The Relationship between Science and Religion in the 18th Century Enlightenment
Question: What was the relationship between science and religion in the 18th Century Enlightenment?
Before the 18th-century enlightenment, religion dominated over science. Christianity was the dominant cultural force, and it offered explanations to natural occurrences. People who attempted to think outside the answers provided by Christianity were seen as antagonists of the Christian faith. Religious leaders viewed scientists as antagonists because they offered a different explanation of how the universe functioned. If people believed in other forces other than Christianity, leaders would be unable to control how people behaved and thought. Therefore, they suppressed freedom of thought and labeled scientists such as Galileo antagonists of Christianity. Scientists were not antagonists, as the church assumed. Ironically, most scientists had Christian foundations, and they did not rule out the role of God in the universe. Ideally, the scientists acknowledged God for creating the world and all physical laws that regulated the earth. Furthermore, scientists made discoveries and cured diseases that would cause thousands of deaths. Although the church considered scientists as antagonists, the scientists played a significant role in exploring the freedom of thought and making discoveries that made life easier.