Journal of Contemporary Studies on Religion and Science (JCSRS)

Journal of Contemporary Studies on Religion and Science (JCSRS)

On teaching the coherence of religion and science in a secularizing culture, a phenomenological approach

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Associate University Chaplain, Office of Spiritual Life, Baylor University Faculty, Departments of History and Religion
Abstract
The tension between religion and science remains a pressing issue for administrators, faculty, and students at universities, whether these are secular or religiously affiliated. This is particularly important in institutions where religious instruction is part of the curriculum, as this brings forth the element of compulsion and, to use Michel Foucault’s phrase, the “unpredictable and contradictory outcomes of power.” The way issues of faith are taught can make a significant difference in the student experience. In this paper, one contends that the interrelation of science and religion in general, and the reality of revelation in particular, is best taught by engaging the student’s theological imagination. A methodological approach is needed to guide students to formulate their own questions, and to commence an inward journey that engages the mind and opens the heart to wonder. Of the many possible options, one models the applicability of the Phenomenological method to structure teaching for courses in the Faculties of Arts and Sciences. This is a methodology that crystalized in Europe during the second half of the 20th century and is used across multiple academic disciplines.
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