Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens on the Distinct Roles of Faith and Science

Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece (+ 2008) was absolutely clear on the distinct roles of faith and science.

Speaking at a scientific conference on organ transplantation, he remarked that "in our Orthodox Church we do not confuse Science with Faith and Religion. I could say, paraphrasing the word of the Lord, that we practice 'render the things of science unto science and the things of God unto God.' Our Church, during the centuries of the birth and development of modern science, not only did not oppose its discoveries, but its clergy themselves translated the new scientific data into Greek and were the teachers of the nation in its very difficult time of slavery to the Ottomans... In our Church you will not find cases of condemnation, such as those of Giordano Bruno or Galileo. On the contrary, you will find Aristotle and Plato, Solon and Thucydides painted in the exonarthex of its churches... For our part, we rejoice in the successes and in the progress of science and technology, and we do not hesitate to capitalize on their achievements."

Scientist and Christian, An Excellent Combination

 By Metropolitan Chrysostomos III of Mani

(Homily Delivered on June 30, 2022)

The Holy Unmercenaries Kosmas and Damian, whom we celebrate today, came from Rome and lived in the 3rd century. By studying medical science, they cured many people and even animals from their diseases. They did not receive money as a reward. They were unmercenaries. However, they would tell the healed to believe in Christian teaching.

Both were martyrs for Christ. They were even called Wonderworkers because even after their martyrdom they performed many miracles for the sick. In the Protaton of the Holy Mountain there is a wonderful fresco of them, a work of Panselinos of the 15th century.

These Saints also show us the value of the cooperation of religion and science. They were doctors, but that did not prevent them from being faithful Christians. This is a beautiful ideal. A proper scientist and a conscientious Christian. An excellent combination.

Homily Concerning Those Who Consider Science Incompatible With Religion (St. Luke of Simferopol)

Homily on Science and Religion

By St. Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol and All Crimea

(Delivered on May 30, 1948)

 

"Considering modern science, as it was developed by Lamarck and Darwin, we find a direct opposite, an absolute inconsistency between the statements of science and the statements of religion in the field of basic questions of being and cognition. Therefore, an enlightened and consistent mind cannot recognize both at the same time. He needs to make a choice."

So wrote 65 years ago the famous German zoologist Haeckel, an ardent admirer of Darwin, in his then sensational book "The Riddle of the Universe", which, as it seemed, completely refuted religion. He says that all enlightened minds must choose between science and religion, reject one or the other. He considers it necessary to reject religion, for the enlightened minds of science will not be rejected.

The Six Days of Creation as Six Visions

 By Archimandrite Joel Yiannakopoulos

A look at the biblical six-day period convinces us that it is not about long periods of time, as some have believed, because the phrase "and it was evening, and it was morning, first day" shows that it excludes this idea. Nor is it about twenty-four-hour days, because the sun was made on the fourth day. So it is about six visions, enclosed in twenty-four hour time intervals, through which (I am not saying how it happened, but that) Moses saw God's action in time.

The six visions are divided into two corresponding triads of days, so that the first triad verses 3-13 has the divisions, and the second triad verses 14-25 the supplements. Specifically: The first triad: On the first day light is separated from darkness, on the second day the sky is separated from the sea, on the third day the sea is separated from the land. In the second triad we have the following supplements: On the fourth day we have the sun to complement the light of the first day. On the fifth day we have the complements of sky and sea, i.e. birds and fish. And on the sixth day we have land animals and man, as supplements to the land and plants of the third day, because on the land and through the plants both animals and men live.

Source: From Η ΠΑΛΑΙΑ ΔΙΑΘΗΚΗ, Τ. Α΄, Η ΓΕΝΕΣΙΣ, εκδ. ΒΑΣ. ΡΗΓΟΠΟΥΛΟΥ, ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗ 1969, σελ. 46. Translation by John Sanidopoulos.

 

 

A 1967 Medical Examination of the Incorrupt Relics of Saint Gerasimos

 By Demetrios Panagopoulos, Preacher

(From a sermon on February 13, 1983 or 1984)

In 1967, a committee of scientists (medical examiners) had gone to examine the relic of Saint Gerasimos (in Kefallonia) and provide a "scientific" (if possible) solution to the incorruption of the sacred relic.

They sat for several days and considered it. In the end, they compiled a report that, among other things, confessed that the incorruptibility of the sacred relic is beyond the realm of science.

But the most amazing thing of all was that their leader, who was cold and indifferent to the faith, was for twenty days locked up in his house and troubled. When he was later asked why, he confessed that while examining the relic, at one point, he felt a pulse (a sign of a living person) in the Saint's hand!

 

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.