{"id":5276,"date":"2021-10-05T17:16:30","date_gmt":"2021-10-05T17:16:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/?page_id=5276"},"modified":"2025-08-10T04:17:41","modified_gmt":"2025-08-10T04:17:41","slug":"science-and-religion","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/science-and-religion\/","title":{"rendered":"Science AND Religion"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/LH_95\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/brendans-island.com\/blogsource\/20230103ff\/LH_95-detail-GreaterAdmiration-658x165-2-329.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"NASA\/ESA's image, detail: LH 95 stellar nursery in the Large Magellanic Cloud. (December 2006)\" style=\"width:329px;height:165px\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Science <strong>and<\/strong> religion? More about that in <a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/science-and-religion\/#seeking\">Seeking Truth<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/science-and-religion\/#finding\">Finding Truth, Using Our Brains<\/a>, below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Science AND Religion<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/science-and-religion\/science-and-religion-posts\/\">Science &amp; Religion Posts<\/a>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/science-and-religion\/science-and-religion-posts\/whats-here-whats-not\/\">What&#8217;s Here, What&#8217;s Not<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-black-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-black-background-color has-background is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a name=\"seeking\"><\/a>Seeking Truth<\/h4>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/europa-mars-and-someday-the-stars\/#expanding\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/brendans-island.com\/blogsource\/20160719ff\/20160927-_89871030_heic1611c-329.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"NASA\/ESA's image: Galaxy UGC 9391, which contains two types of stars astronomers use to calculate distances: Cepheid variables and a Type Ia supernova, 2003du. (2016) via BBC News, used w\/o permission.\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">NASA\/ESA image: UGC 9391, a galaxy containing Cepheid variables and Type Ia supernovae, two types of stars astronomers use to calculate distances.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s science <strong>and<\/strong> religion, faith <strong>and<\/strong> reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I see no problem with seeking truth that we find in this universe and seeking truth&#8217;s source. Honest research cannot interfere with an informed faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not for a Catholic, at any rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Seeking truth and seeking God are compatible. So are faith and reason. I thought this was true before I became a Catholic, and still do. More importantly, that&#8217;s what the Church says. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 35, 50, 154, 274, 283, 1706)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For a Catholic, faith should be consciously embracing &#8220;the whole truth that God has revealed.&#8221; (Catechism, 142-150)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Truth and beauty are expressed many ways. In words, &#8220;The rational expression of the knowledge.&#8221; In &#8220;the order and harmony of the cosmos&#8221; and &#8220;the greatness and beauty of created things.&#8221; (Catechism, 32, 41, 74, 2500)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Noticing the beauty, order and harmony surrounding us is part of being human. Studying the cosmos is a good idea. Learning more about this universe, ourselves, and how we relate to it can and should inspire &#8220;greater admiration&#8221; for God&#8217;s work: and God. (Catechism, 283, 341-344, 1147, 2500)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a name=\"finding\"><\/a>Finding Truth, Using our Brains<\/h4>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/god-doesnt-make-junk\/#God\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/brendans-island.com\/blogsource\/20180105ff\/20150806-PIA04227_hires-329.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"NASA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI\/AURA)'s image: 'Orion Nebula and Bow Shock', part of a Hubble Orion Nebula mosaic by Hubble's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2. The star left of center is LL Ori. (February 1995, posted by JPL\/NASA December 2, 1999) used w\/o permission.\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">JPL\/NASA, Hubble Heritage Team (STScI\/AURA)&#8217;s image: &#8220;Orion Nebula and Bow Shock&#8221;. The star left of center is LL Ori. (February 1995)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>We find truth in the Bible. That&#8217;s one reason we&#8217;re expected to study the Scriptures. (Catechism, 101-133)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And we find truth in the natural world&#8217;s order and beauty. (Catechism, 32, 41, 74, 283, 341, 2500)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pursuing truth and beauty is a good idea. They will lead us to God. Or should. (Catechism, 27, 31-35, 74)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remembering that the Bible wasn&#8217;t written by today&#8217;s Western literalists is also a good idea. (Catechism, 110, 390)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think that God creates everything: the physical realities studied by science <strong>and<\/strong> the spiritual realities that faith pursues. (Catechism, Prologue, 27, 74, 214-217, more under <strong>Truth<\/strong> in the Catechism&#8217;s index)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Faith, the Catholic version, embraces truth. It&#8217;s a willing and conscious &#8220;assent to the whole truth that God has revealed.&#8221; (Catechism, 142-150)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Faith and science work together, if we\u2019re doing both right. Studying this wonder-filled universe, using the brains God gave us, is part of being human. (Catechism, 39, 159, 282-289, 341, 2292-2296)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So is developing new technology, using what we&#8217;re learning. And following ethical standards that apply to everything we do (Catechism, 2293-2295)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Believing this while fearing knowledge of God&#8217;s world would be \u2014 illogical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;&#8230;God, the Creator and Ruler of all things, is also the Author of the Scriptures &#8211; and that therefore nothing can be proved either by physical science or archaeology which can really contradict the Scriptures. &#8230; Even if the difficulty is after all not cleared up and the discrepancy seems to remain, the contest must not be abandoned; <strong>truth cannot contradict truth<\/strong>&#8230;.&#8221;<br>(&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/blogsource\/20140826ff-Documents\/Leo-XIII-ProvidentissimusDeus.pdf\">Providentissimus Deus<\/a>,&#8221; Pope Leo XIII (November 18, 1893) [emphasis mine])<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Full text, English translation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/blogsource\/20140826ff-Documents\/Leo-XIII-ProvidentissimusDeus.pdf\">Providentissimus Deus<\/a>&#8220;<br>On the Study of Holy Scripture<br>Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII (November 18, 1893)<br><span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">(From <a href=\"http:\/\/www.vatican.va\/holy_father\/leo_xiii\/encyclicals\/documents\/hf_l-xiii_enc_18111893_providentissimus-deus_en.html\">www.vatican.va\/holy_father\/leo_xiii\/encyclicals\/documents\/hf_l-xiii_enc_18111893_providentissimus-deus_en.html<\/a> (December 18, 2014))<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Science and religion? More about that in Seeking Truth and Finding Truth, Using Our Brains, below. Seeking Truth It&#8217;s science and religion, faith and reason. I see no problem with seeking truth that we find in this universe and seeking &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/science-and-religion\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"Faith and reason, science and religion, truth and beauty. The key word is AND. Honest research cannot interfere with an informed faith.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"Science and Religion, Faith and Reason: Seeking Truth","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5276","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P7Dwtw-1n6","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5276"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5276\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9415,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5276\/revisions\/9415"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}