Institute of Religion, Science and Social Studies

“The Harmony between Science and Religion”

On Oct. 4, 2005, American scholar Mr. Zhang Guodong gave an academic lecture on “The Harmony between Science and Religion” in the Institute of Religion, Science and Social Studies. The lecture is presided by Professor Jiang Sheng. Mr. Zhang’s speech was constitutive of three parts. First, he believes that science should be universal; the Western traditional thinking belongs to analysis-type thinking, whereas Chinese traditional thinking is comprehensive. Both are scientific. New theories appeared in the Western countries, such as quantum theory, complex system science and so on; adopt the integrated way of thinking. That is an evidence of this correctness of problems. Secondly, religion is also universal. Although there are divergences among different religions, they have a few common views, e.g. most of which worship God (in their own term) and own mysterious in different extent. In the third part, Mr. Zhang said, science and religion are harmonious. Religion might be full of superstitions without science, while science might cause lack of morals without religion, thus each will undermine the development of self and bring danger not welfare to human.