Is Christianity true? (Science versus faith in God - Part 3)

This blog is part of my series titled “Is Christianity true?” The series addresses four common objections to the truthfulness of the Christian worldview, namely concerns about: (1) the trustworthiness of the Bible; (2) the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection; (3) the compatibility of faith in God with modern science; and (4) the incompatibility of Christian truth claims with those of other worldviews.

IS THERE A CONFLICT BETWEEN SCIENCE AND FAITH IN GOD? (cont’d)

Though it is common for non-believers to pit science and faith against one another—Richard Dawkins has labeled Christians “faith heads,” saying that attributing the creation of the universe to God is due to giving up when something is too hard to understand scientifically—it is easy to prove there is no conflict whatsoever between science and faith in God. 

Simply put, many scientists throughout the centuries to the present day were passionate about both science and their belief in God. For example, Sir Isaac Newton, a scientist and Christian theologian, is widely recognized as one of the most influential scientists of all time. Other famous scientists who professed their Christian faith and played an important role in the modern scientific revolution include Robert Boyle, Francis Bacon, and Johannes Kepler. According to a review of Nobel prizes awarded between 1901 and 2000, 65.4 percent of Nobel Prize laureates have identified Christianity in its various forms as their religious preference. Overall, scientists identifying as Christians have won a total of 72.5 percent of all the Nobel Prizes in Chemistry, 65.3 percent in Physics, and 62 percent in Medicine. 

Common sense tells us that the theory of a conflict between the two domains is falsified by the reality that a great many scientists are Christians.

However, according to American writer and philosopher Robert M. Pirsig, “When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion, it is called Religion.” Are we to believe that all these eminent scientists are deluded? Obviously not. Common sense tells us that the theory of a conflict between the two domains is falsified by the reality that a great many scientists are Christians. The two camps differ in their respective worldviews but not in their scientific profession. In the words of Dr. John C. Lennox, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, University of Oxford, “Not all statements by scientists are statements of science.” 

Several years ago, a very gifted doctor performed video-assisted thoracic surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from my right lung. I was very thankful to him and his team, and at the same time, I found a greater appreciation for God’s creative genius in making our world intelligible. Anticipating order, scientists discovered regularities in nature from which they formulated testable theories. As one result, we have skilled doctors today who use advanced technology to perform delicate, life saving surgeries. For me, there is absolutely no need to choose between science and faith in God. The scientific enterprise is one dimension of God’s providence. 

We will now consider whether science is limited in its explanatory power. 

Photo by Hans Reniers on Unsplash