Tag Archives: Science

Science, Truth, and the Current Political Climate

by Gayle E. Woloschak, Tatjana Paunesku, and Katarina Trajkovic

science chemistry.jpg

Orthodox involvement in world affairs is increasingly becoming necessary; a faith that cares about “true worship” must be ready to defend not only spiritual Truth but the truths that underlie it as well. Orthodox Christians, and indeed most religious traditions, value truth and truthfulness. For Orthodox, there should be no division between the truths we discover in nature and the larger Truth that is revealed in a life of spiritual struggle. Maximus had identified three different laws that are all linked—the law of nature, the law of scripture, and the law of grace. He wrote (Questiones ad Thalasium 19) “In Christ…the natural law, the law of Scripture and the law of grace all come together as one.”  Later in the same text, Maximus writes “For the Logos of God is the Creator of all nature, every law, every bond, all order.” They are all linked together, the scientific truths of nature with the larger Truth, and there is no room for deception and falseness in science nor for “alternate facts” in public relations between citizens and their government. Continue Reading…

Religion and Science as a Pastoral Issue

By Gayle E. Woloschak

(This essay was originally delivered as a public talk at the June 2015 Fordham/OTSA conference on the upcoming Great and Holy Council of the Orthodox Church. It was part of a panel on “The Contribution of the Orthodox Church to the Realization of Justice, Freedom, Brotherhood, and Love among Peoples.”)

The science-religion interface is an area that dovetails with the need for love among peoples, leading to a consideration of pastoral issues. In addition, the issue of justice is very tightly tied to technology, both through those who have availability of technology and those who may choose to limit technology because of costs and resources.

The Orthodox response to questions at the intersection of science and religion has often been to release “statements” of positions from different Orthodox Churches in the world. It is not clear what the intention of the Great and Holy Council will be in this regard, but most of these technology concerns require decisions made on a “case-by-case” basis, similar to an approach employing economia rather than a legalistic/doctrinal formulation. Continue Reading…