Garrett Burns: Science or Religion?

Since its dawn science has been raising controversy with predetermined religious views on the creation of the world and how it works. Each side has presented biased arguments which have aided in segregating the two outlooks on life. As time has progressed however, science has answered many questions and laid some religious philosophies to rest. However, there are certain questions which science has not been able to provide proven answers for. It is these questions that have given religious philosophies validity and a chance to step in and fill the void.

Michael Mason's 'How to teach science to the pope' article quotes an interesting view expressed by Guy Consolmagno. He states “If you think the universe is fundamentally good and that it’s an expression of a good God, then studying how the universe works is a way of becoming intimate with the Creator. It’s a kind of worship. And that’s been a big motivation for doing any kind of science.” His belief led me to wonder if the philosophies of science and religion could someday coexist in the minds of society.It seems that both sides have been willing to make sacrifices in an attempt to achieve a fundamental harmony. For example, in a Time article written by Dan Cray he states "Can Darwinian evolution withstand the criticisms of Christians who believe that it contradicts the creation account in the Book of Genesis? In recent years, creationism took on new currency as the spiritual progenitor of "intelligent design" (I.D.), a scientifically worded attempt to show that blanks in the evolutionary narrative are more meaningful than its very convincing totality." In other words religion is gaining a growing acceptance of certain aspects of Darwinism because of certain questions the theory left unanswered. Because of this developing lack of bias from both I believe society is being provided with the opportunity to obtain a secular understanding and a belief system derived from the collaboration of both scientific and religious philosophies.



Works Cited


1. Cray, Dan. "God vs. Science." Time. Nov. 2006. Oct. 2008 .

2. Mason, Michael. "How to teach science to the pope." MSNBC. Aug. 2008. Oct. 2008 .