Science & religion in harmony

"There has been much undue evolution/creationism controversy, with increasing political, educational, and social (i.e. moral) significance. Some hinge their faith on the literal interpretation of the first chapters of the first book of the Bible, while others disparage the entire Bible due to the same literal interpretation.

'The interpreter of Genesis will recognize at once the distinct object that sets chapters 1-11 apart: the recounting of the origin of the world and of man (primeval history). To make the truths contained in these chapters intelligible to the Israelite people destined to preserve them, they needed to be expressed through elements prevailing among that people at that time. For this reason, the truths themselves must therefore be clearly distinguished from their literary garb.' This quote is from the introduction to The Book of Genesis, The New American Bible, Nelson, NY, 1969.

The books of nature and the books of the Bible are more in harmony when the former tell how and the latter tell why. The very existence of "natural theology" (a traditional branch of theology), where the transcendent is appreciated by observation of nature, further suggests such harmony."

W.F.

Letter to the Editor

Suffolk Life, Nov. 14, 2007.

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The above was said more succinctly:

"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."

- Albert Einstein

The World As I See It

(Philosophical Library)