Essay Sample on Science and Religion
During the 16th century, Sir Francis Bacon, an English philosopher, popularized the scientific method: The seven step process that taught people to ask questions, solve their own problems, and create different things. This process also led to the depletion of religious faith and the disconnection of humanity to God. Science and religion can sometimes strengthen each other, but they can also tear each other apart. Two Victorian Era Authors, Matthew Arnold and Gerard Manley Hopkins, show science and religion opposing each other in their poems, “Dover Beach” and “God’s Grandeur”. In these works it is shown that these authors think technological and scientific advances are corrupting religion. Through similar themes, imagery, and the use of figurative language, one can see their opinions shine through their works.
To begin, in both poems there is a common theme that scientific and technological advancements are distorting the view of God and causing a lack of faith in religion. First in “Dover Beach'', Matthew Arnold (1876/2010) writes that, “The Sea of Faith/ Was once, too, at the full, and round earth’s shore” and now it is “Retreating, to the breath/ Of the night-wind, down the vast edges drear/ And naked shingles of the world.” (p. 547). This shows that Arnold viewed the slow withdrawal of the waves as the slow decline of religious faith in humanity. Also shown in this text is that the rocks represent the scientific developments that make religious faith decline and keep it from spreading. The last part of this quote is describing the withdrawal of the waves from the sand which represents how when religion declines it leaves people bare and without protection. An excerpt from the poem “God’s Grandeur” by Gerard Hopkins (1877/2010) states that “...the soil is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod” (p. 764). In the beginning of the poem, Hopkins had stated how God is charged through the earth, so now that the land is bare of the natural plants of God and man has taken to wearing shoes, people are becoming disconnected from God. Through this statement one can see how Hopkins views advancements as a destroyer of the land that is gifted to them and how he believes people are furthering themselves from their faith just by wearing shoes. Another part of Hopkins’ (1877/2010) poem asks “Why do men then now not reck his rod” (p. 764)? This question shows Hopkins asking why, with all the evidence of God’s glory, do people still not follow him and have faith? The answer he comes up with is that too many people are becoming reliant on science and not religion. Not only do Arnold and Hopkins share similar themes, but they both also use imagery to further their opinions.
The use of imagery is significant to show the reader specific examples of how each author thinks that science is affecting religion. From the very beginning of “Dover Beach” until the end, Arnold describes the scenery of a beach to make various connections between religion and nature. For example, in an excerpt, Arnold (1876/2010) writes, “The sea is calm tonight./ The tide is full, the moon lies fair/ Upon the straits; on the French coast the light/ Gleams and is gone; the cliffs of England stand,/ Glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay” (p. 546). Through descriptive words such as, “glimmering and vast”, among others, Arnold shows the reader how grand and seemingly large the land of England is. In the poem the land is used to represent science and the sea represents religion. The calm waves of the ocean show the reader how religion is a beautiful and calm thing while the description of the large and rocky land works to represent the intricate and new scientific advancements. Similarly, in “God’s Grandeur”, imagery can also be seen throughout the poem. An example of this is when Hopkins (1877/2010) writes that God’s grandeur, “gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil/ Crushed” (p. 764). In the section before this, Hopkins had described the grandeur of God like an electric rod that charges the earth and now he also describes God’s greatness like rich oil being crushed straight from the olive. This shows how valuable the author thinks religion and faith are to humanity. These descriptions serve to show the reader different ways to perceive God’s greatness, to give a more understandable description of how important faith is, and to show that God can be seen in everything.
Lastly, through their use of figurative language, specifically metaphors and similes, the reader can see how the two authors view scientific findings. A metaphor being used can be seen when Arnold (1876/2010) writes, “Listen! you hear the grating roar/ Of pebbles which the waves draw back, and fling,/ At their return, up the high strand, / Begin, and cease, and then again begin,/ With tremulous cadence” (pp. 546-547). In this metaphor the sea and rocks are representing religion and science to show how they are always changing. The sea is eternal and will never change other than the height of the waves. On the other hand, the rocks described to be on the beach will continue to change as long as they are being eroded by the sea. These elements represent the steady religious faith that is always there, only wavering in strength, and the ever changing scientific findings and advancements that will eventually be overtaken by the waves of faith. A simile used by Arnold (1876/2010) describes how the new sciences “seem to lie before us like a land of dreams,/ So various, so beautiful, so new” but then he states that in reality it carries “neither joy, nor love, nor light,/Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain” (p. 556). This reveals how Arnold views science as a kind of trap that draws people in with promises of greatness and then lets them down. One could infer that he means to say that, on the other hand, God will never let anyone down and that he will alway lift people up. An example of a simile used to further one's opinion can be found when Hopkins (1877/2010) writes that, “The world is charged with the grandeur of God./ It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;”(p.764). The direct comparison of God’s greatness to an electrical current running through the natural world gives The reader an example of how far religion and faith reaches. The simile used shows that the faith and greatness of God can be seen in fleeting moments. Through this, Hopkins introduces the idea that God is seen in flashes of things and can be seen when one pays attention and is connected to their surroundings.
In summary, there are many different ways that Arnold and Hopkins portray the everlasting fight between science and religion. The two authors clearly believe that scientific advancements are suppressing the religious connection that people have with God and they show this by using different themes, imagery, and figurative language. They are also arguing that the further science goes, the less faith people will have in God because science teaches people to ask questions about everything, God included. Religion and science have been going against each other for many years, and still will for years to come.
