I taught one of the adult Bible classes at my church this morning. The topic was “The Bible and Science.” It almost seemed funny to me that the study guide devoted one class to this topic, which has raged unabated around the world for the past couple centuries. But I accept the choice of the editors of our study guide to handle it that way, since it is only one facet of a topic we are studying for 13 weeks, “The Bible for Today.” Still, to wrap up centuries of argument and counter-argument in a 45-minute class is a bit daunting!

Since many of my friends reading this blog are following the same study guide, I won’t go into all the points here. But here is a basic outline of our discussion:

What is science? Science is the systematic study of the world we live in, our universe, and ourselves, to determine cause and effect relationships and to acquire useful knowledge. Ideally, rigorous methods are used to safeguard the validity of scientific research. By nature of its methods, science is limited to that which is consistent in human experience and that which can be objectively tested.

Is science good? Yes. Virtually everyone in our group indicated personal enjoyment of one or more branches of science, including astronomy (probably the most popular field of science in our group), physics, anatomy, and biology. We have also benefited greatly from science in such fields as medicine and technology. Many in our church work at a worldwide television and radio network, which is highly dependent on advanced technology for many aspects of its day-to-day operations. Psalm 8:3, 4 encourages us to study the world we live in. Daniel 1:4 indicates that science was a field of study for the prophet Daniel and his friends. Mark 2:27 (the Sabbath being related to creation itself), Isaiah 45:18, Psalm 8:6, and other passages indicate this world was made of us — not merely to be lived in, but to be studied and understood.

What are the limitations of science? We didn’t have time to fully explore this question. But we talked about how everything in science, and especially any point that delves into the distant past or deals with highly theoretical subjects, is subject to interpretation. Only in the light of divine truth can we interpret correctly (Proverbs 1:7). Not all conclusions of mainstream science are equally valid (1 Timothy 6:20). Although nature clearly points to a divine Author, it is possible for humans, because of their perversity, to be blind to the evidence (Romans 1:20-25).

Can science prove the Bible true? While practical proof, or evidence, is abundant, absolute proof is impossible. This is equally true for both doctrine and scientific theory. Ultimately what we believe will always be a matter of faith, whether it is Christianity, paganism, atheism, or something else. The best we can do is find a source of authority that is consistent and settled, and which gives us useful answers. For the most important questions of life, science offers little help, and moreover, popular science fallacies have caused widespread misery, depravity, and despair. On the other hand, Christianity has given many of us purpose and meaning in life, and rings true even today, having stood the test of time.

Do science and the Bible agree? Ideally, yes. Do scientists and theologians agree? Often, no. We discussed reasons for this disconnect. There are undoubtedly various causes. Some that we discussed include: (1) The abuse of science by the church, especially during the long centuries when the spiritually corrupted imperial church of Rome became dogmatic in matters of science. (2) Poor discipleship of young Christians, contributing to their lack of biblical knowledge and misunderstanding of Christian belief, predisposing them to be swayed by false science later in life. (3) Ignorance of science and the presence of superstition within branches of the church, which erode the credibility of the church in the eyes of educated persons.

Historically, science was not always at odds with faith. In the class, I mentioned a short list of important scientists, including many of the most famous and influential scientists, all people of faith. Not only did their faith not interfere with their science, in many cases they regarded faith and God as the motivation and purpose of their research. Here are some of the sources I pulled from:

• Famous Scientists Who Believed in God
• 100 Scientists Who Shaped History
• Quotes From Famous Scientists

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There were some points in my notes that we did not cover due to lack of time:

Does modern science owe anything to Christianity? The Christian worldview contains a number of pro-science suppositions that were not widespread in the pre-Christian (pagan) world. I am indebted to David Asscherick and the Pan de Vida audio commentary series for the following points, elements of the Christian worldview: Nature is real, not imaginary; nature is not God; nature (the material world) is good and worth studying; nature is unified and orderly; the natural order is mathematically precise; human minds are in the image of the original mind (God’s), and thus can understand the natural order. These Christian beliefs provided a framework that allowed science to flourish in the Western world.

Do scientific findings support the Bible? It is important that nature and the Bible agree, since they have one Author. But science, understood as that which is commonly believed by those calling themselves scientists, may or may not agree with the Bible. Popular science is full of conjecture, bias, and wishful thinking — and therefore, error. The Bible has no need for this kind of scientific support. Indeed, the idea that the Bible needs scientific props shows a lack of faith. Popular science is itself a faith venture, and since it lacks the divine illumination we find in the Bible, there is no reason to accept popular science as trustworthy in any spiritual or moral context. Even when scientific findings seem to match divine revelation, we must be careful not to infuse science with any spiritual authority.

Nevertheless, certain branches of science do seem to undercut naturalistic materialism and point to a Creator. These include anthropic coincidences (ways the universe seems tuned to support life), astronomy, biology, and geology.

What is God’s role in relation to the natural world? See Genesis 1:1; Psalm 100:3; John 1:1-3; Acts 17:24-31; Colossians 1:16-17.

For those wishing to explore further, I recommend the books The Wedge of Truth by Phillip Johnson, and Evidence of Purpose, edited by John Marks Templeton.