science and religion

   While theology was once termed the 'queen of the sciences' (using 'sciences' in the traditional sense outlined under the entry science), in the modern world this title has been claimed by the natural sciences, especially physics. Given that both science and religion (or theology) purport to provide knowledge of the world, the question of how they interrelate is inevitable. Many popularly think of a science/religion conflict, as classically captured in Andrew Dixon White's A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom (1896). But, according to Ian Barbour, this is only one of four models (the conflict model) as to how science and religion might relate. At the opposite extreme, the independence model views science and religion as dealing with wholly different spheres (for example, fact and value). The third and fourth models - dialogue and integration - offer a more nuanced picture of an ongoing conversation between science and religion. On these latter two models the question arises of how particular scientific theories and religious doctrines relate, for instance, the question of how biological evolution and divine creation relate. Another issue concerns the nature of scientifics law with regard to other issues such as miracles and divine action.

   See creation; evolution; miracle; religion; science

   Further reading: Barbour 1998; Russell, Stoeger and Coyne 1988; Murphy, Nancy C. 1990; Peacocke 1993; White, Andrew Dickson 1896