Science and Religion

What it is

This is an essay by Rev. Charles F. Deems, D. D., published in the Popular Science Monthly in 1876 under the title Science and Religion. It opens by calling the cry of a conflict between religion and science fallacious and harmful to both. The author argues that a devout person of sound mind does not fear that scientific advances will shake the foundations of faith.

The essay uses John Kepler's life as an example. It says that in Kepler's life the only conflict between science and religion was not a real one, but the excerpt available here does not show the full argument. Readers should read the full essay to see how the author develops the example.

Why it matters

The essay reflects a debate in the nineteenth century about whether science and faith could coexist. Using Kepler, a Protestant astronomer whose faith affected his career, as a model shows how writers tried to reconcile the two. It helps students see how historical figures were used to make arguments about the present.

Look closer

• What is the author's main claim, and what evidence does he give for it?
• Why might a religious writer in 1876 choose Kepler as an example?
• Whose view of science and religion does the essay leave out?