A Naturalist Theology
Christianity Within a Holistic Paradigm
Abstract
The root of the narrative that places naturalism in opposition to the central tenets of Christianity resides in the perception that a “naturalist” account of reality has no space for the nonmaterial/transcendental. That perceived dichot‑ omy, this paper will argue, resides in a categorical error about the nature and number of things in reality. The apparent conflict assumes that one faces a binary choice between matter and non‑matter, where the first of these falls under the remit of investigation by the natural sciences while the second does not, thus putting theology at odds with naturalism.
In contrast to this dichotomous account, the scientific holistic ontologies pro‑ posed by Michael Esfeld (philosopher of science) and Hans Primas (quantum chem‑ ist) provide a radically different account of foundational reality in which one can argue that there is no requirement to reconcile two fundamentally different kinds of “stuff.” The contradiction between naturalism and Christianity is only apparent. It is based on our presuppositions about the world as described by science and our commitment to particular accounts of the nature of personhood. This paper does not claim that scientifically informed holism “solves” the naturalism versus anti‑naturalism debate; however, it does provide a way to integrate naturalistic (scientific) metaphysics into our Christian thought.
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