RESUMEN
Rasgos históricos de “controversia” entre
Fe cristiana y razón.
La controversia entre Fe cristiana y razón
científica, es infundada y artificial. Nunca hubo dos partes en
conflicto, porque desde luego la Iglesia no lo quiere.
El científico también es persona, y su
biografía le condiciona mucho más allá de la ciencia.
La ciencia, incluida la experimental, es
abierta, y ni ella ni el método utilizado pueden abarcar necesariamente toda la
realidad.
La primera supuesta “controversia” fue
cuando el cristianismo contactó con la filosofía pagana en los primeros siglos.
Durante más de mil años, se logró la plena
armonía entre Fe y razón en los monasterios, escuelas palatinas,
órdenes religiosas mendicantes, escuelas parroquiales, catedralicias y
episcopales del s. XII, los intercambios culturales, y sobre todo en las
universidades.
La segunda “controversia” de cinco siglos,
arrancó de minorías en el s. XIV, relevantes en los s. XIX-XX.
El nominalismo y voluntarismo del s. XIV
separó –no sólo distinguió- filosofía y teología. El Renacimiento (s. XV-XVI)
fue el siglo de la cultura –no de la ciencia-, y el protestantismo descalificó
la razón humana.
La Iglesia siempre respetó, cultivó o
ayudó a cultivar las ciencias humanas y experimentales. El Concilio de Trento
distinguió Fe y razón para unirlas en armonía (no separación ni independencia),
siendo la Fe la preeminente y Dios el origen de ambas.
El Barroco (s. XVII-1750) fue el siglo de la ciencia moderna. Los orígenes de ésta (s. XIII al XVII) tienen una matriz cultural cristiana, incluyendo a Copérnico, Tycho Brahe, Kepler, Galileo, Pascal, Boyle, Newton, Leibniz etc. El caso de Bruno (filósofo-teólogo) y Galileo fueron opuestos entre sí, del pasado lejano, y están bien estudiados. Los “novatores” o preilustrados españoles (1680-1730) afirmaron Fe, ciencia, y su compatibilidad. En 1700 surgió en el palacio de Versalles un estilo de
vida libertino, extendido hasta hoy.
Hasta 1752 los científicos experimentales
-muchos eran eclesiásticos- fueron creyentes. Desde entonces hubo
dos ilustraciones: si la anticristiana opone fe y razón, la ilustración
católica las aunaba. Alejandro Volta y María G. Agnesi, fueron genios en física
y matemáticas y fervientes católicos.
Desde entonces, los creyentes empezarán a
disminuir muy despacio. Algunos ideólogos, divulgadores y creadores de opinión…
atacaron la religión y llamaron ciencia a lo que no era. Por su parte, la
Iglesia siempre fue cauta.
Si el positivismo y materialismo del s.
XIX opusieron fe y razón gratuitamente, hubo científicos fervorosos cristianos
como Faraday, Maxwell, Kelvin, Jenner, Pasteur, Mendel…
Las ciencias experimentales evolucionan, y
si a veces parecían ir contra la fe (s. XIX), fue por las grandes novedades, su
rápido avance en un mar de dudas, la confusión entre tesis e hipótesis -y el
científico y divulgador-, las revoluciones industriales y sociales,
los ideólogos y la intervención de los filósofos. Ante ello, y el avanzar de la
increencia, la Iglesia siguió impulsando los ámbitos científico, educativo,
social y laboral. Su análisis de la Fe y razón es muy fértil: Pío IX
(Syllabus), Concilio Vaticano I (1869), Pío X (Lamentabili y Pascendi), Pío XII
(Humani generis), Vaticano II, catecismo de la Iglesia católica (1992), Juan
Pablo II (Fides et ratio), y Francisco I (Lumen fidei).
Hoy la ciencia experimental (biología,
física, química…) y matemática, facilitan creer en Dios de forma más evidente
que otros siglos. Científicos ateos se han hecho teístas. Así, la segunda
“controversia” va llegando a su fin, deparando la historia de la salvación
grandes sorpresas.
SUMMARY
Historical
“controversies” between Faith and reason.The controversy between faith and scientific
reason is artificial. There never were two sides in conflict as the Church did
not want to.
Scientists are individuals and as
such their biography conditions them beyond science.
Science, including the experimental one,
is in essence open, therefore it cannot by itself, neither
thru its methods, reach necessarily the entire reality.
The first pretended “controversy” came
when Christianity established contact with the pagan philosophy of the first
centuries.
Thorough more than one thousand
years, total harmony between faith and reason was reached in Abby’s, palatine
schools, religious orders, parishes and episcopal schools of the 12th century,
cultural exchanges and most importantly, in universities.
The second “controversy” lasted five
centuries, it had its roots in minorities during the 14th century and
became relevant in the 19th and 20th century.
Nominalism and voluntarism from the 14th
century not only differentiated but split Philosophy from Theology while the
renaissance on the 15th and 16th century was the century of culture - not
science- when Protestantism disqualified reason.
The church always respected, nourished and
supported nourishing human and experimental sciences. The Council of Trent,
distinguished faith and reason and unified them in harmony (it did not separate
each other, neither it set them independent from one another), being faith
prominent and God the origin of both.
The Baroc (17th century - 1750) was the
century of modern science. Its inner origins (from the 13th to 17th century)
were culturally Christian, and included Copernicus, Tycho, Brahe, Kepler,
Galileo, Pascal, Boyle, Newton, Leibniz among others. The case of Bruno
(philosopher and Theologian) and Galileo, were opposite to each other since
early times and have been studied in depth. The “novatores” o pre illustrated
Spaniards (1680 - 1730), affirmed both Faith and science and their
compatibility.
In the 17th century surged in Versailles a
libertine life style which has been extended until these days.
Until 1752 experimental scientists, many
of which they were ecclesiastical, were believers. Since then, there were two
Illustrations: while in one hand the anti Christian opposed faith and reason, on
the other the Catholic illustration would unify them. Alejandro Volta and Maria
G. Agnesi were geniuses in physics, mathematics and fervent Catholics at the
same time.
Since then, the number of experimental
scientists that were believers would start to slowly diminish. Some ideologists
and creators of opinion attacked religion calling science what it was not such,
while the Church opted to remain cautious.
If positivism and materialism from the
19th century freely opposed faith and reason is also true that there were pious
Christian scientists like Faraday, Maxwell, Kelvin, Jenner, Pasteur, Mendel…
As experimental sciences progressed and at times they seemed to be led against faith (19th century) that was due to multiple several reasons such as the shocking large and new discoveries, their fast paced growth while there were still significant doubts, the confusion between thesis and hypothesis (similar confusion than between scientist and creators of opinion) the Industrial and social Revolutions, the ideologists, and the intervention of philosophers. Against all the above and the growing diminishing number of believers among experimental scientists, the Church continued to promote science and education, social and labor fields and the outcome of faith and reason analysis was large, just to name some: Pious IX (Syllabus), I Vatican concilie (1869), Pious X (Lamentabili y Pascendi), Pious XII (Humani generis), Vatican II, Catholic Church Catechism (1992), Joan Paul II (Fides et ratio) and Francis I (Lumen Fidei).
Today’s experimental science including Biology, Physics, Chemistry, even mathematics, facilitate to believe in God in a more evident manner than in past centuries. Atheist scientists have become Theists. In that way, the second controversy is coming to an end, awaiting many great surprises in the History of Salvation.
José Fermín Garralda Arizcun