Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Science, Religion, and the Human Future

Long article but worth the read:

Western civilization would not be Western
civilization were it not for biblical religion,
which reveres and trusts in the one God,
Who has made known what He wants of human
beings through what is called His revelation—that
is, through Scripture. Western civilization would
not be Western civilization were it not also for science,
which extols and trusts in human reason to
disclose the workings of nature and to use the
knowledge gained to improve human life. These
twin sources of Western civilization—religion and
science (or, before science, philosophy), divine revelation
and human reason—are, to say the least,
not easily harmonized. One might even say that
Western civilization would not be Western civilization
without the continuing dialectical tension
between the claims and demands of biblical religion
and the cultivation of autonomous human
reason. Read the rest.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent article and post.

As an engineer (almost a scientist), I find no conflict in being a Christian and an Engineer. I do however, find lots of unexplained and understood "stuff" in both realms.

There are physical, mental and spiritual components of all humans. Those in the secular realms like to substitute the word emotional for spiritual because it sounds more scientific. However, there is very little logic or substance to the emotional/spiritual components.

Ron Ballew said...

Good points.

Your comment:
"However, there is very little logic or substance to the emotional/spiritual components."

I'm a little confused about. From my perspective there is indeed logic to the spiritual component, it's just that it is not necessarily our logic.

And there certainly is an element of mystery with the supernatural.

Anonymous said...

Poorly worded.

Trying to make the point that one can not apply scientific logic in the spiritual realm. That although the manifestations of the spiritual can be felt, the spiritual can not be physically touched.

Anonymous said...

Here's an interesting article from Friday's WSJ, In Europe, God is (Not) Dead, that indicates that the resurgence of religion in Europe is due in part to economics and separation of church and state.

Ron Ballew said...

"Trying to make the point that one can not apply scientific logic in the spiritual realm. That although the manifestations of the spiritual can be felt, the spiritual can not be physically touched."

Agreed, that makes perfect sense.