Science and Religion

Within this new Unit comes the following questions: what truth and knowledge? Who owns knowledge? What is science? What is religion? Are they incompatible? Is the End of God?
It is said that the relationship between science and religion has been long and troubled: from the condemnation of Galileo by the Catholic Church in 17th century Italy, through the clashes between creationism and evolution in 20th century America, right up to recent claims that the universe does not need God. We look at what lies behind this difficult relationship. We investigate the connections between religion and American politics in the story of a more recent court case – the trial of Intelligent Design; what happens when new scientific discoveries start to explain events that were once seen as the workings of God; how some of our most famous scientists have seen God in the grandest laws of the universe. Finally, we find out intriguing evidence from brain science which hints that belief in God is here to stay.