Christians and Science

Detail of Compound Microscope by Claude Passemant, Photo by Sage Ross (CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic, 1.0 Generic, GFDL 1.2 or later)

Quick:  Name a Christian scientist.  No, not a member of the Church of Christ Scientist founded by Mary Baker Eddy (“Christian Scientist”), and not a member of the Church of Scientology founded by L. Ron Hubbard (“Scientologist”).

Give up? Consider a combination of the terms “Christian” and “scientist” an oxymoron? Then you, like many other Christians today, might benefit from a short science lesson.

Scientific Ignorance

Somehow, we have been convinced that the abandonment of reason is a requirement of Christianity, and that ignorance of science is a badge of honor among Christians. However, a large number of leading scientists over the centuries have been Christian. Georges Lemaitre, for instance, was the astronomer (and Catholic priest) who proposed the “Big Bang” theory.

On the Shoulders of Giants

Christian scientists have made enormous contributions in fields ranging from astronomy and physics to genetics and seismology. Here are just a few examples:

• Nicolaus Copernicus, Father of Modern Astronomy
• Andreas Vesalius, Father of Modern Anatomy
• Galileo Galilei, Father of Modern Science
• Johannes Kepler, Father of the Planetary Laws of Motion
• Carolus Linnaeus, Father of Taxonomy
• Antoine Lavoisier, Father of Modern Chemistry
• Michael Farady, Father of Electronics
• George Boole, Father of Computer Science
• Gregor Mendel, Father of Genetics
• James Maxwell, Father of Modern Physics
• George Washington Carver, Father of Chemurgy[i]

After the fall of the Roman Empire, it was the church which – almost single handedly – preserved literacy in Western Europe. During the Dark Ages, monks saved works of classical scholarship from destruction at the hands of barbarian invaders. The church established some of Europe’s earliest universities, along with thousands of smaller schools.

 Science v. Religion

This is not to say that the conflict between science and religion is of recent origin. As early as the 13^th Century, the philosopher and theologian, Albertus Magnus advocated for the peaceful co-existence of science and religion. The condemnation by the church of scientific conclusions by Copernicus (above), Galileo (above), and Kepler (above) is well known.

What Lord William Kelvin, the Christian scientist credited with having discovered the atom, said of science is significant:

“…[W]hen you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind; it may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely in your thoughts advanced to the state of Science, whatever the matter may be.” [ii]

Faith can change lives, even whole societies, but it will never be measured. Religion cannot, therefore, be proven or disproven using scientific means. Science, in other words, has inherent limitations. This turns the argument about Christian “ignorance” of science on its head.

As Christians, we see God’s handiwork everywhere around us. But the signs of His presence will be interpreted one way by believers, another by non-believers. The better we understand science, the stronger argument Christians can make in favor of a Creator/Healer/Redeemer. After all,  we are instructed:

“…[A]lways be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you…” (1 Peter 3: 15).

Choosing to shut our eyes and thrust our thumbs into our ears when science is discussed only draws ridicule. That stance does little or nothing to convey the Gospel message. Instead, it suggests that Christians are unable to respond to a cogent scientific argument and, therefore, fearful of responding at all.

And, yes, we should expect to endure ridicule in Christ’s name. But that is not the issue when our own shortcomings – shortcomings we might have overcome – serve to generate the ridicule. And, yes, there are things Christians must take on faith. We can and should attest to that fact. But we cannot expect to mandate faith on the part of non-believers, no matter how sincere our own.

Science attempts to explain how events occur. Religion attempts to explain why they occur. These are two distinct areas of knowledge. Science and religion necessarily converge on the question of First Cause.

Since science looks exclusively to natural causes (not supernatural), it will never devise a theory or solve an equation “proving” (or, for that matter, disproving) the existence of God. That possibility is simply outside the parameters of science. Religion, on the other hand, deals with profound truths, beyond the scope of science.

In the end, no mere argument can convince a non-believer to believe. God gives to each a measure of faith (Rom. 12: 3), and the individual soul responds. Our most powerful tool for persuasion may be the way we live out our faith.