As I've mentioned before, this is my sixth year of college. I believe I have also mentioned that previously I was a physics major. What I might not have mentioned (for no reason other than it hasn't come up) is that I am a Christian. For those of you that find that oxymoronic there is more! I got my education in the sciences at a Christian universtiy. It's true.Â
It was so lovely to be surrounded with educated people who delighted in studying science because they viewed it as another depiction of God's truth and God's character. I knew not everyone thought about science the way I did but since entering the arena of public education I have been schocked and saddened by the amount of people that think good science and good doctrine cannot coexist.Â
I'm not pointing fingers at a particular side. I know all too well that there is plenty of blame on either side.Â
The scientific method insists that we test for all possible flaws in a theory before we accept it as our working understanding. Even after the theory has stood up to rigorous tests it is not accepted as absolute fact. It is simply a working knowledge that guides us as we learn more. As we learn more we compare it to what we know and, if it fits, incorporate it into the current theory. If it doesn't fit we re-evaluate and come up with a new theory. This is one of the burdens/joys of science (funny how often the burden and joy of a particular subject are the same thing): we treat our theories as facts until they are discredited. When/if that happens we must be ready to throw them off at a moments notice and start again in quest of truth.
 My Christianity teaches me to have an open mind and to treat all people with respect. My Christianity encourages me to be curious and to explore all ideas and see how they compare to what I know about God. My Christianity teaches me not to condemn another person's understanding our opinions.
These are my views of Science and Christianity. I love each subject with my mind and heart and I especially love their interplay. Perhaps someone could explain to me why other people think they can't intermix?
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Christianity is not a religion of facts or ceremonial law. It is quite flexible and while this may not inspire confidence, it still has the foundations for a strong religious belief that coincides with secular/social/governmental life.
The instance of disprovability or unbelievability is in the miricles such as feeding a hoard of people with 2 fishes and 5 loaves (or however many there were). Many times arguments of scriptural "truth" or Jesus as messiah pivot on this type of event not being possible because of the laws of nature.
Metaphorically or even a piece of fiction, the religion does not falter. I think it is relatively unimportant how all those people were fed.
The focus on "salvation", heaven and hell is somewhat irrelevant but still sort of intriguing. I think the answers to these questions are not going to be found in the Bible, in part because it expressly says so.
Christianity is adverse to "tricks" and magic. Therefore good science, real science is the Christian way. We cannot simply preclude the story of the loaves and fishes. It is an unknowable thing whether this is the intention or just the law of reality.
Chop'd'd off the Haed
Here is a link to a blog I did that explains why I think there is an inevitable conflict between the two.
Cheers,
Darwin's Beagle
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If a million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing. - Anatole France
ya'll treat your theories like facts until they are proved wrong!??!
no wonder y they teach us the 'Big Bang' theory things is school!
That could be more accurately said of believers in god. The be all end all argument after everything has been said is that you can't prove 100% that god does not exist.
In science, ideas which are proposed are constantly being looked at, improved on or, if found wanting, replaced or just gotten rid of.
"Every man makes a god of his own desire."
-Virgil
How do you reconcile the inherently empirical requirements of the scientific method with a belief in something that cannot be empirically examined?
percivale
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"Vi Veri Vniversum Vivus Vici." ~ V.
I live in a physical world. I love the physical world but I don't believe that's all there is. I believe that the physical world around us with it's laws and patterns represents only a part of the truth; perhaps the part we as humans understand best. The scientific method and it's requirements work well for what they do, which is help us live in and understand the physical world. However, even science requires some amount of faith. The ancient Greeks believed that all matter was composed of tiny particles, to small for the eye to see and made great strides in early science operating on their faith in that assumption. Centuries later we discovered the atom essentially verifying their earlier idea. Until we had the technology to observe an atom, or at least the results of atomic interactions, we were essentially operating on faith. I think a biblical idea is especially elegant and useful here: we see know in part, through a glass darkly, but will one day see the whole. I cannot yet empirically test for the existence of non-existence of a diety or afterlife but I'll just operate on the assumption that it's there anyway. I'm aware that I've started rambling. The ideas all make sense in my head but if they didn't come out well and you feel your question is still unanswered I'd be happy to give another, perhaps mor lucid, shot.
Sincerely,
Jaime
...but I think that this was sufficient to answer my question.
percivale
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"Vi Veri Vniversum Vivus Vici." ~ V.