From: stephena@bwc.org (Stephen Ako)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.bahai
Subject: Article on Science and Religion
Date: 11 Nov 92 12:23:59 GMT
Article-I.D.: ogicse.45671
Organization: -

[Note:  The author's upload damaged the formatting, I attempted to 
reconstruct it as much as practicable.  The references are unchecked. -a]

This is an article that I wrote for the Baha'i World Centre Youth Newsletter 
on the theme of Science and Religion.  Since there has been some questions on 
this, see Ken Arrombee's question posted earlier, I am sending this as an 
effort to help resolve the articial barrier between the two. This ideas 
expressed are mind and does not in anyway claim to be the official rule of the
Faith on this issue.

Many thanks,

Stephen Ako
 
                RELIGION AND SCIENCE: THE TWO LEGS OF ONE COMPASS
 
 
One may say with some conviction that the human mind invariably judges and
understands concepts or phenomena through a framework. In some cases this is
definite and indisputable.  For example few people will fail to attribute
to the force of gravity the fact that an apple thrown in the air, anywhere
in the universe, will necessarily fall back to the surface or earth.  Also
that definition enhances understanding, few can dispute.  This is largely why
some framework within which one views, observes and studies cognitive and
immeasurable phenomena is necessary.  From the above therefore one can say with
some certainty that the bottleneck is not on the raison d'etre of the given
framework, but largely on the premise and how it should be used.  In a sense
the object will determine the format and operating parameters.  Why 
religion?  How does its practice affect the way we live or should live 
our lives?
 
Looking through the Baha'i Scriptures, one can easily see a two fold purpose
for man's creation.  The one being to 'know / worship God', (See the Short
Obligatory Prayer) and the other 'to carry forward an ever-advancing
civilization' ("Gleanings" p.215).  The former relates more to religion and the
latter to science.  Religion, if you will, furnishes man with the
principles/philosophy, and science the tool, material and methodology to
achieve the above two objects of one goal.
 
Broadly speaking, the act of knowing and worshipping appears to be more or less
an individual, subjective affair; while the  furtherance of an ever-advancing
civilization is more of a collective effort.  However, the collectiveness alone
is no gurantee for such an enterprise.  Religion acts as a lubricant to this
collective effort.  It provides the steam, spirit and the moral code that will
create a milieu whereby such a noble object can be achieved. 'In the sphere of
morality, reason has no absolute standard.  Religion alone is able to supply
this standard.' ("The Imperishable Dominion" p.80).  Religion if you like 
governs where there is no 'law system' in operation.  It enshrines a moral
code that shapes our behaviour/action.
 
Looking closely one can see that one both science and religion re-enforce each
other, for the over-all aim of both activities should, or better still is to
enable man to remember His creator - God.  The two are like the twin legs of a
compass.  The further one moves away from the other, the closer they become.
In the "Surat'l-Hykal", the sura of the Temple, Baha'u'llah says: 'Everyone is
able to to praise His Lord, and utter His remembrance, but some of the people
understand and remember and some remember but do not understand.' 
("Surat'l-Hykal" p.18).  This is our goal and explains why we pray, strive to 
acquire virtues, build places of worship - churches, mosques etc.  Religion 
teaches us how to acquire virtues, pray, establish peace/order in society,
while science furnishes us with the technology to carry forward the
ever-advancing civilization, the continuation of which it is our duty.  The
one supports, enhances and complement the other towards the attainment of
this noble goal - remembrance of God, 'I testify, O my God, and my King, that
Thou hast created me to remember Thee, to glorify Thee, and to aid Thy
Cause.' (ESW p.3).
 
In order therefore to better grasp what is meant by science and religion on the
one hand, and the need for harmony between the two, we must seek for a common
ground, a universal mind that is all encompassing.  Important as definitions
and concepts are, one should most certainly weigh them against a given
"Balance".  In order words, there should be a reference point.  This will as
path finder or guide, a manual if you will, to which you can turn for the
justification of a certain line of thought or given object of understanding. 
Such is the dare need of especially the age in which we live - an age of 
pluralism if you will, when what seems to one as being reasonable and proper 
can appear as sheer folly to another.  Examples of erroneously applied 
reason (individual as well as collective) abound today.  Such fierce wars, 
prejudices and irreligionist tendencies are some of its manifestations.
 
When asked whether man possesses an innate state of justice, Abdu'l-Baha
answered in the negative.  He then went on to say that man is dependent on
divine revelation.  One moreover can infer from the benefits of religion that
he gives that science is one of these benefits, with its resultant technology,
the beneficial outcome of which is the wonderful material civilization it has
helped to forge.  In "The Secret of Divine Civilization", Abdu'l-Baha says
'Universal benefits derive from the grace of the Divine religions, for they
lead their true followers to sincerity of intent, to compassion, to purity and
spotless honour, to surpassing kindness ... It is religion to sum up, which
produces all human virtues, and it is these virtues which are are the bright
candles of civilization.' ("SDC" pp. 97-8)
 
With the belief that "reality is one and cannot admit of multiplicity," Abdul-
Baha ("SAB"  p.298) is seen to affirm that the criteria or methodology for
investigating physical (material or tangible,) and metaphysical (spiritual or
at times non ephemeral) realities are and should be the same.  The process of
investigation is knowledge, its fruit is science - "the outcome of this
intellectual endowment" - ("Promugation" p. 29.) This process however, requires
endeavour at times long and labourious.  The reason why we do make this effort
is because God has endowed man with a "love of reality" ("Promulgation" p. 49)
which urges him in his research; the greater the effort, the better the
results.  These efforts, regardless of their intensity and ardour do not
gurantee results, if expended in the wrong way.  If only man could realise that
whether his researches are carried out on the physical or on the spiritual
level, he is infact investigating reality - which does not call for
multiplicity, science and religion can be seen as the 'two wings' of one bird.
("Paris Talks"  p. 143.)
 
Part of the difficulty in attempting to understand and clarify the relationship
between science and religion is that the nature of religion seems much less
defined than that of science.  Most people see religion as being more or less
akin to an aesthetic or emotional experience; or primarily as a cognitive
activity like science.  To view religion as being primarily cognitive, one
would think that applying scientific method to religion will reconcile the main
problem.  Alas, this is unattainable without falsifying either the nature of
scientific method or else the global, subjective, mystic character of religion.
By the same token, viewing religion as as primarily noncognitive appears
ultimately to relegate religion to an unacceptable secondary and inferior
status in the range of human activities.  Such a view will render the objective
content of religion to be a set of beliefs and moral imperatives, which at best
are expressions of various subjective, emotional, essentially irrational
(perhaps illegitimate and illusory) yearnings and desires on the part of a more
or less segment of mankind.
 
On 15 May 1979, the Universal House of Justice issued a message to the Baha'is
of the world, establishing some fundamental principles for Baha'i scholars:
'the principle of harmony of religion and science means not only that religious
teachings should be studied in the light of reason and evidence as well as of
faith and inspiration, but also that everything in creation, all aspects of
human life and knowledge, should be studied in the light of revelation as well
as in that of purely rational investigation. In other words, a Baha'i
scholar, studying a subject, should not lock out of his mind any aspect of
truth known to him.' (The Universal House of Justice, 'The Challenge and
Promise of Baha'i Scholarship', in "Baha'i World" , XVII. pp. 195-6.)
 
The Guardian clearly states the Faith's stand on the issue of religion and
science.  He points out clearly the nature of religion itself and the
applicability of scientific method to religion when he says "The Revelation
proclamed by Baha'u'llah, His followers believe, is divine in origin, all-
embracing in scope, broad in its outlook, scientific in its method,
humanitarian in its principles and dynamic in the influence it exerts on the
hearts and minds of men.  ... The Baha'i Faith teaches... that the
fundamental purpose of religion is to promote concord and harmony, that it must
go hand-in-hand with science, and ... constitutes the sole and ultimate basis
for a peaceful, an ordered and progressive society." (WOB  p. xi.)
 
Moreover, Baha'u'llah in the following passage clearly spells out the
essentially cognitive nature of religion when He says:  "First and foremost
amongst these favours, which the Almighty hath conferred upon mankind is the
gift of understanding.  His purpose in conferring such a gift is none other
except to enable His creatures to know and recognise the One true God.  ...
This gift giveth man the power to discern the truth in all things, leadeth him
to that which is right, and helpeth him to discover the secrets of creation."
("GLeanings"  p. 194).
 
Writing on the complementary and mutual nature of science and religion, the
scientist Max Planck observes:  'The one does not exclude the other; rather
they are complementary and mutually interacting.  Man needs science as a tool
of perception; he needs religion as a guide to action,...,' a sort of manual as
we saw above.  He goes further to say 'Just as knowledge and ability cannot be
replaced by philosophical speculation, so too the proper attitude to moral
questions cannot be derived purely from intellectual reasoning.'  He believes
'first, that a universal order exists which is independent of man, and
secondly, that the essential nature of this order can never be directly known,
but indirectly surmised.  In this respect, religion makes use of its own
characteristic symbols, while the exact sciences rely only on measurements
which are based upon sense impressions.  Our desire for knowledge impels us to
look for a unified Weltanshcuuang.  Thus there is nothing to prevent us from
from uniting these two powers in one; the universal order of science and the
God of religion, two all-pervading and yet mysterious forces, may be identified
with one another.  For religion, God is the starting-point of thinking:  for
science, God is the conclusion to which all things lead.  For the one He is the
foundation:  for the order He is the crowning superstructure of every
scientific Weltanschauung.' (Max Planck, "Religion und Naturwissenschaft" : 
Qouted in Udo Schaefer's "The Imperishable Dominion"  p. 84-85)
 
On the limitations of science and acquired knowledge, Udo Schaefer writes:
'Knowledge has its limits and needs to be perfected by that quality of faith
which draws its strength from divine revelation. On the other hand, reason
defines the limits of religious faith. This does not mean that faith can be
explaned by reason - fundamental religious truths lie beyond rational
explanation.  But anything contrary to reason should be believed.' (Ibid p. 85)
Abdu'l-Baha in "Paris Talks" illucidates: 'But the religion which does not work
hand in hand with science is itself darkness of superstition and ignorance.'
("Paris Talks" p. 144). When such a union is established, 'then will there be a
great unifying, cleansing force in the world which will sweep before it all
wars, disagreements, discords and struggles - and then will mankind be united
in the power of the Love of God.' ("Paris Talks" p. 146).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stephena Ako                      Email: stephena@050bwc.org
Baha'i World Centre                Talk: talk stephena@054venus
PO Box 155 Haifa, Israel 31001
 
Disclaimer: The ideas herein expressed are mind and not those of the Baha'i
World Centre and such be treated as an individuals understanding of the issue.
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Newsgroups: soc.religion.quaker