Catholic teaching holds that there can be no conflict between faith and reason, but history shows us that sometimes scientists and theologians have been at odds. This often happens when either the scientist or theologian speaks outside his or her specialty.
Scientists who deny the existence of God have a right to their opinions, but they are not speaking as scientists but as philosophers. Likewise, theologians have no expertise in estimating the age of the earth.
For Catholics, the apparent conflict between Genesis and contemporary science was resolved by improvements in biblical theology, which respects the literary form and cultural context of scripture.
Disagreements can also occur over the ethical use of scientific knowledge. Just because you can do something, does not mean that you should. Weapons of mass destruction, human cloning and climate change are the products of human science gone amuck without ethical guidelines. Today there is a need for teams of scientists and ethicists to examine and respond to complex issues that arise from scientific progress so that both facts and values can be weighed.
Nowhere is this need more evident than in dealing with global warming. “Climate change is a serious concern and an inescapable responsibility for scientists and other experts, political and governmental leaders, local administrators and international organizations, as well as every sector of human society and each human person,” said the Holy See’s undersecretary for relations with states to the U.N. General Assembly in September. He stressed the “moral imperative that all, without exception, have a grave responsibility to protect the environment.”
In the past, many environmentalists saw the Catholic Church as an enemy because of its opposition to population control programs. Although neither side is likely to change its mind, the strong stance that Pope Benedict and other church leaders are taking on environmental issues is causing environmentalists to see the church as a potential ally.
Environmentalists are beginning to recognize the power of religion to motivate people to sacrifice their self-interest for the common good. Promoting a simpler life style has a long history in the church, going back to St. Francis of Assisi and earlier saints. Seeing creation as God’s gift to be cherished and not plundered is a theological imperative that is very relevant for today.
Conflict between science and religion is so 19th century. Today there must be a partnership if we are to save our world.
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