Science and Religion, Together. Who Knew?!

I’m reading a book at the moment, What Hath God Wrought, an epic, 850-page history about the transformation of the United States from 1815-1848.  It won the Pulitzer Prize for history in 2007, and is part of the acclaimed Oxford History of the United States series.

I mention this because the other day, I came across a passage that leaped out.  Discussing Samuel Morse’s invention of the telegraph (whose first message was the words out of the Bible that serve as the book’s title), the author Daniel Walker Howe writes:

“Morse’s synthesis of science and religion represented the predominant American attitude of the time; only a few eccentrics believed there was any conflict between scientific and religious truth. 

So much for the whole “life progressing forward” thing.

“Revelation and reason alike, Americans were confident, ” Howe continues, “led to knowledge of God and His creation.”

Go figure.  In the midst of the greatest period of religious revivalism in U.S. history, Americans believed that education actually increased one’s understanding of the Bible.  Not just did religious leaders accept science, but “Evangelists welcomed technological advances along with mass education,” he writes, because science helped them “spread the good news of Christ.”

Compare this to the religious Far Right of today who view the work of scientists as evil.  Who want to push science out of the classroom, or at the very least obfuscate it with things like Creationism. 

Compare this to Scott Brown trying to pander to the religious Far Right and snarkily demean his Senate opponent Elizabeth Warren by continually referring to her as “Professor.”

Compare it to the pronouncements of people like Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) who actually serves on the Science Committee of the House of Representatives, saying – not that “Religious awakening, expansion of education, interest in science and technological progress all went hand in hand,” as Howe describes national and religious thought in the mid-19th century, but rather – “All that stuff I was taught about evolution and embryology and the Big Bang Theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of Hell.”

Life changes.  Opinions change.  Values change.  But life is supposed to move forward.

Unfortunately, when some people intentionally pander to the worst instincts of others in order to stir up fear in a base to score political points, the result tends to be falling backwards towards ignorance – which is the very opposite of that whole “mass education” concept.  But then, that’s what happens when one looks to politicians for religious and spiritual guidance.