Christianity and the Growth of Science
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.
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.
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.
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