Are Science and Theology Incompatible?

Last week, I had to write a blog for a Theology course I’m taking. Now that it’s been graded, I thought I’d share it with those of you who visit this website. It’s similar to something I wrote earlier, but has some additional thoughts. 

Over the last several years, I have repeatedly referred to the two “books” God wrote – the created order and Scripture. I even spoke of this at a funeral I conducted for a young heroin addict. With the mountains of West Texas as a background, I spoke about nature as God’s revelation to us of His presence and purpose for our lives. I found that it really grabbed the attention of the mostly younger audience.

Our theology text for this course was written by Alister McGrath, a man who holds degrees in both theology and science. He quotes another man with degrees in two fields, physicist and theologian John Polkinghorne (147, 148) who points out that the universe could have been chaotic and unfathomable, but instead, not only is it orderly (and majestic), but it is “congruent” with our mental makeup, so that “the rationality experienced within” connects easily with “the rationality observed without.” Einstein said, The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is so comprehensible” (Physics and Reality, 1936). Of course, as Christians, we believe this is because the same Creator who made the universe also made us in His image, and made us capable of wonder, observation, and study.

So many seem to think science and theology incompatible, and even say Christian faith hindered the development of science and caused the so-called “Dark Ages.” The very opposite is true! As McGrath points out, “historians of science generally take the view that theological factors… played a significantly positive role” in the very “emergence of science” itself (148,9). Rodney Stark, a professor at Baylor, makes this case very strongly in his two books, For the Glory of God, and The Victory of Reason. So does apologist Frank Turek in his book, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist, and Christian astrophysicist Hugh Ross in his many books on science and faith. (Improbable Planet, More Than A Theory, etc.)

McGrath outlines three approaches commonly taken in this regard today (148-151). There is the “warfare thesis,” that science and theology are completely at odds. This is championed by people like Richard Dawkins. But it only seems correct to people who start with an anti-supernatural bias, who claim that only the material, empirically-provable world exists. The trouble with that thesis is, the universe itself is a miracle, and even some physicists have admitted that (albeit, reluctantly! Turek, 85) Besides, a materialistic view cannot explain so much in life: the human mind, our need for purpose or love, the existence of beauty, or even the so-called “natural laws” all scientists depend upon.

Then there’s the “non-overlapping” or “isolation thesis,” that science and theology deal with entirely different spheres of thought which needn’t interact. I once met a physician who thought this way. He told me religion is one kind of truth and science another, and never the twain shall meet. They’re separate fields, and you just have to keep them separate in your mind. You can believe in your religion, even if it contradicts scientific reality. The two areas of thought don’t have to coincide.

I believe that is a foolish notion! To me, truth is truth. If theological ideas I believe aren’t true or conflict with science, there must be something wrong with one or the other. Sure, religious thought is beyond mere materialistic science, but it should at least be reasonable and fit reality as it is. I can’t prove the Trinity scientifically, but I can show the accuracy and reliability of Scripture in many other areas, such as history or archaeology, human relations, etc. If I find it reliable in many areas I can prove, it’s easier to accept what it teaches about areas outside the realm of proof. Far from being a fairy-tale, the Bible speaks of historical facts: Christ came in space and time, fulfilled prophecy, died on a real, Roman cross, and rose again, appearing to hundreds of witnesses who were then willing to die for their belief in that reality.

The third way is the “complementary thesis,” that science and theology can complement and enhance one another. This is the approach I take. The books by Hugh Ross present a really believable theory of how God created and has set up the universe, a theory compatible with scientific explanations. In fact, after reading his book, “More Than a Theory,” which presented his views of creation and design, I was flying back from a visit to Germany and watched a Discovery Channel documentary called “Inside Planet Earth.” It was a secular presentation, but it listed practically everything Ross had said in a similar order. And while this presentation was strictly from the scientific perspective, it agreed with what Ross, (who holds a doctorate in astrophysics, but is also theologically knowledgeable) had said in his book, minus any reference to God.

This really blessed me, because it demonstrated how science and theology can be compatible. I see it as a good way to present the gospel to thinking people who may have trouble accepting it because they’ve been told it’s unscientific or irrational. Theology isn’t contrary to science. Instead, it is the “queen of sciences” which can tie them all together with an overarching purpose.

Every time I go deeper in scripture for exegetical study, I gain all sorts of insights and find my faith strengthened and my life blessed. Why? Because it is God’s Word, His revelation, I am studying, His deep and multilayered truth. Likewise, when I read and study or observe the natural world closely, I find it produces the very same effect. I am blessed to know how powerful and wise God is, how infinite and immense. I appreciate His power as I study creation. My faith is strengthened as I realize that if He could make all of this and maintain control over it, He can also surely be trusted to take care of my needs in this life! God has written two books, not just one, and I believe Christians should recognize this and take advantage of it in every way possible!

 

Geisler, Norman L., and Frank Turek. I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 2004.

McGrath, Alister E. Christian Theology: an Introduction. 6 ed. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2016.

Ross, Hugh. More Than a Theory: Revealing a Testable Model for Creation (Reasons to Believe). Reprint ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2012.

Stark, Rodney. For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch-Hunts, and the End of Slavery. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2004.

Stark, Rodney. The Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism, and Western Success. Random ed. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2006.