Faith, Science, and Common Grace
Religion and science, for example, are often thought to be opponents, but as I have shown, the insights of ancient religions and of modern science are both needed to reach a full understanding of human nature and the conditions of human satisfaction. The ancients may have known little about biology, chemistry, and physics, but many were good psychologists. - Jonathan Haidt
I was at a hospital today to pray with a patient and the hopeful members of their family. As I do on every such visit, I made my way down the corridor to the nurse’s station, thanking every hospital team member I see for all they do, especially the nurses, doctors, and surgeons.
My mom was a nurse, pulling the night shift in the ER, and the stories of the things she saw there have always left me in awe of what medical professionals can do - and the pain they suffer when they’re unable to help. From EMTs saving lives in crises to research scientists laboring in labs to save others from dread disease, the science of medicine has made our lives incalculably better in the past 100 years. How thankful we must be to God for this gift, and how respectfully we should salute those who work so hard to care for so many.
Medicine is only one sphere of science that has reshaped - and sometimes saved - the lives of us all. From the engineering and technology that has revolutionized travel and the wonders gained from astronomy, astrophysics, and space exploration to the knowledge of our environments in air, ocean, and land, and the communications technologies that enable us to connect in entirely new ways and at incredible speeds, we have all been helped by science in its many forms.
Some Christians who serve God in the sciences have told me they sometimes find themselves at odds with other believers who seem to think science is an enemy of faith. They’ve even felt shamed by some pastors who take a hostile stance or condescending approach to them and their work as if science was at war with God and faith. Equally, there are scientists (and those who employ science in their work )who don’t think they can make room for God and faith in their lives because the existence of God isn’t subject to the kind of theory, experimentation, and proof one might undertake with a mathematical formula or lab process.
Must science and faith stand in awkward juxtaposition to one another or be locked in mortal combat? I don’t believe so. History, Theology, and the Sciences demonstrate that a friendship, a partnership, between the two has been possible and incredibly beneficial to all. It is folly for Christians to use technology that’s advanced through science to denounce science or attend conferences to do the same aboard airliners that won’t fly without avionics or land safely without working hydraulics.
In the often-perceived battleground between science and faith, particularly the Christian faith, many assume that one must choose a side, relegating the other to irrelevance or outright opposition. However, a deeper exploration reveals that science and the Christian faith are not enemies but partners contributing to the common good. In fact, Christian theology, specifically in its proposals about common grace, the created order, and the image of God, not only coexists with scientific enterprise but actively supports it, fostering a more comprehensive understanding of the universe and our place within it.
Common Grace: Bridging Science and Faith
The doctrine of common grace teaches that God graces all humanity in non-saving ways, regardless of religious affiliation (or its absence), to enable and sustain the pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness for the common good and care of the world. That includes the realm of scientific inquiry. John Murray defined it as “every favor of whatever kind or degree, falling short of salvation, which this undeserving and sin-cursed world enjoys at the hand of God.” It is “every good and perfect gift” God gives to all, from the complex wonder of the cosmos and the creative artistry to compose and perform beautiful music to the skill of a surgeon and the courage of a law enforcement officer.
According to theologians like Abraham Kuyper, common grace is the theological foundation that explains why individuals, regardless of their faith convictions, can make genuine advancements in scientific fields - or other areas as diverse as education, literature, public service, political and economic theory, and home design. Simply put, God gives good gifts to his entire creation, sending rain on the faithful and unfaithful while employing those who know and love him together with those who don’t to accomplish his purpose.
Christians certainly have a sense that all our service is an offering to God and that we are to seek God’s glory in every endeavor. Kuyper summarized this when he wrote, “Wherever man may stand, whatever he may do, to whatever he may apply his hand, in agriculture, in commerce, and in industry, or his mind, in the world of art, and science, he is, in whatsoever it may be, constantly standing before the face of his God, he is employed in the service of his God, he has strictly to obey his God, and above all, he has to aim at the glory of his God.” Yet the gifts given to and through the world for the common good frequently arise from the hands of those who don’t seek God’s glory and may not even acknowledge that he exists.
Implications for Scientific Discovery: Common grace suggests that all truth, whether revealed through Scripture or nature, originates from the same divine source. Therefore, Christians can view scientific discoveries as revelations of God’s handiwork, not as threats to their faith.
Collaboration for the Common Good: This understanding fosters an environment where Christians are encouraged to engage with science not just as consumers but as contributors, believing that their participation in science fulfills their calling to steward God’s creation.
The Created Order as a Foundation for Science
Christianity asserts that the universe was created by a purposeful and orderly God—a belief that inherently supports the scientific method. The "created order" concept implies that the universe operates according to consistent principles that can be discovered, studied, and understood. This predictability is what allows scientists to observe the world, formulate hypotheses, and conduct experiments.
Rational Exploration: The belief in a logical, structured universe created by God underpins the rational exploration of the natural world. Scientists rely on the assumption that the universe is not chaotic but ordered and knowable.
Theological Support for Scientific Laws: From a Christian perspective, the laws of nature are seen as reflections of God’s character—immutable and faithful. This view not only complements but enriches the scientific study by providing a deeper dimension of meaning to the exploration of natural laws.
This is why Galileo could say, "I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use", adding, "It is surely harmful to souls to make it a heresy to believe what is proved."
Historical and Contemporary Examples of Faith-Science Partnership
Throughout history, many scientists have been devout Christians who did not see their scientific work as separate from their faith but as a part of it. Figures such as Isaac Newton, the aforementioned Galileo Galilei, and more recently, Francis Collins (former director of the National Institutes of Health and a leader in the Human Genome Project) have demonstrated that a robust scientific career and a committed Christian faith can coexist harmoniously.
One need only be familiar with the work of Alister McGrath to see the union of faith and science in the life of a public intellectual, scientist, ethicist, and theologian. McGrath’s University of Oxford biography informs us that “Alister McGrath initially studied natural science at Oxford, taking a doctorate in molecular biophysics under the supervision of Prof Sir George Radda. He then switched to theology. He was Oxford’s Professor of Historical Theology from 1999 to 2008. He then moved to King’s College London as Professor of Theology, Ministry, and Education, before returning to Oxford as Idreos Professor in 2014. He also served as Gresham Professor of Divinity, a position established in 1597, from 2015-18. He retired in September 2022.”
His research interests include “Science and religion; natural theology as a legitimate field of theological reflection, and as a framework for furthering the dialogue between science, religion, and literature; critical realism in science and theology; the theological utility of scientific philosophies of explanation; theological models of engagement with the natural sciences, especially those of T. F. Torrance and Emil Brunner; the application of biological models of evolution to cultural contexts, especially the development of Christian doctrine; the “New Atheism”; “two cultures” issues, especially defending the value of humanities in a scientific culture”
The OU site has several pages of McGrath’s works, and his scholarship helped me immensely in my journey. “Loving Science, Discovering God: An Autobiographical Reflection on Science and Theology”, “The Great Mystery Science, God and the Human Quest for Meaning”, and “A Fine-tuned Universe The Quest for God in Science and Theology: the 2009 Gifford Lectures” are just a few noteworthy titles to consider. His recent investigations into the transhumanist movement are as alarming as they are helpful.
Integrative Contributions: Scientists who are informed by faith are individuals who often discuss their discoveries in the context of a larger purpose and a deeper understanding of creation, illustrating the potential for science and faith to enrich each other.
Ethical Frameworks and Science: Christian faith provides a moral framework that guides many scientists in conducting their research responsibly and ethically, emphasizing the welfare of the common good over personal or corporate gain.
This means that while science must continue to explore the boundaries of the knowable and possible, faith walks hand in hand with these explorers to ask whether something that is possible is necessary and, if so, to what end? Is it the common good, or is another agenda in view?
Challenges and Resolutions in the Dialogue Between Science and Faith
Despite strong foundational partnerships, conflicts do arise, often stemming from misunderstandings or misrepresentations of either science or faith. Effective dialogue involves clear communication, mutual respect, and an acknowledgment of the distinct roles that both science and faith play in human understanding. I know Galileo’s proverb, “Science tells us how the heavens go. Religion tells us how to go to heaven,” is often cited positively, but it is also deeply problematic. It suggests a hard line between the two realms rather than noting the dotted line of specific missions, leaving room for partnerships dealing with everyday life decisions.
This means that addressing specific areas of apparent conflict is crucial. Humanity's origin and the universe's age are commonly cited examples of supposed conflict. Still, there are many more areas that would summon the best from both spheres to beat swords into plowshares for a harvest of peace. Whether in the areas of AI technologies or weapons and their deployment, the production of food for the world’s growing population, the care of creation, or the way in which some envision uniting human tissue with robotics are all areas where mutual benefit might be gained from more profound understanding and mutual respect.
Rather than viewing science and Christian faith as adversaries, recognizing them as partners in the pursuit of truth for the good of all reveals a richer, more comprehensive picture of reality. The faithful should be reminded that the doctrines of common grace and the created order provide a theological framework that supports and encourages scientific exploration. By embracing these concepts, Christians can engage in scientific endeavors with confidence and curiosity, contributing to the common good and gaining a greater appreciation for the intricacy and majesty of God’s creation.
In this collaborative approach, both science and faith thrive, each drawing from and reinforcing the other, as we all seek to understand more profoundly the wonders of the universe we inhabit and, at least in the case of some, give glory to God for the work of his hands. In the words of John Paul II, this friendship will mean faith purified of superstition and science freed from its idols of absolutism. That can only be good for us all.