Science and Belief: The Big Issues
TEACH Journal of Christian Education
Science and Belief: The B ig Issues
Avondale College of Higher Education ResearchOnline@Avondale
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Article 16
Science and belief: The big issues
Stannard, R. (2012). Lion Hudson, Oxford.
The subject of this book originally appeared
as a twelve-episode series for the BBC. The
author, Russell Stannard, is a physicist and
licensed lay minister in the Church of England
who, although finding no conflict between
science and belief himself, allows the reader
to make up their own mind after a stimulating
discussion of the questions raised.
There are eight major issues raised in the book—
that relating to Genesis and Evolution, Intelligent
Design, Morality, Creation, Anthropic Principle,
Extraterrestrial Intelligence, Psychology, and
Miracles. Broadly speaking the author’s approach
is one that demonstrates an intimate knowledge
of modern physics, which is not surprising, and
one that is prepared to accept the major tenets
of evolutionary theory. In fact the impression
is left with the reader that scientific theory and
practice can provide insight into Christian belief.
Conservative Christians may find the book rather
challenging from this perspective but the book
does now represent the orientation of a significant
proportion of the Christian church to the question
of science and belief. However, regardless of
one’s particular profession of belief, the book
provides valuable information for contemplation.
The chapter on Genesis and Evolution focuses
on how a large proportion of biblical scholarship
understands the language of Genesis. The author
introduces the reader to the concept of ‘myth’ in a
positive sense, to the concept of story or narrative,
to the difference between the ‘how-type’ and
the ‘why-type’ questions, and to some historical
information that links the literal interpretation
of Genesis with the Protestant Reformation.
Changes in the Roman Catholic understanding of
biblical inspiration from the time of the Council of
Trent (1540’s) to Vatican II in 1962 are also briefly
outlined. The point of this chapter is to show, in the
author’s opinion, that Genesis and Evolution are
not on a collision course if properly understood.
The Intelligent Design (ID) chapter amounts
largely to a discussion of the arguments for and
against evolution. While suggesting that ID is
essentially a “God of the Gaps” type of argument,
Stannard claims that, “ID is at least a step on the
way towards acknowledging that evolution has
taken place”. While some ID adherents might
agree, others would disagree with this statement.
Some common misconceptions of evolution such
as the wholly unpredictable nature of evolution
are discussed in terms of the emergence of
complexity by a process known as ‘convergence’
which seems to be endemic to evolution. The
author acknowledges the basic unfairness
associated with evolutionary process, but also
recognises that “the deep mystery of premature
death, and indeed the other manifestations of
life being unfair, has always been with us”. In this
regard, an interesting observation is made that
there appears to be an “indissoluble link between
love and suffering…an example set by God
himself”. The chapter concludes by pondering
on the spiritual nature of human beings. Did
this emerge through a process of evolution like
that supposed to have occurred for our physical
nature? Or was some other process involved?
Here are some commonly held opinions on
the question of morality that the author uses to
begin a discussion of the topic:
Opinion 1: Our sense of morality comes from
God.
Opinion 2: Morality comes from society and our
parents and it’s ridiculous to say that
if you’re not religious then you can’t
be moral.
Opinion 3: I think the sole reason that humans
behave altruistically is because it’s
an evolutionary advantage.
Opinion 4: I think that science has nothing to
do with morality. If it wasn’t given
morality from religion then humanity
would have no limits.
Stannard proposes that the Genesis
account and the evolutionary account of human
beginnings both point to the inherent selfishness
of the human character. “Thus Genesis sets the
scene for all that is to follow: namely our need
to repent and, by an act of the conscious will,
re-centre our lives on God. But being naturally
selfish is the same sort of conclusion one comes
to from evolutionary theory. Far from discrediting
the Adam and Eve story, in this respect at least,
evolution serves to throw fresh light on an ancient
insight into the intrinsic nature of the human
character”. Altruism is discussed from the point
of view of reciprocal altruism or enlightened
selfinterest and altruism on behalf of close kin, that
is, on behalf of those who share the same genetic
material. The author then challenges us to think
about a higher form of altruism such as helping
those who are not (...truncated)