How Christianity and Science Can Go Together
analytical Essay
734 words
In 2011, the Barna Group completed and published the results of a five-year study on why many teens are turning away from Christian churches. The research showed that one-fourth of these skeptical young adults felt that “Christianity is anti-science” . This statistic should not be too surprising because Christians are notorious for their steadfast beliefs in Genesis 1 which states that the universe was created by God in just 6 days. Obviously, this tale contradicts countless scientific records and theories, making a life of faith practically unachievable for any science-minded individual. But contrary to popular belief, no one has to choose a side. There is no need to abandon trust in a higher power for scientific evidence or vice versa because the two are congruent. The story of the six days of creation as told in the book of Genesis is truth, however it would be a fallacy to take the story literally, since taking it literally would not account for discrepancy in human perspective, language barriers and mistranslation of text, and the lack of applied scientific knowledge.
Every human being has a unique interpretation of what they see and hear. This interpretation, often times referred to as perspective, is developed and influenced by a multitude of occurrences. This most often includes the conditions in which one was raised, the experience of great loss or pain, or the achievement of success. No matter the situation or person, perception always affects the way a story is told and received. For example, if there were a car crash that involved two different cars, every eye witness would be asked to give a statement of what was seen (this is key; the witnesses are not asked about what happened, but what was seen). After all of the ...
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...aw a diagram of the organs in his own body! Because he had no scientific background, the idea of millions of years and the formation of everything in existence was entirely unfathomable for Adam. He was in no way unintelligent, but he never had the luxury of science that we have today. This is why Genesis is written in such simple terms. Adam wrote a story, not a textbook-ready report on the origination of the world. Genesis 1 was written in the style of a psalm; a figurative poem of sorts meant only to summarize the events leading up to the dawn of humankind.
Works Cited
Kinnaman, David. Barna Group. 28 September 2011. 2 December 2013 .
Tsikirayi, C. "Individual Perception and Personal Values." Journal of Comprehensive Research – Social Sciences and Economics (2012): 1.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that christians are notorious for their steadfast beliefs in genesis 1 which states that the universe was created by god in just 6 days.
- Explains that every human being has a unique interpretation of what they see and hear. this interpretation is developed and influenced by numerous occurrences.
- Explains that each person would have seen the mishap in a different way because of things that had happened to them before.
- Explains that adam wrote his understanding of the 6 days of creation. he was unintelligent, but he never had the luxury of science. genesis 1 was written in the style of a psalm.
- Explains tsikirayi, c., "individual perception and personal values." journal of comprehensive research – social sciences and economics.
Related
- analytical
- explanatory
- opinion
- The views of both religion and science are of such importance to study in today’s society because of their differing conclusions as to how the world was formed, and how they are able to give clarity and meaning to one’s life. The scientific view of the creation of Earth involves the Big Bang Theory. Scientists believe that one hundred billion years ago the Earth, the Sun and all the planets of the solar system were cold dust particles until these particles were attracted to one another. This came to form a huge spinning disk, with the centre of the disk becoming the sun, and the particles that had separated into rings turned into the planets (Lunsford, 2010). In contrast to this, the religious view of the creation of earth involves Creationism, the belief that humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are a creation of God (Williams, 2010). Both definitions can be differentiated into the fact that science is unable to understand religion, however similarities are evident is that both fields study the same world and same reality. Since both religion and science contain quite controversial opinions into the creation of earth, is it possible for there to be a connection?
In this essay, the author
- Compares the views of religion and science on the creation of the world, stating that both fields study the same world and same reality.
- Argues that the idea of disconnection between religion and science is not unrealistic, as there are tensions dating back to the 1800's between the churches and scientists regarding the creation of earth.
- Argues that science and religion are separate fields of inquiry regarding the creation of earth.
- Argues that religion and science are overlapping fields of inquiry as they seek to define the creation of the same world.
- Explains that history confirms that there were past disconnections between science and religion regarding the creation of the earth, but these were recognised when the churches found reason in scientific findings.
956 wordsRead More - Religion: Christian Scienceexplanatory essayChristian Science is an idealistic and most radical form of transcendental religiosity. The study of Christian Science teaches a feeling of understanding of God's goodness and the differences between good and evil, life and death. The purpose of this paper is to address how the study of Christian Science helps us better understand the impact of globalization in America, as well as the impact of American on globalization. This paper is important because globalization features a dominant worldview. All throughout the world people believe, study and teach different types of religious movements that impact others. People need to better understand how certain religions modify, conflict with, and impact the world. First, it will discuss the life and work of the founder, Mary Baker Eddy. Secondly, it will examine the primary rituals and religious services of the Christian Science movement. Then, it will outline the precursors and history of the religion. In the conclusion, a response will be offered to the question of how Christian Science helps us better understand the impact of globalization on America and of America on globalization.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that christian science is an idealistic and radical form of transcendental religiosity. it teaches a feeling of understanding god's goodness and the differences between good and evil, life and death.
- Describes mary baker eddy as a revelator of god's word. she devoted herself in early christianity to the recovery of the healing emphasis.
- Describes how eddy taught that christian science could not be mixed with any other form of a healing system because it is incompatible with medicine.
- Explains that the christian science movement asserts humanity and the universe as one. it's spiritual rather than material in nature.
- Explains that phineas parkhust quimby greatly influenced the idea of christian science as well as the new religious movement, new thought.
- Explains that religion provides us with standard data so we can analyze the traditions in religion and do comparisons between them.
- Explains that america embraces all cultures and religion because of the foundation of separation of church and state. the christian science movement was formed in 1879 in massachusetts, usa and quickly gained 400,000 worldwide followers.
1387 wordsRead More - Scientific Naturalism In Christianityexplanatory essayChristianity is viewed as one of the world’s major religions. It is the only religion to claim that it’s religious leader rose from the dead, as well as having a solid explanation about God and the origins of the universe. So, it makes sense that scientific naturalism would attempt to refute these claims. It has been shown that scientific naturalism contains several inherent flaws in its attempt to explain life and the universe through science and evolution. Scientific naturalism as a theory, is unable to meet its own demanding principles of empirical verification.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that scientific naturalism refutes christianity's claim that its religious leader rose from the dead, and has a solid explanation about god and the origins of the universe.
- Explains that the christian world-view offers a coherent explanation to the answers sought about the origins of life and the universe.
243 wordsRead More - Collectivism Vs Individualismanalytical essay(1994). Beyond Individualism/Collectivism: New Cultural Dimensions of Values. In U.Kim, H.C. Triandis, C. Kagitcibasi, S. Choi & G. Yoon (Eds.). Individualism and Collectivism: Theory, Method, and Applications. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, pp. 112-115.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that individualism versus collectivism is the first basic issue confronting all societies. schwartz (1994) noted that the person is embedded in a collectivity, finding meaning in life largely through social relationships.
- Explains that conservatism values are sociocentric values, appropriate in settings where the self lacks autonomy but has meaning as part of the collectivity.
- Explains that the opposite pole of this dimension is defined as autonomous. the person is viewed as an autonomous, bounded entity who seeks to express his or her internal attributes.
- Explains schwartz's definition of intellectual autonomy as a cultural emphasis on the desirability of individuals independently pursuing their own ideas and intellectual directions.
- Explains schwartz, s.h., beyond individualism/collectivism: new cultural dimensions of values, in u.kim, triandis, kagitcibasi, choi & yoon.
- Analyzes how figure 1 demonstrates the position of the countries in the conservatism index versus intellectual autonomy index scale.
- Explains how schwartz redefined affective autonomy as a cultural emphasis on the desirability of individuals independently pursuing affectively positive experience.
- Explains schwartz, s.h., beyond individualism/collectivism: new cultural dimensions of values, in u.kim, triandis, kagitcibasi, choi & yoon.
- Analyzes how figure 2 demonstrates the position of the countries in the conservatism index versus affective autonomy index scale.
- Argues that contrary to conservatism, these values are likely to be important in societies that view the person as an autonomous entity entitled to pursue his or her individual interests.
- Explains that schwartz dimensions, conservatism, intellectual, and affective autonomy value subtypes are correlated across cultures.
- Explains that the second basic issue that confronts all societies is to guarantee responsible behavior that will preserve the social fabric. schwartz (1994) noted that one polar resolution of this issue uses power differences.
- Explains that people are socialized to comply with obligations and rules attached to their roles and sanctioned if they do not. hierarchy emphasizes the legitimacy of an unequal distribution of power, roles, and resources.
- Explains that schwartz (1994) mentioned that high egalitarianism cultures portray individuals as moral equals who share basic interests as human beings.
- Explains that people are socialized to internalize a commitment to voluntary cooperation with others and to feel concern for everyone’s welfare. egalitarianism values emphasize transcendence of selfish interests.
- Explains that italy has the weakest hierarchy index (1,69) where turkey is the strongest (3,30), while poland has a weaker egalitarianism index (4,82).
- Explains schwartz's hypothesis that a distinct region of values that express preference for hierarchy emerges closer to conservatism than to the combined autonomy index.
- Explains that the third basic issue that confronts all societies is the relation of humankind to the natural and social world.
- Explains that high harmony cultures accept the world as it is, trying to preserve rather than to change or exploit it. this value type emphasizes fitting harmoniously into the environment.
- Explains schwartz's definition of "beyond individualism/collectivism" and "intellectual autonomy".
1526 wordsRead More - Scientific Naturalism Versus Christianityexplanatory essayScientific Naturalism and Christianity are possibly the two most contradictory worldviews that are in our culture today. They are also the two most difficult to understand by one another. There is very little about these two worldviews that they have in common. They are a vast amount of ideas and beliefs held by adherents of each that are different. In order for these two worldviews to successfully co-exist in society, it is important to understand, accept, and learn from each one.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that scientific naturalism and christianity are contradictory worldviews that are difficult to understand. they are a vast amount of ideas and beliefs held by adherents of each.
- Analyzes how palmer's element of a christian worldview describes how the social element is indispensable to the long-term success of any worldview.
- Explains that society cannot exist without a social element driving it. people encounter each other daily, but everyone has different thought processes and beliefs.
- Explains that a worldview is an important part of one's life. it consists of beliefs which one holds. they must be consistent each other and come together.
- Explains palmer's view that a vital and functioning worldview is never complete. this is because the world changes. diversity is ever present and skills change within adherents.
- Explains that an ideology serves as a basis for assessing our values and insights as well as our beliefs, and allows one to understand their experiences in comparison to their own personal set of beliefs.
- Explains that the narratives within a worldview are important in their functions. they serve to embellish and reinforce the central ideological themes of the world view. scriptural passages from the bible serve as an example.
- Explains that moral norms govern human behavior and character development. aesthetic standards allow human beings to make judgments about what is considered beautiful, pleasing, or sublime.
- Explains that practices and rituals are an important key element of a worldview. they provide adherents with the ability to express their core beliefs by allowing for reflection of the meaning of their beliefs.
- Explains that palmer describes experiences as another key element of a worldview.
- Explains that to gain understanding about a conflicting worldview, it is important to first gain knowledge about what the beliefs are in the conflict.
- Opines that to understand a worldview, there are fundamental fundamental questions that must be answered.
- Explains that a christian worldview displays answers to the question of "who am i?" the bible states that humans are created in the likeness and image of god.
- Explains that being created in the image of god also means that humans are sacred.
- Explains that christians believe that god created the earth and the universe, commonly referred to as the cosmos.
- Explains palmer's answer to the question of "what is the meaning of history" in a christian worldview.
- Analyzes how the scripture answers the question of "what is the problem" for those adherents to a christian worldview.
- Explains that the bible is an authoritative document which witnesses the nature of god, the world, and human beings.
- Explains that christians answer the question of what happens to us when this life is over by their beliefs in heaven and hell. if a true believer accepts jesus christ as their personal savior, they will go to heaven once their earthly body dies.
1768 wordsRead More - Influence of Family on Personal Valuesexplanatory essayInfluences of Our Personal Values. (n.d.). (PointCast Presentation). Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University Online, Business 472 Web site:
In this essay, the author
- Explains that media tools, parents and upbringing, religion, education systems, peer pressure, money and greed influence personal values and morals. the family environment is one of two institutions established by god.
- Explains that god provides the pattern for effective and obedient family units, providing clear instructions for member responsibilities, and providing guidelines and principles for teaching, preserving and living out god’s truths for present and future generations.
- States creed's view that family values, forms, and strategies are now out of sync with economic and political trend. diverse family assemblages create more complex and demanding family roles and responsibilities.
- Explains that values are important because they govern how one thinks and acts. the family environment sets the tone for and reinforces these individual values.
- Cites creed, w., and hosmer, t. (2011). the ethics of management: a multidisciplinary approach.
624 wordsRead More - The Black and White of Science and Religionanalytical essayAnnotated References Astley, J; & Francis, L. (2010) British Journal of Religious Education, Promoting positive attitudes towards science and religion among sixth-form pupils: dealing with scientism and creationism. Vol. 32 Issue 3. The Routledge group writes a very compelling argument dealing with the attitudes towards science and religion.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how chauvinism is brought up in this article of science and religion. the article goes through the heaviness of history with this mindset and the problem of think through theories with the stubbornness
- Explains that the polanyian perspective reveals an aspect of reality, a reality largely hidden to us, and exists independently of our knowing it.
- Analyzes how writes a hard-hitting paper that strikes right at the heart of the conflict of science and religion.
- Analyzes how zygon expands the view of the embodied sciences and compares our contemporary with the past history of not knowing what is the absolute answer.
- Explains that there are spectrums of literature, from fantasy and sciences fiction to popular science, which play on one another and provide outlandish change in the subject matter to evoke false truth, realism and popular culture.
- Analyzes how the age-old story of the conflict of sciences and religion is brought up but gives real tools to bridge the gap of institutional battle.
- Explains that the primary textbook for science and religion is an overview of the basis of both subjects. the main text remains neutral in the material that gives great reference and balance to each side.
- Concludes that the institution of sciences and religion cannot survive as independent entities. collaboration between academic studies is so important for humanity progress.
- Analyzes how establishes the future and history of sciences, using the ambiguity of science or religion as a basis to generate discussion.
- Argues that religious beliefs and behaviors are ultimately reducible to a by-product of evolutionary cognitive adaptations.
- Argues that best practice in science and religion is unheard of and at times not valued at either institution. the biggest obstacle is misunderstanding of the interpretation of data or outcome on projects.
- Analyzes how the postwar period is responsible for the development of institutions in both the religious and scientific arenas.
- Cites cho, f., & squier, r. (2008). journal of the american academy of religion, "he blinded me."
- Cites grinde, b., "world futures: the journal of general evolution, god in the hands of god."
- States schweitz, l. (2010). zygon: journal of religion & science, on the road with religion.
- Describes taves, a., academic journal method & theory in the study of religion, no field is an anthology.
- Explains that the routledge group writes a compelling argument dealing with the attitudes towards science and religion. the paper data talks about the consistency of each institution and points towards how group and subcultures can either be positive or negative.
- Analyzes the struggle between the jewish teacher's philosophy and general subjects taught by their contemporary colleges in the scientific fields.
- Argues that cognitive theories and neurosciences drive the belief that science and the power of the brain drives the truth of this contentious debate.
- Summarizes other papers dealing with the relationship between science and religion. the question that generates this paper is where is the direction of science going?
1658 wordsRead More - The relationship between ethics and effective leadership in the current business environment?opinion essayGulla, Ashok (2010) “Creating Values in Life: Personal, Moral, Spiritual, Family and Social Values” retrieved on 04. 01. 2014
In this essay, the author
- Opines that an effective leader is important for an organization to maintain a good reputation and to be successful. an ethical leader who sets an example for the employees is also effective.
- Explains that leaders lead people and should always do the right things. communication, support, and integrity are qualities that make a good leader.
- Explains that leaders are effective, but they aren't as effective as the public sees them. the enron scandal is an example of effective leadership with unethical behavior.
- Opines that if you want to be effective, you need to have good ethical values, values that meet the general public standards.
- Cites ciulla, j.b., 'ethics and leadership effectiveness', and economy, peter.
- Opines that gm didn't fix deadly ignition switch because it would have cost $1 per car.
659 wordsRead More - Scientific Christian Religionexplanatory essayThe Scientific Christians religion was founded and discovered in the nineteenth century by Mary Baker Eddy. She described it as "the law of God, the law of good". In the Christian Science faith by god is the infinite love and it is believed that through prayer anything can be healed and restored. At a young age Mary Baker Eddy looked for the answer in human suffering. She experienced a critical injury and tried to gain her health back through many therapeutic theories of that time period, things such as "homeopathy; the curing of disease by the internal and external use of water, and hydropathy; treating disease by drugs, given in minute doses, that would produce in a healthy person symptoms similar to those of the disease, and Graham’s dietary systems; feeding the body fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains". There was no improvement so she looked to the bible for answers and prayers. She was able to get up with no help and walk around the room. She surprised her friends. She told them that her prayer had worked. Her health improved in the months ahead. Baker being able to move across the room changed her life. Mary Baker saw that spiritual healing was based on Divine laws of God, Spirit, and these laws could help heal human suffering and
In this essay, the author
- Describes how mary baker eddy discovered the scientific christians religion in the nineteenth century. she devoted herself to teaching, practicing, spreading, and sharing the healing science of christianity.
- Explains how mary baker created a church called "the church of christ, scientist" and published fifteen books and started weekly and monthly magazines based on people's accounts of being healed.
- Explains that scientific christians believed in the power of healing without the use of medicine. christian scientists don't read the christian bible.
607 wordsRead More - The Integration of Science and Religionopinion essayThe Integration of Science and Religion At first glance, many facets of science and religion seem to be in direct conflict with each other. Because of this, I have generally kept them confined to separate spheres in my life. I have always thought that science is based on reason and cold, hard facts and is, therefore, objective. New ideas have to be proven many times by different people to be accepted by the wider scientific community, data and observations are taken with extreme precision, and through journal publications and papers, scientists are held accountable for the accuracy and integrity of their work.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that science and religion seem to be in direct conflict with each other. science is based on reason and cold, hard facts and is therefore objective.
- Explains that science and christianity seem less rigid and inflexible, and that a metaphorical interpretation of the bible does not threaten the core beliefs of their religion.
- Explains that the bible contains events that cannot be true scientifically, so they couldn't see how to unite the two. barbour's discussion of paradigms was helpful to them.
- Opines that science's limitations help them integrate science and religion by removing some of the flawless nature they generally attribute to science.
- Argues that religion is important in reconciling science and religion. the big bang theory can explain how the universe formed, but only religion can answer why it formed.
- Opines that science and christianity must reconcile the creation story in genesis as a symbolic representation of god's relationship with his people and his place in the world.
- Analyzes the similarities between the creation story in genesis and the big bang theory to further the integration of science and christianity.
- Opines that the resurrection cannot be reconciled with science by saying that christ died and was brought back to life after three days.
- Agrees with barbour's idea that god influences everything that happens in the world but without taking explicit control of things.
- Opines that science and religion have come full circle in terms of god's place along with science.
- Opines that science and christianity have a tenuous relationship since the rise of modern science with galileo and his contemporaries.
- Opines that science and religion can complement each other, even if they aren't reconciled. god is present and active at so many levels in the world without completely controlling things.
3264 wordsRead More