What does the Catholic church have to say about faith and science? Explain. Give two examples of faith and science working in the way the Catholic church says it does. You are permitted to use your bioethics topic as one example if you'd like.
While it may not seem so in the world of today, the Church and science work together in beautiful, mysterious ways. God, through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirt is the founder and Father of the Church, as well as the creator of the entire universe. Therefore he is the father of science itself. Since both stemmed from the same source, it only makes sense that they would have a powerful synergy. The Catholic Church holds the standpoint that science and faith are entirely complementary, and that can be backed by real evidence. An astonishing display of the two working together lies in our mere existence. When people first started to explore space, scientists were hopeful to discover new planets that were full of life, discovering new creatures, perhaps even uncovering an entire new race. However, as research into this progressed with no results, more work was done regarding the statistical probability of life anywhere in the universe. The number of parameters started rather low, keeping the chances at a reasonable level. However, as scientists learned more the percent chance reached zero, then dropped below. In other words, because so many conditions have to be absolutely perfect to sustain any life, there is a negative probability that it should exist anywhere, let alone thrive in so many forms as it does on Earth. Our creator made this place exactly how he knew we would need it. According to the statistics, a divine hand in our existence is really the only way it makes sense. A second striking example lies in the “Divine Proportion” in God’s creation. The Fibonacci sequence is a mathematical phenomenon that can show scale and proportion throughout math and science, but also exists all throughout nature. Using the sequence, a certain ratio is derived, and perfectly applies to things like seashells, hurricanes, the human ear, a rams horn, the tail of a sea horse, fern leaves, waves, DNA, tornadoes, galaxies, comets, whirlpools, sunflowers, and many many more examples. This sequence and the symmetry associated with it has been seen as ultimate beauty throughout history, and has been utilized by many artists. The way that the math aligns perfectly with creation is beautiful, and a true display of God’s design for his creation, and everything within it, to work together in perfect harmony.
Your first point about life elsewhere is really good. I think that it relates to science and faith on point. I actually also read about the Divine Proportion myself and was planning on using it. It puts the reader in awe, knowing and seeing first hand how specific our world is. Good job!
This was a very well thought out blog in the sense that it truly reminded me just how incredible God is. Both the fact that life can exist anywhere and the existence of the Fibonacci sequence are testaments to the beauty of our world and of God as its creator.
The Catholic Church does, indeed, believe in both faith and science. To keep it simple, God created everything, including science, so the church naturally believes in science. Do not be confused however, with the difference between science as a whole, and the manipulation of science. It is common in today’s world to confuse these two very separate issues. The church, in its roots, shows us that faith and science have every possibility to go together, as they should. Can one truly give a concrete answer about how every piece of Earths fits just as it should? Short answer: no, not exactly. There are so many minuscule complexities to the world, yet everything is balanced. Pope John Paul II says, “science can purify religion from error and superstition” and “religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes.” This quote is a perfect summary of the balance the church tells us it holds with itself and science. One example of this coexistence is the theory behind the “Big Bang.” Besides being a controversial topic itself, it has still not been able to be answered fully. Science was able to make incredible discoveries about what occurred at the Big Bang. But what was the precursor to this extravagant display of biology? If scientists discovered proof of evolution, how does one not know how organisms develop from the colossal universal expansion? If it is not God then what is the answer? Steven Hawking himself has stated that the beginning of our universe is too complex to not have come from a higher power of sorts. Another example of faith and science working as one is birth and the creation of a child. A study conducted in 2016 proved, under a powerful microscope, that at the moment of conception a mini “explosion” occurs. This firework-like light comes from zinc in the egg. This resemblance to “let there be light” in Genesis uncanny. God created science just as he created humans, nature, the Earth, and so much more. They are not enemies. They are intertwined, and that principle is matter of fact.
Great quote by JPII! You’re use of words was really good, and I it was a smooth read. Also, I think it’s very interesting you talked about Steven Hawking in your blog, since he was seen siding with atheistic viewpoints throughout is life. That was a very good point to use to help win your audience over I believe. You use good strong points, and studies to help win your audience, good work!
Great work, Liv. I especially liked how you made a distinction between science and the ways humans manipulate science because while it wasn’t something I really thought of until I read it, it’s a very necessary distinction to make. Also, aside from being a well supported argument, it was well written and enjoyable to read.
“Since the same God who reveals mysteries and infuses faith has bestowed the light of reason on the human mind, God cannot deny himself, nor can truth ever contradict truth,” remarks page 159, line 37 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The CCC explains that both reason and God are truth, and therefore, they cannot deny each other’s existence. Reason is synonymous with science in this excerpt from the CCC, so they are implying that God and science are connected. Modern culture often pits faith and reason against each other, as if to be reasonable is to rebuff religion and to be religious is to rebuff reason. On the contrary, the Church encourages the congregation to unify their faith and their reason because of how important each is to the human race. The Catholic Church has been an advocate for scientific research for centuries. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, cathedrals in Florence, Paris, Rome, and Bologna were designed as high caliber observatories. Each cathedral was equipped with holes in the ceilings through which sunlight could shine and time lines, which were referred to as meridian lines, would appear on the floor. Researchers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were able to obtain reliable measurements of time and solar dates by examining the path traced by these meridian lines. Due to the accuracy of the solar measurements, the Catholic Church was able to determine what exact day Easter, the Catholic holiday that commemorates Jesus’s resurrection from the dead, falls on. Before these observatories were installed, no one could be certain when the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. This spring equinox is when time is equally split into twelve hours of light and darkness each, and it is also the proper date for Easter to be celebrated. A 1,410 ft observatory known as the Vatican Observatory has been stationed in Castel Gandolfo, Italy since 1774 and currently serves as an educational and astronomical research institution. The relationship between science and religion is proven to be strong in the case of “the Father of Modern Genetics”. This man’s real name was Gregor Johann Mendel, and he was an Austrian monk who lived during the early and mid eighteenth century. He uncovered heredity’s basic principles through experiments with pea plants in his monastery’s garden. His various experiments with these plants showed that the inheritance of particular traits follows certain patterns, which became the foundation of the study of heredity. At the time of his experiments, it was generally assumed that inherited traits of plant offspring were diluted and blended together as a mixture between whatever was visible in each “parent”. Also, it was accepted as fact that over generations, a hybrid would revert back to its original form. In short, Mendel crossbred pea plants with obviously opposite traits (tall with short, ect) and reached two critical conclusions: the Law of Segregation and the Law of Independent Assortment. Mendel credited his strong Catholic faith for cultivating his practicality, objectivity, and discipline, which all led to his experiment’s success. Faith and science were woven together in God’s intricate design.
Great Job Chelsea! I never knew about how the day of Christian holidays were recognized. This information just further proves how much science works into our faith. This was an informative and interesting read!
This was a really informative post and I enjoyed reading it. I didn't know much about research in the cathedrals, and this was an interesting and solid example of faith and science. Great work!
The Catholic Faith has repeatedly stated that faith and science are actually complimentary to each other, and they both go together. Above all, our Lord God is the sole creator of this world, and universe. In this fact alone, if God is the creator of such a majestic and vast universe, he is without a doubt the creator of science itself. There are so many ways that humans can see this evidence. Over the years, many Catholics looked at science as a threat to Catholicism, rather than an aid to its proof of God. It has a poor connotation to God’s work. However, it is beautiful in its own way and should be seen as extremely sacred. Science seeks to understand how creation works. Religion tries to provide an experience of how the creator works. One extremely obvious way that Faith and science are complimentary is by taking a look at the laws of science, and of the world. It is incredible to look at some of the smallest pieces of matter, such as the atom, or other small particles, and realize the vast complexity of how they operate. The same can be said about the solar system. As scientists discover new parts of it, the more they have said that the world is governed on laws and methods. It is just about impossible to think that a universe could somehow come to existence and work the way it does. Every law of science is in order with the next. Nothing contradicts another law, which also benefits the complimentary sides. A second reason for believing the similarity of faith and science is that nature, and the world’s living organisms have given life since the beginning of time. At the very start of life, even the smallest of organisms has given life to another, because without it, this world would have died out a long time ago. So with this being said, it makes it quite obvious something, or someone, had a plan in mind for this world. One important thing to note is that all of creation seemed to turn out normally, meaning life never mutated, or destroyed itself, but rather brought about new and beautiful evolutions of plants, organisms, etc. This points out that there has to be a creator who planned out the reproduction of all living things. “Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who sets the planets in motion,” said Isaac Newton. This is on point, because once again, it reinforces that science makes us find the truths of the world, while faith makes us find the creator of those truths.
Mark, I loved the points you made here. You took the idea of faith and science working together in nature, to a whole different level. It was an in depth discussion of the ins and outs of the unexplainable parts of science that only God could be the answer to. This was very good!
I liked the choices you used to prove science and the catholic faith go hand in hand. If anyone really thinks about it, there’s no way earth could have been made as perfect as it is if there wasn’t a creator. I think you did a great job proving this.
This is a really great blog, Mark. I like the way that you connected everything together, such as the small pieces that make up the infinite solar system, or that the first life on earth has provided for the rest. This effectively supported your statement that science is sacred and beautiful.
The Catholic Church believes in free will, so that humans can discover and lead themselves to God. Through this allowance of free will God granted, the ability to learn and create is accepted. Science plays a major role in this, as human intelligence allows people to create new medicines that push boundaries. If God didn’t want people to be able to create medicines that can save people’s lives, he would not have given this gift. However, with this free will, human manipulation can make science unmoral. If humans keep their intelligence and discoveries to a respectable level, than science fits in perfectly with Gods plan. One major way humans use technological and biological advances to abuse free will is through the use of medicine. In the last century, doctors have created numerous medicines that can kill people. To allow the discovery of medicine to murder a human being abuses Gods plan. He is the creator of all life, and should therefore be the one who decides when a person has accomplished what they needed to do on earth. The main way this abuse of science is done is through euthanasia, which gives people the ability to have a doctor end their life when they no longer feel the want to be alive. In many cases, the people who choose this have a terminal illness. A terminal illness inflicts a persons ability to enjoy life as they are in a great deal of pain. However, the Catholic Church does believe in a moral way to use science to alleviate their pain, instead of ending their life completely. In 2278 from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it states that pain killers that could possibly cause a shortening of life is completely acceptable and moral. However, the use of “over-zealous” medicine that purposely ends a life is what abuses sciences power of medicine. If humans only use medicine to work within Gods plan and help a human being, than is works with the Catholic Church. Another way science fits in with the Catholic Church is natural family planning, which is a morally acceptable form of birth control. In this method, humans are able to use science to track the infertile phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle. This allows intimacy without the use of contraception. The Catholic Church finds this acceptable because while it uses science to lessen the chance of pregnancy, it still honors the unitive and pro creative acts of marriage.
Good post! The push for euthanasia in the modern world is absurd and your blog gives very good points about it. It seems as though euthanasia gives those in the medical field an unfair and overpowering role, which costs human lives.
Your use of logos in this blog is really well done, which made your examples easy to understand. Euthanasia giving doctors the power to “play God” is a sad problem that urgently need to be fixed. You did a good job proving how religion and science can and does coexist.
It seems that every day, the world around us is becoming more and more secularized, and those believing in God, or any higher power for that matter, have shifted from the majority to the minority. One result of this is that the world has tried to separate God and science, even claiming that the two cannot coexist at all. One of the earliest examples of this is Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, which claims that all forms of life essentially evolved from single-celled organisms over billions of years. Originally, the idea was quickly and firmly rejected by Catholics, who thought it challenged their biblical account of creation in which God created the world in seven days. However, as time went on, more and more research and discoveries seemed to confirm this theory as fact. How is this possible? After all, if God created science, how can science contradict God? It can’t. 2 Peter 3:8 says “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” God doesn’t operate on the 24 hour days which humans created for their own use. Rather, his 7 day creation occurred over billions of years. In addition, the theory of evolution still allows for the biblical order of creation. First was light, and later came sea and sky, then land and plants, next were animals, and last came man. This general order is also the order that Darwin’s theory follows, with man being made last. Therefore, evolution was simply God’s means of creating the world. After all, God works through nature and the world around every day, right, so why not with evolution? I’ve also seen people claim that science and religion are incompatible simply because the Bible includes various miracles that would not typically occur in nature. For example, the Bible says Jesus rose from the dead after three days; science says people don’t come back to life after three days. Therefore, they are incompatible and cannot possibly coexist. But if one wants to use the Bible as a reason to disprove accommodation (the idea that science and religion work together) then they must look at the Bible as a whole, not just pick and choose parts that help them. The Bible also says, “With God, all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). This verse has been proven true time and time again, even in modern miracles, such as those pertaining to the Eucharist. Countless miracles have been confirmed to be real by science, yet science fails to explain how they could happen. For example, a priest in Bolsena doubted the teaching of transubstantiation. One day during mass, the Eucharist began to bleed, and the blood formed the face of Jesus on the altar. Scientists confirmed that it was real blood and that it came from the host. Other examinations of similar miracles even show that the blood comes from someone in the Mediterranean area who had likely died in lots of pain, but science failed to explain how a piece of bread could have bled. So because science failed to explain a miracle that it knows to be legitimate, does that mean science is altogether untrue and should be completely thrown aside? Of course not, so why is the world so quick to doubt religion when the circumstances are flipped?
Joe, this was a really great post. I’m glad you took the chance to discuss evolution, since it is so controversial. It was a well thought out explanation of the coexistence between science and faith. I also enjoyed how you ended with a question. It’s such a great little technique to keep people thinking even after their done reading. Good work!
I like how you included the questions at the end, to really make the reader think. You proved your points very well, and your essay is very persuasive. Your examples are great ideas of how since God crested science, and that it does prove how they work together.
Although many people may try to discredit religion through the use of scientific evidence, faith and science are fundamentally intertwined. The creation of the world and the scientific advances constantly made are all recognized by the Catholic church. When God created the world, He created everything involved with it, including science. God also endowed many of His children the great talent of being scientifically gifted. Through the combined use of the gifts of scientific abilities and free will, humans have uncovered many natural mysteries that only strengthen the faithful’s confidence in the presence of God. One of these phenomena is the evolution of the human race. Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution claims that humans evolved from apes. This idea was heavily rejected and was thought of as sacrilege. However, more and more evidence in support of Darwin’s theory was discovered. To many people, this disproved the existence of God. Instead, this has only become another way to support His existence. The church teaches that God’s time is not linear like it is on Earth. The creation story in Genesis follows a 7 day timeline, but it has also been said in 2 Peter 3:8 that one day for God is like a thousand years, and a thousand are like a day. This demonstrates that the “day” that God created humans may actually have been the thousands of years that it took for humans to evolve. The Catholic church supports the belief in the theory of evolution, controlled by God. Another example of science and faith is the understanding of the complex reproductive systems of women. God has given us the beautiful gift of being able to reproduce. Scientific advancements have allowed the creation of birth control, a use of chemicals to override the natural functions of a woman’s body. This allows for sex to be constantly available under the illusion of no risks. However, this disrespect to life comes with many complications and does not comply with church teaching. Despite the fact that birth control is an immoral application of science, our understanding of the reproductive system has allowed the development of natural family planning, or NFP. NFP uses the same information that was used in the development of birth control to provide a moral way of controlling when to have children that still allows life to be possible. There are many other examples of the collaboration of science and faith. Each intricate process of life fits together in such a scientifically perfect way that we cannot deny the presence of God’s guiding hand.
This was an enjoyable read and I really like your introduction! However, it would have been cool if you elaborate more on Charles Darwin’s theories, particularly his theories on natural selection. I thought your first example was a little too summarized, but your second example on birth control and NFP was explained really well. Well done!
It is sometimes believed that faith and science are two completely different entities. At times, faith and science can contradict each other. However, the Church is a huge patron in the field of science. Countless remarkable saints have even devoted their life’s work to scientific work. It is a major proponent in the evolution of the Catholic faith. For example, Pope Francis has embraced science as a way for individuals to learn about the world. Even his encyclical encourages people to be cognizant of environmental issues and climate change. He does not focus his message on one thing overpowering another, but that both work together to serve as a wonderful learning opportunity. Pope John Paul II also pardoned Galileo for his studies of the heliocentric solar system. Centuries ago, and even in recent years, mixing scientific data with religion would cause uproar. Superior Catholic authorities believed scientific work was the work of heresy. However, it is now known that an enormous part of Catholic faith is accredited to magnificent scientific discoveries. The Church supports and encourages scientific research to bring new issues to light and enlighten as many people as possible. God, after all, created science, and it works together with his creation of faith for us. Scientific research strengthens our faith by allowing us to see tangible evidence of what we believe. The pope encourages us to continue our scholastic journey because our faith would be nothing without science.
Wonderful work, Alex! I like how you included the saints, because they are very important to our church and beliefs, and helps relate to real people. The inclusion of the encyclical also helps prove that science is important to our church.
You thought about the question in a different way, but I really like the way you answered it. The pope, as the head of the church, does a great job leading by example, and displays the ideal relationship between the Church and science.
A common misconception about the church is that their teachings refute science. People often believe they cannot possibly believe in both, with an example such as the theory of evolution. Evolution is the change in the characteristics of a species over several generations and relies on the process of natural selection. The theory of evolution is based on the idea that all species are related and gradually change over time. This is often misconstrued, and the ideas are warped. Things such as movies, books, or other forms of media have led people to believe evolution is solely the idea that humans have evolved directly from monkeys. We know this is untrue because we were created in God’s own image and likeness as humans, and not animals. Humans were made different from animals, because we were created with a soul, and the opportunity for everlasting life with Christ. Although the Catholic Church does not teach that we have stemmed from monkeys, it does coincide with the theory that animals have evolved and adapted over time. Science and faith are complementary. One cannot exist without the other. How could anyone believe in science with no faith? Faith is believing without seeing, and most of us aren’t the scientists making these discoveries. Faith is necessary to our way of life, religious or not. On the other hand, without science, faith would not exist. Science is the basis for most things in this world. Everyone uses it in their every day lives. Without it, the would could have never advanced the way God intended. These to necessary factors of life work hand in hand.
While it may not seem so in the world of today, the Church and science work together in beautiful, mysterious ways. God, through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirt is the founder and Father of the Church, as well as the creator of the entire universe. Therefore he is the father of science itself. Since both stemmed from the same source, it only makes sense that they would have a powerful synergy. The Catholic Church holds the standpoint that science and faith are entirely complementary, and that can be backed by real evidence.
ReplyDeleteAn astonishing display of the two working together lies in our mere existence. When people first started to explore space, scientists were hopeful to discover new planets that were full of life, discovering new creatures, perhaps even uncovering an entire new race. However, as research into this progressed with no results, more work was done regarding the statistical probability of life anywhere in the universe. The number of parameters started rather low, keeping the chances at a reasonable level. However, as scientists learned more the percent chance reached zero, then dropped below. In other words, because so many conditions have to be absolutely perfect to sustain any life, there is a negative probability that it should exist anywhere, let alone thrive in so many forms as it does on Earth. Our creator made this place exactly how he knew we would need it. According to the statistics, a divine hand in our existence is really the only way it makes sense.
A second striking example lies in the “Divine Proportion” in God’s creation. The Fibonacci sequence is a mathematical phenomenon that can show scale and proportion throughout math and science, but also exists all throughout nature. Using the sequence, a certain ratio is derived, and perfectly applies to things like seashells, hurricanes, the human ear, a rams horn, the tail of a sea horse, fern leaves, waves, DNA, tornadoes, galaxies, comets, whirlpools, sunflowers, and many many more examples. This sequence and the symmetry associated with it has been seen as ultimate beauty throughout history, and has been utilized by many artists. The way that the math aligns perfectly with creation is beautiful, and a true display of God’s design for his creation, and everything within it, to work together in perfect harmony.
Your first point about life elsewhere is really good. I think that it relates to science and faith on point. I actually also read about the Divine Proportion myself and was planning on using it. It puts the reader in awe, knowing and seeing first hand how specific our world is. Good job!
DeleteThis was a very well thought out blog in the sense that it truly reminded me just how incredible God is. Both the fact that life can exist anywhere and the existence of the Fibonacci sequence are testaments to the beauty of our world and of God as its creator.
DeleteThe Catholic Church does, indeed, believe in both faith and science. To keep it simple, God created everything, including science, so the church naturally believes in science. Do not be confused however, with the difference between science as a whole, and the manipulation of science. It is common in today’s world to confuse these two very separate issues. The church, in its roots, shows us that faith and science have every possibility to go together, as they should. Can one truly give a concrete answer about how every piece of Earths fits just as it should? Short answer: no, not exactly. There are so many minuscule complexities to the world, yet everything is balanced. Pope John Paul II says, “science can purify religion from error and superstition” and “religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes.” This quote is a perfect summary of the balance the church tells us it holds with itself and science. One example of this coexistence is the theory behind the “Big Bang.” Besides being a controversial topic itself, it has still not been able to be answered fully. Science was able to make incredible discoveries about what occurred at the Big Bang. But what was the precursor to this extravagant display of biology? If scientists discovered proof of evolution, how does one not know how organisms develop from the colossal universal expansion? If it is not God then what is the answer? Steven Hawking himself has stated that the beginning of our universe is too complex to not have come from a higher power of sorts. Another example of faith and science working as one is birth and the creation of a child. A study conducted in 2016 proved, under a powerful microscope, that at the moment of conception a mini “explosion” occurs. This firework-like light comes from zinc in the egg. This resemblance to “let there be light” in Genesis uncanny. God created science just as he created humans, nature, the Earth, and so much more. They are not enemies. They are intertwined, and that principle is matter of fact.
ReplyDeleteGreat quote by JPII! You’re use of words was really good, and I it was a smooth read. Also, I think it’s very interesting you talked about Steven Hawking in your blog, since he was seen siding with atheistic viewpoints throughout is life. That was a very good point to use to help win your audience over I believe. You use good strong points, and studies to help win your audience, good work!
DeleteGreat work, Liv. I especially liked how you made a distinction between science and the ways humans manipulate science because while it wasn’t something I really thought of until I read it, it’s a very necessary distinction to make. Also, aside from being a well supported argument, it was well written and enjoyable to read.
Delete“Since the same God who reveals mysteries and infuses faith has bestowed the light of reason on the human mind, God cannot deny himself, nor can truth ever contradict truth,” remarks page 159, line 37 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The CCC explains that both reason and God are truth, and therefore, they cannot deny each other’s existence. Reason is synonymous with science in this excerpt from the CCC, so they are implying that God and science are connected. Modern culture often pits faith and reason against each other, as if to be reasonable is to rebuff religion and to be religious is to rebuff reason. On the contrary, the Church encourages the congregation to unify their faith and their reason because of how important each is to the human race.
ReplyDeleteThe Catholic Church has been an advocate for scientific research for centuries. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, cathedrals in Florence, Paris, Rome, and Bologna were designed as high caliber observatories. Each cathedral was equipped with holes in the ceilings through which sunlight could shine and time lines, which were referred to as meridian lines, would appear on the floor. Researchers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were able to obtain reliable measurements of time and solar dates by examining the path traced by these meridian lines. Due to the accuracy of the solar measurements, the Catholic Church was able to determine what exact day Easter, the Catholic holiday that commemorates Jesus’s resurrection from the dead, falls on. Before these observatories were installed, no one could be certain when the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. This spring equinox is when time is equally split into twelve hours of light and darkness each, and it is also the proper date for Easter to be celebrated. A 1,410 ft observatory known as the Vatican Observatory has been stationed in Castel Gandolfo, Italy since 1774 and currently serves as an educational and astronomical research institution.
The relationship between science and religion is proven to be strong in the case of “the Father of Modern Genetics”. This man’s real name was Gregor Johann Mendel, and he was an Austrian monk who lived during the early and mid eighteenth century. He uncovered heredity’s basic principles through experiments with pea plants in his monastery’s garden. His various experiments with these plants showed that the inheritance of particular traits follows certain patterns, which became the foundation of the study of heredity. At the time of his experiments, it was generally assumed that inherited traits of plant offspring were diluted and blended together as a mixture between whatever was visible in each “parent”. Also, it was accepted as fact that over generations, a hybrid would revert back to its original form. In short, Mendel crossbred pea plants with obviously opposite traits (tall with short, ect) and reached two critical conclusions: the Law of Segregation and the Law of Independent Assortment. Mendel credited his strong Catholic faith for cultivating his practicality, objectivity, and discipline, which all led to his experiment’s success. Faith and science were woven together in God’s intricate design.
Great Job Chelsea! I never knew about how the day of Christian holidays were recognized. This information just further proves how much science works into our faith. This was an informative and interesting read!
DeleteThis was a really informative post and I enjoyed reading it. I didn't know much about research in the cathedrals, and this was an interesting and solid example of faith and science. Great work!
DeleteThe Catholic Faith has repeatedly stated that faith and science are actually complimentary to each other, and they both go together. Above all, our Lord God is the sole creator of this world, and universe. In this fact alone, if God is the creator of such a majestic and vast universe, he is without a doubt the creator of science itself. There are so many ways that humans can see this evidence.
ReplyDeleteOver the years, many Catholics looked at science as a threat to Catholicism, rather than an aid to its proof of God. It has a poor connotation to God’s work. However, it is beautiful in its own way and should be seen as extremely sacred. Science seeks to understand how creation works. Religion tries to provide an experience of how the creator works.
One extremely obvious way that Faith and science are complimentary is by taking a look at the laws of science, and of the world. It is incredible to look at some of the smallest pieces of matter, such as the atom, or other small particles, and realize the vast complexity of how they operate. The same can be said about the solar system. As scientists discover new parts of it, the more they have said that the world is governed on laws and methods. It is just about impossible to think that a universe could somehow come to existence and work the way it does. Every law of science is in order with the next. Nothing contradicts another law, which also benefits the complimentary sides.
A second reason for believing the similarity of faith and science is that nature, and the world’s living organisms have given life since the beginning of time. At the very start of life, even the smallest of organisms has given life to another, because without it, this world would have died out a long time ago. So with this being said, it makes it quite obvious something, or someone, had a plan in mind for this world. One important thing to note is that all of creation seemed to turn out normally, meaning life never mutated, or destroyed itself, but rather brought about new and beautiful evolutions of plants, organisms, etc. This points out that there has to be a creator who planned out the reproduction of all living things.
“Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who sets the planets in motion,” said Isaac Newton. This is on point, because once again, it reinforces that science makes us find the truths of the world, while faith makes us find the creator of those truths.
Mark, I loved the points you made here. You took the idea of faith and science working together in nature, to a whole different level. It was an in depth discussion of the ins and outs of the unexplainable parts of science that only God could be the answer to. This was very good!
DeleteI liked the choices you used to prove science and the catholic faith go hand in hand. If anyone really thinks about it, there’s no way earth could have been made as perfect as it is if there wasn’t a creator. I think you did a great job proving this.
DeleteThis is a really great blog, Mark. I like the way that you connected everything together, such as the small pieces that make up the infinite solar system, or that the first life on earth has provided for the rest. This effectively supported your statement that science is sacred and beautiful.
DeleteThe Catholic Church believes in free will, so that humans can discover and lead themselves to God. Through this allowance of free will God granted, the ability to learn and create is accepted. Science plays a major role in this, as human intelligence allows people to create new medicines that push boundaries. If God didn’t want people to be able to create medicines that can save people’s lives, he would not have given this gift. However, with this free will, human manipulation can make science unmoral. If humans keep their intelligence and discoveries to a respectable level, than science fits in perfectly with Gods plan.
ReplyDeleteOne major way humans use technological and biological advances to abuse free will is through the use of medicine. In the last century, doctors have created numerous medicines that can kill people. To allow the discovery of medicine to murder a human being abuses Gods plan. He is the creator of all life, and should therefore be the one who decides when a person has accomplished what they needed to do on earth. The main way this abuse of science is done is through euthanasia, which gives people the ability to have a doctor end their life when they no longer feel the want to be alive. In many cases, the people who choose this have a terminal illness. A terminal illness inflicts a persons ability to enjoy life as they are in a great deal of pain. However, the Catholic Church does believe in a moral way to use science to alleviate their pain, instead of ending their life completely. In 2278 from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it states that pain killers that could possibly cause a shortening of life is completely acceptable and moral. However, the use of “over-zealous” medicine that purposely ends a life is what abuses sciences power of medicine. If humans only use medicine to work within Gods plan and help a human being, than is works with the Catholic Church.
Another way science fits in with the Catholic Church is natural family planning, which is a morally acceptable form of birth control. In this method, humans are able to use science to track the infertile phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle. This allows intimacy without the use of contraception. The Catholic Church finds this acceptable because while it uses science to lessen the chance of pregnancy, it still honors the unitive and pro creative acts of marriage.
Good post! The push for euthanasia in the modern world is absurd and your blog gives very good points about it. It seems as though euthanasia gives those in the medical field an unfair and overpowering role, which costs human lives.
DeleteYour use of logos in this blog is really well done, which made your examples easy to understand. Euthanasia giving doctors the power to “play God” is a sad problem that urgently need to be fixed. You did a good job proving how religion and science can and does coexist.
DeleteIt seems that every day, the world around us is becoming more and more secularized, and those believing in God, or any higher power for that matter, have shifted from the majority to the minority. One result of this is that the world has tried to separate God and science, even claiming that the two cannot coexist at all. One of the earliest examples of this is Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, which claims that all forms of life essentially evolved from single-celled organisms over billions of years. Originally, the idea was quickly and firmly rejected by Catholics, who thought it challenged their biblical account of creation in which God created the world in seven days. However, as time went on, more and more research and discoveries seemed to confirm this theory as fact. How is this possible? After all, if God created science, how can science contradict God? It can’t. 2 Peter 3:8 says “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” God doesn’t operate on the 24 hour days which humans created for their own use. Rather, his 7 day creation occurred over billions of years. In addition, the theory of evolution still allows for the biblical order of creation. First was light, and later came sea and sky, then land and plants, next were animals, and last came man. This general order is also the order that Darwin’s theory follows, with man being made last. Therefore, evolution was simply God’s means of creating the world. After all, God works through nature and the world around every day, right, so why not with evolution? I’ve also seen people claim that science and religion are incompatible simply because the Bible includes various miracles that would not typically occur in nature. For example, the Bible says Jesus rose from the dead after three days; science says people don’t come back to life after three days. Therefore, they are incompatible and cannot possibly coexist. But if one wants to use the Bible as a reason to disprove accommodation (the idea that science and religion work together) then they must look at the Bible as a whole, not just pick and choose parts that help them. The Bible also says, “With God, all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). This verse has been proven true time and time again, even in modern miracles, such as those pertaining to the Eucharist. Countless miracles have been confirmed to be real by science, yet science fails to explain how they could happen. For example, a priest in Bolsena doubted the teaching of transubstantiation. One day during mass, the Eucharist began to bleed, and the blood formed the face of Jesus on the altar. Scientists confirmed that it was real blood and that it came from the host. Other examinations of similar miracles even show that the blood comes from someone in the Mediterranean area who had likely died in lots of pain, but science failed to explain how a piece of bread could have bled. So because science failed to explain a miracle that it knows to be legitimate, does that mean science is altogether untrue and should be completely thrown aside? Of course not, so why is the world so quick to doubt religion when the circumstances are flipped?
ReplyDeleteJoe, this was a really great post. I’m glad you took the chance to discuss evolution, since it is so controversial. It was a well thought out explanation of the coexistence between science and faith. I also enjoyed how you ended with a question. It’s such a great little technique to keep people thinking even after their done reading. Good work!
DeleteI like how you included the questions at the end, to really make the reader think. You proved your points very well, and your essay is very persuasive. Your examples are great ideas of how since God crested science, and that it does prove how they work together.
DeleteAlthough many people may try to discredit religion through the use of scientific evidence, faith and science are fundamentally intertwined. The creation of the world and the scientific advances constantly made are all recognized by the Catholic church. When God created the world, He created everything involved with it, including science. God also endowed many of His children the great talent of being scientifically gifted. Through the combined use of the gifts of scientific abilities and free will, humans have uncovered many natural mysteries that only strengthen the faithful’s confidence in the presence of God. One of these phenomena is the evolution of the human race. Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution claims that humans evolved from apes. This idea was heavily rejected and was thought of as sacrilege. However, more and more evidence in support of Darwin’s theory was discovered. To many people, this disproved the existence of God. Instead, this has only become another way to support His existence. The church teaches that God’s time is not linear like it is on Earth. The creation story in Genesis follows a 7 day timeline, but it has also been said in 2 Peter 3:8 that one day for God is like a thousand years, and a thousand are like a day. This demonstrates that the “day” that God created humans may actually have been the thousands of years that it took for humans to evolve. The Catholic church supports the belief in the theory of evolution, controlled by God. Another example of science and faith is the understanding of the complex reproductive systems of women. God has given us the beautiful gift of being able to reproduce. Scientific advancements have allowed the creation of birth control, a use of chemicals to override the natural functions of a woman’s body. This allows for sex to be constantly available under the illusion of no risks. However, this disrespect to life comes with many complications and does not comply with church teaching. Despite the fact that birth control is an immoral application of science, our understanding of the reproductive system has allowed the development of natural family planning, or NFP. NFP uses the same information that was used in the development of birth control to provide a moral way of controlling when to have children that still allows life to be possible. There are many other examples of the collaboration of science and faith. Each intricate process of life fits together in such a scientifically perfect way that we cannot deny the presence of God’s guiding hand.
ReplyDeleteGreat job, your incorporation of the story of Genesis added to your point very well. Speaking about NFP was also very interesting!
DeleteThis was an enjoyable read and I really like your introduction! However, it would have been cool if you elaborate more on Charles Darwin’s theories, particularly his theories on natural selection. I thought your first example was a little too summarized, but your second example on birth control and NFP was explained really well. Well done!
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ReplyDeleteIt is sometimes believed that faith and science are two completely different entities. At times, faith and science can contradict each other. However, the Church is a huge patron in the field of science. Countless remarkable saints have even devoted their life’s work to scientific work. It is a major proponent in the evolution of the Catholic faith.
For example, Pope Francis has embraced science as a way for individuals to learn about the world. Even his encyclical encourages people to be cognizant of environmental issues and climate change. He does not focus his message on one thing overpowering another, but that both work together to serve as a wonderful learning opportunity.
Pope John Paul II also pardoned Galileo for his studies of the heliocentric solar system. Centuries ago, and even in recent years, mixing scientific data with religion would cause uproar. Superior Catholic authorities believed scientific work was the work of heresy. However, it is now known that an enormous part of Catholic faith is accredited to magnificent scientific discoveries. The Church supports and encourages scientific research to bring new issues to light and enlighten as many people as possible.
God, after all, created science, and it works together with his creation of faith for us. Scientific research strengthens our faith by allowing us to see tangible evidence of what we believe. The pope encourages us to continue our scholastic journey because our faith would be nothing without science.
Wonderful work, Alex! I like how you included the saints, because they are very important to our church and beliefs, and helps relate to real people. The inclusion of the encyclical also helps prove that science is important to our church.
DeleteYou thought about the question in a different way, but I really like the way you answered it. The pope, as the head of the church, does a great job leading by example, and displays the ideal relationship between the Church and science.
DeleteA common misconception about the church is that their teachings refute science. People often believe they cannot possibly believe in both, with an example such as the theory of evolution. Evolution is the change in the characteristics of a species over several generations and relies on the process of natural selection. The theory of evolution is based on the idea that all species are related and gradually change over time. This is often misconstrued, and the ideas are warped. Things such as movies, books, or other forms of media have led people to believe evolution is solely the idea that humans have evolved directly from monkeys. We know this is untrue because we were created in God’s own image and likeness as humans, and not animals. Humans were made different from animals, because we were created with a soul, and the opportunity for everlasting life with Christ. Although the Catholic Church does not teach that we have stemmed from monkeys, it does coincide with the theory that animals have evolved and adapted over time.
ReplyDeleteScience and faith are complementary. One cannot exist without the other. How could anyone believe in science with no faith? Faith is believing without seeing, and most of us aren’t the scientists making these discoveries. Faith is necessary to our way of life, religious or not. On the other hand, without science, faith would not exist. Science is the basis for most things in this world. Everyone uses it in their every day lives. Without it, the would could have never advanced the way God intended. These to necessary factors of life work hand in hand.
Mary, by using an example as broad as evolution, you show how truly complementary they are. You kept it simple, but straight to the point. Good work!
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