History of Science and Religion in the Western Tradition

First comprehensive survey in the field The debate over evolution's place in the school science curriculum in the United States illustrates the ongoing importance of the relationship between science and religion in the West. Surprisingly, however, that relationship has not always been a locus of contention. It has been varied and multifaceted, with religion oftentimes nurturing and encouraging scientific progress. For the first time, this relationship, which has gone on in some form perhaps since the dawn of history itself, is chronicled-through the analysis of intellectual movements, Western religious traditions, and the evolving manifestations of science. A truly vast range of coverage Reaching back to Greece in the fifth century B.C.E. and proceeding to the late twentieth century, this volume describes the relationship of science and religion throughout history. From ancient cosmology and medieval occult sciences to modern physics and psychology, every major intellectual movement and discipline of study is covered. There is also comprehensive coverage of the foundational aspects of the study of science and religion, with, for example, detailed discussions of the demarcation of science and religion, of epistemology, and of causation. Coverage of scientists' religious concerns Also included here are biographical studies of major scientific figures-among them Galileo, Newton, and Darwin-who were particularly concerned with the religious implications and dimensions of their scientific discoveries.