Basic science and the Orthodox Church

  1. Lemma
  2. Фундаментальная наука и православная церковь
  3. Russian
  4. Asliturk, Miriam
  5. Modes of interaction > Orthodox critique of science - Various approaches to the problem of correlation between science and theology
  6. 04-01-2017
  7. Бесстремянная,Галина [Author]. Фундаментальная наука и православная церковь
  8. Православие.Ru
  9. Russian Orthodox Church - Orthodox scientist - Scientific research - science
  10. Click Here
    1. <p>Бесстремянная, Галина (2007). Фундаментальная наука и православная церковь. <em>Православие.Ru</em>. Retrieved from http://www.pravoslavie.ru/759.html</p>

    1. The author argues that the widespread assumption about the Church and religion as being contradictory to the basic scientific research is erroneous. According to Besstremyannaya, basic science uses the same method of philosophical reasoning to understand the reality, as does religion. The underfunding of basic research as well as latest reforms in the Russian Academy of Science obliged scientists to turn to applied aspects of science rather than to abstract general research. At the same time there is significant demand in the Russian society for an opinion on fundamental issues from both the scientific community and the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).

      To hammer her point, the author quotes several scientists that speak about religion and its relationship with science. Twentieth century Russian religious writer, bishop, and surgeon Luka Voino-Yasnetsky said that science inspired by religious thought was the ray of light in the darkness of the world. Galileo maintained that the scripture did not teach people about the structure of the heavens but about how to get there. Max Planck thought that God was at the end of scientific research while in religion He was at the beginning. The author shares the opinion of the nineteenth century ROC saint Theophan the Recluse, who said that studying chemistry was not contradictory to religious feeling but rather assisted it: “Chemistry is a chapter in the nature book of god, and one can see god in it.” Overall Besstremyannaya refutes the vision of the Church as something that refers to the mystical interpretation of reality in terms of metaphysical logic unattainable by human reasoning. She also mentions that currently there are many religious people among scientists.