Science & Religion

John Hanju Kim

Part 1: What is Science? How

do we understand it as distinct
from religion?
 Chalice Lighting

For the wonder and inspiration

We seek from sun and stars
And all the lights of the heavens,
We light this chalice.
- Rev. Cynthia Landrum
 Opening Questions

● Was there such a thing as a scientist in ancient times?

● Who do we see as the earliest scientists?
● Is there a distinction between scientists and religious
figures such as shamans and priests?
● What does that tell us about the line between science
and religion?
 Ancient Belief Systems

● Early belief systems had answers to how the world was formed, what
made the rain fall and the stars shine.
● At the time, an answer of "someone made it" was a reasonable
answer.
○ In modern times, we infer intent based on archeology and other
work, but we assume physical systems have no intent.
○ In ancient times, without our accumulated knowledge, inferring
intent was a reasonable practice.
Studies since ancient times

● Healing (mental and physical)

● Biology (growing, hunting, weather prediction)
● Astronomy
● Math
 Natural, Supernatural, and Immaterial

Beliefs can be put into three groups:

● "Natural" -- Assertions about the physical world. They
might be wrong, but attempt to describe accurately
● "Supernatural" -- Assertions about the physical world not
based on natural phenomena, like ghosts or monsters
● "Immaterial" -- Assertions about the non-physical
○ Math
○ Other: ___
Astrology and Astronomy

● Modern people divide between astrology (how stars influence)

and astronomy (physical description of stars)
● In ancient times, the sun and moon were known to have
influence at a distance.
● What is the dividing line in ancient people?
● Topics: tides, seasons, groupings of people
 Calendar Accuracy Comparison
Calendar Introduced Average Year Approximate Error
Length

Mayan calendar ~2000 BCE 365.242036 days 13 sec/year (1 day in 6500 years)

Julian calendar 45 BCE 365.25 days 11 min/year (1 day in 128 years)

Jewish calendar 9th century CE 365.246822 days 7 min/year (1 day in 216 years)

Persian/Jalali calendar 11th century CE 365.2421986 days 2 min/year (1 day in ~800 years)

Gregorian calendar 1582 CE 365.2425 days 27 sec/year (1 day in 3236 years)

 Numerology and Math

● Numerology usually refers to mysticism about

numbers, like lucky 7 or unlucky 13.
○ More complex numerology often involves higher
math
● Math is the broader study of not just numbers but
also shapes and logic
● Mathematical relations always have had mystic
and/or religious significance.
 Number Systems
Name Base Examples Year appeared
Sumerian numerals 10+60 3,100 BCE

Egyptian numerals 10 3,000 BCE

Babylonian numerals 10+60 2,000 BCE

Roman numerals IVXLCDM 1,000 BCE

Indian / Devanagari 10 ०१२३४५६७८९ 750 – 690 BCE

numerals
Maya numerals 5+20 ~36 BCE

Arabic numerals 10 0123456789 9th Century

 Pythagoras and his followers

● Pythagoras and followers settled in Crotona in South Italy around 530 BCE
● Believed in transmigration of human souls into the bodies of animals
○ Vegetarian
○ Pythagoras and others described past lives
● Performed a ritual sacrifice of an ox upon discovering new theorems
● Soul could be freed by introspective thought and philosophical study,
especially of numbers and relations
○ Certain numbers were more holy, especially 10, 1, and 3
○ Ten as the Tetractys would literally be prayed to on knees
 Early Measurements of Pi
Date Base Description Value Accuracy
2000? BCЕ Ancient Egyptians 4 × (8⁄9)2 3.1605... 1

25
800–600 BCE Shatapatha Brahmana Instructions on how to construct a ⁄8 = 3.125 1
circular altar from oblong bricks
223
c. 250 BCE Archimedes ⁄71 < π < 22⁄7 3.140845... < π < 2
3.142857...
377
150 Ptolemy ⁄120 3.141666... 3

263 Liu Hui 3.141024 < π < 3.142074 3.1416 3

3927 / 1250

480 Zu Chongzhi 3.1415926 < π < 3.1415927 3.1415926 7

62832
499 Aryabhata ⁄20000 3.1416 4

1220 Fibonacci 3.141818 3

 Discussion Questions

Based on our look into belief, astronomy, and math - do our

answers to the opening questions change?
● Was there such a thing as a scientist in ancient times?
● Who do we see as the earliest scientists?
● Is there a distinction between scientists and religious
figures such as shamans and priests?
● What does that tell us about the line between science
and religion?
 Extinguishing the Chalice

We extinguish this flame, but not the light of truth,

the warmth of community, or the fire of commitment.
These we carry in our hearts until we are together
again.