Book Review: Unbelievable by Michael Newton Keas

Introduction 

The history of the relationship between science and faith has been a shaky one – or so we’ve been told. Michael Newton Keas, a historian and philosopher of science, challenges this notion in his book Unbelievable: 7 Myths About the History and Future of Science and Religion. Throughout the book, Keas tackles the suggestion that science and religion have been predominantly at war with one another throughout history, and he does this by confronting several myths – myths with which most people would be acquainted – about how religion has hindered science throughout history. But Keas doesn’t stop there. Instead, he continues is critique of the warfare hypothesis by addressing how such myths have been perpetuated in our culture.

Part 1: The Myths

The first seven chapters of Unbelievable each address a specific myth about the history of science and religion. Keas both identifies the origin of each myth – including its first inclusion in modern textbooks – as well as provides correction. We will discuss each in order:

Myth 1:

The Myth: It is said that earlier thinkers in Western civilization believed the universe was small and ultimately existed for the sole purpose of benefiting humans. According to the myth, the Church taught this principle because it concurred with the notion of human significance, a belief that was ultimately challenged by the discovery of a large universe.

The Reality: Ancient thinkers were well acquainted with the idea of a large universe. Furthermore, the size of the universe with respect to humans was typically understood to be irrelevant when considering human significance.

Myth 2:

The Myth: The Middle Ages are known as the “Dark Ages,” and it is taught that this time period was characterized by the Catholic church’s suppression of scientific advancements.

The Reality: No such “Dark Ages” characterized by a church-driven opposition to existing scientific progress ever occurred. Instead, not only did significant scientific progress occur during the Middle Ages, but medieval universities – largely rooted in a Christian worldview – were responsible for the translation of ancient Greek and Arabic texts, which ultimately led to further scientific progress.

Myth 3:

The Myth: Upon first learning about medieval history, students are frequently taught that the medieval world believed the earth was flat. Furthermore, it is sometimes argued that Christopher Columbus set sail around the earth to prove – against the teachings of the Church – that the earth was round.

The Reality: The belief in a flat earth was never popular in western thought – whether Christian or otherwise. In fact, descriptions of the sphericity of the earth can be found in theological literature dating back to Augustine of Hippo in the early fifth century AD. Furthermore, throughout the late Middle Ages, medieval students would have been privy to several proofs of the sphericity of the earth – many of which most modern students would be unable to devise.

Myth 4:

The Myth: It is taught that Giordano Bruno was persecuted by the Inquisition as somewhat of a martyr for science because of his belief in Copernican astronomy, extraterrestrial intelligence, and an infinite number of worlds – theories that were antithetical to the teachings of the Church.

The Reality: Bruno was persecuted by the Inquisition for some of his views, but this persecution was not due to any sort of scientific positions he held. Instead, he was persecuted because of his theological beliefs, which were likely rooted in pagan religion and philosophy. Furthermore, Bruno’s explanations of his cosmology could hardly be considered scientific
– typically involving animistic characteristics such as souls to explain the motion celestial objects.

Myth 5:

The Myth: Galileo Galilei is said to have provided conclusive proof of the heliocentric model, but rather than accepting the proof the Catholic Church instead tortured and imprisoned him. This is one of the most frequently cited stories of the Church acting to obstruct science.

The Reality: At the time of Galileo, there was a third scientific alternative describing the structure of the solar system. This was the Tychonic System – named after Tycho Brahe – and it presented all of the planets revolving around the Sun, with the Sun revolving around the earth. Given the scientific capabilities of the time, this was the most scientifically accurate model. As for Galileo’s trial, the details are complicated, but it is probable that it was largely affected by Galileo mocking Pope Urban VIII in his Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems. Regardless, Galileo was largely met with scientific and personal opposition, not religious.

Myth 6:

The Myth: It is believed that a geocentric model of the universe carried with it an elevated status of human beings. The shift to a heliocentric model then brought a demotion of the status of human beings. This is known as the Copernican Principle.

The Reality: The geocentric model had its foundation in Greek thought, according to which the center of the universe was considered to be the bottom of the universe. Therefore, with respect to the philosophy of the time period of Copernicus and Galileo, the removal of the earth from the center of the universe was a promotion for the status of humanity.

Myth 7:

The Myth: Popular culture tells us that the inevitable discovery of extraterrestrial intelligence and creation of artificial intelligence will spell the defeat of Christianity. This is because Christianity contains a geocentric redemption story.

The Reality: Christian thinkers throughout the ages have wrestled with the notion of alien life and therefore this is not new territory. Specifically, C.S. Lewis has presented possible models in which Christianity and alien life can be compatible.

Part 2: A Better Way

In the second half of Unbelievable, Keas discusses how these aforementioned myths become perpetuated throughout our culture. The first method of myth-propagation discussed is the genre of science fiction. These future-directed stories insist upon a rejection of the supposed anti-science thinking that allowed for supernatural considerations. Instead, all can be accomplished through technology.

Perhaps most significantly, the TV show Cosmos (both the Carl Sagan version and the Neil deGrasse Tyson version) is identified as a major culprit of the perpetuation of science and religion warfare myths. This can be seen on a number of levels as the anti-theistic motivations of the program’s production team consistently result in an inaccurate portrayal of the history of science.

Keas shifts focus to include a discussion of Johannes Kepler as an example of how Christianity and science have worked and ought to work together. The notion that Kepler was a devout Christian, while cemented in the historical data, is nowhere to be found in the representation of him found in programs like Cosmos. Nevertheless, it was Kepler’s belief that God ordered the universe that provided the foundation for investigating the natural laws.

The final chapters close out the main text of Unbelievable with a discussion of the history of science and religion in America and an explanation of the analysis Keas applied to science textbooks as he researched the prevalence of the myths he discusses. In doing so, he notes a trend toward these texts presenting the existence of extraterrestrial beings as somewhat of a means of deliverance, a trend for which he cautions the reader to be attentive

In Conclusion

Unbelievable is a must-have volume for anyone interested in the relationship between science and faith. Keas is effective in outlining the major myths in a manner that is appropriate for all readers. At times the pop-culture references (such as the discussion of B.o.B. during the chapter on the flat earth) might get a bit distracting, but they also have the ability to keep the discussions down to earth instead of becoming overly academic. Ultimately, however, one of the most important aspects of Unbelievable is the willingness of Keas to unequivocally identify not merely the reality of the respective myths but the overtly anti-theistic motivations behind both the origination and propagation of each myth throughout time.  Therefore, all who deal with science-focused apologetics with find much value in this book.

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