Revista Latinoamericana de Difusión Científica
Volumen 3 – Número 5 - ISSN 2711-0494
Reyber Parra Contreras // Comments about the relationship between Science and Faith … 95-100
explain it, so it must be open to the philosophical explanation: “How many stars in the sky!
Certain. But how and why? How wonderful in the anatomy and physiology of the human
body! Undoubtedly. But what is the human body for? For what man? Here science remains
mute, and must be, at the risk of leaving its own domain” (Paul VI, April 23, 1966).
More recently, Pope John Paul II (September 14, 1998) promulgated the Encyclical
Fides et Ratio, where in poetic form he pointed out that “faith and reason are like the two
wings with which the human spirit rises towards the contemplation of the truth". There should
be no competition between the two, since both can help each other in the search for truth,
without each losing its own space for realization: the transcendent, on the one hand; and the
phenomenal, on the other. Faith can illuminate Reason, with which it is possible to reach the
deep meaning of each thing. Therefore, Pope John Paul II advocates the development of a
Philosophy of metaphysical scope, which is not limited to the phenomenal.
This last approach is taken up by Pope Benedict XVI (October 28, 2010), who
proposes an interdisciplinary relationship between Science and philosophical reflection, in
order to help scientists discover the epistemological foundation of their methodology. In
addition, this conjunction would also contribute to address the limitation of Science, in that it
cannot by itself "explain everything and satisfy the spiritual needs of man" (Benedict XVI,
November 6, 2006). However, although Science is incapable of replacing Faith, also in terms
of Reason it comes from God (First Being), who assigns an order to its creation (the great
book of nature, according to Paul VI), which makes it possible its intelligibility and, therefore,
its study through the scientific method. In fact, Science is a "patient and passionate search
for the truth about the cosmos, nature and the constitution of the human being" (Benedict
XVI, October 28, 2010).
In both Pope Benedict XVI and his successor Pope Francisco, Science must be
guided by an ethic that joins it with the principles of fraternity and peace: “The scientific
community is called to serve the human family and its integral development” (Francisco,
November 12, 2018). This ethical position is anthropocentric: “Science does not exist except
by and for man; it has to leave the circle of his research and lead to man, and through him
to society and to the whole history” (Paul VI, April 23, 1966). However, when Faith enlightens
Science, then it is able to rise and contribute knowledge in charity ("charity of knowledge",
Paul VI would affirm). A distinctive feature of the charitable ideal of Science, it is expressed
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