BY DR. JOHN SULLIVAN
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR-TREASURER
FLORIDA BAPTIST CONVENTION

Science and religion should be reconciled through biblical insight and faith

Science is amazing! It has given us a new medical vocabulary—transplants, gene splicing, bionics, DNA—to name but a few. It has given us great medical breakthroughs and consequently life extensions. When I was growing up in the coal camps of West Virginia, I can remember only one man who reached 65 years of age and was able to retire. Life expectancy has increased in direct relationship to scientific discovery.

Someone claimed that scientific knowledge is increasing so rapidly that the increase can no longer be calculated. Whether that is true or not, we recognize we live in a scientific information explosion.

Let me take a stab at defining science: knowledge gained by observation through experimentation to establish facts and/or principles about our created world. In my opinion, science seeks not only to explain but to verify the existence of facts and principles that govern our existence.

Here are some of my reflections:

—Science can not destroy religion because both are essential for the completion of and complementation of life.

—Science and religion are here to stay and should be reconciled through biblical insight and faith.

—Both science and religion have limitations.

—Science is designed to deal with the natural order of life while religion deals with the supernatural order. Of course, they converge at times.

—The Bible transcends science. Noted archeologist William Albright seriously questions whether science will ever catch up to the account of biblical creation. I agree. Another scientist is reported to have said, science can explain everything but the essential mysteries of life.

As a student at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary many years ago, I heard Dr. George Schweitzer, noted scientist and strong Christian believer, speak in chapel. He called scientific discoveries, “scientific myths” because they were subject to change. The Bible is not!

Christians should view science and the Christian faith as champions of truth. No truth cancels another truth. Science deals with the truth of atoms; the Christian faith handles the truth of atonement. Science deals with the composition of molecules; the Christian faith speaks to the conversion of man.

For me the crux of the discussion on science and religion is this: The “who” of creation is much more significant than the “how” of creation.

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