A. McGrath’s Critical-Realistic Methodology of Dialogue between Science and Religion

Abstract

The paper aims to reveal the specificity and characteristic features of R. Bhaskar’s critical realism methodology used by A. McGrath in the development of the problem of the dialogue between science and religion. The article presents the analysis of the grounds for A. McGrath’s use of Bhaskar’s version of critical realism in the dialogue between science and religion, shows the specificity and difficulties of the transition from realism in science to realism in religion, limited application of critical realism in theology. The scientific originality of the research consists in the complex analysis of the methodology of Bhaskar’s version of critical realism used by A. McGrath in building the dialogue between science and religion. As a result, it has been proved that even though A. McGrath’s critical realism can serve as a bridge in the dialogue between scientific and religious view of the world, its role in this dialogue is limited because of a priori theological character of McGrath’s perception of nature.

References

1. Барбур И. Религия и наука: история и современность. М.: ББИ, 2000.
2. Кирьянов Д. В. Критический реализм в диалоге науки и религии: подход И. Барбура и Дж. Полкинхорна // Манускрипт. 2021. Т. 14. Вып. 8.
3. Макграт А. Кто изобрел Вселенную? Страсти по божественной частице в адронном коллайдере и другие истории о науке, вере и сотворении мира. М.: АСТ, 2016.
4. Полкинхорн Дж. Вера глазами физика. Богословские заметки мыслителя «снизу-вверх». М.: ББИ, 2000.
5. Хокинг С. Черные дыры и молодые Вселенные. СПб.: Амфора, 2001.
6. Bhaskar R. A Realist Theory of Science. Leeds: Leeds Books, 1975.
7. Bhaskar R. Dialectic: The Pulse of Freedom. L.: Verso, 1993.
8. Bhaskar R. From East to West: Odyssey of a Soul. L. - N. Y.: Routledge, 2000.
9. Bhaskar R. Reclaiming Reality: A Critical Introduction to Contemporary Philosophy. L. - N. Y.: Verso, 1989.
10. Collier A. Critical Realism. An Introduction to Roy Bhaskar’s Philosophy. L. - N. Y.: Verso, 1994.
11. Dress W. Review of Reality, by Alister E. McGrath // Ars Disputandi. 2003. Vol. 3.
12. Ellis G. Issues in the Philosophy of Cosmology. 2008. URL: https://archive.org/details/arxiv-astro-ph0602280
13. Huyssteen J. W. Theology and the Justification of Faith. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1989.
14. Kallio-Tamminen T. Quantum Metaphysics: The Role of Human Beings within the Paradigms of Classical and Quantum Physics. Helsinki, 2004.
15. Knight Ch. Science and Christian Faith. A Guide for Perplexed. N. Y.: St. Vladimir Seminary Press, 2020.
16. Lopez J., Potter G. After Postmodernism: An Introduction to Critical Realism. L.: Athlone, 2001.
17. Losch A. Critical Realism - A Sustainable Bridge between Science and Religion? // Theology and Science. 2010. Vol. 8. Issue 4.
18. McGrath A. E. A Scientific Theology: in 3 vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001. Vol. 1. Nature.
19. McGrath A. E. A Scientific Theology: in 3 vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002. Vol. 2. Reality.
20. McGrath A. E. Dawkins’ God: Genes, Memes and the Meaning of Life. Oxford: Blackwell, 2004.
21. McGrath A. E. Evangelical Theological Method: The State of Art // Evangelical Futures: A Conversation on Theological Method. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2000.
22. McGrath A. E. Loving Science, Discovering God: An Autobiographical Reflection on Science and Theology // Theology and Science. 2019a. Vol. 17. Issue 4.
23. McGrath A. E. Response to Willem B. Drees’ Review of Science and Religion: A New Introduction // Theology and Science. 2010. Vol. 8. Issue 3.
24. McGrath A. E. The Foundations of Dialogue in Science and Religion. Oxford: Blackwell, 1991.
25. McGrath A. E. The Territories of Human Reason: Science and Theology in an Age of Multiple Rationalities. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2019b.
26. McMullin E. A Case for Scientific Realism // Scientific Realism / ed. by J. Leplin. Berkley: UCP, 1984.
27. Polkinghorne J. C. Quarks, Chaos and Christianity. L.: SPCK, 2005.
28. Polkinghorne J. C. Science and Creation: The Search for Understanding. L.: SPCK, 1988.
29. Russell R. J. Ian Barbour’s Methodological Breakthrough: Creating the “Bridge” between Science and Theology // Theology and Science. 2017. Vol. 15. Issue 1.
30. Torrance T. F. The Transcendental Role of Wisdom in Science // Facets of Faith and Science: Historiography and Modes of Interaction. Lanham: University Press of America, 1996.
31. Torrance T. F. Theological Science. Oxford: OUP, 1969.
32. Vallentin A. Einstein: A Biography. N. Y.: Doubleday, 1954.
33. Ward F. Review: A Fine Tuned Universe: The Quest for God in Science and Theology. By Aliser E. McGrath. The 2009 Gifford Lectures // Anglican and Episcopal History. 2012. Vol. 81. № 2.
34. Welker M. Processes of Discovery in Science and Theology: Bottom-up Approach, Critical Realism and Interdisciplinary Inspiration // God and the Scientist. Exploring the Work of John Polkinghorne / ed. by F. Watts, C. C. Knight. Farnham: Ashgate Publishing, 2012.
35. Wright A. Christianity and Critical Realism. Ambiguity, Truth and Theological Literacy. L.: Routledge, 2013.

Funding

The reported study was funded by the RFBR according to research project № 21-011-44038 “Fundamental themes in the dialogue between science and religion”.

Author information

About this article

Publication history

• Received: October 16, 2021.
• Published: November 20, 2021.

Keywords

• А. Макграт
• Р. Бхаскар
• критический реализм
• наука и религия
• философия науки
• A. McGrath
• R. Bhaskar
• critical realism
• science and religion
• philosophy of science

Copyright

© 2021 The Author(s)
© 2021 Gramota Publishing, LLC

User license

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)