Monday, January 09, 2006

More from the WaPo

Alan Cutler writes on "The War That Wasn't." This article, which is long on assertions and short on citations, takes the point that the well-known heresy trial of Galileo was an abherration, rather than the norm. He states that the war between science and religion is more of a media-driven construct than reality:

[The media] depict the religious orthodoxy as historically bent on squelching reason and scientific inquiry in a desperate effort to protect bankrupt dogmas. Partisans of religion have their own version, in which science is the aggressor.

He also suggests something that I have long been thought to be true but have not followed up on:

Historians and sociologists have found that divisions within the Church have been typically more important than any conflict with science in estranging people from orthodoxy.

Thanks to Marilyn Savitt-Kring.

2 comments:

  1. Hi,

    I just randomly stumbled onto your blog via the Blogger homepage (the list of recently updated blogs, I think it was). The title caught my eye as I am a student of theology & science. Just wanted to say bravo for putting this discussion out there, and that there is a lot of fine literature on the relationship of science & religion/theology--names that come to mind immediately: Arthur Peacocke, Ian Barbour, John Polkinghorne, J. Wentzel van Huyssteen, John Haught (specifically on evolution, so you might want to start there), and Michael Ruse (not a theologian but a very interesting read, also specifically on the evolution/Christianity question). Hope this impromptu bibliography wasn't too obnoxious--just a sign of my own enthusiasm and appreciation.

    JTB

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  2. Sorry to have missed this comment originally. No, the bibliography was not obnoxious. I am always looking out for new things to read on the subject and welcome the input. Stay tuned.

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