Exploring the Harmony Between Faith and Science in Understanding Life

[mmittcheljohnsons]

Hi there,

As a believer, I've often pondered how science and faith intersect,, especially when it comes to understanding life itself.

How do we reconcile scientific discoveries with our Christian beliefs: ?? For example, the theory of evolution or the Big Bang--concepts that seem to challenge the biblical account of creation. Yet,, many Christians find that science enhances their faith,, revealing the intricacies of God's creation.
How do you approach this balance: ?? Do you see science as a tool to better understand God's work,, or do you find certain scientific ideas conflict with your faith: ?? Let's explore how we can embrace both faith and science in our journey to understand the world and our place in it. You can also read this https://medium.com/@pkajjohnson/science-and-faith-in-harmony-contemplations-on-a-distilled-doxology-cissp/

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences on this fascinating topic...!

Thanks,
Mitchel Johnsons

 

[Ophiolite]

Since this portion of CF is open to non-believers, such as myself, this might not be the most appropriate for this thread. However, if you are happy with the discussion being broadened, let's continue.

I was raised as a Christian and had no difficulty at all reconciling science and the teachings of the Church. Quite the reverse. It seemed obvious that many of the Biblical stories were metaphorical - they teach moral lessons via engaging, wonderful stories. I viewed science, as you suggest it can be viewed, as revealing the grandeur and complexity of creation. (Indeed, it is the contrary view held by some Christians that contributed to my disillusion with the religion. )

 

[AV1611VET]

Hi there,

Hi, back, Mitchel

Nice to meet you!

As a believer, I've often pondered how science and faith intersect,, especially when it comes to understanding life itself.

Here are the standards I use:

1. Bible says x, Science says x = go with x
2. Bible says x, Science says y = go with x
3. Bible says x, Science says ø = go with x
4. Bible says ø, Science says x = go with x
5. Bible says ø, Science says ø = free to speculate on your own

Prime Directive: Under no circumstances whatsoever is the Bible to be contradicted.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Prime Directive: Under no circumstances whatsoever is the Bible to be contradicted.

Why not. It even contradicts itself in places.

This raises the question of hermeneutics that most of us never really explore.
How do we interpret the Bible and science news?
Why do we interpret the way we do?
Can we let ourselves be challenged?
Are we capable of adapting and amending our views?

 

[AV1611VET]

Why not. It even contradicts itself in places.

This raises the question of hermeneutics that most of us never really explore.

Then how do you know It contradicts Itself?

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Then how do you know It contradicts Itself?

Modern scholars find inconsistencies in the Old Testament and Torah and ascribe many of them to the process by which they were created. For example, the documentary hypothesis asserts that repetitions and contradictions are the result of texts that have been woven together from diverse sources written by different authors, at different times.

Internal consistency of the Bible - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

101 Contradictions in the Bible </a><font face="Arial"><font size="2">(<a target="_blank" style="color: #0000FF" target="_blank" href="https://www.answering-christianity.com/jesus_learned_more_and_more.htm">Luke 2:52</a><font color="black">:</font><

 

[AV1611VET]

Modern scholars find inconsistencies in the Old Testament and Torah and ascribe many of them to the process by which they were created.

And you believe them?

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

And you believe them?

Look them up yourself.

 

[tdidymas]

Hi there,

As a believer, I've often pondered how science and faith intersect,, especially when it comes to understanding life itself.

How do we reconcile scientific discoveries with our Christian beliefs: ?? For example, the theory of evolution or the Big Bang--concepts that seem to challenge the biblical account of creation. Yet,, many Christians find that science enhances their faith,, revealing the intricacies of God's creation.
How do you approach this balance: ?? Do you see science as a tool to better understand God's work,, or do you find certain scientific ideas conflict with your faith: ?? Let's explore how we can embrace both faith and science in our journey to understand the world and our place in it. You can also read this https://medium.com/@pkajjohnson/science-and-faith-in-harmony-contemplations-on-a-distilled-doxology-cissp/

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences on this fascinating topic...!

Thanks,
Mitchel Johnsons

In my view, I believe in the harmony of religion and science, as I think that truth is found in both. One of my big struggles was the creation account of Gen. 1 against what is observed in the cosmos. For example, it seems fairly obvious to me that if we can observe supernova events hundreds of thousands of light years distance, even to 10 billion light years distant, that it is reasonable to assume that the universe is 13.8 billion years old as cosmologists have calculated. It seems reasonable that the Earth as a geological globe existed long before man's habitation of it starting 6k or so years ago. I had to come to grips with Gen. 1 not being a literal account of how God created everything; but it does cause a dilemma about certain statements in the Bible that God created the worlds in 6 days. It's a controversial subject, and there will be debates about it until kingdom come. I recommend this book, as it explains some things very well: Amazon.com

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that God has a way of making things happen without it being an out-and-out miracle (a miracle being something God does which is obviously outside the laws of physics). Could God have miraculously created everything exactly the way Gen. 1 depicts? Well, maybe, but that's not the point. The point is, HOW did God actually do it? This is the point of science, and why cosmologists try to calculate how old the universe is. I personally don't believe in macro evolution (man evolving from lower forms of life), because I don't see any evidence of it. All the so-called "evidence" has to do with miniscule changes, and is wildly extrapolated beyond all natural means, because all mutations have been observed as being detrimental to the life and health of the creature. Therefore, since there had to be a beginning of mankind, there had to be some sort of miracle that happened, like forming a man from the dirt and then breathing the breath of life into him. Whether this happened literally, or there was some evolutionary force that made man what he is today, the implication is that God directed the design of man and all other living organisms. Since "evolution" is not an intelligent force, the very nature of the narrative implies that God exists and guides it, because you can't get intelligence and order from chaotic processes.

I highly recommend this book:

Amazon.com

It's a very scholarly apologetic for understanding the role of God in creation.

 

[dlamberth]

Hi there,

As a believer, I've often pondered how science and faith intersect,, especially when it comes to understanding life itself.

How do we reconcile scientific discoveries with our Christian beliefs: ?? For example, the theory of evolution or the Big Bang--concepts that seem to challenge the biblical account of creation. Yet,, many Christians find that science enhances their faith,, revealing the intricacies of God's creation.
How do you approach this balance: ?? Do you see science as a tool to better understand God's work,, or do you find certain scientific ideas conflict with your faith: ?? Let's explore how we can embrace both faith and science in our journey to understand the world and our place in it. You can also read this https://medium.com/@pkajjohnson/science-and-faith-in-harmony-contemplations-on-a-distilled-doxology-cissp/

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences on this fascinating topic...!

Thanks,
Mitchel Johnsons

I find that there's a place where the seemingly two opposing trajectories meet such that I can work with both united and as One. I try to stand in the middle of the cross roads where science opens the window into how God does things and where religion opens the window into why God does things.

 

[Neogaia777]

Hi there,

As a believer, I've often pondered how science and faith intersect,, especially when it comes to understanding life itself.

How do we reconcile scientific discoveries with our Christian beliefs: ?? For example, the theory of evolution or the Big Bang--concepts that seem to challenge the biblical account of creation. Yet,, many Christians find that science enhances their faith,, revealing the intricacies of God's creation.
How do you approach this balance: ?? Do you see science as a tool to better understand God's work,, or do you find certain scientific ideas conflict with your faith: ?? Let's explore how we can embrace both faith and science in our journey to understand the world and our place in it. You can also read this https://medium.com/@pkajjohnson/science-and-faith-in-harmony-contemplations-on-a-distilled-doxology-cissp/

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences on this fascinating topic...!

Thanks,
Mitchel Johnsons

Truth must reconcile truth with Truth, and whatever remains still possible, still possibly remains, etc.

God Bless.

 

[theprinceofthisworld]

Hi there,

As a believer, I've often pondered how science and faith intersect,, especially when it comes to understanding life itself.

How do we reconcile scientific discoveries with our Christian beliefs: ?? For example, the theory of evolution or the Big Bang--concepts that seem to challenge the biblical account of creation. Yet,, many Christians find that science enhances their faith,, revealing the intricacies of God's creation.
How do you approach this balance: ?? Do you see science as a tool to better understand God's work,, or do you find certain scientific ideas conflict with your faith: ?? Let's explore how we can embrace both faith and science in our journey to understand the world and our place in it. You can also read this https://medium.com/@pkajjohnson/science-and-faith-in-harmony-contemplations-on-a-distilled-doxology-cissp/

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences on this fascinating topic...!

Thanks,
Mitchel Johnsons

Obviously there're atheist ways to understand the life. Evolution is one.
But let's not get lost in a glass of water. the real thing is this: science studies the phenomena that occur in nature, God's creation. So science's not against God. Something can seam against God, but it's not true obviously... For example evolution cannot be true, and surely there aren't TRUE scientific demonstrations. The same thing is for extra-terrestrial life. Be sure, it doesn't exist scientifically speaking because God's true.

 

[Halbhh]

Hi there,

As a believer, I've often pondered how science and faith intersect,, especially when it comes to understanding life itself.

How do we reconcile scientific discoveries with our Christian beliefs: ?? For example, the theory of evolution or the Big Bang--concepts that seem to challenge the biblical account of creation. Yet,, many Christians find that science enhances their faith,, revealing the intricacies of God's creation.
How do you approach this balance: ?? Do you see science as a tool to better understand God's work,, or do you find certain scientific ideas conflict with your faith: ?? Let's explore how we can embrace both faith and science in our journey to understand the world and our place in it. You can also read this https://medium.com/@pkajjohnson/science-and-faith-in-harmony-contemplations-on-a-distilled-doxology-cissp/

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences on this fascinating topic...!

Hi there,

As a believer, I've often pondered how science and faith intersect,, especially when it comes to understanding life itself.

How do we reconcile scientific discoveries with our Christian beliefs: ?? For example, the theory of evolution or the Big Bang--concepts that seem to challenge the biblical account of creation. Yet,, many Christians find that science enhances their faith,, revealing the intricacies of God's creation.
How do you approach this balance: ?? Do you see science as a tool to better understand God's work,, or do you find certain scientific ideas conflict with your faith: ?? Let's explore how we can embrace both faith and science in our journey to understand the world and our place in it. You can also read this https://medium.com/@pkajjohnson/science-and-faith-in-harmony-contemplations-on-a-distilled-doxology-cissp/

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences on this fascinating topic...!

Thanks,
Mitchel Johnsons

Thanks,
Mitchel Johnsons

If God created Nature....then Nature will do what He intended it to do.

(Since God being God is competent/able it's generally understood)

Ergo, to a believer that believes God created Nature, then we humbly learn about Nature and how it operates and has operated in the past -- all of that is learning about God's design/work/creation, basically.


It's pretty amazing really (I've been interested in astronomy/astrophysics/cosmology for over 50 years now, and have read many thousands of articles/papers in the fields). (I've also read through the full bible at least 3 times (most books more than 3 times, and Genesis probably 6 times now, with careful study and attention to all the wordings -- Genesis fits the Earth being 4.55bn years old perfectly well, for a literate person that isn't programmed with ideology that prevents just reading with a listening attitude.)

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Hi there,

As a believer, I've often pondered how science and faith intersect,, especially when it comes to understanding life itself.

How do we reconcile scientific discoveries with our Christian beliefs: ?? For example, the theory of evolution or the Big Bang--concepts that seem to challenge the biblical account of creation. Yet,, many Christians find that science enhances their faith,, revealing the intricacies of God's creation.
How do you approach this balance: ?? Do you see science as a tool to better understand God's work,, or do you find certain scientific ideas conflict with your faith: ?? Let's explore how we can embrace both faith and science in our journey to understand the world and our place in it. You can also read this https://medium.com/@pkajjohnson/science-and-faith-in-harmony-contemplations-on-a-distilled-doxology-cissp/

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences on this fascinating topic...!

Thanks,
Mitchel Johnsons

Personally, I'm one of those individuals who doesn't reconcile science with Christian belief. I tend to lean in the direction of seeing each of these as being in their own separate spheres of praxis.

 

[Niels]

If God is the creator of nature, and if science is the study of nature, then the two don't need to be reconciled. They are complimentary.

Unfortunately, some insist on hanging their faith on particular scientific theories being true or false. Then, when new evidence contradicts or supports those theories, they reject the science or perhaps lose their faith. It doesn't have to be this way. The history of science and the history of Christianity are deeply intertwined. Prominent scientists of faith include Blaise Pascal, Leonardo Da Vinci, Johannes Kepler, Galileo Galilei, Gregor Mendel, James Joule, Charles Babbage, Wernher Von Braun, Francis Collins, and many others.

 

[Apple Sky]

Do you see science as a tool to better understand God's work,, or do you find certain scientific ideas conflict with your faith:

I'm on the fence at the mo............

Can any think of one really honest scientist in today's world ?

 

[Hans Blaster]

I'm on the fence at the mo............

Can any think of one really honest scientist in today's world ?

Virtually every one that I know.

 

[Apple Sky]

Virtually every one that I know.

And who would they be ?

 

[Hans Blaster]

And who would they be ?

Actual scientists. Most are not known and I won't drag them into this.

 

[Apple Sky]

Actual scientists. Most are not known and I won't drag them into this.

I was on about Known scientists.