Science and God

A scientific discovery is also a religious discovery. There is no conflict between science and religion. Our knowledge of God is made larger with every discovery we make about the world.
~Joseph H. Taylor, Jr., astrophysicist and Nobel Prize laureate in physics

A commonly held belief by Christians and non-believers alike is that the study of science and faith in God are incompatible concepts. However, for many of the world’s greatest scientists, the pursuit of scientific understanding was the doorway to a deeper understanding of God. In fact, when we compile a listing of those considered to be the fathers of the major scientific disciplines, we find that a majority of them were professing Christians, as noted by bestselling author and former cold-case homicide detective J. Warner Wallace in his book Person of Interest. This list includes fields such as atomic physics, hydrodynamics, galactic astronomy, embryology, microbiology, modern chemistry, physiology, botany, paleontology, analytic geometry, and quantum electrodynamics, just to name a few. Furthermore, 65.4% of Nobel Prize winners are Christ followers.

“It is humbling for me and awe inspiring to realize that we have caught the first glimpse of our own instruction book, previously known only to God.”
~Dr. Francis Collins, director of the Human Genome Project

Not only did these men and women of science grow stronger in their faith as they researched and experimented in their fields, they also impacted the world through their discoveries and intellectual contributions. As homeschooling parents, we should understand that these are two compelling reasons to incorporate a thorough and engaging science curriculum into our education plan. As we do so, we may question how science and the Bible relate to each other. We have long been told that they contradict each other and that they cannot both hold the truth. At the core of true scientific pursuit is the quest for truth, and that truth is embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.

God reveals truth to us by two means: direct revelation and indirect revelation. Direct revelation of truth comes through the study of the Bible and the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we do so. It generally concerns spiritual matters and spiritual laws. The study of science falls under indirect revelation; truth is uncovered through the exploration of the laws of nature established by God but left for man to observe, record, and contemplate. The marriage of these two concepts brings enlightenment of both the natural and spiritual world. Jesus often used illustrations from the word of nature to explain spiritual concepts to His followers. I have found this an effective means of teaching my children about the matters of God in many instances.

The Oxford Dictionary defines science as “the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation, experimentation, and the testing of theories against the evidence obtained.” For these pioneers of science who found God or were strengthened in their faith, the study of the physical and natural world also held revelations of a supernatural, spiritual world, as we read in Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead…”

The physical world is discovered through the senses and the mind. The Bible tells us that the spiritual world is “a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began…what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived—the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 2:7, 9-10) Our Creator wants us to search out these mysteries, finding the Creator Himself as we do so.

Science tells us more about God and what He created. Why doesn’t the Bible tell us much about science? As my son’s biology book (Biology for Christian Schools, BJU Press) points out, it was not intended to serve as a scientific textbook but as a spiritual handbook. It could not begin to contain all there is to know about the physical world. That was left for humankind to search out and discover, thus discovering more about the Creator in the process.

One could even make the argument that it is our duty as Christians to study science. The first commandment given to humans in the Bible was to subdue the earth and have dominion over it. The earth is teeming with life—animals, birds, trees, flowers, insects—and it was all placed under mankind’s dominion and stewardship. The study of this world and the principles that govern it (such as the laws of gravity, thermodynamics, motion, and so on) give us the opportunity to carry out this command while also learning many spiritual principles. Just look at how many of Jesus’ teachings referenced agriculture or weather!

“If [Man] ignores what science can teach, he will have wasted two God-given gifts; the earth and his intelligence.”
~ Biology for Christian Schools, BJU Press, 2nd Edition

As we break down the definition of science, we find its limitations. According to Oxford Languages, science is limited to what man can observe by “the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment.” Britannica defines science as “any system of knowledge that is concerned with the physical world and its phenomena and that entails unbiased observations and systematic experimentation.”

Therefore, by its very definition, science is limited to what can be observed and studied. Much is left to interpretation, and this interpretation must be unbiased. Obviously, this leaves a great deal that mankind can observe or to experiment upon even in our age of technology. If we can learn anything from history, it is that truth cannot be established from science. A hypothesis may be supported by data or experimentation, but according to the scientific method, the keyword is supported not proven. From the beginning of the scientific revolution to the present day, the scientific community has repeatedly adapted and altered their conclusions about everything from spontaneous generation to Pluto’s planetary status. We can conclude that, unlike the infinite, infallible God of the universe, science is finite and fallible.

Those things that cannot be observed, studied, or experimented upon fall outside the realms of science, requiring interpretation by some source other than science. The creation and purpose of man lie in this category. The theory of evolution precludes any scientific method of giving an account of the beginnings of humankind. In fact, the creation account in the Bible fits the scientific guidelines of observation and recording of data: God gives a record of the process by which He created the earth and all that it contains, including the first humans.

The study of science and our study of God’s word can—and should—go hand in hand. Both have the power to reveal more about the nature of God, His handiwork, and our place in the universe. God designed our bodies and minds with the capabilities to search Him out through scientific exploration. Perhaps the names of some of our children will be added to the list of pioneers in their field of study one day!