St Andrew s Greek Orthodox Theological College (Sydney College of Divinity) http://www.sagotc.edu.

au/

The Relationship between

Theology
and Science

Revd Dr Doru Costache Introduction to Theology 10 May 2012

Perennial Challenges
! Christians in the world, a tensioning situation ! Protecting our identity ! Preaching the Gospel

Perennial Challenges
! Two pseudomorphoses: ! Fundamentalism (attachment to forms) ! Claiming authenticity ! Rejecting the immediate cultural context

Perennial Challenges
! Two pseudomorphoses: ! Syncretism (detachment from the spirit) ! Updating Christian spirit [ secularisation of the Gospel ! Confusing the apostolic spirit with any other spirit/ideology

Perennial Challenges
! Christian tradition means both identity & flexibility ! Identity = faithfulness to the spirit or content of the apostolic preaching

Perennial Challenges
! Christian tradition means both identity & flexibility ! Flexibility = missionary adjustment to the context of the world [ changing the form of preaching

Perennial Challenges
! The need to distinguish ! The permanent character of the spirit ! The ephemeral aspect of the expressions of the spirit
These are primary tasks of the theological endeavour. But what kind of theology are we talking about here?

Ecclesial theology

! Theology as an instrument of the ecclesial phronema (mindset): ! Discerning the true values ! Interpreting phenomena, events, theories etc.

Ecclesial theology
! Connected to all aspects of God s people s experience giving account of this experience, being influenced by it and in turn influencing it

St Irenaeus of Lyon

! Our opinion is in accordance with the eucharist and the eucharist confirms our opinion
! Against heresies 4.18.5

Ecclesial Theology

! Ecclesial theology contemplates reality for salvific purposes

Connecting theology & science

! Science produces raw data which have to be interpreted within the framework of ecclesial theology

Connecting theology & science

! Ecclesial theology needs accurate data information provided by the various sciences for pastoral an missionary purposes
Anthropology

Ecclesial theology
Cosmology Hermeneutics

Theology & Science

! A particular case of interdisciplinary interaction ! Four possible approaches to theology & science

John Haught Science and Religion: From Conflict to Conversation (Paulist Press, 1995)

! Conflict mutual elimination; one-sidedness; denial of the other [the warfare of science and religion]

John Haught Science and Religion: From Conflict to Conversation (Paulist Press, 1995)

! Contrast complete parallelism; incompatible methodologies [mutual indifference]

John Haught Science and Religion: From Conflict to Conversation (Paulist Press, 1995)

! Contact awareness of each other; acknowledging the other s methodology and aspirations [dialog]

John Haught Science and Religion: From Conflict to Conversation (Paulist Press, 1995)

! Confirmation mutual consistency; pointing towards a purpose (teleological approach) [synthesis]

Not my choice

Confirmation
! Dangers increasing confusion
!

concordism total agreement between science and theology; concurrent methodologies [e.g., Genesis and the Big Bang theory are consonant]

Confirmation
! Dangers increasing confusion
! syncretism mixture of scientific and theological data [e.g., New Age, Neo-Gnosticism, Scientology]

My choice

Contact
! Responsibility for the world we live in
! Contemporary issues (distorted values, ecological crisis etc) originate in the rift between science and theology
Ethical disorientation

Dissolution of values

Warfare of science & religion

Contact

! Responsibility for the world we live in

! Contemporary issues should be addressed from a complex perspective (scientific expertise & spiritual criteria)

Theology

Science

Contact
! Apologetic reasons for a dialog: being aware of our scientifically-grounded cultural environment represents a prerequisite for a more realistic and efficient mission

Contact
! Dialog does not represent a solution; however, it presents opportunities for solutions

Contact
! Positive aspects building a better world
! bringing back the spiritual criteria within a nontraditional / secular culture

Contact
! Positive aspects building a better world
! transfiguring contemporary culture, the way Christianity did with the culture of Late Antiquity (e.g. Christianised Hellenism)

Contact
! A new encounter between Christianity and culture requires the traditional knowhow of the early Church

St Basil the Great. T the Youth o

[ ] Moses, that illustrious man whose name for wisdom is greatest among all mankind, first trained his mind in the learning of the Egyptians, and then proceeded to the contemplation of Him who is.

And like him, although in later times, they say that the wise Daniel at Babylon first learned the wisdom of the Chaldaeans and then applied himself to the divine teachings. [ ] this pagan learning is not without usefulness for the soul [ ] [what one should learn is] how you should participate in it [ ]

[ ] It is in accordance of the whole similitude of the bees, that we should participate in the pagan literature. For these neither approach all flowers equally, nor in truth do they attempt to carry off entire those upon which they alight, but taking only so much of them as is suitable for their work, they suffer the rest to go untouched.

We ourselves too, if we are wise, having appropriated from this literature what is suitable to us and akin to the truth, will pass over the remainder. And just as in plucking the blooms of a rose-bed we avoid the thorns, so also in garnering from such writings whatever is useful, let us guard ourselves against what is harmful [ ]

[ ] you should not surrender to these men once for all the rudders of your mind, as if of a ship, and follow them wherever they lead; rather, accepting from them only that which is useful, you should know that which ought to be overlooked.

[ ] everything we do is by way of preparation for the other life. Whatever, therefore, contributes to that life, we say must be loved and pursued with all our strength; but what does not conduce to that must be passed over as of no account. [ ]

St Maximus, Mystagogy 24

When assessed by the reason that perceives (things) theologically, those things considered by men as being of great importance are (actually) of less value.

Theology & Science

! The critical approach neither uncritical reception nor uncritical rejection ! Exploring the main trends and features of a cultural context

Theology & Science

! Discerning what is useful in culture
! Rejection of what is counterproductive to the spiritual progress ! Welcoming what can be useful to the spiritual progress

Theology & Science

! The selective criterion:
! ecclesial / mindset ! eschatological / purpose

Some of my relevant articles

http://www.scribd.com/my_document_collections/2331036