Science vs.

religion
Science vs. Religion
Which one should we follow?
Science and Religion
History of Religion and Science
 “Religion" emerged in the 17th century.
It was in the 17th century that the concept of "religion" received its
modern shape.
“Science" emerged in the 19th century. Before, referred to as “Natural
Science”.
In the 19th century, Max Muller noted that what is called ancient religion
today, would have been called "law" in antiquity.
Religious support for natural science by the late Middle Ages.
Renaissance readers later understood the classical text as focusing on
human decisions, actions and creations, rather than blindly following the
rules set forth by the Catholic Church as "God's plan."
Gravity and the Divine. Same thing?
The Divine has provided gravity as an analogy of Itself. Just like gravity, no
one has ever seen the Divine, but how the Divine manifests Itself can be
sensed.
“But, you are not able to see Me with your physical eye; therefore, I give you
the divine eye to see My majestic power and glory.” [Bhagavad Gita 11.08]
“No one has ever seen G-d, but the Only Begotten Son, who is at the
Father’s side, has made him known.” [John 1:18]
 Explanation of gravity in terms of science and
religion
Scientists belief of gravity Theists belief of the Divine

Never seen Never seen

Can be sensed on how the force manifests Can be sensed on how the Divine manifests
itself Itself
Attracts objects together Attracts the cosmos, souls, and spirits to it.

Equations are formulated to approximate Rituals are formulated to approximate an

an understanding of how it interacts in the understanding of how It interacts in the
universe universe
Responsible for motion in the universe Responsible for motion in the universe
The Origins of the Universe: Science
Scientists think the Universe was made by a massive explosion – a
BIG BANG
The Big Bang sent matter and gases flying in all directions
Planets and stars that formed into galaxies; these are still moving
apart as the Universe continues to expand.
Evidence: background radiation left over from the Big Bang can be
detected with powerful telescopes.
How does Science challenge Religion?
The Big Bang happened 14 billion years ago, not 6-7000 years ago
The process took many millions of years, not 7 days
The process appears to happen by chance and through natural laws, not
by divine intervention
The Universe is still changing, it is not perfectly completed to a grand
design
 Big Bang
Genesis
Similarities No creator

God made everything piece by Happened by chance

piece Happened over 14 billion years
Happened in 6 days Began with light
All created over time, still
All things created separately and Began at one point in time changing
purposefully Happened over time Earth is one of many planets
God is in charge Planet Earth is fit for purpose Run by laws of Physics and
Earth is central to creation story Maths

Which of these would a Liberal Christian believe and which would a Conservative Christian believe?
Religious beliefs in academia
Until the 19th and even early 20th century, it was common for scientists to
have religious beliefs which guided their work.  
Sociological studies (e.g., Ecklundt 2010) have probed the religious beliefs
of scientists, particularly in the United States. Surveys (Masci and Smith
2016) find that nearly nine in ten adults in the US say they believe in God
or a universal spirit.
They indicate a slight difference in religiosity in scientists compared to the
general population.
religious beliefs of university professors(in general)

25%
35%
believing in God
believe in God with some doubts
believing in God some of the
time
believing in a higher power
Do not believe in God
19%
Gross and Simmons
17% (2009)
4%
 Latter findings
Academics are more religiously diverse than has been popularly assumed
and that the majority are not opposed to religion.
Even so, in the US the percentage of atheists and agnostics in academia is
higher than in the general population, a discrepancy that requires an
explanation.
One reason: bias against theists in academia.  
Another reason: theists internalize prevalent negative societal
stereotypes, which leads them to underperform in scientific tasks and lose
interest in pursuing a scientific career. 
Conclusion
• All religions, arts and sciences are the branches of the same tree.
-Albert Einstein
“Science and religion were not enemies, but rather allies - two different
languages telling the same story, a story of symmetry and balance... heaven
and hell, night and day, hot and cold, God and Satan. Both science and
religion rejoiced in God's symmetry... the endless contest of light and dark.”