The Relations of Science and Religion: The Morse Lecture, 1880Calderwood, Henry
Religion
The Relations of Science and Religion: The Morse Lecture, 1880
Calderwood, Henry
Religion and science
or to overlook the lesson they convey, all the more that both sides
admit reasonable ground for regret. There has been, on the one hand, too
great readiness in charging an atheistic conclusion as the logical
result of scientific theory; and, on the other, too hasty an assumption
that newly recognized facts must prove damaging to Christian faith.
Detailed illustration would be in every sense undesirable here, but
outstanding examples will readily occur. Take the theory of the
Development of Species by Natural Selection, to which detailed reference
will be made hereafter, which has a great multitude of facts to favor
it, and at the same time a mass of facts presenting most serious logical
difficulties; it is obvious that even if this theory were accepted in
the form in which it is at present propounded, not only would the
rational basis for belief in the Divine existence and government not be
affected by it, but the demand on a Sovereign Intelligence would be
intensified. The contrast in the form of the general question may be
represented thus: in the one case, to account for the origin of varied
forms of life entirely distinct and independent; in the other, to
account for an origin in the simplest germinal form, or in a few
primordial forms, which shall nevertheless provide for the appearance of
all the varieties of species of animal life now known to us. In
presenting the latter hypothesis, science presses into notice a much
greater perplexity affecting the origin of the universe, originating a
difficulty towards the solution of which it is altogether unable to
offer the slightest contribution. In this single illustration, there is
much to convince theologians and scientific men that each division of
thinkers will best fulfil its own part, and most honor religion and
science, by working unreservedly on data within its own reach, without
apprehension as to ultimate conflict.
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