Should Christians follow “the science”?
During the coronavirus pandemic, there has been a tremendous amount of pressure upon all of us to “follow the science.” Our governmental policies and our individual actions are supposed to be prescribed by medical science. But now that the initial panic has largely subsided, it is time for some cool-headed reflection. Should it be a goal for Christians to follow the science?
What is “the science”?
The phrase “follow the science” is bad grammar. Why is there a “the” in front of “science”? In English, we usually just say “science.” Perhaps what is meant by “the science” is the settled, certain findings of scientific research as collected and declared by some kind of centralized scientific authority.
No central scientific authority
The problem is that there is no central scientific authority. In the pandemic, where are we supposed to turn for ultimate answers? The World Health Organization? The Center for Disease Control? The president’s task force? Individual members of the task force? Another doctor or scientist in a viral video? In times of uncertainty, humans desperately search for an authoritative voice.
However, science – even medical science – does not operate with a central authority. The scientific community is more of a hive mind made up of many scientists, schools, laboratories, government agencies, corporations, institutions, peer reviewed journals, etc. The scientific hive mind cannot declare ultimate truth. It can only arrive at some kind of scientific consensus.
The unicorn of scientific consensus
The pandemic has exposed the sometimes unicorn-like quality of scientific consensus. There are many questions on which scientists can arrive at a comfortable consensus, but on other questions consensus is elusive. Scientists disagree. Data is insufficient. Results are inconclusive. And even if a consensus is reached, it can be overturned or counterbalanced by new research and new data.
Science has no conscience
Furthermore, the real issue is that there is a gap between science on the one hand and policy and ethics on the other. People are looking to medical science to tell us what we ought to do, but science does not answer the questions of “ought.” Science can describe what is and how it works. Science can make reasonable guesses as to what cause will produce what effect. This can be useful information in ethical decision-making, but “the science” does not provide any real moral leadership for us to follow.
For example, science can tell you the speeding bus will likely hit and kill the small child in the road, but science cannot tell you whether or not you should sacrifice your life to save the child. Science has no conscience. (Perhaps we should say, “the science” does not have “the conscience”?)
Follow Jesus
As Christians, we should follow Jesus. Jesus is not anti-science. He created all things and holds it all together. Science can only reverse engineer what Jesus has made. But unlike science, Jesus, speaking to us through Scripture, is infallible, unchanging and totally authoritative.
Don’t turn to science for absolute truth. Don’t wait for a doctor or scientist to tell you what you ought to do. True biblical wisdom includes science in its considerations (1 Kings 4:33; Prov. 8:22-31), but surpasses it (Job 28). Biblical love uses medicine, but does so much more (Luke 10:33-37; 1 Cor. 13:2). So, of course, we should listen to the best information science has to offer, but ultimately, we don’t follow “the science.” We follow the Lord.
Randall Curtis serves as the Rhode Island regional coordinator for the Baptist Convention of New England.