Science and Theism

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3 subtopics → Creation , Kalam Argument , Significance

This is just a holding page for useful links.

Page Contents

1. Organisations
2. Overviews of contemporary science
3. Theology and the rise of science
4. Natural wonder
5. Science and the Media

1. Organisations

American Scientific Affiliation — a fellowship of men and women in science and disciplines that relate to science who share a common fidelity to the Word of God and a commitment to integrity in the practice of science

http://www.asa3.org/

Christians in Science — United Kingdom

http://www.cis.org.uk/

Institute for the Study of Christianity in an Age of Science and Technology (ISCAST) — An association of Australian academics, with a small but thoughtful library of PDF files; they organize the CASOC conferences

http://www.iscast.org.au

2. Overviews of contemporary science

The Universe Around Us — The aim of this web text is to present the reader with an integrated overview of the present scientific understanding of the entire range of `hard' sciences, together with comments on how that understanding is attained and what its limitations are. An exceptionally good overview of the observational sciences; the tendency to generalize about 'religion' is a minor quibble.

http://www.mth.uct.ac.za/~ellis/cos0.html

3. Theology and the rise of science

The various clashes between science and religion have been well documented, particularly concerning the Aristoltelian cosmology of the High Middle Ages (cf. Galileo), and in modern times, over the implications of Darwinism. It is worth presenting in parallel -- all the more so since it is so rarely done -- some of the common ground that science and theology share, and some of their positive influences.

Modern science arose in Christian Europe over the course of the second millennium, which meant that most of its pioneers were Christian Theists. The rise of the experimental method in particular can be traced to many of their theological convictions. So, in Theism --

Nature is neither divine nor magical

but rather is created: therefore it should not be feared as a god, or as the habitation of a spirit, but can be studied and dissected.

God's control of nature is complete.

so the behaviour of nature will be perfectly regular; and its behaviour invites discovery.

These factors seem to have favoured Europe against other civilizations -- Greece, Rome, Egypt, Babylon, Persia, China, India -- that, in spite of advanced learning, never developed truly experimental sciences in the modern, Baconian, sense.

Creation from nothing means that God was not constrained by external factors in the act of creation.

Accordingly, the nature of the world cannot be inferred from higher principles, but must be found by observation. This view was especially influential after the Scholastics, led by Aquinas adopted Aristotle's view of sense-derived knowledge over Plato's (and Augustine's) view of innate knowledge.

Humanity, as the steward of creation, can expect to understand it

...and to view the quest for such understanding as a Christian vocation.

Creation is an important though imperfect avenue of understanding God and his nature

...and thereby a source of spiritual joy and praise.

These influences were extraordinarily strong in, e.g., Puritanism, which contributed 42 of the 68 founding members of the Royal Society, despite being only a small minority of the general population.

Christians are responsible to God for the well-being of others.

In consequence the development of science, and even some industrialisation, e.g. in the case of food technology, has been motivated by concern for the poor and the sick.

Allan H. Harvey — a small collection of interesting writings on Science and Christian Theism

http://members.aol.com/steamdoc/writings.htm

4. Natural wonder

One of the most natural connections between science and theism, both now and historically, has been shared, immense appreciation of natural wonder, which in both cases only seems to grow with greater knowledge.

Aesthetic Arguments for the Existence of God — An interesting excursus by Peter S. Williams, in Quodlibet journal

http://www.quodlibet.net/williams-aesthetic.shtml

Ken Duncan Photography - Enter the Sanctuary — A meditative journey by one of Australia's most accomplished nature photographers.

http://www.kenduncan.com/sanctuary.php

5. Science and the Media

Blinded by Science -- How 'Balanced' Coverage lets the Scientific Fringe Hijack Reality — by Chris Mooney (Columbia Journalism Review); an interesting read.

http://www.cjr.org/issues/2004/6/mooney-science.asp