The Words ‘Science’ and ‘Theology’ in Popular Usage
‘Science’ and ‘scientific’ are frequently
appealed to as a means of bestowing respectability on a subject, bringing with
them connotations of rationality, reliability and utility. How often in the
media do we encounter the authoritative ‘Science tells us...’? Interviewees
when pressed riposte with ‘We need to be scientific about this...’ and
advertisers attract us with such phrases as ‘The appliance of science’, ‘The
science diet’ and all manner of goods which come with a supposedly scientific
seal of approval. In contrast ‘theology’ and ‘theological’ have, for some at
least, taken the place of the once popular ‘metaphysical abstraction’ as the
standard terms of derogation: ‘Theological nonsense’ cries an M.P. across the
floor of the House, implying irrationality, confusion and irrelevance.
The theological problems occasioned by the
rise of science extend then, it would seem, beyond particular disputes to a
more pervasive sense that science stands as the measure of all valid knowledge
in such a manner as calls into question the notion that theology is a route to
truth. This belief can take many forms:
- science is a truly modern form of knowing whilst theology
represents a pre-modern throw-back;
- science is useful whereas theology promotes a disengagement
from reality;
- science is value-free whereas theology is compromised by
personal commitment;
- science is open to falsification and renewal whereas theology
is dogmatically entrenched;
- science is based upon empirical data whereas theology is a matter
of pure speculation;
in short, science seeks after objective
truth whereas theology deals only in subjective meaning.
These assumptions can be as untrue to the
reality of science as to the practice of theology. Their uncritical acceptance tends to perpetuate the ‘conflict’ or ‘warfare’
hypothesis. But see possibilities for dialogue for ways to a different
understanding.
Email
link | Feedback | Contributed by: Dr. Christopher Southgate
Source: God, Humanity and the Cosmos (T&T Clark, 1999)
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