One of the important contributions of Christianity towards the de-divinization of nature including trees, rivers and most importantly Sun, moon and planets.
Polytheism and nature worship in many cultures included worship of Sun, moon, stars, rivers, fire, fertility, crop circles etc. This prevented the scientific study of these objects as they were considered gods. In many culture astrology controlled the major decisions of life. The stars were seen as controlling the life of the individual human beings. The scientific study of stars and cosmos i.e Astronomy or cosmology was not their interest. Astronomical calculations were made for astrological purposes and it stiffled the proper study of the objects concerned. This study was mostly included identifying and naming constellations and using it for astrology.
Indian systems like Ayurveda and Siddha medicine have a long history but their advances were nothing compared to western medicine and therefore even Indians go to allopathy practitioners most of the time rather than to their own medical systems.
With the advent of Christianity and the christian thought - theology and philosophy, the Jewish idea that God created the universe became predominant. That sun and moon are mere lamps providing light and the planets and elements like fire, water, earth, air, matter including both organic and inorganic matter and the minds of men and women were all created and not divine. This idea was instrumental in Europe becoming the center of scientific progress rather than China or India. Even though India and China has significant scientific disciplines, the progress of science to the extent of what we have today would not have taken place in those cultures.
The main theme of genesis Chapter 1, the very chapter of the Holy Bible is the establishment of the fact that nature was created by God and is NOT to be worshiped. It is the creator who is worthy of worship and not nature. The God who made everything also instituted laws according to which the universe functions. These laws were not under the control of multiple gods who would change it for their own agenda, if and when a dispute arose with the any other god. But the one God, the creator and sustainer of the whole universe has made theses laws to be unchanging laws, reliable ones. He keeps them unchanging so that the universe can function the way it does. The belief that laws of nature do not change was a very important idea that enabled the study of nature to discover them and apply them. They also promoted the idea of 'scientific doxology' which is the worship of God through the study of science. Science helps us discover laws and equations and design in nature and helps us appreciate the wisdom and power of God, which in turn leads to worship of God in response.
The de-divinization of nature freed up the human mind to study it without fear. The fact that God created everything and called it "good" made the study of science the study of goodness and the study of the truth about nature which God has created. It also revealed the mind of the creator who created it.
The mandate placed by God to humans to multiply and dominate and rule over the earth became the driving force behind technological development which were done by Christians both Protestant and Catholic, in Europe to fulfill this mandate and use the natural laws or the benefit of humanity. So they studied nature and discovered laws which they used to build machines, and develop medicines and vaccines and build dams and windmills.
I've heard many people consider Christianity as an enemy of science. This view is an erroneous one, based on false propaganda and is entirely contrary to the truth. The rise of modern Atheism can be contributed more to the ignorance of history of science, philosophy and theology, than to scientific advancement. The oft quoted Galileo episode was an anomaly and an exception but has wrongly come to be understood as Christianity being against science. Galileo himself was a Christian and the whole 'Galileo affairs' has not been completely and deeply studied by many. There were lot of issues in which Galileo was wrong in his scientific work, including the fact that he thought 'tides' were due to the movement of the earth. He also had a personal problem with the pope at that period of time. There were other explanations to the certain problems which the Ptolemaic model had and Galileo could not provide convincing proof. Moreover the Catholic church in which he was a part of was itself focusing on the Protestant reformation that was blazing through Europe. But once the catholic church was convinced and the confirmatory evidence was adequate, it changed it's position. After all you need good amount of evidence before you change an existing theory.
Christian scientists Kepler, Galileo, Newton, Mendel, Robert Boyle, Blaise Pascal, Faraday, Priestly, Jenner, Polkinghorn were trailblazers in their areas of scientific study which they considered as 'Calling of God'. The father of the scientific method, Francis Bacon himself was a committed Christian who theological and philosophical works are well- known. Moreover, Copernicus whose theory Galileo proved through his work, was himself a part of the Church and was Canon of the Church, involved in ecclesiastical and theological matters. They were not just scientists, they were also philosophers and theologians. It is ignorance of these facts which has misled many people.
The Church both Protestant and Catholic gave rise to a number of scientists who served humanity through their commitment to the discovery of truth in God's creation, advancement of science and the benefit of humankind for the glory of God.
Polytheism and nature worship in many cultures included worship of Sun, moon, stars, rivers, fire, fertility, crop circles etc. This prevented the scientific study of these objects as they were considered gods. In many culture astrology controlled the major decisions of life. The stars were seen as controlling the life of the individual human beings. The scientific study of stars and cosmos i.e Astronomy or cosmology was not their interest. Astronomical calculations were made for astrological purposes and it stiffled the proper study of the objects concerned. This study was mostly included identifying and naming constellations and using it for astrology.
Indian systems like Ayurveda and Siddha medicine have a long history but their advances were nothing compared to western medicine and therefore even Indians go to allopathy practitioners most of the time rather than to their own medical systems.
The main theme of genesis Chapter 1, the very chapter of the Holy Bible is the establishment of the fact that nature was created by God and is NOT to be worshiped. It is the creator who is worthy of worship and not nature. The God who made everything also instituted laws according to which the universe functions. These laws were not under the control of multiple gods who would change it for their own agenda, if and when a dispute arose with the any other god. But the one God, the creator and sustainer of the whole universe has made theses laws to be unchanging laws, reliable ones. He keeps them unchanging so that the universe can function the way it does. The belief that laws of nature do not change was a very important idea that enabled the study of nature to discover them and apply them. They also promoted the idea of 'scientific doxology' which is the worship of God through the study of science. Science helps us discover laws and equations and design in nature and helps us appreciate the wisdom and power of God, which in turn leads to worship of God in response.
The de-divinization of nature freed up the human mind to study it without fear. The fact that God created everything and called it "good" made the study of science the study of goodness and the study of the truth about nature which God has created. It also revealed the mind of the creator who created it.
The mandate placed by God to humans to multiply and dominate and rule over the earth became the driving force behind technological development which were done by Christians both Protestant and Catholic, in Europe to fulfill this mandate and use the natural laws or the benefit of humanity. So they studied nature and discovered laws which they used to build machines, and develop medicines and vaccines and build dams and windmills.
I've heard many people consider Christianity as an enemy of science. This view is an erroneous one, based on false propaganda and is entirely contrary to the truth. The rise of modern Atheism can be contributed more to the ignorance of history of science, philosophy and theology, than to scientific advancement. The oft quoted Galileo episode was an anomaly and an exception but has wrongly come to be understood as Christianity being against science. Galileo himself was a Christian and the whole 'Galileo affairs' has not been completely and deeply studied by many. There were lot of issues in which Galileo was wrong in his scientific work, including the fact that he thought 'tides' were due to the movement of the earth. He also had a personal problem with the pope at that period of time. There were other explanations to the certain problems which the Ptolemaic model had and Galileo could not provide convincing proof. Moreover the Catholic church in which he was a part of was itself focusing on the Protestant reformation that was blazing through Europe. But once the catholic church was convinced and the confirmatory evidence was adequate, it changed it's position. After all you need good amount of evidence before you change an existing theory.
Christian scientists Kepler, Galileo, Newton, Mendel, Robert Boyle, Blaise Pascal, Faraday, Priestly, Jenner, Polkinghorn were trailblazers in their areas of scientific study which they considered as 'Calling of God'. The father of the scientific method, Francis Bacon himself was a committed Christian who theological and philosophical works are well- known. Moreover, Copernicus whose theory Galileo proved through his work, was himself a part of the Church and was Canon of the Church, involved in ecclesiastical and theological matters. They were not just scientists, they were also philosophers and theologians. It is ignorance of these facts which has misled many people.
The Church both Protestant and Catholic gave rise to a number of scientists who served humanity through their commitment to the discovery of truth in God's creation, advancement of science and the benefit of humankind for the glory of God.
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