“Science” is a powerful word. “Science” has become the implicit god of the postmodern age. Yet, for all our learning and technological progress, most people don’t understand that “science” is simply a word that denotes “knowledge” but—worst of all—believe in “science” as a new deity whose priests are “scientists”: Researchers, authors, publishers, intellectuals, college professors and “documentary” (read: opinion and propaganda) filmmakers.
At its root, the word “science” dates from classical Latin scientia (knowledge, understanding, expertise). But modern usage has ossified the word into what is, in various forms, described as the systematic testing of hypotheses, collection of observable data, and theoretical interpretation of data about something. What is not publicized, or debated often enough, are the very subjective editorial and administrative biases that favor one approach to pursuing knowledge and limit others. Narrative control is the primary function of book publishers, scientific journal editors and editorial boards, as well as grant administrators. I know this from personal experience.
The modern world understands “science” as limited by the examination and discussion of physically observable objects and processes. This is why institutional education distinguishes between the “hard” sciences [i.e., chemistry, geology, astronomy, biology (including medicine), physics, computing and materials sciences] and “soft” sciences [i.e., psychology, psychiatry, and sociology], though there are hybrid disciplines such as business, anthropology, communicology and geography that mix “hard” and “soft” approaches. Institutional funders often prioritize grants to “hard” sciences. I was a university professor and administrator for decades and observed this preference regularly—grant funding ratios were often 9:1 in favor of the “hard” sciences. Additionally, politically-correct research attracts the most money by far.
“Trust the science!” has come to mean “Believe what the new postmodern priesthood tells you!” Welcome to the new postmodern orthodoxy. To question it is to be a heretic; to challenge it is to incur punishment.
This becomes critically important as scientism has grown to dominate modern cultures to the extent that anything not perceived to be “tangible” in the physical sense has been pushed to the margins of social discourse. This tendency and the movement that it has created is known as scientism.
J.P. Moreland offers this definition of scientism:
Roughly, scientism is the view that the hard sciences—like chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy—provide the only genuine knowledge of reality. At the very least, this scientific knowledge is vastly superior to what we can know from any other discipline. Ethics and religion may be acceptable, but only if they are understood to be inherently subjective and regarded as private matters of opinion. [1]
What Moreland describes is the abandonment of the emphasis on the inner life (character development, virtue, morality, and socialization) in favor of chasing the material (studying, maximizing and obtaining what can be felt, tasted, experienced, and measured). In fact, materialism in general has proven to be historically hostile to Christianity.
Whether socialist/communist or corporatist, materialism reduces human beings to animals, focuses on appetites, consumption and production, and generally derides the Biblical emphasis on spirituality as stupid, irrational, superstitious and even racist.
Modern scientism prescribes and describes a reality utterly hostile toward what Paul wrote concerning living the supernatural Christian life: “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). Modern scientism does not allow the possibility of a God Who cannot presently be seen with natural sight, let alone the discussion of God.
“Science,” as currently understood, is at war with the God Who created the universe. It’s a cruel irony that most who claim to study creation (even the noun “creation” is not an approved construct) order their enterprises in such a way as to blind themselves to their Creator. Paul wrote of this syndrome to Roman believers:
“For [God does not overlook sin and] the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who in their wickedness suppress and stifle the truth, because that which is known about God is evident within them [in their inner consciousness], for God made it evident to them. For ever since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through His workmanship [all His creation, the wonderful things that He has made], so that they [who fail to believe and trust in Him] are without excuse and without defense” (Rom. 1:18-20).
This is a terrible and hard truth to even read, let alone write. It is possible to devote one’s life to the acquisition of knowledge (“science”) but miss the wisdom of revering the Lord altogether. And that is the tragedy of scientism.
God is the God of creation; our world, and the wonders that both surround and fill it, are the work of His hands. Creation shouts His name.
There is that “science” that takes as material that which cannot be seen; that reveres the Person Who must be believed; that expects the Word Who spoke creation into existence to come for His own at any moment. That science is the faith of, and life in, Christ, the Faithful and True Witness.
God is looking for those with the audacity to “test” (believe) the many “hypotheses” (promises) in His Word! “Taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the one who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34:8) “For as many as are the promises of God, in Christ they are [all answered] ‘Yes.’ So through Him we say our ‘Amen’ to the glory of God” (2 Cor. 1:20).
Yes, God is yearning to be proven faithful by anyone intrepid enough to allow Him to prove Himself. That is the “science” of God. Trust in God; believe His Word; allow His Spirit to fill your heart and refresh you with His touch; let the Blessed Hope of His catching His Church up to take us to our Father’s House thrill and preserve your soul in these trying times.
____________________________
[1] Moreland, J.P. What Is Scientism? Crossway.org, September 24, 2018. https://www.crossway.org/articles/what-is-scientism/. Accessed March 7, 2021.