Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Faith and Science

This morning's New York Times includes a review of several new books on the relationship of religion and science, most notably debates about whether the theory of evolution and belief in a higher power can co-exist.

You can read it at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/25/science/25books.html?ex=1154491200&en=46a4047f0ae196fc&ei=5070&emc=eta1

I have to admit to finding this debate tiresome. Having just spent two weeks in the Galapagos Islands, the inspiration for Darwin's work on evolution, the answer for me is clearly both. During my days on the islands with the animals, one could see and understand Darwin's observations first hand. In fact, we read Darwin's journal while we were on vacation and were struck by how little had changed since the voyage of the Beagle. But I also felt God's prescence keenly in the glorious experience of worlds unshaped by human intervention. I see no conflict in my training as a public health scientist and my training as a faith leader. I think I may skip adding these seven new books to the collection growing on my nightstand to be read.

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