Faith and Science, a Personal Essay

I was asked to read this, and think it is worth reading. While most of what is posted here revolves on hot button issues  in the world of politics, this is another issue entirely. Let me know what you think.

Keep the Faith

The Rev

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My father was probably the most devout man I knew. His piety and faith were both inspiring and a stumbling block to me. The inspiration is obvious, a man of such easy intelligence who never discarded the depths of faith in God and belief in Jesus as His Son, our Savior. The stumbling block may be tougher to understand, unless you are a boy, trying to be like Dad. I felt I could never achieve such heights, nor such certainty and sure knowledge as he possessed.

Dad was a man of science.He had a PhD  and a constantly challenging inquisitive mind which made him both a font of knowledge to me and a goad, encouraging and tasking me to aspire to learn, to study, to explore. There was always a book at hand, somewhere to make a point. Even as a child, if the time arose where I could cite a source to back my opinion, and provide evidence, than Dad would acknowledge the accuracy of my statement, even as it might refute something I had previously been taught, even if by himself.

As I grew and learned, I discovered, as most sons will, that Dad did not know everything, and he was beset by the same doubts and frailties and weaknesses which afflict most men. We had occasional conversations on various matters, as breezy as football and dating, as deep as science and faith. I recall one conversation, which has always lingered in my memories. My father revealed to me that early in his career, in the early 1960’s that he was often challenged on two sides. One would challenge his bona fides as a ‘true scientist’ as he was a devout Roman Catholic. From the other side he would be questioned on the verity of his faith, as he worked in the field of science, which challenged religious faith and dogma. He maintained relentlessly that there was, and could not be a conflict. Science and Faith were equally important, and need not contradicted each other.

I began to realize that I was quite fortunate in my upbringing and education. I was never given an either/or position. I don’t recall ever having to choose faith or reason. I seem to have always believed that as God created the world, the universe, well, everything, then the very laws of the universe were God’s laws.  Recall that natural law theory teaches that the natural law is inscribed in man’s very heart. We are born seeking God, and are not complete until we are with Him. Recall Augustine’s Confession “ Our hearts are restless until they rest in thee O Lord” We are created, as is all else, with the inscription of God’s Hand upon us. If God created the laws, then science, the search for, and study of those laws cannot be opposed to faith. It must, in fact be part, and a fundamental part of that faith. Paul Davies, in his 1995 Templeton Prize address covered much of this both more completely and more eloquently than I could aspire to. I encourage you to read it.  It was printed in First Things, in August/September 1995. I commend that journal to anyone.

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