Faith vs. science. Is there a contradiction between faith in God and science?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The word science literally means “knowledge.” Science is man’s way of processing the natural world: observing and interpreting those experiences according to reason. This last part – human reason and sense – is where science can either be carried on the wings of faith or fall into a chasm of its own conceit.

Science itself is not contrary to Scripture. In its purest form, it is simply the study of Creation in all its facets. It confirms what God has made and what Scripture reveals. God is not opposed to mankind learning about the body to treat ailments or observing the wondrous flora and fauna of a forest to understand plants and animals better. However, these things point back to the awesome Creator who designed the vast cosmos as well as the intricacies of our DNA, who holds power over the hurricane yet feeds the most delicate butterfly. Simply knowing more about God’s creation doesn’t justify dismissing His role in nature.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• •God created the universe and everything in it (Genesis 1:1-31).
• •God told Job that He was far beyond Job’s ability to discern (Job 38:1 – 39:30).
• •Creation itself declares God’s glory (Psalm 19:1).
• •God’s thoughts and ways are infinitely beyond the scope of human reason (Isaiah 55:8-9).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• •Jesus caught fish that hadn’t been found (Luke 5:4-7), walked on the lake (Matthew 14:25-30), multiplied a meal (John 6:5-13) and did many other things that defy our observations of how the natural world works.
• •God expresses Himself in the world around us (Romans 1:19-20), yet we don’t fully grasp it (Romans 1:21-23).
• •It is impossible to live a God-honoring life without faith (Hebrews 11:6).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Faith in God and belief in science will never contradict since God, in fact, exists and is the Creator of the universe. For those who believe in Him, there is ample evidence of His work, so science is an approach to knowledge and general truths about His creation. Faith, then, is trust in God for those things we don’t yet know, based on what He has already told us. For those with faith, science can be one of our greatest forms of worship. The greatest names in the founding of modern science were deeply committed, well-informed believers in the God of the Bible.

For those who reject belief in God, “faith” is still about trust. But for the non-believer, it’s trust in their own mind and opinions. What science cannot tell an unbeliever, the unbeliever cannot (theoretically) know.

Faith and science should be partners, each giving more depth to the other. Science, when properly used, validates faith in a Creator and exhibits the awesomeness of His work. Faith guides science to noble causes and gives science context. The best scientist is one who understands there is a Creator and enthusiastically learns what he can about that creation.

UNDERSTAND

• •God created the universe and everything in it and wants to be known. He reveals Himself through creation.
• •Faith provides a broader context for scientific inquiry, acknowledging its limitations and guiding its exploration.
• •Faith and science, when viewed as complementary rather than contradictory, can enrich each other, leading to deeper worship and understanding of the Creator.

REFLECT

• •What tension have you experienced between science and faith and why? How much of that tension comes from facts, and how much comes from the opinion of certain people?
• •Reflecting on the biblical passages mentioned, how do they shape your perspective on the relationship between God's creation and human discovery through science?
• •How do you see faith and science as complementary forces in your life, and how do they contribute to your understanding of the world and your relationship with the Creator?

ENGAGE

• •Science is mankind's attempt to understand how the world works. The scientific method is one of the greatest tools to accomplish this. What are some limitations of this method or things that the scientific method cannot accomplish or explain to us?
• •Science is about observation and proof. That which cannot be proven is not fact; it is either theory or historical report. Much practical good has been accomplished on the basis of theory alone. Humans went into space with only a theory about the effects of zero-gravity on bodies and equipment. Drugs and medical treatments are developed every year based on theories. But, again, theory is not fact. Because of this, we cannot know for certain what has happened in the past based on science alone. What implications does this truth have on the limitations of science?
• •Science has no ethic. The scientific method doesn't care about the environment or unborn children. Science is about fact alone. Faith, however, is the basis for ethics. Faith tells us that humans have value far above fact. Faith explains that there is something greater than knowledge, and the search for knowledge should not have free rein to damage the very thing it is studying. Science agrees that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) but it doesn't have an opinion on the preservation of people. Faith tells us that we are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and that we have great value far above what could be learned from organs and cells and atoms. Science tells how we work; faith tells us we have worth. How can we navigate the divide between science, which lacks inherent ethics, and faith?