God: Fact or Fiction?: Exploring the Relationship Between Science Religion and the Origin of Life

by Brendan Roberts

  Reason Our intellect and will as movements of the soul enable us to look abstractly at a given situation, isolate particulars from universals and reason through possible consequences that my proposed action could cause. Moreover because we are embodied human beings we have a longing for the truth.

  Through contemplation of creation one’s sense of wonder (movement of the will) is awakened. As a result we seek meaning to our own existence and ask questions relating to this. We ask what and how and even why regarding science. What was there in the beginning of our universe? Why is the world as it is? Why is there design within nature? Of course the why question crosses over into philosophy as well as religion. We also ask: Why does God allow evil, especially to good people? We will cover answers to these questions shortly.

  Without wonder we would not have science at all as we would not seek to delve into the mysteries of the universe; we would ‘lapse into a deadening routine and little by little would become incapable of a life which is genuinely personal’.10

  Through philosophy one studies the principles of cause and effect, and the nature of being. In fact we have the ability to study human reason and the ‘fundamental truth about human life’.11 We can analyse a problem, understand the thing itself as well as the implications of my proposed action and finally can enter into a particular course of action. Because I can predict outcomes, through my imagination and lateral thinking I can view both particulars as well as universals; I can separate the one from the many.

  Human reason searches for the truth, specifically the fullness of truth: What human reason seeks ‘without knowing it’ (cf. Acts 17:23) can be found only through Christ: what is revealed in him is ‘the full truth’ (cf. John 1:14-16) of everything which was created in him and through him and which therefore in him finds its fulfillment (cf. Colossians 1:17).12

  This does not exclude elements of the truth which can be found in other religions. But it does mean what contradicts the teaching of Christ is not the right way to follow. For example Christ is love, so love taught through other religions is truth. But if one is taught, for example, to hate those who do not belong to your religion then this contradicts the teaching of Christ who said we must love our enemies (Matthew 5:44).

  Within the human heart there is space for the divine and Pope John Paul II illustrates what the Church has always treasured; in the depths of the human heart is a seed of desire and nostalgia for our Creator:

  The Liturgy of Good Friday recalls this powerfully when, in praying for those who do not believe, we say: ‘Almighty and eternal God, you created mankind so that all might long to find you and have peace when you are found’...There is therefore a path which the human being may choose to take, a path which begins with reason’s capacity to rise beyond what is contingent and set out towards the infinite.13

  Reason not only has the capacity but longs for the infinite. We long to be able to live forever. The fathers of philosophy sought to illustrate the link between reason and religion. The Fathers of the Church ‘entered into fruitful dialogue with ancient philosophy, which offered new ways of proclaiming and understanding the God of Jesus Christ’.14

  Another great mind of the Catholic Church, St Augustine as a pagan searched for truth among different philosophical schools, but none of them revealed the truth. However, when he encountered the truth of the Christian faith he discovered the strength for radical conversion. St Augustine later became Bishop of Hippo and produced the ‘first great synthesis of philosophy and theology embracing currents of thought, both Greek and Latin’.15

  The primary mission of Vatican I was a response to the influence of rationalism, liberalism and materialism; and to define the Catholic doctrine of Church, together with the primacy and infallibility of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. The Council says:16

  The sacred Synod professes that ‘God, the first principle and last end of all things, can be known with certainty from the created world, by the natural light of human reason’ (cf. Romans 1:20). It teaches that it is to his revelation that we must attribute the fact ‘that those things, which in themselves are not beyond the grasp of human reason, can, in the present condition of the human race, be known by all men with ease, with firm certainty, and without the contamination of error’.17

  This may come as a surprise to some, even Christians. I have heard fellow Christians say that you can’t prove God or that imply that it is only by faith that we can come to the point of acknowledging Him as our Creator. This Council clearly states that anyone can come to know with firm certainty that God exists through human reason. Thomas Merton is a wonderful example of someone whose conversion was first intellectual rather than moral or personal; he first gained an intellectual appreciation of the Christian God. Then over a period of one and a half years he came to the point where he could believe in a personal God who reveals Himself and acts in our world.

  When reason is rightly tuned it will ‘rise to the higher planes of thought, providing a solid foundation for the perception of being, of the transcendent and of the absolute’.18 In other words reason allows us to think and even know that a loving God in fact exists. It enables one to discover answers and meaning pertaining to a Creator and the world we live in. As St Anselm says, ‘the more the intellect loves the more it desires to know’.19

  It is also possible to know that God exists through the laws of nature and intricate order of our galaxy enabling us to have an environment conducive to life. But we can also reason that God exists through love itself. Love is not merely an emotion but an act of the will. The will is an operation of our soul; we can choose to continue loving someone even though they have hurt us and can even choose to forgive and love an enemy.

  Without love a baby will die. I don’t mean through physical abuse but by with-holding love from the baby. Love itself gives us meaning. Therefore when we recognise God’s love and thus His presence and action in our world, His self communication, then we are given meaning. This meaning is that we are to receive His love and share His love with others as we live a three-fold relationship of God, self and others. Moreover we have the ability to die for a stranger. We can choose to rescue someone drowning even though we know our life would be placed in grave danger as a result. Or as did someone close to me, we could stop our car to help an outnumbered victim. Thank God this person knew the martial art, taekwondo and was able to lay the attackers flat on their backs.

  Faith and Reason Through reason we can establish that that the universe didn’t come into existence by chance because only a Supreme Being could create from nothing. Furthermore we can reason that human beings are unique with a love of beauty, truth and knowledge. In fact love itself, by its very nature is self-giving and also unites, prompts, forgives and heals even deep inner wounds. Through a person having intellect and will, we can distinguish a free being who can overcome instinct, take in knowledge, assimilate and appropriate that knowledge, including through questioning and seeking meaning in life.

  Through nature itself, with the awesome splendour of the universe and the design inherent in nature, we can also reason the hand of a Creator. Also as moral beings we can reason between good and evil, and reason through the implications of a proposed action and then decide on which way to go.

  We can reason that God exists through researching both science and religion, the natural together with the supernatural; and miracles show that God is actively working in our world. We can also come to a deeper understanding of God’s nature through revelation and show that the mysteries of faith are in harmony with reason.

  I began this chapter with the quote regarding faith and reason being like two wings of the human spirit souring up to the contemplation of truth. I believe that some people need to reason first to the fact that God indeed exists and then come to the point of surrendering themselves, that is to say not my will but yours be done to their Creator. Others who have been brought up with faith and have believed and known that God exists, may when they grow older reason whether God exi
sts or not, then either surrender or deny such a God exists. Or they put the whole idea onto the to do one-day list.

  Whenever we ask questions as a child or as an adult we are using our reason. But because God Himself is a mystery we won’t fully comprehend Him on this side of heaven; not all our questions will be fully answered. At times faith must be superior as we surrender our reasoning to faith, to the person of God. Likewise we surrender our fears, hurts and sin to God.

  There is a deep bond between faith and reason. ‘Faith asks that its object be understood with the help of reason; and at the summit of its searching reason acknowledges that it cannot do without what faith presents.’20 St Thomas recognised this relationship. He understood that nature could help one to understand divine revelation: ‘Faith therefore has no fear of reason, but seeks it out and has trust in it. Just as grace builds on nature and brings it to fulfilment, so faith builds upon and perfects reason.’21

  Faith has an active role in moving reason: ‘It is faith which stirs reason to move beyond all isolation and willingly to run risks so that it may attain whatever is beautiful, good and true.’22 So once again we see the aim towards the good, the seeking of the good. Faith draws us to the good and perfects reason to listen to, surrender, and thus follow God.

  Causation Now we explore an example of reason using the causation, or efficient cause proof. St Thomas speaks of efficient causes in which it is impossible for anything to be the efficient cause of itself. There must also be a first cause.

  Now in efficient causes it is not possible to go on to infinity, because in all efficient causes following in order, the first is the cause of the intermediate cause, and the intermediate is the cause of the ultimate cause, whether the intermediate cause be several, or one only. Now to take away the cause is to take away the effect. Therefore, if there be no first cause among efficient causes, there will be no ultimate, nor any intermediate, cause. But if in efficient causes it is possible to go on to infinity, there will be no first efficient cause, neither will there be an ultimate effect, nor any intermediate efficient causes; all of which is plainly false. Therefore it is necessary to admit a first efficient cause, to which everyone gives the name ‘God’.23

  It is impossible for something to be the efficient cause of itself. Also there must be a first cause among efficient causes. St Thomas calls this first efficient cause, God. Once again we are brought back to the question: Who caused God? We can reason the answer that something had to cause the existence of our universe. The evidence of specified complexity reveals the powerful mind behind creation and also Natural Selection reveals a mind. You will recall that something had to cause the Big Bang, something outside of space, time, matter and energy – a first cause. This first cause we reason to be God; who else could create such a complex, awe-inspiring and breathtakingly immense and beautiful universe?

  Remember that: ‘Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth.’24 Therefore if we pluck the feathers of just one of the wings, e.g. reason, then we are relying on merely faith to explain truths. Not only would the bird be freezing, and look ultra weird, it would be unable to fly. It would be like you flapping your arms when you were a kid trying to fly; you expected by faith alone that you could fly. Faith is vital, like each wing of the bird is crucial for flight. Therefore faith must be in harmony with reason, working together in synchronisation like wings.

  On the contrary we could pluck the feathers of faith and expect people to believe merely by reason. But once again we need both in order to have the fullness of truth. The Enlightenment was such a situation in which faith was thrown out and people tried to rely purely on a warped reason. Ironically this attitude is what happened with the Fall of Mankind through Adam and Eve – they chucked out faith instead of trusting in God and relied only on reason based on lies.

  We see God’s character reflected in what He has created due to the purpose and end result. Through supernatural revelation God reveals His nature and shows the amazing and wonderful love that He has for humanity. Therefore His great love for you personally. I will cover this more in-depth in the chapter Personal God.

  The First Vatican Council affirmed ‘emphatically that there exists a knowledge which is peculiar to faith, surpassing the knowledge proper to human reason, which nevertheless by its nature can discover the Creator. This knowledge expresses a truth based upon the very fact of God who reveals himself, a truth which is most certain, since God neither deceives nor wishes to deceive’.25

  Faith and reason work together in perfect harmony (I know it sounds like a song, lol). Proverbs explains this vitality: ‘The human heart may plan a course, but it is Yahweh who makes the steps secure Proverbs 16:9.’ I believe that God will open or close doors for us; and even prompt a potential employer to see why we should or should not be employed for a particular job when we are seeking His guidance. Pope John Paul II explains that with reason we can know which path to take, even quickly if with the right spirit we search for it with faith. Reason and faith are inseparable or else our capacity to know ourselves, the world and God appropriately is diminished.26

  Quest for Meaning Essential to life as a human is the quest for meaning. We want purpose, meaning and hope in our lives. It’s fascinating that the words ‘know yourself’ were carved on an ancient temple portal at Delphi. This quest for meaning is so much a part of our human nature. When we don’t know who we are, we are lost, often visionless, like a broken-down ship mercilessly being tossed by the relentless and unforgiving waves in a storm. To not know oneself can include cowering in fear of what life may bring us; we lack the fullness of hope.

  The themes of my earlier books, Set Free! and Born to be Free revealed that freedom comes as a result of knowing God and knowing yourself. True freedom is found in the discovery of the meaning of life.

  While we have explored philosophy (love of wisdom), the same subject asks the question of life’s meaning. This demonstrates that the desire for truth is also part of human nature itself. In order to establish meaning for myself I see what is good and question what is not. By taking what is good or bad I appropriate the meaning for myself. Therefore with a healthy suspicion I critically question a specific teaching or truth in order to make it my own, or more importantly to know what the teaching should mean to me in all its fullness. Pope John Paul II says ‘these fundamental elements of knowledge spring from the wonder awakened in them [human beings] by the contemplation of creation’.27

  The meaning of life is love. We all want to love and be loved; this is our innate desire. Additionally love requires sacrifice which limits our freedom for someone else. Love transforms any limitations of one’s freedom into something positive, happy and fulfilling. Remember that one uses their will to strive towards goodness. We desire true love because it is only through true love that we are fulfilled, made whole and have a purpose whereby we are truly free.

  In the search for meaning, we discover who we are and having the ability to wonder is integral to this journey. The following statement sadly rings ironically as we consider those who cease to wonder or enjoy life: ‘Without wonder, men and women would lapse into deadening routine and little by little would become incapable of a life which is genuinely personal.’28

  Focusing on the genuinely personal I would like to highlight the aspect of intimacy. We can’t truly love ourselves and others if we have lost the wonder of creation, life and God. Therefore without this true love and wonder we are reduced to mere animals – no destiny and no wonder of life. Thus we resort to living a deadening routine – bored with life and devoid of hope. Is it no wonder many put their hope in other things, such as the abuse of money, sex or drugs?

  Faith and Science Meet Are there any scientists who used both faith and reason in their everyday lives? Well there are many scientists who were men of great faith. They include priests29 such as Fr Nicolaus Copernicus who contributed greatly to the understanding of the Heliocentric Universe; Fr René-Ju
st Haüy (1743-1822 AD), the father of scientific crystallography; Fr Pierre André Latreille (1762-1833 AD), the founder of modern entomology; Fr Giambattista Riccioli was the first person to measure the rate of acceleration of a freely falling body; Fr Athanasius Kircher is known as the father of Egyptology; Fr Roger Boscovich is known as the father of modern atomic theory; and Fr J. B. Macelwane wrote the first seismology textbook in America in 1936. The order of priests, the Jesuits, had many scientists, mathematicians and astronomers. By the 18th century they ‘contributed to the development of pendulum clocks, pantographs, barometers, reflecting telescopes and microscopes, to scientific fields as various as magnetism, optics and electricity’.30 Additionally many monks and lay people also contributed greatly to science, for example Isaac Newton.

  But where did the great love for science come from? Monasteries did not just educate their own monks but as St John Chrysostom tells us, people in Antioch would send their sons to the monasteries to be educated. Other students were educated in the schools attached to Cathedral Schools founded under Charlemagne or the schools attached to parishes. Because of the education provided by the Catholic Church people flocked to the cities. The first university was founded in Paris when the students who were monks and priests banded together to protect their rights and to be free of local control. They appealed to the Pope and so the Pope was the patron of the first university. The university was only for boys, as young as 13. They studied theology, the Trivium (speaking arts of grammar, rhetoric – reasoning and speaking properly to persuade – and logic) and Quadrivium (arithmetic, music, geometry and astronomy). Pope Innocent III in 1273 stressed that the university was a river of knowledge that fertilises the universal Church.