Christian demythologization: a path to science

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleХристианская демифологизация: путь к науке
3. Language term Russian
4. lemma author Saprykin, Dmitry
5. lemma category History and philosophy of science
6. Publication date 2004
7. lemma work Кураев Андрей диакон [Author]. Gifts and Anathemas.
8. lemma manifestations Дары и анафемы. : Gifts and anathemas.
9. Keywords physics and theology - mythology
10. Citations
    1. https://azbyka.ru/dary-i-anafemy-chto-xristianstvo-prineslo-v-mir
11. Lemma body

    1. In the book, the author discusses the questions: What has Christianity brought into the world? Why is it unique? How is it different from other religions? The author calls the religion which has banned human sacrifices (which are still practiced in some beliefs) a "gift" to humankind.

       The author believes that Christianity had created the necessary conditions for the birth of science. Scientific astronomy becomes possible only “when the stars are not gods any more”. As if "all is full of gods," as Thales said, investigation of things’ substance ought to be the study of deities, i.e. theology. In order for physics to get free from mythology, a reference to goddess’ intrigues and desires must be removed from the generally accepted view of the world. Physicists cannot do it by themselves.

       Only the religion of One God, says Kuraev, was able to rid the world from the over-abundance of gods. Only the religion of Above-stars- and Above-space-God could put in the same line the world of stars and the world of earth stones (thus enabling man to describe the celestial motions in the language of earth mechanics). Only the religion of Logos made Flesh could allow to describe the processes occurring in physical world (where there is nothing perfect) in the language of mathematics (the language of ideal numbers and shapes). Finally, the author concludes, only if one believed that God is Love he can overstep the skepticism and begin to explore the world in a daring confidence that the Universe book is written in the language of human mathematics.

       Kuraev reminds that the place of birth of the world scientific picture is well-known and precisely located both in space and in time. The scientific revolution took place in Western Europe at the turn of XVI-XVII centuries, in the epoch of Reformation and Counter-Reformation. The science was born in Christian Europe in the age of the utmost rise of religious tensions. "The scientific picture of the world was supported by the Church which keenly needed an ally to fight against the common enemy - occultism," - the author highlights.