Journal 5
One paragraph summary of the key idea summarizing the major idea of the section:
The main idea of this section is challenges to faith. These are ideas or arguments that challenge Catholocism or religion in general. These can come from such sources as atheism, science, and dehumanization. These are important to examine so we can better understand our faith and so we have valid defenses to these challenges.
List and explain three of the most important ideas you want to remember from this section:
Materialism: Materialism is an idea held by Thomas Hobbes. Materialists believe that the only truth comes from things we can see and things that can be rationally explained. They believe that the universe is wholly intelligeble and that we can learn all there really is to know through science and other various methods. They don't believe in any spirits or souls and therefore don't believe in God.
The Challenge of Science: Some people believe that science can prove religion wrong because it can logically prove things that people initially used religion to explain. They think that the need for religion is dying because we can use science instead. They also believe that God can't really exist because He can't be supported by any scientific fact. This idea is much like materialism but they differ in the fact that many people who believe in this scientific argument might not want to take the extra step and proclaim that there is no such thing as spirits, souls, or anything that can't be seen or understood.
The History of the Relationship between Religion and Science:This is the author's interpretation of the history of religion and science's relationship. He believes that for roughly the first 2000 years (500BC-1500AD) religion and science peacefully coexisted because they didn't challenge eachother and people could easily accept both without contradicting themselves. He believes that in the next 400 years (1500-1900) scientist began to question certain ideas held by religion that they felt were untrue. People took sides and it started to look like religion and science couldn't coexist. Since then (1900-today) he believes that science and religion have generally started to coexist well. Religion and science can feed off of eachother and work together to understand the world more completely.
One or two good images of that remind you of key ideas:
(museums.ncl.ac.uk)
One good question you should keep with your to ponder:
What are some challenges to faith in my everyday life? How can I not only overcome these but also learn as much as possible from them?
What should you try to do to make you a better person, a more faithful person, from this study:
I can examine these challenges to faith as closely as possible. I should learn as much as I can about things that might make me question my faith, and by overcoming them build a stronger faith then ever.