Polytheism and nature worship in many cultures included worship of Sun, moon, stars, rivers, fire, fertility, crop circles etc. This prevented the scientific study of these objects as they were considered gods. In many culture astrology controlled the major decisions of life. The stars were seen as controlling the life of the individual human beings. The scientific study of stars and cosmos i.e Astronomy or cosmology was not their interest. Astronomical calculations were made for astrological purposes and it stiffled the proper study of the objects concerned. This study mostly included identifying and naming constellations and using it for astrology.

Polytheism and nature worship in many cultures included worship of Sun, moon, stars, rivers, fire, fertility, crop circles etc. This prevented the scientific study of these objects as they were considered gods. In many culture astrology controlled the major decisions of life. The stars were seen as controlling the life of the individual human beings. The scientific study of stars and cosmos i.e Astronomy or cosmology was not their interest. Astronomical calculations were made for astrological purposes and it stiffled the proper study of the objects concerned. This study mostly included identifying and naming constellations and using it for astrology.

Indian systems like Ayurveda and Siddha medicine have a long history but their advances were

nothing compared to western medicine and therefore even Indians go to allopathy practitioners most

of the time rather than to their own medical systems.

With the advent of Christianity and the christian thought - theology and philosophy, the Jewish idea

that God created the universe became predominant. That sun and moon are mere lamps providing

light and the planets and elements like fire, water, earth, air, matter including both organic and

inorganic matter and the minds of men and women were all created  and not divine. This idea was

instrumental in Europe becoming the center of scientific progress rather than China or India. Even

though India and China has significant scientific disciplines, the progress of science to the extent of

what we have today would not have taken place in those cultures.

The main theme of genesis Chapter 1, the very chapter of the Holy Bible is the establishment of the

fact that nature was created by God and is NOT to be worshiped. It is the creator who is worthy of

worship and not nature. The God who made everything also instituted laws according to which the

universe functions. These laws were not under the control of multiple gods who would change it for

their own agenda, if and when a dispute arose with the any other god. But the one God, the creator

and sustainer of the whole universe has made theses laws to be unchanging laws, reliable ones. He

keeps them unchanging so that the universe can function the way it does. The belief that laws of

nature do not change was a very important idea that enabled the study of nature to discover them

and apply them. They also promoted the idea of 'scientific doxology' which is the worship of God 

through the study of science. Science helps us discover laws and equations and design in nature 

and helps us appreciate the wisdom and power of God, which in turn leads to worship of God in 

response.

 The de-divinization of nature freed up the human mind to study it without fear. The fact that God

created everything and called it "good" made the study of science the study of goodness and the

study of the truth about nature which God has created. It also revealed the mind of the creator who

created it.

The mandate placed by God to humans to multiply and dominate and rule over the earth became the

driving force behind technological development, which were done by Christians both Protestant and

Catholic, in Europe, to fulfill this mandate and use the natural laws for the benefit of humanity. So

they studied nature and discovered laws which they used to build machines, and develop medicines 

and vaccines and build dams and windmills.



I've heard many people consider Christianity as an enemy of science. This view is an erroneous

one, based on false propaganda and is entirely contrary to the truth. The rise of modern Atheism can 

be contributed more to the ignorance of history of science, philosophy and theology, than to scientific 

advancement. The oft quoted Galileo episode was an anomaly and an exception but has wrongly 

come to be understood as Christianity being against science. Galileo himself was a Christian and  

the whole 'Galileo affairs' has not been completely and deeply studied by many. There were lot of 

issues in which Galileo was wrong in his scientific work, including the fact that he thought 'tides' 

were due to the movement of the earth. He also had a personal problem with the pope at that period 

of time. There were other explanations to the certain problems which the Ptolemaic model had and 

Galileo could not provide convincing proof. Moreover the Catholic church in which he was a part of 

was itself focusing on the Protestant reformation that was blazing through Europe. But once the 

catholic church was convinced and the confirmatory evidence was adequate, it changed it's position. 

After all you need good amount of evidence before you change an existing theory.

Christian scientists Kepler, Galileo, Newton, Mendel, Robert Boyle, Blaise Pascal, Faraday,

Priestly, Jenner, Polkinghorn were trailblazers in their areas of scientific study which they considered 

as 'Calling of God'.  The father of the scientific method, Francis Bacon himself was a committed 

Christian who theological and philosophical works are well- known. Moreover, Copernicus whose 

theory Galileo proved through his work, was himself a part of the Church and was Canon of the 

Church, involved in ecclesiastical and theological matters.  They were not just scientists, they were 

also philosophers and theologians. It is ignorance of these facts which has misled many people.

The Church both Protestant and Catholic gave rise to a number of scientists who served humanity

through their commitment to the discovery of truth in God's creation, advancement  of science and

 the benefit of humankind for the glory of God.