Science and Spiritual Truth
There is a legitimate field for true science. So long as its researches are confined to its proper sphere, and it does not substitute assumption for fact and mere speculation for sound reasoning, it makes most valuable contributions to the sum total of human knowledge, and is one of the chief factors in the solution of the problem of the world’s civilization and enlightenment. “In a general sense, science means knowledge reduced to order; that is, knowledge so classified and arranged as to be easily remembered, readily referred to, and advantageously applied. Strictly speaking, it is a knowledge of laws, principles, and relations. All science is based on the assumption that the laws of nature are immutable. From this point of view science may be regarded as a knowledge of the laws of nature, embracing the processes of observation and deduction by which they are discovered, and the modes of reasoning by which their operation in the production of phenomena are made known. Pure science is based on self-evident truths, and from these, as premises, laws of relation are deduced by a regular course of logical deduction. Of this nature is mathematical science. Natural science is based on experiment and observation; its fundamental laws are deduced by induction. Knowledge of the relations of quantity is abstract science; knowledge of causes and effects is physical science.” From this brief presentation of the nature of science and the subjects with which it deals, written by one who is himself a scientist, it will be comparatively easy to define its legitimate field. “Pure science is based on self-evident truths. . . . Natural science is based on experiment and observation.” Using self-evident truths as the premises, pure science deduces laws of relation “by a regular course of logical deduction.” In natural science, experiment and observation furnish the premises, and from these “its fundamental laws are deduced by induction.” It is the province of pure science to develop all the conclusions which are directly or indirectly involved in those statements of truth to which every sound mind is compelled to assent without argument. It is the province of natural science to determine facts by experiment and observation, to classify these facts, and to draw such conclusions from them as are warranted by a course of sound reasoning. Its fundamental principle is that “the laws of nature are immutable.” It will be readily seen from the foregoing definitions and statements that the field of both pure and natural science is wholly outside the realm of the spiritual. Pure science can find no premises in the field of spiritual truth from which to make its deductions, inasmuch as there are no spiritual truths which are self-evident. All knowledge of spiritual things must be given by direct revelation. Natural science can not establish in its laboratories, either by experiment or observation, any facts in the realm of the spiritual from which to draw conclusions by the process of induction, inasmuch as spiritual truth can not be discovered by any such experiment or observation. The laws and truths of the spiritual kingdom are not discoverable to human research, for “the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God.” With the curse on the earth and man depraved, with a deep shadow on the face of nature, and the faculties of the mind blunted and weakened, it is not possible for science, unaided by revelation, to reveal to us a personal God, and to discover the laws which govern our relation to him, and the provision which has been made for our restoration to the image of God. For these truths we are dependent upon a direct revelation in human language, and our only way of knowing these truths is to believe that revelation. In the school of Christ, where the science of salvation is taught, revelation takes the place of experiment and observation, and faith takes the place of reasoning. And this is not because spiritual things and the science of salvation contradict true science, but because they are outside of and above its sphere; and not because faith is subversive of sound reasoning, but because it deals with themes and relations which lie beyond the grasp of human reasoning. It should also be observed that there is no such thing as a scientific basis for faith. The so-called scientific basis for faith is simply a demonstrated basis for confidence in the immutability of natural law. Such a pretended basis for faith really prohibits a faith which is above reason, and leaves no room for the miraculous in our experience, by reducing the spiritual to the plane of the natural. This is directly contrary to the method followed by the Great Teacher. He revealed spiritual truth in the things of nature, but he also revealed a God who is the author of law, and not the slave of law. He placed faith in God’s Word above the result of observation, or confidence in the immutability of natural law. To Thomas he said, “Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” “Faith is the giving substance to things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.” The only basis for faith is the word of the Lord. When modern science goes outside of its legitimate field, and attempts to demonstrate and to interpret spiritual truth on a scientific basis, it leads to such conceptions of God, and such views of the relations between God and man, and such conclusions concerning the way of salvation as do not differ in their real essence from the teachings of the heathen of all ages. The so-called larger conception of God which rests upon scientific research dethrones the true God, and puts in his place an infinite personality which is merely the personification of law. Thus God as revealed in law, instead of God as revealed in Christ, becomes the savior of men, and man can save himself from all the results of disobedience by his own conformity to the personality of law. This is called being “in tune with the infinite.” Prayer becomes merely the expression of harmony with law, and the atonement of Christ on the cross not simply becomes unnecessary, but the very thought of it becomes abhorrent to the scientific mind. But this is simply modern and refined heathenism. Some other phases of this same general subject will be considered at another time.