The Three-Tier problem for Science and Religion at the popular and research levels

Mckee, Samuel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1813-0521 (2025) The Three-Tier problem for Science and Religion at the popular and research levels. Science and Christian Belief, 37 (2). pp. 119-130. ISSN 0954-4194

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Abstract

It has been long understood that without strong, current engagement, science and religion research and discussion can fall into a niche interest of the church or confined to the interests of academics. The church, Christian apologetics, and academic science and religion research face a three-tiered challenge for staying accurate and engaged with modern science. Here I discuss three distinct levels of engagement where an intersection of scientists, theologians and philosophers can process how science and religion interact. Unfortunately, the scale and speed of scientific research and discovery outpaces the conversation of its implications and interaction with religion at such a rate that much theological derivation is rendered useless without the knowledge of the research at academic or popular congregational level. Within the life sciences alone, the problem is particularly acute. Here I outline some serious challenges for Christian engagement at each level attempting to reflect meaningfully in theological and philosophical discussion on the present scientific research.