CHRISTIANITY AND SCIENCE

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30760, 26 May 1965, Page 8

CHRISTIANITY AND SCIENCE

"The Press’’ Special Service

WELLINGTON, May 25.

While science and religion were not necessarily opposed, he was convinced science and Christianity were incompatible, said Professor D. F. Lawden, professor of mathematics at Canterbury University, at the New Zealand science student conference at Victoria University.

Professor Lawden was taking part in a discussion with the Dean of Wellington (the Very Rev. W. E. Hurst) on “Science and Religion.”

Comparing the two attitudes to truth, Professor Lawden said the scientist was prepared to make assumptions, propound hypotheses, and construct theories —but he did not insist that these be accepted as articles of faith.

“He asks only that they be regarded as interim approximations to the pattern of reality, justified by the facts as they are known at the time, but to be rejected and replaced immediately the harmony between fact and theory is disturbed by discrepancies.” Fundamental Truths Christianity, on the other hand, refused to admit that its tenets were in the nature of hypotheses. It took them to be fundamental truths which, within limits, might be re-interpreted by each generation, but which could never be abandoned simply becaused they ceased to be plausible. Why were these hypotheses concerning the nature of God to be held sacrosanct? “Only because they were propounded 2000 years ago by certain human beings who were allegedly involved in a series of supernatural events Address On Rock Gardens An address on rock gardens was given by Mr R. Wilson, a technician of the botany department of the University of Canterbury, at the monthly meeting of the Christchurch Beautifying Association. He said that people contemplating a rock garden should make up their minds whether they would choose plants for their colour or for their form and variety. Mr Wilson discussed the site, background, soil and type of rock best suited for the cultivated or home-grown rock garden.

for the occurrence of which the supporting evidence is virtually non-existent,” said Professor Lawden. He was aware of the liberal progressive movement within the Christian church aimed at modernising Christian attitudes and eliminating inconsistencies with scientific thought he said. Radical Changes

Such thought claimed that, by suitable amendment, Christianity could be placed in a complementary relationship with science, but in his view the changes would have to be so radical that it was arguable whether the resulting religion would be Christianity at all. “The question arises whether these reformers have not thrown out the baby with the bath water,” he said. Mr Hurst, in his address, said that science was essentially a religious activity. “The more a man can understand the world, the universe, the cosmos; however far back we can trace the beginnings of man, whatever truth we can glean about his trigin, the more accurately we can gauge truth, and surely that is the ultimate concern of both religion and science,” he said. “Argument Futile”

“We seek to find God. Until man finds a greater being than himself to honour and worship, he is his own god and he has not even begun to find himself,” said Mr Hurst. Mr Hurst said he found religious argument futile and frustrating. “Perhaps one can cleverly score points, but that convinces no-one,” he said. Let each state his case and his convictions, and let each recognise the right of the other to hold these convictions. Then, grasping what is common to both on the highest level, let us lead people to create the Kingdom of God.

“Our human tendency is to push each other about. This results in hate. This is the malaise of the world. We need something to put the world together again, to make it better, healthy and whole. We need to use our new knowledge creatively,” Mr Hurst said.