Is Conflict Between Science and Religion Necessary?

A priest with a background in science and a doctorate in theology recently reviewed for Kyeongyang magazine the book, The Grand Design, co-authored by Stephen Hawking. Extensive coverage by the press has served to publicize the controversy surrounding the book and has sparked discussion among the general public.

For Hawking  the law of gravity is the sufficient reason for the existence  of the world; creation doesn't need God to enter the picture. This assertion caused quite a stir in the world of ideas, and in particular, the religious world. The reviewer feels that Hawking stepped outside the boundaries of science and is justly censured by many for doing so.

In college, the priest majored in mathematics and physics. While in graduate school, he  studied  theoretical physics (particle  physics) and had no problem with living in both worlds. There was never any conflict, he said.

Science is interested in the "how" of the natural world, and religion in the "why" of the world and how it relates to human life and its ultimate meaning. These two viewpoints are not in conflict; they are looking at reality from two different angles. When they encroach on the  other's domain, there can be conflict. He uses the words of Ian Barbour, an authority in this field, to show where the conflict comes from--usually when the scientist starts off with a materialistic view of life, and when the religious-minded takes the scriptures as literally true. Barbour: "Science seeks to explain objective, public, repeatable data. Religion asks questions about the existence of order and beauty in the world and the experience of the inner life."

The book, The Great Design, shows the two realms of thought in conflict by posing questions that elicit very different responses. Questions such as, "How are we to understand the world we are in? How does this world move? What is the essence of reality? Where has all this come from? Does this universe need a creator?  In the past, philosophy considered these questions, but it has proven not to be up to the job, and physics has taken its place.

He tells us an anecdote that comes from an academic meeting of scientists at the Vatican in 1981. The Pope, in his address to the participants, said, "Scientists are continually in search for the origins of the universe and are faced with unsolvable questions. Those of us who are religious are not looking for answers to these questions from science or astronomy; they are beyond physics."

"How things work together is the subject matter of science. Why we  exist is not a question scientists can answer. This is the area  of concern for philosophers and  theologians."

On his way out of the academic meeting, Hawking, who gave the first talk, said, "There was a possibility of their being no beginning or creating moments; the Pope did not understand,  and I was happy that was the case."

Our understanding of the truth changes with the flow of history and is seen more clearly with the advance of science and culture. The more we learn about other systems of truth and dimensions of reality--seeing what we did not see before--the more we understand our own area of truth.  This is why theologians, with patience and effort, should learn about the advances in science in order to deepen our understanding of humans, the world and God.

Working in the Digital On Line World.

One  of the diocesan priests responsible for the vocation work in the diocese has a very popular blog which he started in 2001. In the diocesan bulletin he reflects on the work that is required to do a daily blog. While it would be rare, he says, to have more than 200 attending his morning Mass, more than 1300 visit his site every day. And a morning meditation is sent out to 5000. He knows that it is not read by all and that many go into the wastebasket, but he considers it an important out-reach of the Church.

Those that come to the site are Catholics. Protestants, Buddhists, others with less mainstream beliefs, and no belief are frequent visitors. After visiting the site, many say they have a better understanding of Catholicism. A Question and Answer forum is especially popular. Many have thanked him for his blog and some have become Catholics because of it.

Persons having a difficult time coping with life have often found the help they needed by reading his blog. In today's parish environment, personal contact with a priest to get answers to troubling questions is not always easy; in the digital world this contact can easily be made.

Even though he has important work to do in the diocese, there is no need to ignore his work in cyberspace. It is, he says, an important way to get out the good news. Because he  has seen over the past ten years the good that can be done in cyberspace, preparing his daily blog has become a  very important part of his life.

He is also realistic enough to know that not everything in cyberspace can be seen positively. Crimes on the Internet are increasing, personal reputations are being destroyed by reckless, undocumented accusations, internet games are creating an army of addicts, sometimes leading to violent behavior and health problems. These issues cannot  be overlooked, he says, and it's weakening the trust and  confidence we should have in others and in society.

The digital world, as we all know, is a mixed bag of good and bad elements. The Church needs to keep current with this development in society. It can be the leaven that helps bring trust and confidence to the digital world. For those interested in  going to the Korean Blog click here.

Relating With The Environment And Personal Growth

Chaplain at one of the Catholic schools in Incheon, he frequently uses the phrase, "I get angry" in his talks at Mass. He tells us why in his article in the Sunday Bulletin.

He remembers when, as a child not only at vacation time but after school was over for the day, he would be outside running around, busy at  playing. His father even now brings to his attention the times he would come home with his face dirty from playing in the dirt. There was no Internet then, no hand phones, keyboards, and equipment for games, but they had a network of friends that allowed them to play hide and seek, make  human monuments, play cards and many other ways to "have fun," that now,looking back, brings a smile to his face, along with the wonderful memories.

That is why anger takes hold of him when he sees what is happening today to our children. There are few reasons to play anymore, he says, so they go into smoked-filled PC rooms.  Returning home, they get before the computer with their headphones on and get lost in the world of games. When he gets a chance to talk to  parents, he entreats  them to get their children to play. They have no easy way to get rid of the stress that has built up during the day, so he asks parents to  prepare an atmosphere that would encourage them to play and, better still, for the parents to play with them.

When children become adults, he says, they need something to look back on  which will make them smile. It is a  stimulant  for life. They have plenty of things that bother them, are difficult, and cause pain; we can't deny the unavoidable difficulties of life. It is the moments of happiness, however, that gives them the courage and the hope to go on. Good memories of childhood years are important, and giving our children opportunities to play will help create these good memories.

We know how important it is to have good memories of our childhood, and parents are in a position to make this a reality. Adults will not look back with a big smile on their face because of the time they spent at the computer when they were children.  The computer may have many benefits for study, increasing attention span and getting good marks, but it will not make our children more social or add to their happiness or humanity.

Parents should be concerned with the whole person: The mind, the body, and the spirit, seeing that each is developed as much as possible. The Computer obviously does not help the body and can be of little help in bringing forth the spiritual world of the child. This has to be supplemented with the wise direction of the parents and not be left to the whim of the child.

We need to create an inviting environment where children can relate easily with other children in play, take trips to the ocean or the mountains, fish, watch butterflies or clouds in the sky, make small sail boats, fly kites, make music, play sports, dig and plant in a garden, and all the other ways  we can enjoy the world. In recent years the physical environment has been brought to center stage of our awareness, allowing us to see more clearly its role in making us the whole person.  Head,  heart and  body, plus properly relating with the   environment will  develop the  person we are meant to be.
 

A Sad Story

An old man who had lost his wife and was quite frail had two sons who were too busy with their own affairs to care for him. The newsletter for priests recounts the 
sad story.

One day he went to a carpenter and asked him to make a wooden box, and to be sure it looked old and worn on the outside. He filled the box with broken glass, closed the lid, securing it with a large lock, and put it under his bed.

The two sons, on seeing the box for the first time were filled with curiosity. When the father was not home they took the box and, not being able to open it because of the lock, shook it. The glass pieces gave out a clanking sound that they took to be money the father had been saving over the years. From then on, the sons took turns spending time with their father.

When the father died, the sons with great anticipation opened the box only to find it was not filled with the money they expected. The older son in a fit of anger blurted: "I was deceived." Seeing the younger son staring at the box, he said, " Do you want the box? Take it." The young son stood there for some time, tears coming to his eyes. He took the box and went home.

"The branches of a tree, although wanting to remain still, must contend with the wind that does not rest. Children want to honor their father, but he does not wait." The younger brother remembered this old saying. He believed that taking possession of the box would be a way of remembering  his father and reverencing his memory. His wife did not see any need to keep the broken glass, so he removed the glass, and saw at the bottom of the box a small piece of paper. He read the words on the paper and broke down with uncontrollable sobbing, which brought the whole family into the room. These were the words his father had written:

"When I had my first son, I was happy. I cried. When the second son was born, it was so good I laughed. From that time on, for over 30 years, many thousands of times--no,  many ten thousands of times-- they made me cry with joy, and laugh. Now I am old, and when the change came I do not know. But they changed. Now they make me cry, but not with joy, and make me laugh, but not because it is good.

"I am alone now. What is left to me is only a remembrance. In the beginning, it was a pearl-like remembrance. Years later it was remembering the happiness of pain that bent my back. Now what I remember is like the shreds of broken pottery, the fragments of glass.
"Please, in your old age do not be like me. In God's goodness do not be like me!"

Baptismal Names

Baptismal names in Korea up until recent times were important to our Catholics. Nowadays, there is less value placed on the name given at baptism.  Koreans, as is the usual custom everywhere, have a surname and a given name. For Catholics there would also be the  baptismal name, and in some cases among, the old Catholics, the child would only be given one first name; this would be the baptismal name.

In the past, you could often tell by the baptismal name the nationality of the pastor who gave the name. The saint's name would  be selected from the list of Saints of that country.

The names are usually selected because the birthday of the person to be baptized is the same as the saint's, or the saint's life is admired, or the person has the same lifestyle  as the saint, or it may be they just like the sound of the name. The best option would be to select a saint whose life you want to imitate.

A Catholic Times' columnist makes selecting a baptismal name the subject of a recent column. Her name is Sylvia and she mentions how pleased she is when she meets someone with the same baptismal name. Sylvia is not a name  you would see listed as a feast day in the  Liturgical Calendar. She did not make much of an impression in her time. Sylvia picked her because she was not a popular saint. On further study, however, she discovered  there was another Saint Sylvia, who was the mother of Pope St. Gregory the Great, whose  feast day is Dec. 3.

She attempted to find out exactly who the less-known Sylvia was by asking a friend who was studying in Rome. The friend reported that she was born in Spain and was the sister of Rufinus, the Roman procurator in Constantinople and a friend of Theodosius the Great, the Roman Emperor. She had traveled to Egypt and Jerusalem and kept a journal we still have. St. Sylvia died a martyr's death in 420. Her feast day is Dec. 15.

The story of the two Sylvias have over the years been intertwined. One, a Spaniard, was a virgin martyr, and the other, an Italian, was the mother of a Pope. They were born two centuries apart and lived very different lives, but now are equally cherished by our columnist. She is happy to have the two saints as her patrons and remembers the dates of their death each year. She dedicates her column to all those who have the name Sylvia.

Love That Goes Down

The price that one paid for the good life is quietly seen in the homes. No time to talk, to play and enjoy each other's company. A columnist writing for the  Catholic Times refers to this condition by quoting from a poem written by a 2nd year grammar school child:"I have a mother who shows me love/A refrigerator that gives me food/ A dog I can play with/And a father--why he exists, I don't   know."

The columnist remarks on the humor of what the child wrote, but it also left him with a bitter taste, reading this sad portrait of a Korean father. Apparently getting up early in the morning, coming home late every day, and having to sleep during the weekend are not as important as the refrigerator in the kitchen. Another child wrote: "Dad is the one who loves Mom, puts food in the refrigerator, and feeds the dog."

A father himself,  the columnist reflects on his  life and his feelings of what a father should be: A father is like a pillar of the house that keeps the roof from coming down; a father is like a camel with a large pack on its back in the desert. He wonders how his children see him. The 2nd grade grammar school child was not describing the families of most Koreans, but there is a difference in the way the fathers of the past related with their family and the way modern fathers are forced to relate in the present.

What do children want from their fathers? He asks.  As parents we want to raise children well so they will become good human beings. However, in the future,  the child will not consider important that he was brought up in a well-furnished home and given the best things to eat. More importantly, they will remember that they were loved or not loved, that they enjoyed or did not enjoy the company of their father and mother in play and conversation.

When returning home from work, there are times, the columnist says, when irritation breaks out on both sides. Children are expecting to be greeted with warmth, and the parent is expecting not to be harassed. He believes that to understand the heart of a parent it is necessary to be a parent. He distinguishes the love of a parent for a child by describing it as a love that "goes down."

"Love that goes down is a  one way love but without sadness. Not expecting the object of my love to love me in the way I love them. Happy if the love just doesn't bounce off. No matter what the circumstances it is the love that I have been made to give. It is the love that I have received from above that I give to those below. But at times this love gives pain. It is not a choice but our calling."                         

Interviews: Often the Cause for Much Misunderstanding.

The Korean Church is having its own problems on misunderstandings that the world Church had concerning condoms a month ago. Both Catholic papers dealt with the issue. Like the interview with the Pope, which got sidetracked onto another issue, the interview of Cardinal Chong, which was to discuss his new book, became focused instead on the Four River Project, making  it the big news instead of the book just published.

It is sad that interviews can take the place  of a  carefully thought-out position and given more importance than they deserve by the press. Questions are often answered without the thoughtfulness that more time to consider the questions would provide. Since what the Cardinal said is now seen by some as  going against the decision of the Bishops Conference, it is upsetting to many in the Korean Church.

The Catholic Priests Association for Justice has asked the Cardinal to resign for not going along with the consensus of the  Bishops Conference, which expressed some concern about the Project.  We don't know what happened in the meeting of the bishops--it was a secret meeting--but we can be sure that in all particulars, there wasn't unity. The  priest working in public relations for the  Archdiocese of Seoul, who was present at the interview, explained the Cardinal's position.

On the Four River Project, he said the Cardinal is neutral. The bishops' document uses the word concern (which may be taken to mean "worry") for the damage that would be done to the environment, but was not in absolute opposition. He acknowledges that the document can be interpreted as being against the Four River Project but the bishops did not absolutely oppose or approve the project.  Many Catholics were told in parishes that to oppose the guidelines set forth by the Bishops Conference would be a sin. Cardinal  Chong was not concerned whether constructing the Four River Project was a right or a wrong decision. He was merely making a pastoral decision and telling Catholics they were free to be on either side of the issue.

The Diocese is now making plans to develop the area around the Myong Dong Cathedral into a park, and this was brought up as a reason for the Cardinal's position. Some believed his desire to expedite the work on this future project had compromised his position on the Four River Project.  This was complete nonsense, said the spokesman. The interview was not about the Four River Project but about hisbook that was published.Consequently, when the Four River problem came up, he just repeated what he had said in the past.

To the question on how the Cardinal felt about the opposition he was receiving, his answer was that he has received much opposition over the years and was not surprised. There are many things on which people can disagree, he said, and he has himself changed his opinion many times. Outside of those who are using  this issue for  personal or  political  reasons, those for or against want the same thing, said  the Cardinal, and Catholics even more so. Everyone wants the Project to be good for the country. We try to understand the other person's opinion and come to a position that is reasonable to all. We in the Church have many different positions but when in faith we try to understand, love and accept one another, we will be going in the right direction.