26 June, 2009

Revelation vs. Science

This is an extract of a mail I wrote to an old friend, who confronted me with my current life style. It turned out that my life style was not the subject of my reply, rather the (constructed) faith-science divide.

I post this for the sake of feedback: am I wrong? Am I missing something?

Here goes:

"I think it is self-contradictory to write the line "believe the Bible is the litteral Word of God ... it can be easily proven... beyond any shadow of doubt." Belief is not proven as they address two different spheres of existence. I have no doubt that God can interfere with the physical and natural laws of nature but to despise scientists because they do not operate on the basis of belief in God is ludicrous! Observation > hypothesis > experimentation > thesis is the only way to do science! How can you do maths if you do not assume (on the basis of observation) that 2+2=4 because of some archaic notion that God will always provide 5000 loaves and fish from 12 of each. At some point, charismatic Christians are going to have to accept that description is not contrary to revelation because it never claims to be (except some fanatics in the other ditch). I really don't see why God would create a world only to contradict it, in other words: if nature is God's handiwork, of course we can describe it to discover the recurring patterns and underlying dynamics. Consequently, I doubt that Genesis' intention was a detailed description of creation, but rather a poetic rendition of God's insanely awesome power of structure and imagination!

I've found that there is no contradiction between faith and science. Science's only goal is to describe and hypothesise about the physical - to describe. Faith's role is not to explain that which is left unexplained, but rather to describe that which cannot be described, explain the inexplicable, fantasize about the unfathomable, poetically describe the indescribable God and His works. There is a grander, greater reality behind warring science and knowledge. Don't shun opportunities to realize God's Kingdom in all of your social relations as they are always a choice between Love and Hate, closeness and distance!

..whoa, this really is a big "can of worms" ;) I won't pretend to have answers but I'm in a process and in this process I find it almost crazy to shun knowledge and explanations because of the fear of doubt. Albeit banal, I liken it to growing up being seasoned into the belief that Earth is flat and not accepting knowledge or explanation in fear of it being wrong. Banal, yes, but still fear of explanations seems.. -yes, dumbing!"

2 comments:

Michael said...

Hmm, well- I feel as though people who act in that way, that way being to shun scienctific explanations/thoughts of our natural surroundings, are simply acting in unbelief. If you are christian and have 100% belief in God, then shouldn't you be 100% secure in your surroundings with no doubt in the existence of God or "correctness" of the bible? Perhaps, these people are simply in fear of unbelief or in unbelief themselves? Haha i think i'm just repeating what you said with different words...

I think I can see where your headspace is at- in my own studies of science vs faith as well as science with faith, I too have come to the conclusion that there is and can be no contradiction between the two. However, if someone incorrectly interprets a passage of scripture and thinks they have found a contradiction then of course there can. Despite this and despite the beliefs of a 'relativist', truth is not relative, or is it? haha NO... but seriously, the truth about God and the new covenant set me free a few months ago. If the "truth" doesn't set you free then ask yourself is it truth? (the truth Jesus was speaking of in John 8 i think it is) I think I just went off topic.

Anyway, good stuff brother! glad to know you are still moving and learning heaps!

Michael said...

Oh..also here are a few links you might like to check out. They relate to my comment about truth/new covenant... Awesome stuff that will most likely change the way you view certain things. :)

http://www.citychurchinternational.net/index2.html (probably best to start with 2007-08 stuff, the 2008 conference is good too)

www.josephprince.org

http://www.awmi.net/extra/article/grace_power

Enjoy!