Ways of relating science and religion

Investigating the “Science” in “Eastern Religions”: A Methodological Inquiry

“…While “natural theology” sought to argue deductively from certain features of the world to God, a “theology of nature” is instead a theistic exploration, in the light of divine revelation, of how the creative purposes are being worked out through the complexities of the evolving universe (Polkinghorne , 77–78). The basic theme here is that Christian doctrine can provide certain kinds of “confirmation” for scientific theories: for instance, Christian theologians might argue that the doctrine of a creator God helps to make sense of the existence of a stable rational order that the scientific disciplines seek to investigate (Stenmark , 282–84). The key challenge in these theological investigations into the foundations of the natural sciences is to spell out the relations between scientific inquiry and Christian doctrine in such a way that the latter illuminates the former without violating its cognitive autonomy and methodological integrity.…”

New Religious Movements and Science: Rael's Progressive Patronizing Parasitism

“…(3) According to the independence model science and religion are compatible due to the fact that they never compete and remain separate. (4) Finally, the replacement model states that science might expand up to the point of becoming the new religion (Stenmark , 278–80)…”

“…The liberal reconciliation model implies religion as in need of a major overhaul. Finally, a postmodern or constructivist reconciliation demands radical changes for both religion and science (Stenmark , 287–90).…”

“…Yet reconciliation , according to Stenmark, can be seen in a different guise. Science and religion can namely be reconciled, endorsing that one can support or confirm the other; we then have the supportive model that can be combined with the reformative one(s) and all the possible intersections that could hold in strong or weak contexts (Stenmark , 284 and 285).…”

“…Depending on which of the two has to undergo a change under the impact of the other's doctrines, there can thus be a religion‐priority reformative view , or a science‐priority reformative view (Stenmark , 280–82). However, the fact that both science and religion need to change and whether religion (or science) should undergo minor changes or a major overhaul it is not excluded; therefore, both views can be held in a weak or a strong framework (Stenmark , 283). Yet reconciliation , according to Stenmark, can be seen in a different guise.…”