1. Religion & Science as institutions of Modernity
The S-R debate is collapsed into a debate about
where to allocate “epistemic authority” (legitimate knowledge – processes!!!).
It ignores the larger socio-cultural processes, the HOW is such legitimacy granted
Scientists as the Priests of Modernity
Those who gives us the answers, who spread the word.

2. Defending this statement: “Scientists are the Priests of Modernity”
Approach ONE
Explain Religion (& role of the priest) – that is, how are religion and science similar?
Science as “religious” (Weber’s “soteriology”)
Approach TWO
Explain Modernity

3. 6 Dimensions of Religion (Paccione, 1999).
Sacred narrative - explanation of origin, true nature of being/reality.
Ritual – practices, repeated, carrying meaning.
Doctrine – something taught as principles or tenets.
Experience - personal encounter, social practices performed.
Ethics – rules of behaviour.
Social institutions - coordinating, authorizing, sanctioning, conditioning.

4. Same Dimensions of Science?
Sacred narrative - explanation of origin, true nature of being/reality. (“science gives us truth”)
Ritual – practices, repeated, carrying meaning. (PhD convocation ceremonies; dissertation defenses)
Doctrine – something taught as principles or tenets. (the accepted theories in each discipline)
Experience - personal encounter, social practices performed.
Ethics – rules of behaviour. (Research ethics boards)
Social institutions - coordinating, authorizing, sanctioning, conditioning. (Natl Sci Councils, granting agencies)

5. Theology as a Science (Nancey Murphy)
Uses hypothetico-deductive model
Data is…
Biblical presentation
moral practices
historical events
religious experience
Doctrines as theories to explain facts about Cht life
Use of “models”

6. Science as religious… See Stahl, et al. Kuhn says science does this:
Role of authoritative texts (citing the lit)
Community of scholars who only question the basics in revolutionary periods
Theoretical understanding shapes interp (theory-dependence of obs)
Trained in a tradition (discipline) to participate in the practices (e.g, Roth & Bowen)

7. What is “Modernity…”?
Used to describe a particular period of European history through to now.
Used to refer to sociological characteristics of this society as it developed.
Used to refer to development of societies,
(e.g., “modern Saudi Arabia”)
As in “modernization is a good thing; countries want to modernize.”
Used to refer to ways of thinking/being that developed in concert with the societal characteristics over that period of history.

8. Modernity Rationalization Specialization of Labour Secularization
Bureaucratization
Mechanization
National/centralized community and structure
Dominance over nature
Humans can control Nature (Sci/Tech)
Mass society
Industrial society

9. Modernity
“Science is “rational” because it has the power to define the bounds of rationality.”
Thomas Gieryn
Getting this status is a historical process whereby science and rationality were co-constructed.

10. CBC Ideas Programme: “How to think about Science”: