1/54 the relation between christian faith and the natural sciences steve badger and mike tenneson...

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The Relation BetweenChristian Faith and

the Natural Sciences

Steve Badger and Mike TennesonEvangel University

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How do you know that you know something?

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Your “theory of knowing” will largely determine what you embrace as

“truth” or as “knowledge.”

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What is knowledge?How do we know?

Propositions

BeliefBeliefBeliefBeliefTruthTruthTruthTruth KnowledgKnowledgee

KnowledgKnowledgee

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Belief & Knowledge

You can believe something that is not true.You can fail to believe something that is true.People often try to find ways to justify their beliefs (prove them to be true, knowledge).

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Justifying BeliefsEmpiricism – knowledge is a product of human

experience

Idealism – what we refer to and perceive as the

external world is in some way an artifice of the mind

Common Sense Realism (naïve realism)– there is a real world (external to us) and

our perceptions are caused directly by that world

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Justifying BeliefsPhenomenalism – objects are not distinct substances that

exist; rather our perception of the object is all that really exists

Pragmatism– it’s knowledge if it solves our problems

Rationalism – there are ideas that are not derived

from sense experience; but these ideas may be justified by experience

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Justifying BeliefsSkepticism – philosophical skepticism: you can never

have sufficient justification in a belief to call it knowledge

– scientific skepticism: you should accept claims only on the basis of solid evidence

And others too…

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Foundational QuestionsFoundational Questions

Should the knowledge gained in the natural sciences inform our Christian doctrine? Should the knowledge gained in the natural sciences inform our Christian praxis? What do you think?

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We believe…

That all truth should help us understand Bible truth and how we live out our faith.

The “General Revelation” & the “Special Revelation” both reveal God’s truth.

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What do you know?

1. Name something (not spiritual) that you “know.”

2. Tell how you gained this knowledge.

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Ways to Knowledge Things Known

Authority (testimony) The past, transmitted culture

The SensesThings perceived via the senses

ReasonLogical truths, deductions, inferences

Phenomenology General or universal ideas

Self-revelation Persons

Intuition Friendship, love, hunches

Apprenticeship Skills, connoisseurship

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Theories of Truth

Major Theories of TruthMajor Theories of Truth

From Geisler and Feinberg’sFrom Geisler and Feinberg’s

Introduction to Philosophy: Introduction to Philosophy: A Christian PerspectiveA Christian Perspective

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The Correspondence Theory of TruthThe Correspondence Theory of Truth

Something is considered true if the proposition corresponds to the elements and a similar structure. This theory maintains that the truth of a statement is determined only by how it relates to the world, and whether it accurately describes (i.e., corresponds with) that world.

Something is considered true if the proposition corresponds to the elements and a similar structure. This theory maintains that the truth of a statement is determined only by how it relates to the world, and whether it accurately describes (i.e., corresponds with) that world.

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The Correspondence Theory of TruthThe Correspondence Theory of Truth

It presupposes an objective world and is antagonistic to theories that reject objectivity (such as skepticism or relativism). So truth means correspondence with the facts.

It presupposes an objective world and is antagonistic to theories that reject objectivity (such as skepticism or relativism). So truth means correspondence with the facts.

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The Coherence Theory of Truth

A statement is true if and only if it coheres (is consistent) with all of the other statements of that system. Coherence theories of truth do not merely claim that coherence and consistency are important features of a theoretical system—they claim that these properties are sufficient to its truth.

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This has some merit…we tend to reject a statement that is self contradictory (or contradicts what we have already embraced as truth, or contradicts our experiences or observations)


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Coherence is a necessary condition of truth, but not a sufficient condition.A statement may be coherent with one system and incoherent with another.A statement may be coherent with a system but not applicable to the real world.Two different—mutually exclusive, but coherent—systems are logically possible.


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Other Truth Theories

The Pragmatic Theory of Truth

The Performative Theory of Truth

The Identity Theory of Truth

Now let’s look at two important principles

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Verification PrincipleFor a statement to be meaningful (true) it must be either 1) purely definitional or else 2) verifiable by one or of more of the five senses. All other statements (theological, ethical, etc) are nonsense or meaninglessA.J. Ayer (1910-1970)Self-refuting

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Falsification PrincipleAnthony Flew & Karl PopperFlew used it to challenge belief in GodBut Flew changed his mind (2004)

Karl Popper Anthony Flew

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Falsification Principle

Any statement or proposition is meaningless unless it is subject to falsification (at least in principle)Self-refuting

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What’s a Christian to think?

Who should shape our convictions on these matters?Does the Bible have anything to say about knowledge and truth?The Bible has much to say about “truth” and about “knowledge” (“Wisdom” too!)Truth is a biblical value.

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Integrating Integrating

Science and FaithScience and Faith

Integrating Integrating

Science and FaithScience and Faith

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Our GoalsOur Goals

We hope to help you…We hope to help you…

Understand how different people Understand how different people relate knowledge gained in relate knowledge gained in different waysdifferent ways

Choose the best method for Choose the best method for relating knowledge gained in relating knowledge gained in different waysdifferent ways

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Interrelated FactorsInterrelated Factors

Worldview Worldview

PresuppositionsPresuppositions

EpistemologyEpistemology

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These patterns were adapted from Richard Bube’s

Putting It All Together: Seven Patterns for Relating Science and the Christian

Faith.Univ. Press of America, 1995.

These patterns were adapted from Richard Bube’s

Putting It All Together: Seven Patterns for Relating Science and the Christian

Faith.Univ. Press of America, 1995.

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In this presentation, In this presentation, sciencescience refers to refers to

the natural sciences, the natural sciences, and and theologytheology refers to refers to

conservative, Evangelical, conservative, Evangelical, biblical theology. biblical theology.

In this presentation, In this presentation, sciencescience refers to refers to

the natural sciences, the natural sciences, and and theologytheology refers to refers to

conservative, Evangelical, conservative, Evangelical, biblical theology. biblical theology.

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““NO COMMON GROUND”NO COMMON GROUND”COMPARTMENTALISMCOMPARTMENTALISM

““Science and theology tell us Science and theology tell us differentdifferent kinds of things kinds of things about about differentdifferent things.” things.”

#1#1

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Conflict is impossible by Conflict is impossible by definition because natural definition because natural science and biblical theology science and biblical theology have no common ground. have no common ground.

#1#1#1#1


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Each discipline should address Each discipline should address only those issues in its own only those issues in its own domain. domain.

#1#1


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This pattern is also known as This pattern is also known as The Two Worlds View or as The Two Worlds View or as Non-Overlapping Magisteria Non-Overlapping Magisteria (NOMA). (NOMA).

#1#1#1#1


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CompartmentalismTwo Worlds View or NOMA

NaturalScience Biblical

TheologyBiblical

Theology

#1#1

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““Science and theology tell Science and theology tell us different kinds of things us different kinds of things about the same things.”about the same things.”

““BOTH ARE RIGHT”BOTH ARE RIGHT”COMPLEMENTARISMCOMPLEMENTARISM

#2#2

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When true to its capabilities and When true to its capabilities and limitations, each discipline limitations, each discipline provides valid insights into the provides valid insights into the nature of reality, but from nature of reality, but from different perspectives. different perspectives.

#2#2


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An adequate and coherent view An adequate and coherent view of reality can be obtained only of reality can be obtained only if people (and professional if people (and professional communities) integrate these communities) integrate these two disciplines. two disciplines.

#2#2


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Complementarism

#2#2

BiblicalTheologyBiblical

Theology

NaturalScience

+

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ComplementarismB

iblicalT

heologyNat

ural

Sci

ence

#2#2


Theology

NaturalScience

+

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““BOTH ARE WRONG”BOTH ARE WRONG”CONCORDISMCONCORDISM

““Science and theology should Science and theology should tell us the same kinds of tell us the same kinds of things about the same things about the same things.”things.”

#3#3

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The inability of natural science The inability of natural science and contemporary biblical and contemporary biblical theology to agree is due to theology to agree is due to human imperfection in both human imperfection in both disciplines. disciplines.

#3#3


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Both science and theology Both science and theology need to find new approaches need to find new approaches to achieve an integrated to achieve an integrated understanding of reality.understanding of reality.

#3#3


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Concordism


Theology

NaturalScience

+

#3#3

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Concordism


Theology

NaturalScience

BiblicalTheology

NaturalScience+

#3#3

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SCIENCE & FAITH SCIENCE & FAITH IN CONFLICTIN CONFLICT

““Religion and Religion and science will science will

always clash.”always clash.”

TimeTime, Nov. 2, 2006, Nov. 2, 2006

““God vs. Science”God vs. Science”

David Van BiemaDavid Van BiemaDr Paul BloomDr Paul BloomPsychologistPsychologist

Yale UniversityYale University

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SCIENTISTS KNOW BESTSCIENTISTS KNOW BESTCONFLICTISM #1CONFLICTISM #1

““Science and theology tell us Science and theology tell us the same kinds of things about the same kinds of things about the same things. When they the same things. When they conflict, both cannot be right.” conflict, both cannot be right.”

#4A#4A

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In any conflict, science is In any conflict, science is always right. always right.


#4A#4A

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ConflictismNatural Science over Biblical

Theology


Theology

NaturalScience

#4A#4A

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Contemporary biblical theology Contemporary biblical theology must be redefined and rewritten must be redefined and rewritten in order to be consistent with in order to be consistent with the developments and the developments and discoveries of modern science. discoveries of modern science.


#4A#4A

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““Science and theology tell us Science and theology tell us the same kinds of things about the same kinds of things about the same things. When they the same things. When they conflict, both cannot be right.”conflict, both cannot be right.”

THEOLOGIANS KNOW BESTTHEOLOGIANS KNOW BESTCONFLICTISM #2CONFLICTISM #2

#4B#4B

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In any conflict, theology In any conflict, theology is always right. is always right.


#4B#4B

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ConflictismBiblical Theology over Natural Science

NaturalScience Biblical

TheologyBiblical

Theology

#4B#4B

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An understanding of the scientific An understanding of the scientific description of the world provides us description of the world provides us with such overwhelming evidence of with such overwhelming evidence of the truth of the Bible and biblical the truth of the Bible and biblical theology, that we have no logically theology, that we have no logically defensible choice but to believe them. defensible choice but to believe them.


#4B#4B

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Do you identify with one of these patterns more than another?

Do you think Christians should prefer one of them?

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THE ENDTHE END

1/54 the relation between christian faith and the natural sciences steve badger and mike tenneson...

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