Day 4: The Theology and Science Divide

I can see now that there is a divide between theology and science, and it's called philosophy, or rather the lack of it.

For the last ten years, my work has been focused on dispelling the faith and science conflict myth. “Chemistry led me to Christ!” I say to audiences when I speak. “Science is the study of the handiwork of God!” I tell hesitant chemistry and physics college students. I am proud of my book Particles of Faith: A Catholic Guide to Navigating Science. It’s provided me with the opportunity to speak to thousands of people. “Goodness,” I say, “there is no faith and science divide.” I tell myself I’ve got it all figured out. Just pray the Creed. I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth. Come on, atheists. Can’t you see it?”

But philosophers, both Catholic and atheist, side-eye me. No, it’s true. I’m not being over-sensitive, and I don’t think they are being supercilious. I could tell that I have been jumping over a bridge I ought to be walking slowly across.

It isn’t funny anymore to say I am forever a recovering materialist. I knew it wasn’t going to work to keep brushing philosophy off as something on the level of interpretive dance class in college. So, here I am finishing a MA in systematic philosophy, writing a thesis on elements. I thought “systematic philosophy” would sound good next to “dogmatic theology” and my beloved chemistry. Go me!

I can see now that there is a divide between theology and science. That divide is philosophy, or rather the lack of it. As scientific discovery took off after the 1600s, confidence in the physical sciences took over, and Aristotle and Aquinas got dismissed. I’ve heard that narrative a million times, but I didn’t really think it was so hard to fix. “Oh cool! Learn Aristotle. Read Aquinas. Be a Thomist.”

Why am I blaming philosophy? Because it is human. It is the history and great effort of us trying to figure out truth. It is what binds the discoveries we make digging around on planet Earth with the transcendence we reach when we look to the Heavens and thank God. Philosophy is what adds reason to divine revelation and what brings the machinery of nature to life.

My motivation was seeking truth as a Catholic convert, but scientists working in their research fields do not have time for a full program in philosophy. I’m sure some do, but this kind of knowledge was the last thing on my mind working as a chemist. I didn’t care about epistemology, metaphysics, or ethics.

I suppose we could gripe about how stubborn or myopic scientists are, but — I’m looking at you philosophers — y’all could do more to help. You could try to understand just how infuriatingly difficult it is for someone trained in a hard science to cross this bridge. I’m in the middle of it right now, and I spent the day writing a few sentences, only to stand up screaming (I am alone in my hideout though), and then doing power squats to keep from losing my ever-loving mind. I could list the reasons it is so confusing, but suffice it to say that trying to understand how Aristotle and Aquinas thought of earth, water, air, and fire as prior bodies of prime matter and substantial form, the constituent material causes of more composite blended bodies, yet they neither retain, lose, nor average out their substantial form in blending, but exist in blended bodies, “certainly not with respect to act, but according to strength” because, of course, Aristotle said so in I de Generatione 10 (327b30)…that is not only boggled as heck, it is like setting fire to my understanding of atoms and compounds in chemistry.

I think it would be helpful in healing the divide between theology and science if philosophers could try to cross out of their disciplines too. Philosophy is central. In the sciences, we say that chemistry is the central science because it unites physics and biology; it reaches across both boundaries into biochemistry and particle physics, for example. I know there are specialties like philosophy of science and natural theology. There should be more interdisciplinary work though. I’m not just saying that because my legs and throat are sore. I think ultimately bringing modern science back around to philosophy and theology will require more serious interdisciplinary studies on the part of scholars.

I’m sure this angst means the heavens are about to part and the light will flood in as understanding dawns. But Day 4 was not a good day. I WILL finish this week.

Thank God for hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen — my favorite four!