When people think of the relationship between science and religion, one more thinks of warfare than friendship. People seemed forced to choose between science guiding their life or religion. Can't it be both? And unless we are careful, one can turn religion into a science and science into a religion. Neither of these two options are good! If one listens to atheists who mock Christian fundamentalists and fundamentalists who mock atheists, they both read the Bible democratically and literally! One calls the an theist a fool which is ironic since the Bible was writen to religious folks. And atheists who also read the Bible with a crude literalism try to make the Bible look foolish which is ironic because the Bible is God's love letter to humanity, not hate-mail to those who don't believe in God!
So now we find ourselves in a culture war with atheists using science as a weapon against religious ideas and people of faith using the Bible as a club against the irrelgious folks! And God help those crazy folks caught in the middle who believe in science and religion or evolution and creation. What we have in today's culture wars are scientists who are telling their colleagues who happen to be Christians, "get out of the kitchen if you can' take the heat" when it comes to science and Christians telling other Christian scientists, "If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen" when it comes to the Christian faith.
But isn't science really concerned about "how" questions and Christian theology with "Why" guestions? Can't they both be partners in dealing with every day realities of life? For example, isn't a kettle boiling because burning gas heats the water? The kettle may also be boiling because somebody wants a hot cup of tea. Do we really have to choose between these two answers? Doesn't one have to do with natural causes and actions and the other with intentionality and purpose. Can't they both be true at the same time like light is both a wave and a particle?
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