Transcript:

Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to the Kingdom Perspective.

The Bible suggests to us that one of the practical ways we can fulfill the biblical command to love our neighbor is through the practice of good science.

Science comes from an old Latin term for knowledge. Biblically speaking, science is a good and true thing because we live in an orderly universe, created by an unchanging God who governs his world in an orderly way. Thus, we can gain understanding by applying ourselves to the basic task of data collection and interpretation. Through our collective application of this scientific method, generation after generations, we grow in knowledge.

Now, there are certainly limits to scientific knowledge. Science is not the only type of knowledge we need, in order to live well together.

Nonetheless, it is a gift of God for the well-being of society. Science is not only a social phenomenon (something that happens in community), but also a social good (something that benefits community). We can love our neighbor by not only doing good science (as many in our medical/college community do), but also by following good science. For example, we can know better how to avoid spreading disease by applying ourselves to such knowledge.

A desire to help your neighbor is a very good thing, but zeal without knowledge (without science) is at best incomplete, and at worst very dangerous.

Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.