Religion owes Science a Big Apology. Marilynne Robinson tells us why!

Marilynne Robinson, author of Absence of Mind: The Dispelling of Inwardness from the Modern Myth of the Self , argues that Religion and Science were never meant to be separate.  They need to end their separation and renew their vows.  My understanding of this issue is that they were always meant to be together but the reality is that historically, Religion was the overbearing and abusive partner who didn't give space or credibility to the place of Science in their relationship.  For too long, Science had been the dominated and submissive voice in the Western world.  Through the Enlightenment, Science began to find its own identity and voice without the shroud of Religion and as it has happened many times before, the pendulum swung too far in the opposite direction so that now we find ourselves in a world where certain proponents of Science wants to dominate and disband all Religious voices and identity.  

Ultimately, this has a psychological dimension.  The two need to go to therapy together and figure their stuff out.  The truth is, if a one-sided relationship exists for two long between two equal partners, relational reality has a way of correcting itself.  The solution is for the dominant partner to make space and time for the "other" to find their identity, embrace their capacity and exist in the relationship as a full fledged partner, both sitting at the table of intimate communion, joyful collaboration and respectful dialogue.  This is the best description of oneness - wherein two or more members are distinct in their identity and capacity for contribution but at the same time ultimately united and embracing the new identity that their distinct and  previously separate identities forged. 

The oneness that is created by two distinct identities communing together and forming a bond is a oneness that is ultimately a mystery for us to understand.  That mystery, though difficult to understand, is still a reality and a truth that can be trusted without necessarily verifying its existence through empirical evidence or rational analytics.  That best describes the relationship between Faith and Rationality, Religion and Science, the Natural and the Supernatural.  We must embrace the tension of that reality and allow time and delightful discovery to slowly unveil the pre-existing union that both Science and Religion have shared in secret for millenia.

Religion owes Science a Big Apology. 

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Religion should have provided the time and space for Science to define itself in the relationship in order for true health and intimate communion to take place.  Religion didn't know where it ended and Science began and as a result broke through and stepped upon the boundaries that were needed to keep one partner from overwhelming, subsuming, fearing and eventually alienating the other.  

So Science has needed its time of separation for many reasons that are healthy and part of natural development that exists in holistic and healthy relational dynamics.  The Bible says that God hates divorce.  Nobody likes divorce but obviously at times its necessary.  What God does understand we need more often in extreme situations is separation.  Separation brings perspective, it makes room for respect, it reminds, and it has the ability to renew relationships that otherwise would go on unchecked.  

God himself "separated" from Israel in his covenant relationship with them.  He never divorced them, but through their abuse of his love, denial of his presence and unfaithfulness, he chose to do the best thing for both of them and separated.  The paraphrased version of this is "you are no longer my people and I am no longer your God."  This gave them the self-inflicted consequences that were required for them to be reminded of the only true love that ever loved them and what it took to remain faithful to him.  In spite of their unfaithfulness, God showed his unending love by remaining faithful, even in the face of their prostitution.  But one thing he didn't do was choose divorce - he chose separation.  This, at times, is a necessary path on the journey of covenant.  In fact, separation can represent an aspect of covenant faithfulness.  

Covenanting with another isn't just about commitment, it's more fundamentally about being committed to the commitment.  A covenant of faithfulness and love is based upon the foundations of love, selflessness, awareness, dignity, respect, etc...  If these values are not being practiced, ignored or being relegated by either one or both members of a covenant, then separation is a likely path to healing between these two, if patterns of destructiveness carry on for too long.   

Separation is actually a way to be faithful to the covenant

Therefore separation can represent a healthy break in the spiraling and destructive patterns that many relationships find themselves in.  Separation is designed to shock either one or both members of a covenant back to the reality and the foundations that formed their covenant.  

It's not the first solution and should be a last resort that has been communicated prior to making the decision (unless there is imminent danger to life), but at times may still be necessary.  

We all can easily forget to love as we promised but for some, a shock to their system due to a prolonged and unequal time of one-sided and selfish expectations, may require a separation.  At that point, the member or members of the covenant have a choice to re-engage who they love with what their covenant requires for health, or they can continue in their self-destructive patterns apart from the direct effect it will have on their partner, albeit that the effect of separation is always painful for both members in some way or another, directly or indirectly. 



So the question is, if separation is necessary, is there a member of the covenant who is more at fault than the other?  The answer is yes and no.  Both members could be spiraling into destructive and selfish patterns that are ill-effecting the other.  Both of them could have possibly conceived of ways to lie to themselves about whether or not they are responsible or whether or not their partner is at fault.  But there are times when one member has been more unfitted in their love and respect of the other or just outright abusive without regard, respect or love for their covenant or for their partner.


The separation between Science and Religion was mostly the fault of Religion.  The Copernican Revolution to the age of Darwin and for centuries prior, has awaited this separation.  It was inevitable and necessary.  Religion had been too ignorant, self-focused and unyielding in its fear, self-preservation and power-mongering for too long.  Now, at least in the Western World, Religion is getting a dose of its own medicine and of course, doesn't like it.  The corrective may take longer than we like but the principle stands: The longer a pendulum is pushed in one direction, the longer it will be required to correct it.  The time doesn't have to be as long to form the corrective but the measures to do so may be.  


What we can all hope for is that the eyes of each side will be open to their longing for each other, a longing that can only be satisfied, embraced and protected in a covenant relationship.  We hope that they would bathe their conversation in love, a universal love value that all humanity agrees is the path to truth and reconciliation.  Love keeps no record of wrongs and so our hope is that Science will forgive, though not forget because that is unnatural and unnecessary and ultimately unscientific.  Our truest hope will be that Science will keep no records of Religion's wrongs and finally experience the bliss of intimate union, synergistic collaboration and covenant faithfulness.

So what is our place?  Well, we are not to endorse or propagate a prolonged separation, we are especially not to promote a call for divorce and we are to never ignore the reality of the pain endured and incurred or make space to repeat it.  As reconciliars, we are here to help cultivate the gardens of the other, to cultivate an environment for renewal, for transformed space and for graceful understanding, always remembering that we too have or may need to in the future, experience a painful yet necessary rupture for the health and well-being of our community.  Don't promote divorce, don't prolong separation, yet at the same time take steps towards regarding the other in your own life so as to not bring oneself to the point of necessary rupture - no-one is exempt.  

Make space for Religion and for Science to be wed once again and more deeply than ever before in your heart and in the hearts and minds of all those whom you have the care of.  Recognize which side of the line we may fall on due to our tradition, family line, history, beliefs and convictions - then we are to take steps to bridge the chasms that others may have created for us, though we may have participated.  Our call is to embrace mystery and discovery in the same moment, only to realize that in so doing we have participated in and embodied a unity that has always existed.  Religion has always been a part of discovery in Science and discovery in Science should have always played a part in understanding Faith.  Now is a better time than ever before.