Scripture reading: Genesis 2:19–20

Friend or Foe?

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. (Proverbs 1:7)

For three centuries secularists have waxed eloquent concerning the bitter warfare they claim exists between science and faith. Their diatribe usually goes something like this:

Europe once was under the oppressive domination of the Church. The glories of Greek and Roman culture were snuffed out by the narrow-minded dogmatism of Christianity. This resulted in “The Dark Ages” when ignorance and superstition reigned supreme and the Church was militantly opposed to science. Fortunately a few brave secularists stood up against the obscurantism of the Church and brought about a Renaissance of culture. The Enlightenment that resulted freed Europe from the bondage of Christian intolerance, so that she was finally able to bloom into a great and glorious civilization.

Sound familiar? This “explanation” of Western Culture has been repeated so often that many today would never dare question something so widely assumed to be true. There is only one problem with this interpretation of history: it is contrary to the facts. And as John Adams said so well, “Facts are stubborn things.” Author Rodney Stark, professor at Baylor University, boldly attacks this popular misunderstanding of history and reminds us that science and faith are friends, not enemies.

The truly remarkable aspect of the rise of science is that it happened only once. Many societies pursued alchemy, but only in Christian Europe did it lead to chemistry. Many societies developed extensive systems of astrology, but only in Europe was astrology transformed into scientific astronomy. Why? Science arose only in Europe because only medieval Europeans believed that science was possible and desirable. And the basis of their belief was their image of God and his creation. . . . Christian theology was essential for the rise of science, just as non-Christian theologies had stifled the scientific enterprise everywhere else. . . .

That Christianity was essential to the rise of science was manifest not only in the philosophical sense, but is evident in the biographies of the men who achieved it—overwhelmingly they were very religious men. . . . Newton, for example, devoted far more effort to theology than to physics. . . .

The original warfare between religion and science never happened: Christianity not only did not impede the rise of science; it was essential to its having taken place. (The Triumph of Christianity: How the Jesus Movement Became the World’s Largest Religion)

One of the great dangers of post-modernism is that in its zeal to destroy the historic Judeo-Christian foundations of our culture, it may also succeed in destroying our culture’s preeminence in science and technology. You can’t have one without the other! Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Christian theology can fit in science, art, morality, and the sub-Christian religions. The scientific point of view cannot fit in any of these things, not even science itself. I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. —C. S. Lewis

point to ponder • Science could not exist without the foundation of a Christian worldview.

prayer focus • That scientists would have eyes to see God’s glory.