IISR (Indian Institute of Science & Religion)

XAVIER’S SCHOOL CAMPUS, 4 RAJNIWAS MARG, DELHI – 110 054

iisrdelhi@gmail.com, jobksj@gmail.com

 

 

Importance of Science and Religion

 

Modern science and religion are arguably two most powerful influences in our society today, leading and guiding the life and destiny of people. This is particularly true of India where traditionally both science and religion have flourished and enjoyed great respect and wide support. In the past many outstanding scholars and scientists have pointed this out time and again. For instance, Alfred North Whitehead already in 1925 in his well-known Science and the Modern World, wrote: “When we consider what religion is for mankind, and what science is, it is no exaggeration to say that the future course of history depends upon the decision of this generation as to the relations between them.” Max Planck in 1932 in his book Where Is Science Going? said:  “There can never be any real opposition between religion and science; for the one is the complement of the other. Every serious and reflective person realizes, I think, that the religious element in his nature must be recognized and cultivated if all the powers of the human soul are to act together in perfect balance and harmony.” In more recent times, well-known scientists like Albert Einstein, Werner Heisenberg, Francis Collins, etc., and great religious leaders like Swami Vivekananda, Pope John Paul II, Dalai Lama, etc., also have held similar views.

 

However, consensus with regard to how to relate true science with genuine religion creatively and constructively still remains elusive. Late Ian Barbour who did pioneering work in this field of interrelating science and religion proposes 4 models: conflict, independence, dialogue and integration.  John Haught, Distinguished Research Professor of Theology at Georgetown University, has a similar view although his nomenclature is slightly different: conflict, contrast, contact and confirmation. Ted Peters of CTNS (Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences) gives a more detailed eight-fold view: scientism, scientific imperialism, ecclesiastical authoritarianism, scientific creationism, the two-language theory, hypothetical consonance, ethical overlap and New Age spirituality. There are many other models presented by other scholars in the field. It seems to me that these differences should not be considered as a mark of weakness or unclarity about the relationship. Rather I consider this as something natural and expected – both science and religion are exceptionally rich and resourceful fields and involve many aspects, and so no simple model or classification can capture adequately this richness.

 

My Personal View on the Relationship between Modern Science and Contemporary Religion

 

Personally I believe that the views or classification presented by various scholars are on the right track – historically and logically. However, I wish to consider the matter in a simpler way in terms of 3 dominant views: conflict view, coexistence view and complementarity view. It is my contention that the more detailed views presented by other scholars can be subsumed under one of these 3 models.

 

  1. The Conflict View

According to this view, science and religion are enemies at perpetual war with each other. Science is claimed to be in the winner’s seat, and it is only a matter of time before religion will be vanquished, and science will have established its supremacy. The motto of this camp is “The boom of science is the doom of religion.” The stock example of this group is the oft-repeated Galileo controversy and the Darwinian debate. Some of the prominent proponents, over the centuries, of this view are David Hume, Karl Marx, Frederick Nietzsche, Bertrand Russell, Kai Nielson, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, etc. It may be noted that, although even today some sections of the popular media still continue to present this view, many well-informed and well-recognized contemporary scholars have raised serious objections to this view.

 

  1. The Coexistence View

The basic stand of this group is that science and religion are two independent systems, in which each one is right and justified in its own domain. But they remain independent and unrelated to each other in any meaningful way, and have nothing to contribute to each other. Conflict comes only when one trespasses into the other’s territory. The often quoted example of this view is: “When Faraday opens the door of his laboratory, he closes the door of his oratory.”

Many scientists in the past subscribed to this view. A significant number of Indian scientists even today hold this view. In more recent times Abdus Salam, Stephen J. Gould, etc., have strongly supported this view. Although this view can get around the problem of antagonism between science and religion, it does not seem to be a happy position. Since one and the same person is expected to play two different roles – be a scientist and be cut off from all matters religious, while doing science, and be a religious and forget all matters scientific, while engaged in religious matters – this can lead to internal tensions.

 

  1. The Complementarity View

The complementarity view, in some ways, can be looked upon as a middle position between the conflict and coexistence views, with certain significant differences. Like the coexistence view, it admits that science and religion are different, but unlike it, the complementarity view refuses to deny close relationship between the two. Like the conflict view, it admits that there are marked differences between science and religion; but, unlike it, this complementarity view looks at these differences positively – as enriching each other, rather than advocating any form of rivalry or antagonism with each other. This view believes that both science and religion are good and beneficial, even necessary, for humans. But they are different, but these differences, instead of negatively pitting one against the other, positively united them together. These two meet and interact actively, usually not directly with each other, but in the person and life of the scientist and believer. That is, usually religion may not make science better science by its interaction; conversely, science may not make religion better by its interaction. They meet in the life of the person, and when they both are allowed to influence the person, a better and richer person is formed. This comes about because humans need both the rich resources of science and the deep insights of religion. Science brings to the person involved something very precious and necessary which religion may not be able to provide; similarly religion contributes certain things to the person which science may not be able to supply. Thus when scientific resources and religious values are allowed to influence the human person constructively and creatively, the result is a more wholesome, more balanced, fuller person. This interaction allows the human person to develop and fructify more and more the numerous potentialities of the human person. Fritjof Capra in his The Tao of Physics has captured this point beautifully: “Science does not need religion, religion does not need science; but humans need both.” Albert Einstein’s view in this context is well known: “Religion without science is blind, science without religion is lame.”[i] In his Letter to George Coyne, SJ, then Director of the Vatican Observatory, in 1988, Pope John Paul II shared the same sentiment: “Science can purify religion from superstition, religion can purify science from false absolutes.” Today more and more scholars are moving towards this view, although each expresses it in his/her own way.

 

East-West Meeting

I am very much in favour of the Complementarity View. However, I go one step further. The meeting of genuine science and true religion in a person is a very special type of interactive process: it is expected to touch and transform the person – the person becomes better and richer. The person is not only better informed since the person receives data from both sources, the person is also better formed – the harmonious blending of scientific data and religious insights can shape the person better. Furthermore, the person gets transformed, with an enriched personality and ennobled attitude. This three-tier enrichment process of information, formation and transformation involves not only the sapiential, dominantly intellectual and academic dimension, but also the affective, dominantly intuitive and mystical aspect.  With regard to the intellectual and academic dimension scholars in the West have been doing a marvellous work, and science-religion dialogue has been benefiting immensely. However, it seems to me that this contribution has remained very much at the academic level, the affective level has not been touched sufficiently. For science-religion dialogue to touch and transform persons, the affective, mystical dimension also has to be put in full action. It is well accepted that the East has been rich in the affective, mystical dimension, and so the East can make a substantial contribution to science-religion dialogue in this area. This means that the Eastern segment of science-religion dialogue also will have to be developed further if this dialogue is to become a true vehicle of human transformation. One of IISR’s primary concerns is to develop further this “Eastern Wing” of science-religion dialogue.

 

IISR (Indian Institute of Science and Religion)

 

Indian Institute of Science & Religion is an attempt to bring together the latest findings of modern science and deepest insights of religions to build up a better humanity and a better India, particularly in her multi-religious, multicultural and multiracial context. Established in 2000 at Jnana DeepaVidyapeeth (JDV), Pontifical Institute of Philosophy and Religion, Pune, India, IISR has been a pioneer in science-religion interfacing in the Indian subcontinent. in 2014 the headquarters of IISR was shifted to Delhi. Currently it is located at Navjivan Renewal Centre, 4 Raj Niwas Marg, Delhi 110054.

 

Vision of IISR

Recognizing and appreciating the complementary and mutually enriching roles of both science and religion, IISR promotes a scientifically well-informed, open-to-the-Divine and value-based humanity.

 

Mission of IISR

In the multireligious, multicultural and multiracial fabric of the world, especially India, IISR attempts to bring together the latest findings of modern science and the deepest insights of religions to build up a better humanity. Keeping itself abreast of the ever growing scientific developments, it attempts to integrate them with the time-tested and ever growing insights and values of religious traditions through serious research, international/national seminars, scholarly publications, etc. Keeping the strategy of ‘influencing the influential’ and collaborating with likeminded organizations both nationally and internationally, it focuses primarily on university/college/major seminary professors/lectures and senior college students, both men and women, urban and rural, Christian and non-Christian.

 

Some Achievements of IISR – Past and Present

 

IISR has been functioning for over 20 years extending its service in the field of science-religion dialogue to various institutions and organizations, particularly universities, colleges, major seminaries and similar institutions of higher education and research, Christian and non-Christian.

  • Setting-up Sister Centres: In the past it had helped set up more than 20 sister-centres in various parts of India, belonging to Christian and non-Christian religions, both men and women. Several of them continue to render valuable service in their respective regions, although some of them have become less active.
  • International Symposia: Over the years it has organized more than 13 well-attended and highly-appreciated international symposia in different cities of India on cutting-edge themes like the latest developments in cosmology, nanotechnology, neuroscience, etc. In 2019 the theme was “Creation without a Creator: A Critique of Hawking’s Concept of God,” organized in collaboration with St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad. In 2018 the theme was “Recent Developments in the Neurological Sciences and the Problem of the Human Soul,” organized in collaboration with St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. In 2017 the theme was “The Discovery of Gravitational Waves and the Future of Religion and Society,” in collaboration with JDV Pune. Preparations are going on for the 14th international symposium in 2021 on “Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Humanoids and the Future of Humanity,” in collaboration with St. Aloysius College, Mangalore.
  • National/Regional/ Local Conferences: During the last 20 years it has organized more than 200 national/regional/ local seminars and conferences in the field of science-religion interfacing. This tradition continues with undiminished enthusiasm and wide support from the participants.
  • Cadre of Resource Persons: Over the years it has also built up a cadre of speakers and scholars in the field of science-religion dialogue, who participate regularly in national and international events, both as resource persons and participants. These experts are mostly university/college/major seminary professors/scholars, belonging to Christian and non-Christian religions, both men and women. At present IISR has more than 40 such scholars/resource persons.
  • Academic Program – Master’s Program in JDV: With the help of IISR, JDV started a Master of Philosophy Programme in Interfacing Science, Philosophy and Religion (MSPR), the first and only one of its kind in India. This program continues to attract students from various parts of India and abroad.
  • IISR Publications: IISR has been publishing regularly books and articles in international and national journals. It co-publishes Omega, Indian Journal of Science and Religion, the only Indian journal in the field of science-religion dialogue. Till recently the Director of IISR was its Editor-in-Chief. To date, IISR has published over 20 books.
  • Specialized Science-Religion Library: IISR has helped JDV setup an up-to-date science-religion library, the best in India, with books, periodicals, CDs, etc., to encourage scholars and students to engage in serious research and publication. At present in Delhi also there is a similar library with a collection of up-to-date books, CDs and Videos in the field of science-religion interfacing.
  • Television Program: IISR in collaboration with its sister organization ISR (Institute of Science and Religion) Aluva, Kerala, prepared and televised the Television Series, “Light of Truth,” in Shalom TV. First of its kind in India, it was a 30 minute-weekly program and was televised internationally for over 15 months, more than 60 episodes. It was in Malayalam. It is available in YouTube. Now IISR is taking the initiative to have a similar program in English, also to be televised internationally (25 to 30 episodes to be telecast monthly).
  • Research and Travel Scholarships: IISR has been encouraging research and study by talented and interested students and scholars through scholarships and other assistance. In the past IISR used to offer travel scholarships to assist those who were invited to present papers at international conferences. At present, because of paucity of funds, it has been kept on hold.
  • Collaboration with Likeminded Organizations: In India it regularly collaborates with central governmental agencies like ICPR, private organizations like JDV Centre for Science and Religion, Pune; Institute of Science and Religion (ISR), Aluva, Kerala; Science-Religion Samgam, Goa; Science-Religion Forum, Wayanad, Kerala; Science-Religion Club, Vimala College, Thrissur, etc., in their different programs in science-religion interfacing.
  • International Collaboration: Internationally, in the past it collaborated with the Pontifical Council for Culture, Rome, and organized programs. In more recent times it collaborated with the Cardinal Suenens Center at John Carroll University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, in its program to promote science-literacy among the Catholic clergy and other leaders, particularly in seminaries and other centres of Church leadership formation worldwide. Efforts are afoot now to have similar collaboration with organizations in the Asian front, particularly in Taiwan, South Korea, Nepal and Malaysia.

 

Future Programs Planned

 

  • Science-Religion International Television-Series in English. Plans have already been drawn up and negotiations already started to start a Science-Religion Television Series in English. IISR is on the lookout for some more Funds.
  • International Collaborative Programs, especially with East-Asian Countries – S. Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, The Philippines, Nepal, etc. The principal goal is to develop an Eastern Wing of Science-Religion Dialogue, particularly drawing from the mystical, intuitive traditions of the East. This is expected to complement the outstanding work that is being done in the West. I am in touch with some international scholars already.
  • Publication of a multi-volume book on “Jesuits and Modern Science: Jesuit Contribution to the Origin and Development of Modern Science.” Considerable work has already been done. We hope to bring out at least one volume in 2021.

 

Looking Ahead

IISR has been the first of its kind in the Indian subcontinent, and one of the few in the Catholic world. Over the years it has been fortunate to inspire several other similar organizations in different parts of India. At present also some new ones are in the making. We hope and pray that more such noble initiatives will emerge in different parts of India and outside. IISR remains committed to encourage and support such ventures. Through all these and related initiatives and activities IISR is continuing its noble mission of being an effective catalyst to blend harmoniously and creatively the rich resources of modern science and contemporary religions.

Job Kozhamthadam, SJ / 15 May 2020.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amount Left with Jesuit Science Project  as on 1  April 2019 is (Rs. 2157383 – Rs. 2183867) =  Rs. -26,484   (Rupees  Minus Twenty Six Thousand Four Eighty Four Only)                                          

 

 

[i] See Albert Einstein, Ideas and Opinions (New York: Three Rivers Press, 1954 & 1982), pp. 41-49.