The Christian view of science and Scripture [Unknown Binding]

Bernard Ramm's treatment of the supposed "war" between science and scripture is refreshing yet deep. A professor at Biola University, and then at American Baptist Seminary of the West, he was a prolific writer. His book on hermeneutics remains a useful textbook on the subject.

In the present volume he explores the purported incompatability between scientific reason and biblical accuracy, and shows that the illusion is because of improper interpretation of scientific evidence and/or the Biblical texts. Although some of the scientific data he cites are somewhat dated (e.g. supposed age of the earth), his reasoning still stands. The strength of the book is in its ability to sweep away the controversy and clear the way for intellectual honesty on both sides.

As the list of books referencing this work demonstrates, "The Christian View of Science and Scripture" is a seminal work. Reaction to this book was evidently the impetus for the writings of Henry Morris, who shortly thereafter published his first major works on so-called "scientific creationism". Thus, it may have been the opening volley in the current "war", but as Ramm points out, the debate goes back to Augustine's time. While Morris' work is meant to exclude and divide, Ramm's book paves the way for those trained in the sciences to approach the Bible without having to "check their brain at the door". It also allows the Christian to approach science without a sense of guilt or heretical treason, free to explore its wonders, and yet, understand its limits. But most importantly, it opens a dialogue between serious believers and serious scientists that can lead to salvation on one hand, and greater appreciation for the works of the creator on the other.

It is obvious that Bernard Ramm had a great love of the Bible and science. His most cogent point is that we, as Christians, must be cautious when we speak of scientific subjects, and we must be sure that we really understand the scientific method and the field of which we speak. Otherwise we will be dismissed as ignorant, and even more tragically, we may exclude honest seekers from coming to the Bible for reconciliation with the Creator. Also, as scientists, we must not impose a scientific framework on the Biblical texts. It will almost always result in misinterpretation and obscure the intended message.

That however does not imply that the Bible cannot stand up under scientific scrutiny. While it was not the intent of the Biblical authors to write a scientific treatise, Ramm points out many instances where statements in the Bible have proven far ahead of their time for scientific and historical accuracy. And when viewed from a phenomenological perspective, even the creation account violates no basic tenants of science, a remarkable accomplishment for such an ancient text.

This book remains a classic on the subject. I recommend it to all who honestly seek to reconcile science and scripture, not merely compromise one or the other or both.

This book is an all time classic on the relationship of scientific knowledge to Christianity. Bernard Ramm bemoans the fact that there are so many books of this type and his is just another. But his stood the test of time, while the others have largely been forgotten.

This book is timeless. Although some of the information on specific sciences such as geology, astronomy and biology is dated, much of the discussion could have been written yesterday.

Ramm illustrates many ways of reconciling science and the study of scripture. He sometimes gives his own position on a particular issue. We may not agree with him on any particular issue. But Ramm stresses the important thing is that Christian scholars should take seriously the findings of science. Although we Christians accept the Bible as authoritative, there are sources of knowledge outside the Bible and it is not acceptable for the Christian to dismiss these if they seem to conflict with our understanding of scripture. Our understanding of scripture is every bit as contingent on fallible human reason as scientific knowledge.

Ramm is a villan to the young-earth movement because of his "accomodationism" and critisism of "flood geology" and young-earthism. He is cited heavily in Witcomb and Morris' book The Genesis Flood, and in fact may have partly inspired that book.

Some of the information on specific sciences is quite dated. But that illustrates the ever-changing nature of science (and theology) and the unchanging nature of scriptire. Just as our understanding of nature is always changing, so is our understanding of scripture and how it relates to science.

Ramm does indicate that he does not personally accept evolutionary theory and is not a theistic evolutionist. He characterized himself as a "progeressive creationist". I have to admit I don't know if his opinions changed over the years as science progressed. Although my personal opinions may not be in total agreement with Ramm's, he displays an appropriate respect and honest consideration of scientific knowledge.

Bernard L. Ramm (1916-1992) was a Baptist theologian who was professor of Systematic Theology at California Baptist Seminary. He has written important and influential books such as Varieties Of Christian Apologetics, Protestant Christian Evidences, and Protestant Biblical Interpretation: A Textbook of Hermeneutics.

He wrote in the Preface to this 1954 book, "In research for this book I discovered that there are two traditions in Bible and science both stemming from the developments of the nineteenth century. There is the ignoble tradition which has ... used arguments and procedures not in the better traditions of established scholarship. There has been and is a noble tradition in Bible and science, and this is the tradition of the great and learned evangelical Christians who have been patient, genuine, and kind and who have taken great care to learn the facts of science and Scripture... Unfortunately the noble tradition ... has not been the major tradition in evengelicalism in the twentieth century... It is our wish to call evengelicalism back to the noble tradition..."

Here are some additional quotations from the book:

"...the Holy Spirit conveyed infallibly true theological doctrines in the cultural mold and terms of the days of the Bible writers, and did not give to the writers the secrets of modern science. It is a misunderstanding of the nature of inspiration to seek such secrets in various verses of the Bible." (Pg. 136)
"The amount of material carried by a water stream varies with the sixth power of the velocity of the stream. There is little deposit far out on the continental shelf where a few feet may represent thousands of years of deposits. Flood geology has no means of accounting for this." (Pg. 184)
"A local flood would come and go and leave no trace after a few thousand years, but could a universal flood be a traceless flood? (George McCready) Price's view we cannot but emphatically reject." (Pg. 243)
"The mixing of the waters and the pressure of the waters would have been devastating. Many of the salt water fish and marine life would die in fresh water, and many of the fresh water fish and marine life would die in salt water. An entire marine creation would have been necessary if the waters of the earth were mixed, yet no such hint is given in the account." (Pg. 244)
"Getting rid of such a vast amount of water would have been as miraculous as providing it. If the entire world were under six miles of water, there would have been no place for the water to drain off. Yet the record states that the water drained off with the help of the wind (Genesis 8:1). A local flood would readily account for this, but there is not answer if the entire world were under water." (Pg. 245)
"There is the problem of the special diets required for the animals, and the problem of special conditions for the animals. Some animals need a moist environment, and others a very dry one; some need it very cold and others very warm. Again, there is no question what Omnipotence can do, but the simplicity of the flood record prohibits the endless supplying of miracles to make a universal flood feasible." (Pg. 247)