The IFL Public Blogger Series…(Wade’s Blog #3)

MEET WADE FRANSSON

(Baha’i)

Blog #3 … By Wade Fransson

Chapter 3 ~ Religion and Science

In humanity’s broad quest for understanding, religion and science stand as pillars of exploration, each offering distinct perspectives on the mysteries of existence. While some perceive these domains as inherently conflicting, the Baha’i Faith presents a harmonious view, affirming the compatibility between faith and reason. Let’s delve into this enriching dialogue between religion and science, guided by the illuminating teachings of the Baha’i Faith.

In my previous blog, I shared how, at the heart of the Baha’i perspective, lies the principle of independent investigation of reality—and truth—which encourages individuals to explore the spiritual and material dimensions of reality. Among the vast treasure trove of teachings revealed by Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, were two series of concise, profound sayings titled “The Hidden Words”—one of them in Arabic, and a different set in Persian. The second Hidden Word in Arabic beautifully articulates the importance of this principle in establishing a just society:

The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor.

This passage underscores the importance of individual discernment and intellectual autonomy in the pursuit of truth. Taken to an extreme, however, this approach can lead to individuals insisting on their view, each one believing they are right, clamoring for justice on their own terms. As a parent, for example, I could cite numerous examples of how my children have been disappointed at a perceived lack of fairness when their own view of justice did not take the broader situation into consideration, including areas of their own thinking and behavior which are flawed and need education and attention to conform to a higher standard.

The Baha’i Faith emphasizes the need to strive for objectivity by  applying both spiritual discernment and scientific exploration. It emphasizes the role of reason as a guiding light in our quest for understanding, while also asking us to measure and test the outcome of our reason not only against the spiritual reality delivered by the Prophets and Messengers of God (which Baha’is refer to as Manifestations), but also against the material world, the Universe as it presents itself to us. Put succinctly, it implies that justice, and the truth necessary to deliver it, must be objectively measured against reality. In the Baha’i teachings, the relationship between religion and science is likened to two complementary sources of knowledge—the book of revelation and the book of creation. Baha’u’llah beautifully expresses this concept:

Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name, the Maker, the Creator. Its manifestations are diversified by varying causes, and in this diversity, there are signs for men of discernment. Nature is God’s Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world.

Tablets of Baha’u’llah Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 142.

Here, Baha’u’llah invites us to contemplate the wonders of the natural world as a reflection of divine wisdom and purpose. This perspective encourages a holistic approach to knowledge, wherein spiritual and scientific insights enrich and complement one another.

The renowned physicist Albert Einstein acknowledged the intrinsic harmony between religion and science in many quotes, including: “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” This sentiment resonates deeply with the Baha’i perspective, which advocates for the integration of spiritual and scientific knowledge. One of Einstein’s most famous quotes summarizes the topic this way: “I want to know God’s thoughts, the rest are mere details.”

But he also wrote, “I believe in Spinoza’s God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings.” Baha’i teachings emphasize the importance of reconciling apparent conflicts between religious scripture and scientific discoveries, recognizing that both avenues of inquiry lead to a deeper understanding of reality. Thus we would point out that God does, in fact, concern himself with humanity. Students of religion are quick to point out to agnostics and atheists that each and every one of God’s Messengers have shared that humans are the focal point of all creation. The scientific discovery that the earth revolves around the sun, rather than the other way around, has not changed this spiritual principle.

Baha’u’llah underscores the need to have both religion and science, affirming:

Religion and science are the two wings upon which man’s intelligence can soar into the heights, with which the human soul can progress. It is not possible to fly with one wing alone! Should a man try to fly with the wing of religion alone he would quickly fall into the quagmire of superstition, whilst on the other hand, with the wing of science alone he would also make no progress, but fall into the despairing slough of materialism.

Finally, let us also consider that ancient religious texts, which were provided to our species in its infancy, were often misinterpreted by the caretakers of the revelation. Thus the prophet Isaiah wrote (Chapter 42:21) of a messenger who would “magnify the law and make it honorable” and Jesus was recorded (by Matthew in chapter 5:17 as saying “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”  This introduces the idea of progressive revelation, the subject of a future blog, in which the need to update and clarify these prior statements made thousands of years ago to our forefathers.  Science is another way in which we update our understanding of these texts.

However, the same point needs to be made about science. We are in our infancy when it comes to “reading” the great book of creation.  Many mistakes have been made, and are being made, as we attempt to apply the scientific method to large human problems. Prejudices, biases, abound, and infiltrate the supposed lack of bias in science. And as science grows and becomes “organized” it is subject to systemic biases, such as the corruption of funding by those who seek a predetermined outcome, based on a profit motive or other ideology. We need to bring a mix of respect and caution in following the guidance of scientists as well as those who would interpret religious texts for us.

To summarize, there are two great books of Revelation. The first of these is direct Revelation from God, brought by His many messengers, and recorded in the Holy Word of God.  The second is the greater book of Creation itself, the Universe that is God’s direct handiwork, the signature of who He is, infused with His essence and His laws, and through which He reveals Himself to anyone willing to study this book with an open mind and an unbiased heart. These form two wings of the same bird, and it is this author’s personal opinion that when those who study these two great books can more fully acknowledge that both curricula are provided by the same teacher, we will soar into the heavens of truth and understanding. We will then be able to build the glorious society promised in all the Holy Writings, supported by discoveries made, and yet to be made, by everyone who pursues truth through science. 

As we journey forward, let us embrace the rich dialogue between religion and science, recognizing that each offers valuable insights into the nature of reality and our place within it.