A Brief History of the Relationship between Religion and Science in Culture and Civilization

Science and Orthodoxy are not necessarily in conflict, but can coexist, Orthodox spirituality having a more open vision towards the meaning of science than some Western theological approaches, favoring a cultural rapprochement in the current context, based on a common understanding of the search for truth. Unlike other Western Christian traditions, the history of Orthodoxy does not know an institutionalized persecution against science (for example, an equivalent of the Galileo Galilei case). The Orthodox Church has generally allowed science to take its course, recognizing that scientific paradigms are constantly evolving. Orthodoxy does not reject science, but rather sees it as a way to understand God’s creation, and certain aspects of Orthodox spirituality (such as the search for deeper reality, not just the visible) align more easily with the scientific spirit. From an Orthodox perspective, scientific truth and revealed Truth (through Scripture and Tradition) are not contradictory, since both come from God, the Creator of the world. Scientific knowledge can, in the view of some theologians, strengthen Orthodox dogmas, providing a better understanding of the grandeur of creation. Numerous scientists throughout history and today have been and are practicing Orthodox Christians, a notable example being Saint Luke of Crimea, who was a renowned surgeon and, at the same time, an archbishop. Essentially, Orthodoxy considers science to be a valid tool for exploring creation, as long as it does not turn into an exclusively naturalistic ideology (scientism) that denies spiritual realities.

Keywords: Religion and Science, Christianity and Scientific Knowledge.