Models for the Relationship of Science and Religion

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Models for the Relationship of Science and
Religion

• Integrated 425
• M. Todd Tippetts, Ph.D.

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Possible Models for the Relationship

• Conflict
• One is right, the other is wrong
• Independence
• Two have nothing to do with each other
• Complementarity
• Remain separate, but can assist one another
• Integration
• No boundary, both part of one whole

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Conflict

• Either science is right, and religion is wrong,
  or religion is right and science is wrong. The
  other side is often not only wrong, but either
  deliberately ignorant or diabolically mislead

Crash ! !

Religion
Science
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Conflict

• In this model, both science and religion make
  truth claims that are mutually exclusive

The earth was created as cosmic dust condensed
4-5 billion years ago
The earth was created by Gods hand seven
thousand years ago
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Conflict

• Many people holding this model are religious
  fundamentalists.
• Scripture tells us what the right conclusion is.
  An if science, momentarily, doesnt agree with
  it, then we have to keep working to get the right
  answer. But I have no doubt as to what the
  answer will be.
• Henry Morris

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Conflict

• This model is often held by those who are
  dogmatic materialists
• In a universe of physical force and genetic
  replication, some people are going to get hurt,
  . . . you wont find any rhyme or reason, nor
  any justice. The universe we observe has
  precisely the properties we should expect if
  there is, at the bottom, no design, no purpose,
  no evil and no good, nothing but blind, pitiless
  indifference.
• Richard Dawkins, River out of Eden

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Conflict sometimes involves Animosity

• I know a lion is beautiful but dangerous if you
  let the lion roam free, it would kill me safety
  demands it be put in a cage. Safety demands that
  religions be put in cages, toowhen absolutely
  necessary.
• - Daniel Dennett

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Problems

• Many great scientists, such as Newton and Mendel,
  have also been religious.
• Modern Scientists have been inspired by religious
  ideas, and have used this inspiration in their
  pursuit of scientific knowledge

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Theological Reasons why they should not conflict

• Argument from Creation God who wrote the Bible
  also created the Laws that science studies
• Immanence of God God is part of the world, and
  of all the laws of science
• Unity of Truth All truth, both religious and
  scientific, comes from God
• God created both Reason and Revelation, they
  cannot contradict each other.

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Independence

• Both science and religion are completely
  different realms which have nothing to say to one
  another.
• No interaction between them

Religion
Science
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Independence

• Science and Religion cannot conflict, since they
  speak completely different languages

God envelopes the world in his endless arms of
love
Emc2 PVnRT
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Independence

• Science seeks to explain objective, public,
  repeatable data. Religion asks questions about
  the existence of order and beauty in the world
  and the experiences of inner life.
• -Ian Barbour

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Independence

• At the root of the apparent conflict between
  science and religion is a misunderstanding of the
  critical difference between religious and
  scientific ways of knowing. Religion and science
  answer different questions about the world.
  Whether there is purpose to the universe or human
  existence are not questions for science.
• National Academy of Science Report

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Independence

• Non-Overlapping Magesteria (NOMA)
• The lack of conflict between science and
  religion arises from a lack of overlap between
  their respective domains of expertise science in
  the empirical constitution of the universe, and
  religion in the search for proper ethical values
  and spiritual meaning in our lives.
• Stephen J. Gould

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Problems with Independence

• Theologically doesnt do justice to the
  immanence of God
• Scientific We cannot be content with the
  plurality of unrelated languages if they are
  languages about the same world.
• Ian Barbour

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Complementarity

• Each contributes information from its own proper
  and separate field of expertise toward a fuller
  understanding of life as a whole.
• The attainment of wisdom in a full life requires
  extensive attention to both domains
• - Stephen J. Gould

Religion
Science
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Complementarity

• Each sees only part of the total picture. But
  while they may share information, the boundaries
  remain intact
• Boundary Questions Each raises questions at its
  boundary which it is not equipped to answer
• Science may raise ethical questions which it is
  not equipped to answer
• Religion may need factual information in
  answering ethical questions, such as when does
  life begin.

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Complementarity

• Mutual Resources Religion my use science as a
  negative criterion for evaluating supernatural
  phenomena.
• Determining whether there is a natural
  explanation for an alleged miracle
• Before performing an exorcism, rule out a brain
  tumor

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Complementarity

• Mutual Inspiration
• Order in the universe may move a scientist to
  religious awe
• Religious injunction to love your neighbor may
  motivate scientist to medical advances

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Problem with Complementarity

• In spite of best intentions, it is difficult to
  respect the boundaries. Blurring of the
  boundaries can lead to conflict.
• A scientist who finds one miracle to be
  fraudulent may claim that there are no miracles
• Religious person may conclude all scientists are
  hostile to religion based on a few dogmatic
  materialists
• Does justice to principle that science and
  religion should not conflict

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Integration

• Content of one discipline directly influences the
  other. There are no boundaries to worry about
• Often held by those who see a convergence
  between disciplines

Religion
Science
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Integration

• Mutual Positive Corroboration
• Science will prove divine action in a miracle
• Use Big Bang to prove ex nihilo creation
• Use indeterminacy of quarks to prove human freedom

God-meter
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Integration

• Analogies or Parallels
• Science sees the universe as matter and energy,
  and theologian equates this to body and soul.
• Natural laws of the universe imply a God who
  works only through natural processes.

Naturalistic Theism
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Comments on Integration

• Does justice to idea of unity of truth and one
  world
• Does justice to idea that science and religion
  should not conflict
• Proponents accused of crossing boundaries,
  since for them there are no boundaries

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Problems with Integration

• One side may not appreciate complexities and
  nuances of what other is saying.
• Theologians invoke quantum mechanics without
  really understanding it
• Analogies break down Some things are different
• Risk of God of the Gaps
• Invoking God to explain what science cannot
• When scientific explanation is found, what
  happens to God

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Eclectic Combination

• Some combine or alternate models depending on the
  issue
• But how does one choose the correct model for the
  situation
• Involves both the strengths and problems of all
  the models

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Conclusions

• Appropriate model may depend on what religion you
  are considering.
• What is a problem for one tradition is no problem
  at all for another tradition

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Conclusions

• Some branches of science have more interaction
  with religion than others

Chemistry
Physics
Biology
Geology
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Each has to find his own answer

• The right answer may not be the same for
  different people
• The answer may depend on your personal religious
  and philosophical conclusions
• Your answer may evolve over time as you learn
  more and broaden your experience

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This will be the subject of your first paper.
Consider it wisely and well!