The Relation of Science and Religion.pdf - Online Christian Library

88 SCIENCE AND RELIGION.sential to the structure of the universe, for itis impossible to identify the two, so as to regardthe world as merely a mass of matter.This duality is now commonly admitted asthe result of recent scientific investigations.To quote the words of Professor Tait,-" Itis only within comparatively recent years thatit has been generally recognized that there issomething else in the physical universe whichpossesses to the full as high a claim to objectivereality as matter possesses, though it isby no means so tangible, and therefore theconception of it was much longer in forcingitself upon the human mind." * This is Energy.l' Just as gold, lead, oxygen, etc., aredifferent kinds of matter, so sound, light,-heat, etc., are now ranked as different formsof energy." -j-Here, then, is one of the conspicuous resultsof recent scientific research to which allour thoughts and theories need to adaptthemselves. And it must be obvious withoutargumentation, that theological thoughtwill not experience any serious shock, or* Recent Advances in Physical Science, by P. G. Tait, Professorof Natural Philosophy, University of Edinburgh, p. 17.t lb. p. 2.