Some people think that religion is contrary to science because
religion insists on faith, while science stresses reasoning and
proof. But there is something like the science of religion. It
includes two things: a general history of religions and the
developments of a particular faith. While the science of
comparative religion seeks to assess the varieties of religious
experiences and a systematic analysis of their development, the
history of a particular religion reveals the special features
and deeper issues of an individual faith. It studies in depth
the change in the forms and expression of a particular religion,
the psychological development of particular communities in the
matter of dogma and ritual. Connected with the science of
religion are the sociological studies of the influence of social
forms on the development of religion and psychology of religion
which determine the palce of religion in human life.
Theology must be distinguished from the science of religion.
While the first is the pursuit of knowledge in the interests of
a creed, the latter is a factual study of religious experience.
Theology is based on the church, on the dogma. The religious
scientist is objective and dispassionate. Religious science in
its braodest sense is a history of ideas and therefore, has to
find general answers to the common problems of life. One of the
important ideas is holiness: what is holy as opposed to profane?
Holiness creates reverential awe: The fear of God. An
understanding of the basic concepts of religion has to be linked
up with the practical demands of active and purposeful living.
Metaphysics and the supernatural are beyond the realm of
evidence. Their appreciation will largely depend on the widening
of the frontiers of human knowledge and experience.
The inter-relationship between science and religion has been
summed up by Prof. A. Toynbee as under:
"Science must be based on religion and religion must include
scientific rationality. I think that the words of Albert
Einstein. 'Science without religion is lame and religion without
science is blind', are of even greater importance now than when
he uttered them".
religion insists on faith, while science stresses reasoning and
proof. But there is something like the science of religion. It
includes two things: a general history of religions and the
developments of a particular faith. While the science of
comparative religion seeks to assess the varieties of religious
experiences and a systematic analysis of their development, the
history of a particular religion reveals the special features
and deeper issues of an individual faith. It studies in depth
the change in the forms and expression of a particular religion,
the psychological development of particular communities in the
matter of dogma and ritual. Connected with the science of
religion are the sociological studies of the influence of social
forms on the development of religion and psychology of religion
which determine the palce of religion in human life.
Theology must be distinguished from the science of religion.
While the first is the pursuit of knowledge in the interests of
a creed, the latter is a factual study of religious experience.
Theology is based on the church, on the dogma. The religious
scientist is objective and dispassionate. Religious science in
its braodest sense is a history of ideas and therefore, has to
find general answers to the common problems of life. One of the
important ideas is holiness: what is holy as opposed to profane?
Holiness creates reverential awe: The fear of God. An
understanding of the basic concepts of religion has to be linked
up with the practical demands of active and purposeful living.
Metaphysics and the supernatural are beyond the realm of
evidence. Their appreciation will largely depend on the widening
of the frontiers of human knowledge and experience.
The inter-relationship between science and religion has been
summed up by Prof. A. Toynbee as under:
"Science must be based on religion and religion must include
scientific rationality. I think that the words of Albert
Einstein. 'Science without religion is lame and religion without
science is blind', are of even greater importance now than when
he uttered them".