First Parish Church in Weston

Galileo, Darwin, and God:
Anniversary Retrospectives

A panel discussion held at The First Parish Church in Weston
December 6, 2009

The year 2009 is marked by two anniversaries of great scientific and theological significance. It is the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s first telescopic study of the heavens, and the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth. The discoveries of Galileo and Darwin each had the effect of undermining the literal interpretation of scripture, and of displacing human beings from their assumed position of centrality in creation. The dialogue between religion and science has undergone many phases, but the issues have never been fully resolved. On December 6, the First Parish Church in Weston celebrated Galileo and Darwin with four scientific and theological presentations, followed by discussion among the speakers and the audience. The speakers, in order of appearance, were:
Panel members
  • Charles Whitney, Professor of Astronomy, emeritus, Harvard University,
    who was also Scientist at the Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge
  • Nancy Lewis, formerly science teacher in the Curtis Middle School,
    who has been a student of Darwin and archaeology, and leader of trips
    to the Galapagos Islands
  • Harry Hoehler, Minister Emeritus of the First Parish Church in Weston,
    who also served as presiding officer of the Massachusetts Council of
    Churches and the Massachusetts Bible Society
  • Steven Matthysse, emeritus Professor, Harvard Medical School,
    who has taught courses in the psychology and philosophy of religion
Matthysse, Hoehler, Lewis, Whitney (l-r)
Photo by Barbara Elmes
Whitney (presentation) explained that in Galileo’s time, the church fathers interpreted scriptural references to the heavens quite literally, such as a phrase like “And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies.” (Joshua 10:12-13) The church fathers interpreted this passage as implying that the sun is in motion about the earth, and they saw this as a direct contradiction of the sun-centered hypothesis of Copernicus, published in 1543, in which the sun was stationary. The preface to Copernicus’s book contains a disclaimer that the model was merely meant as a description and was not to be taken literally. But Galileo insisted on taking it literally, and much of his life was devoted to the task of proving that Copernicus was right. He wrote as a devout believer, but he insisted that astronomy must be based on observations, measurements, and reasoning, rather than scripture. The book of nature, he said, is written in the language of mathematics. He insisted there could be no disagreement between science and interpretation of scripture. Since then, scientists have ranged across the spectrum of beliefs in the matter of God but, once we have gone back to the Big Bang, we are stuck. Science is stumped when it comes to the question, “Why is there something instead of nothing?”

Lewis (presentation) summarized the essential points of the Darwin’s theory of evolution. Any species has the power to recreate infinitely. Nevertheless, the numbers within a species remain fairly constant. Therefore there is a struggle for existence. There is variation within a species. Therefore those best able to adapt will live longer and produce more of their kind — “survival of the fittest”. Darwin’s theory, which he published only reluctantly, caused a maelstrom of controversy. Darwin himself did not appear publicly but was represented by his friends Hooker and Thomas Huxley. Huxley once quipped that he would rather be descended from an ape than a man who misused his gifts. Darwin was even shown in political cartoons looking like an ape with a tail. Today, even with better understanding and much more research, evolution remains a controversial subject. Creationism, also known as “Intelligent Design”, is favored by many, especially in conservative religions. Evolution is not a required subject in many states, and others insist that creationism be mentioned also. Will there be a time when the theory comes to be universally accepted? After 150 years, evolution is still evolving.

Hoehler (presentation) discussed errors in interpretation some evolutionary biologists make when they claim that nothing is known beyond what science delivers. Those who make this claim commit two basic fallacies. First, they beg the question by positing as a self-evident truth the unproved assumption that “science is the arbiter of all knowledge.” Second, they fall into the trap of reductionism. They focus on a single description — the naturalistic account of evolution — and treat it as if it were the total explanation of the evolutionary process. On the contrary, modern studies suggest that there is an overall direction embedded within evolution. From single-celled protozoa to humans, cooperation, both within species and with other species, appears to be necessary for species survival. Cooperation, alongside mutation and natural selection, may be thought of as one of the principles of evolution. Evolution suggests that God is voluntarily self-limiting, but still omnipresent. It implies a continually creating God, who nevertheless does not determine every single happening, but allows self-adaptation and self-organization to exist in the created order.

Matthysse (presentation) raised the question: how can God be good, in a world with so much suffering? The Darwinian struggle for existence makes suffering seem not to be an accident of evolution, but a principle central to the process. The claim of faith, on the other hand, is that God so caring that “He shall give His angels charge over thee … they shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” (Psalm 91) The problem of suffering is a barrier to faith for many people. Reflecting on the question Whitney raised, “Why is there something instead of nothing?”, we might think of God, not as eternally perfect, but as struggling to come to be. The language of risk, danger and heroic battle is needed to describe the process of creation. Words like pathlessness, loneliness, frustration and sorrow can be applied to God, alongside the traditional terms of glory, power and compassion. If the destiny of creatures is to participate in God’s own life, all must recapitulate the path traced as God comes to be.

The evening ended appropriately with animal crackers and a cake with dinosaur icing.

Article with reader comments from Weston Town Crier, December 17, 2009

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