to presuppose the idea that there is no God. There goes the standard. Allow me to bring up an example. People will commonly say, “It doesn’t matter what you believe, so long as you don’t interfere with anybody else.” This falls in line with what we see on those “coexist” bumper stickers. Here is my problem: why ought I coexist with my neighbors of different religions and ideologies? Who is grounding that standard? Because the person who owns the car says so? Because the person who trademarked the sticker says so? What if somebody feels differently? From the Christian perspective, we ought to love our neighbors because God says so (Matthew 22:36-40). Sadly, when people try to take God out of the picture, they fall into their own trap. Sure, the bumper sticker seems like a nice gesture . . . until somebody asks why. Thankfully, the Christian worldview provides a basis for why we ought to care for and love our neighbors.

“YOUR FAITH SHOULD NOT BE SOMETHING THAT IS JUST PART OF YOUR IDENTITY OR PART OF YOUR LIFE. ON THE CONTRARY, IT SHOULD BE THE FOUNDATION OF ALL THAT YOU DO.”

     In the same way, the Christian worldview provides a basis for caring about science and its various applications. For thousands of years, something called bloodletting used to be a very common practice. Such a method was esteemed in the medical community as people thought that reducing the level of blood in one’s body could help rid the body of disease by reinstating balance. It was widely held that a person’s well-being depended on a proper relationship between yellow bile, black bile, phlegm, and blood. Through the future application of a scientific methodology in the 19th century, it was determined that bloodletting was not the right way to treat the majority of ailments (1). Now, of course, therapeutic phlebotomy (bloodletting) still has some modern benefits in rare cases. However, bloodletting is now viewed as doing more harm than good in the scope of medical history. 

     Such a development in our knowledge shows how scientific investigation is actually a blessing from God, far from being an opposition to faith. Now, there are points at which people genuinely wonder how popular, historical Judeo-Christian tradition and scientific consensus can be compatible, like when it comes to the age of the universe. The former suggesting thousands of years, and the latter suggesting billions of years. With a topic such as this, everyone must come to the humbling acknowledgement that we were not there at the start (Job 38:4-7). In light of this, we must realize that we must start with God and His speaking into history through His Word, because the topic does not even hold any weight without this affirmation. If truth does not matter, then why would we be searching for it in all areas, including this one?

     We must remember that there is no neutrality even when it comes to science; whether that be in the fields of biology, chemistry, medicine, etc. Jesus said whoever is not with Him is against Him (Luke 11:23). People can’t be opposed to God, and expect to find meaning in scientific study. For without God, no matter which way you want to slice it, there is no ultimate meaning. Thankfully, we can have faith in the One who grounds our meaning and gives purpose to life, art, and yes . . . even science.