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Evolution:
The Battle
A poem by William Blake.
A poem by Wilfred Owen.
Information about what evolution has done to humankind.
Controversies between all subjects.
Go to the Think Quest page.
Traditionally, science and religion have been like siblings. They have occasionally reached compromise, yet for the better part of history they have been antagonists. Enmity comes to one's mind when thinking of science and religion. Beginning with the Enlightenment, science has looked to human reason while religion has looked to their faith and the supernatural. Perhaps, however, the mystery of existence has proved too great a task for science. Thus, one can only understand our very existence through the supernatural. The debate on whether we should trust our religion or our scientists was summed up best when Einstein said, "Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind."
In 1543, Copernicus published "De Revolutionibus." The work concludes that Earth revolves around the sun challenging the church's belief of man's exalted place at the center of God's plan of the universe. Other theories such as Newton's gravitational theory, 1687, Darwin's evolutionary theory and his controversial works, 1856 & 1871, Einstein theory of relativity, 1916 and Scopes' teaching of Darwinism are all examples of the many great minds that have opposed God.
For example, a radioactive element might have a half-life of exactly an hour, meaning in an hour half of the atoms in the element will decay and half will not. When a single atom is placed under these conditions, the atom has a 50-50 chance of decaying. Will the atom decay or will it not? Physicists have discovered that there is no way to determine, even in principle, what the atom would do. Many theologian-scientists have found this decision point a place where God can act. (If this were true) God can act without violating the laws of nature.
So, science and religion are at crossroads. Science and religion either remain antagonists or they reach a common ground. Whichever road is taken, we will all know soon enough.
The battle between science and religion has been long-fought and bitter. While science has looked to human reason, religion has looked to the supernatural for answers. Science and religion may remain archrivals forever…