| Pattern: | Science & Theology | Nature & Scripture | Sources | Assumptions | Critiques |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Natural Theology |
Evidentialism: Science provides evidence for an intelligent Creator/Designer. | Concordism: The Bible contains hidden science that verifies it. | Hugh Ross, Moreland, Montgomery, McDowell, Thaxton, Morris (ICR) | Science & Genesis are both mainly historical narratives. God of the gaps. | Evidence yields a limited view of God; science becomes the basis for faith; rationalistic. |
| 2. Compartmentalism |
There is no common ground between them, so no conflict is possible. | Bible not literal or historical, but contains spiritual truths, esp. about Christ. | Karl Barth, Neo-orthodoxy | All natural theology is humanistic; God is found only in the Biblical revelation. | Total dualism; loss of unity of truth may lead to indifference. Neglects possible overlaps between Scripture and natural history. |
| 3. Bible-only |
Theology based on the Bible rejects much of modern science. | The Bible is inerrant and is the basis for all truth. | Morris (ICR), Bahnsen, Presuppositionalists, Theonomists, Reconstructionists. | We presuppose that the Bible is literally true. All knowledge follows from that, in a pure and simple system. | But God wrote two books, not one. Presuppositionalism becomes another name for blind dogmatism. |
| 4. Science-only |
Scientism: Science has destroyed traditional theology. | Science has refuted much of Bible history. | Provine, Dawkins, E.O. Wilson, Weinberg, atheists, secular humanists. | Science & Genesis are both mainly historical narratives. God of the gaps. | Scientism is a belief not demanded by science itself. Its reductionism rejects personal meaning in human experience. |
| 5. Scientific Theology |
Traditional theology must be redefined to be consistent with modern science. | The Bible is an ancient book of myths, perhaps with hidden psychological insights. | R. W. Burhoe, Teilhard de Chardin, Capra | Scientific mind rejects Biblical concepts; religion is wholly human; optimism rests on our growth in knowledge to save ourselves. | Highly intellectual but results in equating creation and redemption, and crude mixing of theology and science, with loss of integrity of both. |
| 6. Complementarity |
Two different perspectives on one reality; both are authentic sources of knowledge. | Nature is God's general revelation; the Bible is God's special revelation. | Augustine, Francis Bacon, R. Bube, H. Van Till, C. Hummel | God is the one Creator of all reality; reality is composed of levels; different levels require different kinds of descriptions; all complement one another. | Maximizes the demand for integration; comprehensive but most complex logical structure. Supports both authentic science & authentic Christian faith without dualism. |
| 7.
New Synthesis |
Monism: Radical transformation of both science and theology into one reality. | What's the Bible? | McLaine, Pagels, New Age, Eastern religions, paganism, gnosticism, Christian science, Scientology | No creation. Monism: all is one. Rejection of reason. Secret knowledge. | Fatalistic; no solution to evil, nonrational; full of pseudo-science and pseudo-theology. |
This table is based on the analysis given in Putting it All Together, by Dr. Richard H. Bube, Univ. Press of America (1995).
American Scientific Affiliation
Washington - Baltimore Section
Rockville, Maryland 20852